JUL 2015 - Eagle Rock

It was a smaller than usual group this morning with 6 of the crew ready for our now annual work day on Eagle Rock trail.  There have been Swifts . . . I mean a few trees reported down and working on the trail each year makes the brushing a bit easier.  The day started out clear meaning it was going to be a warm day.

 4" Tan Oak

There were a couple of small thinks that only required a hand saw and these were both before the bridge.

The bridge looked good but there were a couple of 2" wide boards missing but overall it was holding up after close to 25 years.  At the first lookout I was surprised to see a Western Tanager perched in a tree very close to us.

 Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)

 Tough first start at a Knob Cone Pine

Dale and I guessed what we thought were the diameters of the trees from Kurt's photos from his scouting trip a couple of months ago.  This one and the final pine near the top were just about half the diameter we had guessed when we were at HQ.  Good to know.
 

Red Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla magnifica)

Up on the Rock we were treated to a few White-throated Swifts with one flying about 3 feet from Janie.  We also saw a Red Velvet Ant, which is actually a wasp and the female is capable of delivering a powerful sting.  Males can fly but female are wingless.  Adults drink nectar.  First time I ever saw one.

Eagle Rock is one of the harder trails and we saw a few small kids that probably took their first steps on the hike.  OK the parents probably helped.  Nice to see young kids being exposed to nature so early and maybe they will grow up respecting nature.  We put in 44 hours and I would like to thank Dale P., Janie, David P., Janette, and Herman.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day
3 White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis
2 Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
3 Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis
1 Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
1 Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni
1 Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri
2 Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
6 Common Raven Corvus corax
24 Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
4 Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens
1 Brown Creeper Certhia americana
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
4 Wrentit Chamaea fasciata
1 Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
1 Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena

JUN 2015 - Last Chance

There was an off shore breeze that pushed out the fog leaving the beautiful blue Santa Cruz sky.  As we were getting set up I could smell the blooming Azaleas right outside HQ.  What a treat.

Western Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale)

I was expecting it to be warm so the 9 member crew headed to a cool spot in the park: Last Change trail.  Soon after hitting the trail we were greeted by a flock of Chickadees and numerous wild flowers.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)

Since we were into the Marbled Murrelet breeding season, we traded the chainsaw for the crosscut saw.  This saw works great after you get use to pulling only.

 

Elk Clover (Aralia californica)

The next blockage was another rotten tree and with a cut from the saw and a few whacks with the Pulaski this was cleared.

 

 

As I mentioned there were many wildflower along the trail

White Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea alba)

Red Larkspur (Delphinium nudicaule)

Globe Lily (Calochortus albus)

There were a couple of small things across the trail and some brushing to the end of the park boundary.

Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)

California Hedge Nettle (Stachys bullata)

Cricket (ID?)

Hairy Star Tulip (Calochortus tolmiei)

Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja linariaefolia)

It did warm up but since the trail runs along East Waddell creek it was relatively cool.  The crew put in 65 hours on a shorter than usual day and I would like to thank Dale P., Dale S., Janie, Norm, David B., Shyamal, Curt, and Janette.  The bird of the day was hearing an American Dipper in the area I have seen then the last 2 years.

See you on the trails.

Jeff 

Birds of the Day

1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [cafer Group])
1 Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
12 Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)
3 Hutton's Vireo (Vireo huttoni)
4 Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
5 Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
3 Common Raven (Corvus corax)
4 Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
9 Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)
6 Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus)
1 American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)
3 Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
3 Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
2 American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
1 Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)
1 Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
5 Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)
11 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group])
2 Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)

MAY 2015 - Return to Basin Trail

This month we headed back to finish up along the Basin Trail with a crew of 8.  We parked where STS crosses over China Grade road because my truck was running on empty and I wasn't sure if I would make it back to Boulder Creek for gas.  There always seems be be something in bloom in the park and today was no exception.

Douglas Iris

It took about a 1/2 hour to get to where we left off last month and then first tree was taken care of by a hand saw.

We had to work around this large Redwood since it was larger than our saw could take care of.

The next blockage was a 24" Fir and after 4 cuts the trail was clear again.

New growth on a young Madrone

Next was another 18" or so Fir that didn't take long to clear off the trail.

Beetles on a Bush Poppy

Fremont Star Lily (Toxicoscordion fremontii)

Chaparral Pea (Pickeringia)

Green Soldier Bug (Chinavia hilaris)

After lunch we had another 24" Fir to tackle and we kept on knocking down the 11 trail obstructions.

Run away Banana Slug

This leaning tree we left on the way out but on the return we cleared it quickly ending a satisfying day on the trails.

Sticky Monkey (Mimulus aurantiacus)

It was one of our longer days and we put in 73 hours.  I would like to thank Dale S., David B., Janie, Norm, Jan, and Mike.  It was a birdie day with 25 species, which added to the enjoyable day.  I did make it back to Boulder Creek with gas to spare.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day
1 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
1 Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata)
1 Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
4 Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
1 Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
1 Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
1 Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
8 Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)
5 Hutton's Vireo (Vireo huttoni)
5 Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
11 Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
1 Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
1 Common Raven (Corvus corax)
7 Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
3 Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
20 Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)
2 Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
3 Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)
1 Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
5 Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens)
1 Wilson's Warbler (Pacific Coast) (Cardellina pusilla chryseola)
6 Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
5 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group])
2 Purple Finch (Western) (Haemorhous purpureus californicus)

APR 2015 - STS, Dedication, and Basin Trial

We had 4 new members and 15 regulars out for at least part of the Day.  We started out with most of the crew moving firewood for Susan and I took a few workers to take care of a reported tree across the STS trail near the Lodge.  

 About 18" Tan Oak

 We broke out the Crosscut Saw

 Cleared

 California Azalea

There was a dedication for Linda Yule for all of her time working on preserving the watershed along the coast through the Sempervirens Fund.

 Dedication event for Linda Yule

After the dedication we headed up to Basin Trail with a detailed map from Kurt with photos and GPS coordinates of many downed trees.  There a few small things at the east end of the trail and they got larger as we went.

 Light Brushing

 Tan Oak

 Light lifting

A bit messy

 And Cleared

 This was a Madrone and about 24"

 Open

 Last one for the day

 After this one we called it a day since the next few were getting larger and there is always next month.

Beatles on a Bush Poppy

There was a great turn out and we got a lot done.  There is more to do on Basin trail and Kurt's map was a great tool.  We put in 135 hours and I would like to thank Norm, Dale S., Janie, Michele, Dale P., David P., Janette, Mike, Herman, Francis, Dell, Manny, Anita, new members Curt, Kamal, Fulon, and Winbert.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day 

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)
Hutton's Vireo (Vireo huttoni)
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)
Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) 
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)
Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens)
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)