Puente Hills Nature

Coexisting With Wildlife

2008-07-31T17:13:00.001-07:00

The Puente Hills is surrounded by a large perimeter of urban edge (approximately 25 miles). This presents challenges to people living near or adjacent to the natural areas, as well to the plants and animals that occupy the open space. On the urban side of the urban/wildland interface, people living adjacent to natural areas often experience visits from wildlife. The smaller wildlife, such as rodents, raccoons, and skunks often go unnoticed; whereas larger mammals such as coyotes draw the attention of humans. This is not something that should alarm people, but instead should make people aware.

The Habitat Authority periodically receives calls from residents encountering coyotes and other wildlife, including neighborhoods that are more than a mile away from the Puente Hills open space. This morning we received a call about a coyote that was walking down a residential street in Whittier more than a mile from the nearest natural area. Coyotes are one of the most adaptable animals, occupying virtually every habitat type in North America, including urban areas. As with many other types of wildlife, coyotes are more commonly out from dusk to dawn, moving through urban areas along railroad tracks, greenways, parks, and drainage facilities. However, encounters do occur during the day.

Occasionally, people will experience a more personal encounter with a coyote, including the loss of pets, and very rarely an attack on humans. However, people should not be fearful of coyotes. Coyotes play an important role in the ecosystem, helping to keep populations of rodents (rats and mice) and other small mammals under control. Naturally coyotes are fearful of humans, however coyotes readily lose their fear of humans when people intentionally (or unintentionally) provide food/water or shelter for them, or otherwise do not try to deter them from visiting. It is not feasible to completely eliminate coyotes, but removing sources that attract coyotes can go a long way to avoiding a conflict.

It is unfortunate when a person loses a pet to a coyote, and this may elicit a very emotionally negative response from the pet owner towards coyotes in general. However, the coyote views the pet as one of many food sources, and this type of encounter is almost always preventable. People that live in areas with coyotes should not leave their pets outside at night. If a pet cannot be brought inside, then the pet should be kept in some type of an enclosure that other wildlife cannot get in to. In areas where the occurrence of coyotes is much higher, pets (especially smaller dogs and cats) should ideally be placed outside only while being supervised, even possibly during the day. For areas where coyotes are attacking pets, there should be a heightened awareness towards this behavior, and if necessary the appropriate wildlife authorities can be notified. Local authorities may investigate these occurrences, but they may not actively trap and remove coyotes simply in response to attacks on pets.

The presence of unwanted wildlife in urban neighborhoods (especially in yards) is often due to one or more factors caused by the residents themselves, in some instances knowingly. As noted above, the presence of small pets left outside is a big attraction for coyotes as a food source. Other things that attract coyotes include pet food that is left outside; unsecured garbage cans; ripened fruit that has fallen off of trees; shelter such as dense shrubbery; and water sources such as pet bowls, fountains, ponds, and swimming pools. It may be difficult to remove all attractants (such as ponds and swimming pools), however at the very least people should not provide food to coyotes or any other type of wildlife. Besides it being a bad idea ecologically, it is against the law to feed or otherwise provide food to specific types of wildlife. This includes ground squirrels, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and opossums; all of which are common in urban areas.

As noted above, coyote attacks on humans are rare. Of those attacks that have occurred to humans, a significant number of the attacks have been towards small children. Coyotes can view small children as prey animals (particularly when a child is crouched down while playing). Particularly in areas with a higher occurrence of coyotes, children should be supervised by an adult at all times while outside. If you are approached by a coyote, or even if you see one in your yard, every effort should be made to frighten the coyote away and make the coyote fearful of humans. Make yourself as big as possible by raising your arms. Make loud noises to startle the coyote. Spray the coyote with water if a hose is available. If the coyote still will not leave, then throw an object such as a rock as near the coyote as possible but not at its body. If this still does not work, then throw an object at the body, though not at its head.

If a coyote does not retreat after trying all feasible measures, if a coyote bites a human, or if one otherwise truly acts aggressively, then the appropriate wildlife authorities (including Animal Control) should be contacted immediately. If necessary and feasible, then the appropriate authorities may determine that elimination of a coyote is warranted. Simply seeing a coyote in a residential area is not a reason to be alarmed, and does not justify removal, however it should make people aware that coyotes are present, and what can be done to reduce the likelihood of a closer encounter. Also, there is a difference between a coyote that is being bold and one that is acting aggressively. A coyote coming into a yard looking for food is acting boldly, but is not necessarily exhibiting aggressive behavior towards humans. The difference between bold and aggressive may be a fine line at times, but people should be aware that the sheer presence of a coyote is not a cause to call for its removal, especially for people living very near to natural areas. Coyotes that have become bolder have done so by losing their fear of humans. Even though a bold coyote may not be a cause for removal, its reasons for being bold should be addressed. Do not simply ignore a bold coyote.

