August 10, 2013 - Eagle Rock

There were 10 members out on a clear morning.  It has been foggy on this side of the hill for about 5 weeks now so it was nice to see the blue sky so early in the morning.  There wasn't anything pressing on the Big Board so we decided to head up to the Eagle Rock Bridge to take another look for repairs we will be making in the next couple of months.

Eagle Rock trail from EveryTrail mapping

 

We encountered a small tree that took all of 5 minutes to clear and then another that was cleared with one cut.

 

We made it to the bridge around 11 am and after looking it over most decided to return to get ready for various activities but Janette, Dale S., and I continued to Eagle Rock doing light brushing along the way.  On the way down from the Rock, at the head of the short trail to the bench looking toward the west I saw a strange oak, at least for this area.  We looked at a couple of books and it appears to be a Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii). The habitat was right but it was a first for me in the park.

 Black Oak

 Pacfic-slope Flycatcher, immature

This was also a Trail Crew outing that night to UCSC theater to take in the Taming of the Shrew.  Although it was a very good time with good food and drink the acting was very good but the play is about 400 years out of date (that's my opinion).

 

We put in 72 hours on a typical late summer work day.  We spent an hour taking in the view of the swifts and of the San Lorenzo Valley on top of the world (and finally saw my home).  I would like to thank Dale S., Janie, Bill, Joan, Norm, Janette, Michelle, Peter, and new member Steve.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Birds of the Day
3 Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
2 Band-tailed Pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata
2 Black Swift, Cypseloides niger
2 Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna
2 Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
3 Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
2 Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis
2 Hutton's Vireo, Vireo huttoni
3 Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri
4 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal), Aphelocoma californica [californica Group]
1 Common Raven, Corvus corax
16 Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
3 Brown Creeper, Certhia americana
1 Bewick's Wren, Thryomanes bewickii
4 Wrentit, Chamaea fasciata

July 13, 2013 - Redwood Loop, STS, and Basin Trails

It was a very pleasant morning as the crew starting to arrive at our 9am call of duty time.  We had 3 new people out with a total of 13.   As we were collecting a not so common Vaux's Shift flew around HQ for about 1/2 hour. First of the year for me. We moved around today starting in the Redwood Loop then over to STS south of Maddox's Cabin, and finally STS west and Basin Trail north.

We started at the Redwood loop to lay duff down under the Mother and Father of the Forest.  Years of people climbing over the fence to get near to the large trees has compacted the ground around the trees.  The duff will help hold in the moisture that drops as the redwoods collect the fog.

 Mother

 Father

Of course the signs we put up to "do not climb the fence" didn't keep the crew out nor the visitors.  Within minutes people climbed over the fence.  Oh well. Next was a report of a blockage on STS south of Maddox's cabin.  It was about a 1/2 mile hike and a tan oak snapped about 20 feet off the grown.

 Crosscut Sawing

It was a little tricky since I had to detach the tree.  When it did detach and the far end fell down my end went up and me too.  Luckily I remembered to let go.

It didn't take long to clear the trail and then we were off to China Grade to search for reported redwood down on STS west of China Grade and something on Basin Trail about 1 to 1.5 miles toward Lane Camp.  The day had gotten very warm and after hiking about a mile down STS we were not near any redwoods so we turned back to find the blockage on Basin trail.  After about a 1/2 mile Dimitriy and Sarah scouted ahead and after running about 10 minutes they returned and reported that they found nothing so that was the end of the day.

