NOV 2014 - STS and Creeping Forest

Growing up in the NE, when it's Fall you know it and it does start in early October.  Here we are in the second week of November and half way through fall with temperatures in the 70's it's sometime hard for me to tell the season.  However, what has been a sign for me is the emergence of mushrooms soon after the first rain.  A week before we got .6" of rain and sure enough the mushrooms have started to show up.

The crew started out in search of a couple of downed trees on STS near the Maddox's Cabin site.  We got to the site but no trees.  One of the crew scouted ahead and found a Fir and Oak just past the site.

Two down

Limbing for ease of clearing

Final roll and trail cleared

After clearing STS, we headed up the Creeping Forest trail and first came across a downed Tan Oak that caused a hiker reroute around the brush pile.

Clear and in contemplation of banana slugs

Another obstacle was a Madrone about chest high across the trail.

This was about 60 ft long

Slug making a break for safer grounds

One last toss and tail cleared

Old man Douglas Fir

Band-tail Pigeon hunter's victim

We finished off the day moving firewood for HQ and the cooler mornings coming.  It's great to have a large group to make a difficult one person job into an easy job (it took 17 minutes to unload and stack about 2 cords of wood).

We put in 66 hours on a beautiful day in the park.  I would like to thank Francis, Dale S., Janette, David B, Shelly, David P., and Jan.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Birds of the Day

1 Band-tailed Pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata

5 Acorn Woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorus

1 Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus

1 Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus

1 Hutton's Vireo, Vireo huttoni

8 Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri

12 Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens

2 Brown Creeper, Certhia americana

1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa

4 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula

1 Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus

2 Varied Thrush, Ixoreus naevius

OCT 2014 - Sempervirens Falls and STS

Mike took over for me this month as I headed out to Nevada and Lake Tahoe. 

Although the plan was to work the Basin Trail and likely a lot of brushing, a couple of other things came up when we got to headquarters. Susan Blake mentioned she had come across a Madrone on the East Ridge Trail up off Lodge Rd that was blocking the trail, so Dale Petersen and Pete Gelblum headed out with a chainsaw to take care of it.

The main project for the day came up after several park staff mentioned that way too many visitors to Sempervirens Falls were climbing over the railings and trampling what little vegetation that was there to begin with. The goal was re-duff the area (bad choice of words on my part as the reaction from the crew was about the same as if I said let's spend eight hours brushing a trail!) so it looked more natural and to hopefully deter people from jumping the fence.

 Duff around the Falls

 We spent a couple of hours filling a wheel barrow with leaves and bringing them down to the falls along with dragging over any dead branches and trees we could find. By the end we were cutting up down Tan Oaks off the Sequoia Trail and dragging them down the hill, across Sky Meadow Rd and to the falls area. When finished the area looked a lot better and hopefully our work and the winter rains will encourage people to stay where they belong - on the viewing platform.

After eating lunch at the falls and admiring our work, we headed off to look for a tree that was reported down on the Skyline-to-Sea Trail between Creeping Forest and the Maddock Cabin Site. As we headed out, Ranger Emily mentioned there was an ultra marathon coming down from Castle Rock and we were likely to run into 'sweaty people'. As we walked along from the Gazos Creek picnic area we asked several runners if they saw any down trees and the responses ranged from 'Just a little ahead' to 'We didn't see anything'. 

As we got closer to the Maddock Cabin Site end we came across a small 2-4 inch Tan Oak laying across the trail that didn't seem large enough to even generate a tree down report. It was quickly cut up by hand and rolled off the trail even before the entire crew gathered.

A couple of minutes further along the trail we found what we were really looking for; an 8-10 inch Tan Oak. There had been a steady stream of runners as we had walked out, but we were lucky to catch a break and cut and remove the down tree without interfering with any of the runners.

The crew put in 44 hours and thanks to Norm Beeson, David Bryan, Peter Gelblum, Janie Liefhelm, Dale Petersen, Dale Stadelman and new comer Chris DeKonink, for coming out.