There are many resources available for information and guidance on coyotes and other wildlife. Please visit our website (http://www.habitatauthority.org/) for more information on coexisting with wildlife. In addition, the websites of the California Department of Fish and Game, and many other agencies and organizations provides valuable information. If you are interested in a DVD on coexisting with wildlife or other literature, please contact the Habitat Authority at (562) 945-9003. A ranger or other staff member would be pleased to personally visit people with questions or concerns, or alternatively we could mail materials to you.

Red skimmer

2008-07-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I photographed this red skimmer dragonfly in Sycamore Canyon. Dragonflies and the closely related damselflies are highly beneficial predatory insects. They are responsible for eliminating large numbers of mosquitoes, as well as other pesky insects. Dragonflies such as the red skimmer are very specialized hunters. They have large compound eyes for spotting their prey, and sharp mouthparts for cutting up insect prey. Dragonflies are skilled at maneuvering through the air, as a result of their four powerful wings that move independently. This allows dragonflies to move both forward and backward. Their legs are not suitable for walking, but instead are used to hold their insect prey that is captured during flight.

Dragonflies and damselflies are strongly tied to aquatic environments. Their larval stage (referred to as naiads) develop in the water. The naiads themselves are aquatic predators, capturing things that include insects, tadpoles, worms, and small fish. Worldwide there are 5,000 known species of dragonflies and damselflies, with approximately 450 occurring in North America.

Poison oak and pistachios.....it's all relative.

2008-07-02T17:53:00.001-07:00

I am a botanist by education (and work experience), and so I have always enjoyed studying the relationship of one plant to another. In trying to get non-botanists to be interested in plants, a great teaching tool is to relate plants commonly used by people (food, landscaping, etc.) to native plants that one will see in natural areas. Poison oak is a great example. Hopefully those of you that are frequent enough visitors to the Puente Hills and other natural areas will recognize the attached photo as the oily, reaction-causing leaves of poison oak (leaves of three…leave it be!).

Here is a bit of background on plant taxonomy.....two closely related species of plants occur in the same genus (genera). For example, white sage, black sage, and purple sage are all in the genus Salvia. Similarly related genera are placed in the same plant family. Plants of the genus Salvia, along with other “mints”, are placed in the plant family “Lamiaceae”. Getting back to poison oak....this plant is placed in the family “Anacardiaceae”. Other representatives of this family that occur in the Puente Hills include native plants such as lemonadeberry, laurel sumac, and skunkbrush, and non-native plants such as the Peruvian pepper tree. Many species in this plant family contain a type of oil called “urushiol”, which is particularly abundant in poison oak (genus Toxicodendron). This is the oil, which for people that are sensitized to, will cause the characteristic delayed allergic reaction. Up to 30% of people have no allergic reaction when in contact with the oils from poison oak; however most will become sensitized to it with repeated exposure.

What many people find interesting is to know what common food items occur in the same plant family, and are therefore more closely related to poison oak. These include the pistachio, cashew, and mango. The urushiol oil is found in the nut shell of the cashew fruit (though not in the cashew fruit itself), and in the mango plant sap as well as the skin of the mango fruit. With the respect to the mango plant, breaking the vine of a green mango fruit will produce a fine aerosol of sap that causes severe reactions in previously sensitized individuals. The mango fruit skin has a lesser concentration of urushiol, though still with some potential for the delayed skin rash with more sensitive people. However, the edible part of the mango fruit itself does not cause these reactions, and is one of the most popularly used fruits worldwide; used for food, juice, flavoring, fragrance, and color. The mango is an excellent overall nutrient source, including dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and antioxidant vitamins.

Here is a great game to play. The next time you are eating a meal, think about each plant product that you are eating, where it comes from, and what it might be related to. Is it a fruit? If not, what part of the plant does it come from? Is it a root? A stem? A leaf? Dinner will never be the same again!

The Puente Hills are a beautiful place….so let’s keep it that way!

2008-06-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

One of the great perks of my position with the Habitat Authority is being able to explore the various trails of the Puente Hills. These hills are a great resource to people, and will remain that way as long as that resource is respected and people act responsibly. A few weeks ago I was hiking the Coyote and Ahwingna Trails in the Hacienda Hills and I came across multiple acts of vandalism. Unfortunately it is all too common to find our trail signs and other structures sprayed with paint. As bad as that is, at least those things are relatively easy to replace or cover up. However, the acts of vandalism that I witnessed were to trees and shrubs, including tagging all over the trunks of several oak trees. What was once a beautiful tree is now lost forever.

