Hundreds of people got to see hawks, owls and falcons up close and personal during weekly Hawk Watch events in Ramona over the last two months.

Why it matters: These free events are a chance to get a good look at some really cool birds, but they also serve a larger purpose: raising awareness and money for local golden eagle research and conservation.

Catch up quick: Hawk Watch is organized by the nonprofit Wildlife Research Institute, or WRI, and is held on the private Begent Ranch.

• Falconers come and show off their predator birds, including a red-tailed hawk and peregrine falcon.
• Falconer = someone who's licensed to capture, raise and train raptors like hawks and falcons to hunt.

Soar out: Hawk Watch overlooks a hotspot for raptors in the Ramona Grasslands, and after the program, you go with WRI staff to nearby Rangeland Road to look for the birds through spotting or binoculars.

• "This is all habitat for sensitive species up the wazoo," WRI research director Katie Quint told Axios, from the tiny fairy shrimp to the massive golden eagle.
• Other sensitive species just waiting to be watched include the Stephens' kangaroo rat, western burrowing owl, arroyo toad, western spadefoot, Crotch's bumblebee and grasshopper sparrow, she said.

💭 Claire's thought bubble: Last month, I got to check out a Hawk Watch and meet falconer Kailyn Franz, who walked out with a red-tailed hawk on her gloved arm.

• The massive bird was on a leash attached to a thin strap of leather called a jess on his foot, and kept trying to fly off to hunt squirrels, Franz said.
• She also brought out Myrtle, a peregrine falcon, who was making cooing noises at Franz.
• That apparently meant Myrtle thought she and Franz were on a date.

Flashback: WRI has done surveys of golden eagle breeding since 1988, and has one of the longest-running databases of golden eagle populations in the country, dating to the 1800s, Quint said.

• That data is used to enforce a 1-mile buffer around golden eagle nests during breeding season.

That's because golden eagles need a lot of space away from humans to nest.

What's next: WRI is starting its annual helicopter survey of eagles this month and is planning for their Earth Day event on April 25 at the Begent Ranch, where people can learn about raptors.

Squawk about it

The share of San Diegans with Irish ancestry is growing.

Why it matters: That means more locals have a reason to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day this year.

By the numbers: More than 255,000 San Diego County residents, or 7.8% of the population, reported having Irish ancestry in 2024, per the latest census data.

• That's up slightly from about 245,000 residents, or 7.4% of the county population, in 2022.
• The local share is higher than across California (5.9%), and lower than the national average (9.4%).

If you're looking to celebrate today, get your green on and head to these Irish pubs and St. Paddy's festivities:

🇮🇪 Grab a pint of Guinness and authentic Irish food at The Field in Gaslamp, which is opening early at 10am.

🎶 Live music at The Ould Sod in Normal Heights starts at 10:30am.

🍀 Green beer will be flowing along with food and drink specials at O'Brien's Pub in Kearny Mesa.

More green beer

🚦 The City Council voted to lower speed limits on some roads to make them safer. (FOX5)

🏟️ Snapdragon or "San Diego Stadium" will host 11 soccer games for the 2028 LA Olympics. That's more than any other venue. (Olympics.com)

🛩️ Carlsbad's airport is on a federal list of "hot spots" for potential ground collisions. (Union-Tribune)

👵🏻 Retirees up to age 94 have been standing, sitting or marching at one La Mesa corner to protest President Trump every Tuesday morning for almost a year. (Times of San Diego)

🎟️ San Diego concertgoers are facing sticker shock as some ticket prices surge from $20 to $1,200. (KPBS)

San Diego is among hundreds of western U.S. counties that had their warmest winters on record, per the latest data.

Why it matters: The widespread record-setting illustrates the unusually high temperatures across much of the western U.S. for the past few months.

• It's been a brutally warm winter for much of the West and Southwest, with implications ranging from bad ski and snowboard seasons to concerns about water supplies and wildfires in the months ahead.

By the numbers: San Diego's high of 89 last Friday tied the record from 2015 for that date, according to the National Weather Service.

• Other cities, like Chula Vista (high 92), Ramona (high 88) and Alpine (high 89) broke their records.

What's next: More records will likely be set this week as an unusual March heat dome blankets the Western U.S., with temperatures expected to reach the triple digits in some places.

More details

👋 Claire here. I must need more excitement in my life because I was almost giddy over the delivery of our new trash can on Friday.

• The bins are gray, not black, and have RFID chips that will tell the city if the bin has been picked up.
• They're part of the new trash fee approved by voters in 2022 and the City Council last year.

About 91% of San Diego households have now received new bins, city spokesperson Nicole Darling told Axios.

PSA: You have 30 days after getting your new bin to request a different size. You can save $6 a month by switching to a smaller size.