Mike

SEP 2014 - Last Chance Trail, Part 2

This was the second time we worked on Last Chance Trail this summer.  Ashley and Jason were the leads from the the state Resource Management Department and they were joined by 7 regular crew members and 2 new ones.

Over the past month, Francis completed refinishing the redwood round at HQ (sprouted 544 CE, 1392 yrs old when cut down)

The crew headed off to the the trail head on Hihn Hammond road and hiked down to where we were to put in steps.  A few of us went with Jason to put in a rock water bar farther down the trail. 

 Crew getting instructions

As the crew was setting up to start the work, I hiked down the trail and crossed over the creek to look for an American Dipper.  No luck on the Dipper but there were a couple of Ravens and blooming fuchsia.

Ravens calling from a Fir in blue sky

California fuchsia (Epilobium canum)

Laying the first step

California Sister (Adelpha bredowii eulalia) drinking at the rock spring

Coast Range Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii) watching the work

Rebar through the steps

The steps were placed and rock was collected and crushed to back fill behind the steps.  I had the Sam Cooke song "Chain Gang" going through my head as we crushed big rocks into little ones (That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang").

Lunch

Boss Lady Ashley (not really she would fit right in with the crew)

Time to pack the tools out

Peeling Madrone

It was a light day but we picked up a few tricks.  The State crew has done a great job on not only clearing the trail but significantly improving the trail drainage.  We put in 68 hour bringing our total to 656 for the year.  I would like to thank Norm, Francis, Dale S., David B., Janette, Joan, new members Jan and Bill (a winemaker).  Special thanks to Ashley and Jason for asking us to help on the project and showing us a few new skills.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day

1 Red-shouldered Hawk (California) Buteo lineatus elegans

1 Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata

2 Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus

1 Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii

2 Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

3 Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

1 Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

1 Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni

8 Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri

2 Common Raven Corvus corax

12 Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens

1 Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi

4 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]

AUG 2014 - Eagle Rock

It was a typical summer day, a little foggy in the morning but then the sun came out and warmed us up.  We decided to head out and do the task we all love to do: brushing. While we were waiting at HQ, I was telling a story about how I changed where we were working one day to go to Ocean View to find a Dusky Flycatcher.  I did see the guy and it was a life bird for me.  There's more to that story but more on that later.  Well I was thinking that last year I saw a Black Swift at Eagle Rock so guess where we were headed.  I wanted to focus on a section right after the bridge, which seemed to be missed on the way up (must get to the top) and on the way down (after lunch nothing else to say) since it was in the middle.

Middle section being worked on

Cleared with about 3ft on each side

What's nice about the Eagle Rock Trail, in my opinion one of the toughest in the park, it has some great views into the San Lorenzo Valley to the NE, Monterey to the South, and the Pacific to the NW.

Looking toward NE towards Boulder Creek and my home

We made it to the top around noon and I got to the rock about 10 minutes before the rest and was pleasantly surprised by not only the Black Swift but 2 others the White-Throated and Vaux's Swifts.  They flew within less than a meter over our heads we could hear the wind over their wings.  Birder GEEK so cool.

White-throated Swift

Vaux's Swift

Swift in Sun Flare

Shortly before the rest of the crew arrived, a large group from Little Basin arrived.  I guess the crew struck up a conversation with the group and talked about what we did and before I knew it we were being offered melons as a token of their appreciation for our work.  Sometimes the smallest gestures are the most meaningful.

After lunch, we did some more brushing on the way down and came across a very rare Santa Cruz Cypress.

Santa Cruz Cypress (Cupressus abramsiana)

Rare in the wild, found in only five small localities in Santa Cruz County, California, and is listed as endangered.  It grows at 460-1200 m altitude.