For anyone that hikes, bikes, and rides horses in the hills, please report any acts of vandalism that you witness in progress. Do not make any effort to approach individuals or try to stop them. However, you can call our emergency number at (562) 698-1446 anytime to report people in the act of vandalizing, or any other illegal activity on Habitat Authority lands. Please help us to keep the hills beautiful. Thank you!

Why do we restore habitats?

2008-06-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

One of the major aspects of the Habitat Authority’s management of open space in the Puente/Whittier Hills is the restoration of degraded habitats. The term "habitat restoration" refers to the process of restoring the functional aspects of a given ecosystem to a semblance of its pre-disturbed state. As a result of more than 100 years of human land use, the majority of the Puente Hills contains disturbed habitats, including those dominated by non-native vegetation. Past and ongoing land uses that have created or contributed to disturbed, altered habitats include livestock grazing, development, oil extraction, the intentional planting of non-native vegetation, and the use of non-native invasive vegetation on properties adjacent to open space where invasive plants spread into natural areas. The Habitat Authority actively restores degraded areas by removing non-native vegetation (such as non-native grasses, mustard, thistle, castor bean, tree tobacco, etc.) and planting native vegetation that would have been present prior to the disturbance.

Approximately 190 acres of Habitat Authority lands have been or are currently being restored in some manner, including 130 acres initiated by the Habitat Authority, and another 60 acres of mitigation conducted on Habitat Authority lands to mitigate for local development projects. Restoration projects include coastal sage scrub and sycamore riparian habitats at the Hacienda Trailhead; riparian restoration in Sycamore Canyon; coastal sage scrub restoration on the former Unocal property (east of Colima Road); coastal sage scrub restoration near the Hellman Trailhead; the restoration of coastal sage scrub at the Arroyo Pescadero Trailhead; and the restoration of oak and walnut woodland, coastal sage scrub, native grassland, and riparian habitats in Powder Canyon.

Though it makes us feel good to be a part of successful restoration projects, that feeling is a byproduct of the broader goal….to improve the overall the health of the ecosystem. Through the restoration of degraded habitats, the Habitat Authority and other participants have created (and continue to create) native habitats offering shelter and food for wildlife that otherwise would not exist in the degraded habitat. For example, the federally listed coastal California gnatcatcher is nesting in coastal sage scrub vegetation at the former Unocal property where the patch of habitat did not exist just two to three years ago. Gnatcatchers have occupied that property in the past, but we have expanded the habitat to allow for the establishment of new territories and the growth of the gnatcatcher population. Besides rare species, we are providing habitat for all sorts of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.

Earlier this week I visited our former Diaz property on the far eastern edge of the preserve near Harbor Boulevard. Five years ago this property contained a house and other structures, an avocado orchard, and countless more non-native vegetation. Since then we have restored nearly 25 acres to coastal sage scrub and oak/walnut woodland. During my visit the other day, I came across a family of mule deer that are regular residents of the property. As I walked through the site, I was treated with the appearance of two fawns that calmly walked out from the shelter of a grove of walnuts (see photo above). It is rewarding to know that the habitat was restored for them.

Just finished a hike? Time for a tick check!

2008-06-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that when you are spending time outdoors in natural areas, you should periodically check yourself for ticks. Ticks are small parasitic arachnids that live on the blood of their hosts, which include mammals and birds. More importantly, ticks can carry a number of diseases, including Lyme disease. All ticks have three different life stages (larval, nymph, and adult), though only the nymph and adult stages are of concern for transmitting diseases. The adult stage is the most common that people hiking on trails in the Puente Hills may be exposed to. Adults find their hosts by hanging onto the tips of shrubs, grasses, etc. while waiting for an unsuspecting animal (such as yourself) to come along. Ticks don’t jump or fly, they simply grab on as you pass by. The smaller nymphs (about the size of a poppy seed) live within leaf litter on the ground. Because of their smaller size, the nymphs are the most difficult to detect, though a person would be far less likely to pick one up if only hiking a trail.