Madrone Peeling

It turned out to be a long day and we racked up 106 hours putting the year's total at 600 hours with a good chance of breaking 1000 hours for the 4th year in a row.  Keep turning out and help keep our park's trail on of the best in the state and may be the country (I don't really know if this is a true statement but I can still believe it).  I would like to thank Norm, Joan, Kathy, Janie, Bill, Dimitriy, Sarah, Michelle, Jeanette, and new members Yana, Cathy, and Susanna.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day
1  Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
4  Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis
4  Hutton's Vireo, Vireo huttoni
3  Warbling Vireo, Vireo gilvus
2  Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal), Aphelocoma californica [californica Group]
21 Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens
3  Wrentit, Chamaea fasciata
1  American Robin, Turdus migratorius
1  Black-throated Gray Warbler, Setophaga nigrescens
1  Common Raven, Corvus corax Delete
2  Brown Creeper, Certhia americana
4  Pacific Wren, Troglodytes pacificus
3  Golden-crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa
1  Band-tailed Pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata
1  Vaux's Swift, Chaetura vauxi
2  Acorn Woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorus
2  Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri
1  Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus
3  Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon), Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]

June 8, 2013 - Lodge Road

Another nice morning and the forecast was for a warm day.  At HQ Linda arrived with pie and coffee.  Some of the pie was used to decorate our shirts.

Our job was to help out Linda from the Sempervirens Fund in the upper Lodge Road area to clear trip hazards for the dedication of the Redwoods.

Most of what we did was moving piles of limbs so they were out of sight and then we spread out piles of duff.

It was a hot day and that made for a harder day but at the end there was cold watermelon waiting for us and up on Lodge Road we were treated to a cool sea breeze too.

I would like to thank Dale P., Linda, Tim, Richard, Kathy, Bill, Janie, Michelle, Peter, Janette, and new members Joan, Jules, Sarah, and Dimitriy for the 99.5 volunteer hours for the day.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day
2 Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
3 Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis
1 Hutton's Vireo, Vireo huttoni
2 Warbling Vireo, Vireo gilvus
1 Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri
10 Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens
1 Brown Creeper, Certhia americana
1 Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus
1 Black-throated Gray Warbler, Setophaga nigrescens
2 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon), Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]

Totally off topic but cuter than a button was my 3 sisters.  I was in a meeting at work this week and I had to get a photo of 3 recently fledged Black Phoebes.  Mom and Dad were catching flies for them.

May 11, 2013 - East Ridge - Creeping Forest - Middleridge

I was a bright and sunny morning with the Azaleas starting to bloom and the mosquitoes were out for a bite.

We started at the Gate House to take care of a report on East Ridge between Hway 236 and Blooms Creek.  It wasn't much and by the time I hiked the 100m to the bridge and returned it was cleared.

Next was a report of a 1 foot Tan Oak about 1/2 mile up Creeping Forest but first we ran into this across the trail.  We thought that whomever reported didn't know what a half mile was because this was less than 1/10 mile up Hollow Tree.

After clearing the first Tan Oak we came across this 21" oak.  We took turns on the whip saw which was surprisingly quick in cutting through the tree.

 

 

 

After 3 cuts we had the trail cleared of the 21" oak, not 1 foot.  We finished the loop coming down Gazos with lunch at the picnic area just past Gazos Creek Bridge.

After lunch we drove up to Ocean View in search of 2 reported Redwoods.  Nothing up to Ocean View but we stopped to take in the view.  I was very warm with the Yerba Santa in bloom and I was able to capture a Swallow Tailed Butterfly on one of them.

Right after Ocean View we did find the Redwoods.  I found out later that there was an emergency at the falls and this was cleared enough to get the vehicles through.  We used 2 saws and had much fun with the wonderful logs.

I would like to thank Dale S., Janie, Bill, Janette, Kathy, Peter, Michelle, Mike, and Norm for putting in 72 hours on the trails.  Another satisfying day in the park.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Very birdy day with the highlight being a Belted Kingfisher flying and calling up Opal Creek at Gazos Creek Bridge.

Birds of the Day

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)    3
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)    1
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)    4
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)    1
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)    1
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)    1
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)    6
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)    3
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)    4
Common Raven (Corvus corax)    1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)    2
Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)    2
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)    3
Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus)    2
Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)    3
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)    3
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)    1
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)    1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)    2
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)    5
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)    2
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)    1
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)    1