Cone of the SC Cypress

It was another great day in the park and with a bonus of a very rare 3 Swift day, at least for me: FANTASTIC.  We put in 79 hours racking up a total of 580 hours for the year and I would like to thank Norm, Michele, Peter, Dale P., Dale S., Janette, Joan, Herman, David, and Shelly.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day

1 California Quail Callipepla californica   
3 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura   
4 Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata   
1 Black Swift Cypseloides niger   
3 Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi   
2 White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis   
1 Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna
2 Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus   
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi   
1 Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni   
1 Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri   
1 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) Aphelocoma californica [californica Group]   
2 Common Raven Corvus corax   
8 Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens   
6 Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus   
2 Brown Creeper Certhia americana
1 Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii   
2 Wrentit Chamaea fasciata   
1 Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus   
2 American Goldfinch Spinus tristis

JUL 2014 - Last Chance Trail

Now is the time of year for nice weather, not much to do, and mosquitoes.  Six crew members were out to help the Natural Resource Management team of Juan and Ashley on the Last Chance Trail.  As we know, this trail has been neglected over the years and we started working on it starting a couple of years ago.  I like this trail since there is a nesting pair of American Dippers further down the trail along the Waddell creek. 

As we hit the trail head at Hihn Hammond road we were greeted by a section that was burnt about 3 weeks earlier by alleged arsonist.  Lucky the CDF and local fire companies were able to contain the fire before much was burnt.   

Most of the day was brushing the trail in preparation for some major work on the drainage along the trail.

Temporary bar to divert a small spring to dry out the trail

 There are fish in the BB creeks.  Looks like a Speckled Trout

 Juan, Norm, and Janie getting instructions on limbing

In the drainage areas we cleared out about 10 feet on both sides of the trail into the drainage area and about 4 feet on both sides of the drainage.  The next step will be stone work to create permanent water bars for proper drainage and it will help with the trail erosion from water run off in the winter.

The day warmed up and I went through 1/2 gallon of fluids and drank another quart after we were done.  We put in 56 hours and broke 500 hours for the year so far.  I would like to thank Juan and Ashley for asking us to help them out.  Very nice people.  Also Norm, Janie, Dale S., Dave, and Joan for there work this month.

See you on the Trails

Jeff
photos by Jeff and Dale S.

Birds of the Day
11 Pacific-slope Flycatchers (peewee)
8 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
1 Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
6 Brown Creeper
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Raven

JUN 2014 - Shadowbrook and East Ridge

It took a little longer than usual (but not by much) to get going with 3 new people joining us with a new commute record by Florian traveling from Switzerland.  Ok he was on holiday and traveling in the area and decided to join us.  We broke up into 3 groups with Francis (group of 1) took on the huge project of staining the redwood round at HQ.  The rest of us headed out to take care of a 30" Madrone that we ran into last month across the fire road portion of Shadowbrook Tail near Sky Meadow.

First couple of cuts 

 Cleared the smaller 18" branch

Dale P. took a smaller team to check out East Ridge between Shadowbrook and Lodge Road.  They encountered 2 or 3 small trees and some brushing but more could be done.  In fact I've never been on that section.

The rest of us continued working on the Madrone and after a few more cuts we stopped for lunch thinking that one or 2 more cuts to fully open the road.

 This section took 6 people to move off the road.  It was heavy.

 Peter and Michelle

The saw started to leak fuel when we tried to start it after lunch and it was apparent that there was something wrong. This ended the day for this section.

Dale S. and I took apart the saw but couldn't find the leak and by the time we put it back together Dale P. and his group returned to Sky Meadow.

We put in 93 hours and I would like to thank Janie, Dale P., Dale S., Francis, Norm, David P., Joan, Peter, and Michelle.  Also thanks to new members Shelly, David B., and Florian from Switzerland.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Birds of the Day

1 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

3 Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus

1 Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

4 Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis

2 Warbling Vireo (Western) Vireo gilvus [swainsoni Group]

3 Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri

8 Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens

4 Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea

1 Brown Creeper Certhia americana

2 Pacific Wren Troglodytes pacificus

2 Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa

1 Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus

2 American Robin Turdus migratorius

3 Wilson's Warbler (Pacific Coast) Cardellina pusilla chryseola

2 Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus

2 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]