There are many different kinds of ticks in California, with two of the more common ticks being the black-legged tick and Pacific Coast tick. In California, the black-legged tick is the only one known to transmit Lyme disease, although ticks in general can carry other diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Found elsewhere in the United States, the other carrier of Lyme disease is the deer tick. Most sources report that on average, 1 to 2 percent of adult black-legged ticks are infected with Lyme disease, as opposed to 2 to 15% of nymph ticks, though the percentage can be much greater in higher risk areas such as northwestern California and the northeastern United States. In addition, with infected ticks the risk of transmission increases the longer that the tick is attached. Therefore, it is important to regularly check yourself for ticks while outdoors in areas where ticks can be found, and also give yourself a very thorough check when you return home.

Don’t let the potential for ticks keep you from getting outdoors. There are many things that you can do to reduce your risk of getting bitten by a tick.

Dress appropriately. Wear light-colored clothing so that you can spot ticks easily. Wear full-length long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and hats to keep ticks off of your skin and out of your hair.

When hiking a trail keep to the middle of the trail and avoid brushing against vegetation (although this is often difficult depending on the trail).

Periodically check yourself on the trail for ticks, or better yet have a buddy help you. Ticks may be hiding in the seams of clothing. When are finished with your outdoor activities, give yourself a very thorough tick check, and then once again when you get home. Be sure to check your pets for ticks if you take them outdoors with you.

As an added precaution, repellents are available that can be sprayed on your clothing.

If you find a tick attached to you, remove the tick immediately with a pair of tweezers. Research suggests that it takes from hours to one or two days for ticks to begin transmitting disease-causing bacteria. Do not use chemicals, heat or anything else that might irritate the tick and cause it to regurgitate disease-causing agents into your skin. Grasp the tick’s head/mouthparts with a pair of tweezers as close to your skin as possible. Be careful not to squash the tick, as this may force fluids from the tick into your skin. Using the tweezers, slowly and steadily pull the tick straight out. It is important not to leave any mouthparts in your skin, as this could cause a secondary infection. If you are unsure which species of tick that bit you, keep the tick in a plastic bag or vial of alcohol for later identification.

After removing the tick, consult with a physician. Your doctor may prescribe a brief treatment of antibiotics out of precaution. Regardless, if you develop any flu-like symptoms within a few days to weeks of being bit, consult with your doctor. One of the common symptoms of Lyme disease is a characteristic “bulls-eye” rash that develops at the site of the bite, and then later can spread elsewhere. The technical term for this rash is erythema migrans. Other symptoms include headache, fever, fatigue, etc.

In 15 years of being a field biologist, I have literally picked hundreds of ticks off of me, and have probably had 6 or so that have attached, though I have caught them quickly. So, like anything else, the key is to be aware, educated, and responsible. Just add ticks as one more thing to your list of things to watch out for. Make a tick check a part of your regular outdoor routine!

Here is a link to a document from the California Department of Public Health website for more detailed information on ticks and Lyme disease:

http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/Lyme/LymeDisease2008.pdf

Lizard Boot Camp

2008-06-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Human behavior is an interesting thing. Spending an afternoon watching people in a local shopping mall will give a sociologist/psychologist a wealth of behavior to observe and interpret. The behavior of other animals can be just as fascinating, if not more so if you know what to look and listen for. For those of you that hike in natural areas such as the Puente Hills, there are great opportunities for you to be the amateur animal sociologist.

Just as with humans, the behavior of other animals is used to attract mates, threaten or warn potential adversaries, or just to be social. Individual bird species possess a range of calls for these purposes, from a warbling melodious song, to a harsh rasp. Lizards, on the other hand, use their bodies.

Have you ever seen a lizard doing “pushups” and wondered what that was about? If you have ever come across a lizard, then either you have seen this, or the lizard was doing this but you missed the signal. No, they are not getting exercise like you are, or training for the next “Survivor – Puente Hills”. If you come across a lizard doing pushups (such as the western fence lizard in the above photo), then likely it is doing this in response to you. For various reasons, lizards will do what appear to be pushups, a series of jerky up and down movements with their head and forelimbs. However, depending on the slightest nuance in the way they move, a lizard could be saying anything from “Get off my rock now!” to “Will you be my valentine!?!” In your case, the lizard is probably not trying to select you for a mate, but instead it is warning that you are trespassing on its territory.

So, the next time you want to tell a friend or family member to get out of your favorite chair, try it with body language!

Snake season

2008-06-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of months or so, snakes and other reptiles have been coming out from their winter dormancy in response to the warmer weather. As the temperatures increases through the spring and into the summer, so does the chance for an encounter with a rattlesnake. However, this does not mean that people need to take an alarmist approach to rattlesnakes. These non-confrontational reptiles are a great benefit to the ecology of our natural environments, as with other snakes; and with a little awareness on the trails and/or in homes adjacent to or near open space, everyone can enjoy spring and summer in the hills.

