Renowned bird expert dies

Respected Arcadia bird expert and biologist Michael San Miguel, 70, died Wednesday (July 14) after a 300 feet down a ravine north of Altadena, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

Michael San Miguel (photo from San Gabriel Valley Tribune)

San Miguel apparently fell down a steep ravine in in the forest near Angeles Crest Highway and Mt. Wilson Red Box Road while counting owls overnight in the Angeles National Forest.

San Miguel was conducting an environmental study on the impact of running Southern California Edison power lines in the area with a colleague when he fell about 8 p.m. while hiking down to a spotted owl’s nest. His colleague found San Miguel injured and hiked out of the ravine to their vehicle to call for help with a satellite phone. But he died before the first rescue teams reached him four hours later.