Snakes are often unjustly viewed as scary and dangerous, but in fact they are one of nature’s greatest allies in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Snakes serve as a great means of natural pest control through their consumption of rodents and insects that are otherwise often treated by people with poisons that are harmful to other wildlife. Biologically, snakes serve as important regulators in their complex food web by controlling the populations of rodents, insects, and other reptiles.

The Puente Hills is home to approximately 10 to 12 snake species, though only two of those species (both rattlesnakes) are venomous. Of the rattlesnakes, the most common is the western rattlesnake, though the red-diamond rattlesnake is also present. Several weeks ago I happened upon my first rattlesnake of the season (a western rattlesnake) coiled up in the hollow stump of an old avocado tree. For residents of the hills (particularly those immediately adjacent to open space) it is fairly common for people to get snakes of all kinds in their yards, on their driveways, and perhaps even in their garages.

For those on the trails, a rattlesnake encounter is always a possibility, but the likelihood of actually getting bitten by a venomous snake is very low, particularly if you hike safely and responsibly.

Be sure to stay on the open trails. The chance of encountering a snake greatly increases if you wander off the trail into the brush or rocks. Avoid areas where you cannot see the ground around you.
When hiking, wear long pants and appropriate shoes. Do not wear sandals or other open or thin-material shoes that make it easier for a snake to bite you.
When on the trails be sure to watch where you are stepping. Always watch the ground for several paces in front of you, since rattlesnakes will sometimes be stretched out or coiled up on the trail.
If you do hear the distinct sound of a rattlesnake, be sure to avoid its location. Hike away from the sound of the snake. A rattlesnake is very unlikely to strike unless it is provoked, and if you leave the snake alone it will leave you alone. If you have a close encounter with a rattlesnake, freeze or back away slowly to allow the snake to get away.
Do not turn over rocks or otherwise put your hands where you cannot see what is hidden.
And of course, do not try to touch or pick up a snake. Do not throw objects at snakes, or otherwise do anything else that might provoke them.

Here are some steps to minimize the chance of snake encounters around your home if you live adjacent to or near open space:

Clear planters, hoses and other objects from around the house.
Don't leave your garage door open or leaky faucets running. Snakes often are seeking water or a shady place to rest.
Never let your children or pets play in the yard without first checking to make sure there are no snakes around.
Don't go outside barefoot.
Be especially careful when stepping out of the light into a shady area.
When walking at night or dusk always use a flashlight. Snakes and other reptiles will lay on warm roads, sidewalks and driveways after dark to absorb heat left over from the daytime.

If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, the most important thing is not to panic. Do not run or otherwise get excited, as that will speed up the circulation of the venom through your system. Calmly seek immediate emergency assistance, including calling 911 if you are unable to get yourself to a hospital. If possible, wash the bite area with soap and warm water. Keep the bitten portion of your body below the level of your heart, and remove any constrictive jewelry or clothing around the bite area.

If you have any other questions or concerns about snakes, feel free to contact us at the Puente Hills Habitat Authority.

Plants are parasites too!

2008-05-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

The other day while hiking the Ahwingna Trail in the Hacienda Hills, I noted a patch of California buckwheat covered with a substantial amount of dodder (also referred to as "witch's hair"). Dodder is a plant with viney, hair-like, yellow to bright orange stems that sprawl all over the shrubs that it covers. Many times before I have been in the field with people who have asked me about this plant, whether it is native, and why it grows on other plants. In fact, the plant is a native, but it is one of the few parasitic plants that have the potential to occur in the Puente Hills. The lack of green (i.e., chlorophyll) in the plant is an indication that it does not produce its own food via photosynthesis. Instead, this plant must take its nourishment from other plants, and in the process harms the host plant to some degree. When dodder covers extensively, it blocks the underlying plants and prevents them from getting enough sunlight for photosynthesis. Once dodder germinates from a seed, it needs to grow quickly and attach itself to its host plant. In order to get food from the host plant (such as buckwheat), dodder inserts root-like structures into the host's stems in order to draw nourishment from the host. Our local species of dodder is mostly partial to buckwheat, sages, and deerweed.

Another parasitic plant that is common in southern California (though not in the Puente Hills) is mistletoe. Almost all species of mistletoe are hemi-parasitic (or partially parasitic). The plant is green, and so produces it own food via photosynthesis. However mistletoe grows high up on the branches of its host trees (such as sycamore) and so it is not rooted in the soil to get water. As such, the mistletoe must take water directly from the stems of the host tree that it grows on.

Spring color in the hills.

2008-05-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

With the rainfall that the region has received this season, Southern California (including the Puente Hills) has seen a vibrant splash of spring color from wildflowers. Although the annual wildflowers have been fading out, particularly through the recent stretch of hot weather, there is still plenty of color to be seen on the trails within the Puente Hills. Whether it is the striking red flowers of the southern pink ('pink' referrring to the plant family name...also the same family as carnations), the vibrant petals of the golden yarrow, or the creamsicle orange flowers of the bush (or sticky) monkey-flower, there is still much to see.

The Puente Hills are also home to several rare plant species, including the southern California black walnut, Catalina mariposa lily, and Plummer's mariposa lily. The mariposa lilies are in flower right now among higher ridgelines along our trails, with the Plummer's mariposa lily in the midst of its blooming period (see photo). Although the walnut trees do not offer colorful flowers, their presence among the rolling hills along Powder Canyon are breathtaking, whether mixed in with scattered coast live-oak trees, or in woodlands by themselves. Enjoy!

Welcome Back!

2008-05-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Puente Hills Nature!

I am the new ecologist for the Puente Hills Landfill Native Habitat Preservation Authority, taking over for Dan Cooper (who created this blog).

Please check back soon, and hopefully regularly, for new posts. Also feel free to contact me at the Habitat Authority.

David Moskovitz
dmoskovitz@habitatauthority.org

Spring returnees

2008-02-14T16:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, while out doing a site visit to the restoration sites at the former Unocal parcel (between Colima Rd. and Hacienda Blvd.), a flock of about 10 Violet-green Swallows blasted overhead, heading west along the spine of the hills. These are early-returning birds which winter in Mexico and nest in the local mountains (and throughout the West).

Also present along Arroyo San Miguel was a small group of Purple Finches, probably feeding in the recently-sprouted willows. I don't remember seeing one all winter in the hills, so these may have just moved in (or maybe I've just missed them).

Salamander season: open

2008-01-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

While walking in Powder Canyon today with fellow Habitat Authority staffer Suzanne Avila, I mentioned that last week's heavy rains probably pushed some salamanders up to the surface. Flipping over my first piece of fallen oak bark revealed a tiny black-bellied slender-salamander curled up in its typical pretzel shape.

These worm-like amphibians (genus = Batrachoseps) are among the smallest vertebrates out there, and California boasts nearly all of the known species, from the garden slender-salamander you might find in your backyard if your property was never graded, to isolated races and even full species still being discovered in out-of-the-way spots in the southern Sierra Nevada.

Here in the Puente Hills, it's just the black-bellied (Batrachoseps nigriventris), which makes a living on shady, moist slopes under thick layers of leaf litter (mainly oak and toyon), though they do range into chaparral and even coastal sage scrub. During the summer and fall, it seems almost unbelievable that they're around, as the same dusty leaves crackle underfoot. But after a few good soaking rains, they emerge from inactivity to feed on slugs, spiders, and other tiny critters beneath slabs of bark or light rocks.

Of course, this is ecology, and everything's connected, so what eats them? Turns out it's a little snake, the ring-necked snake, a dark, slender (and totally harmless) serpent with a bright pink belly and a fondness for shady oak woodland.

What's in a towhee?

2007-12-27T10:52:00.001-08:00

Coming into work today, I heard the distinctive, loud "chink" call of a California Towhee (pictured) from a yard behind the Habitat Authority office (downtown Whittier, near Washington and Mar Vista).

Towhees (all 3 species in California) are rarely found in urban habitats, though both the California and Spotted towhees are resident in the hilly neighborhoods around the Puente Hills. In the Hollywood area where I used to live, I almost never saw them south of Sunset Blvd., though small numbers are resident in an isolated population in the Baldwin Hills (north of LAX). In the San Gabriel Valley, where I grew up, I never saw one in my backyard, though they were resident at the overgrown grounds of an old mansion a few blocks away, and along the landscaped flood control of Eaton Wash.

All of our animal species exhibit some degree of tolerance to urbanization, from birds like Band-tailed Pigeons and crows that seem to favor built/planted areas, to those like the California Quail and the gnatcatchers which simply can't make it away from native vegetation. I think of the California Towhee as sort of intermediate in terms of sensitivity, and one that may respond very quickly to native plantings in backyards.

Still, I was surprised that this individual made it so far south into the "flats" of Whittier. I wonder if they make it south of Whittier Blvd., and if so, where?

Golden-crowned Kinglets - the invasion continues!

2007-11-29T12:55:00.001-08:00

This fall has proven to be one of the most dramatic ones in recent years for several montane (mountain-dwelling) species in the lowlands of California.

Every few years, individuals of species normally found in the high mountains drift down to the lowlands, mainly living in planted pines for a few months before disappearing in early spring. Some, like the Mountain Chickadee, irrupt nearly every year, and are probably present more winters than they're absent (I had a small flock at the edge of the hills near Schabarum Park a couple weeks ago). Others, like the Golden-crowned Kinglet, are on a longer cycle, here in the lowlands every 3-5 years and totally absent otherwise.

So it was a nice surprise to find two of these kinglets this morning at The Park in La Habra Heights (along Hacienda Blvd. just north of East Rd.). Their calls are very faint, but distinctive once learned - a three-note "see-see-see", invariably coming from pines.

Based on sublte differences in calls and plumage, these montane invaders often represent Great Basin or Rocky Mountain forms (rather than nearby Sierra Nevada/Transverse Range ones) of the species involved, indicating that their irruptions are part of a larger, region-wide phenomenon when they occur; not just local birds moving down from Mt. Baldy or Lake Arrowhead. Indeed, one of the best places to see montane species like Red Crossbill and Red-breasted Nuthatch during these "invasion winters" is far out in the Mojave Desert, where ranchyards planted with Aleppo pines are the only trees for miles around. Here in the coastal lowlands, they often occur in Canary Island pines, which became hugely popular as street trees in the L.A. area in the 1960s.

Another weasel shot

2007-11-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

Jeff Allison just forwarded me this photo of a weasel carrying a rodent at his house (in La Habra Heights). I wonder how common these things really are?

Eagle over Sycamore!

2007-11-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to see a Golden Eagle soaring about midway up Sycamore Cyn. today around noon. Beautiful bird (immature, with a white base to the tail and white "flashes" in the wings), which really dwarfed the ravens that were harrassing it.

Have folks seen one around so far this fall? It's a semi-regular spot for them in late fall, probably owing to the extensive grassland up there and behind Rose Hills Cemetery. I wonder if they drift east along the corridor to forage at Powder Canyon or elsewhere.

Raptor migration in the hills

2007-10-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while doing fieldwork in La Habra Heights, I was surprised to see a young Northern Harrier sail overhead. These hawks are uncommon migrants in the hills, and a handful may winter. They require large blocks of undeveloped grassland and low scrub, and not surprisingly, have very little habitat left in the Los Angeles Area. Ten years ago, we found them nesting in just one spot in the Puente-Chino Hills - a single pair in the wet grasslands of upper Tonner Canyon, visible from Grand Ave.

Wintering areas are now almost as scarce, and folks should let me know if they run across any this winter. Males are pale grayish above and clear white below, while females and especially first-year birds are brownish below. Both sexes have bright white rumps, which may be seen as they tilt back and forth.

In the same area of La Habra Heights, I also observed an Osprey circling, and then later in the afternoon, another first-year harrier over Turnbull Canyon. Late fall (October) is when hawk migration peaks through our area, and folks may be seeing increased numbers of raptors these days. They aren't being displaced by fires, but are just following well-worn pathways through the sky, heading southeast into Mexico.

Butterflies of the Puente Hills

2007-10-09T11:42:00.001-07:00

I recently received an inquiry about butterflies in the hills, and want to summarize what we know.

First off, the hills appear to represent an important reserve for native butterfly populations in the L.A. Basin, with 40 species confirmed and a handful of potentially-occurring ones. Diversity of species, not surprisingly, is highest where there is an intersection of major habitat types together, such as willow thickets next to oak woodland next to cactus scrub. Numbers of individuals are dependent on the availability of flowering plants, and some specialized species fly only where their foodplant is in flower.

Not much is known about the distance butterflies can move. A few engage in long-distance migrations, most famously the monarch, but others probably spend most of their lives around the same small patch of native scrub, generation after generation. These specialists are of great concern to conservationists, since their presence often indicates a particularly robust ecosystem.

Many species in the L.A. area fly year-round, but if there's a season when the highest numbers of species and individuals are flying, it's probably late spring (April through June), corresponding to wildflower blooming and warming nights. However, several species emerge through autumn into early winter, nectaring on fall-blooming buckwheat.

In our area, places that attract butterflies include patches of coast buckwheat and mulefat shrubs (only when in bloom), and damp spots along canyon bottoms, particularly if they're exposed to sun. Butterflies will often come to muddy spots in roads to ingest minerals from the soil (most dramatically in the tropics, but also locally).

Most popular gardening books encourage people to plant butterfly-attracting plants to bring butterflies to their gardens, especially "butterfly plant" (a generic term for several species). Several of these are noxious pests (e.g., lantana), which should not be planted anywhere near the open space of the hills. It is better to use native plants (watch for sales at places like Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens in Claremont, or at the L.A. Co. Arboretum in Arcadia), or if your neighbors will stand it, let a portion of your backyard turn "wild" and see what comes in. Just tell them the butterflies made you do it.

A couple websites:
http://www.lalc.k12.ca.us/uclasp/ISSUES/butterflies/bfcover.html
http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabala/Gardens.htm

Restoration monitoring preview

2007-10-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

One of the goals of all the scrub, woodland and grassland restoration in the Puente Hills is to provide habitat for declining wildlife species. Yesterday, I stopped briefly at the Harbor Blvd. undercrossing to look for scarce lizards in the afternoon heat. While I didn't find these, I did flush a Rufous-crowned Sparrow (pictured) foraging in the native bunchgrasses that were planted as landscaping around the undercrossing (west side of Harbor Blvd.). A large population of this sparrow is found in the scrubby grassland just east of Harbor Blvd. on the Aera property and adjacent to the Shea Homes development.

This is an inconspicuous species typically detected by voice, and is told from other local sparrows (incl. imm. White-crowned and adult Chipping) by its unmarked wings (i.e., no white wingbars), black "mustache" stripe and white eyering. It has two calls, one a high thin "sseeet", and the other a rough "deer-deer-deer", in addition to its song which resembles a weak House Wren.

In the next year, we hope to initiate biomonitoring all the restoration areas in the hills (there are over a dozen) and find other sensitive species like this sparrow using them.

New insect: spreadwing sp.

2007-09-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

While on a site visit to Sycamore Canyon yesterday, I observed several spreadwing damselflies along the stream (photo). They were a grayish lavender color, and appeared to be either the California spreadwing (Archilestes californica) or the great spreadwing (A. grandis).

Thanks to the recent publication of illustrated field guides, dragonflies and damselflies ("odonates" collectively) have joined butterflies as a group of insects that may be identified readily through binoculars. Consequently, we are quickly gaining a much clearer picture of the status and distribution of these varied creatures throughout the state (and the U.S.).

Only a handful of odonate species have been identified in the Puente Hills, and this genus, an autumn emerger, may have been missed by previous surveyors working in the spring and summer.

Long-eared Owl, Tonner Canyon, and the power of Google

2007-09-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

While doing a websearch this morning for birds of the Puente Hills, I came across a fascinating tidbit buried in a 1929 issue of the journal The Condor ("Some results of bird banding in 1928" by John McB. Robertson):

"Nestling Long-eared Owl no. 543281 banded April 10, 1928, at Rancho de los Tres Hermanos, in the Puente Hills of southeastern Los Angeles County, was taken four miles from Lancaster, California, between December 29, 1928 and January 3, 1929, a distance of about fifty miles."

Old journal articles were notoriously vaguely-worded, and as this is no exception, I missed this reference entirely in previous literature searches of birds of the Puente-Chino Hills. This note is significant for several reasons. First, it provides evidence that this scarce owl (a California Bird Species of Special Concern, pictured here) once occurred and even nested in the Puente Hills. This species, once common in ranches and riverbottoms throughout the region, is now nearly extirpated from all of southern California, with only a handful of nesting pairs known from interior valleys, remote mountain ranges, and desert oases.

Also, it illustrates the importance of the hills as a nesting area for raptors that may disperse widely for the winter and return to breed in the spring. The article also mentions a Red-tailed nestling from Carbon Canyon found (in a coyote trap!) in Madera County in the Central Valley (the fact that both these birds flew north, rather than south, for the winter is also interesting).

Finally, it suggests that scarce species like the Long-eared Owl may yet be holding out in some of the more remote canyons and properties of the Puente Hills, awaiting discovery. This ranchland is still there, visible from Grand Ave. as it crosses from Diamond Bar into Chino Hills. As the surrounding area developed in the past 80 years, maybe the owls left at some point - but maybe they've been there all along...

Trouble for Cactus Wren (and cactus?)

2007-09-13T14:40:00.001-07:00

The Puente Hills supports one of the largest coastal-slope populations of the Cactus Wren, a large, mockingbird-like member of the wren family that is completely dependent on large clumps of cactus for nesting and foraging.

Coastal populations are restricted to southern California (Ventura Co.) south into Baja Calif., Mexico, and are geographically and genetically isolated from birds in the desert.

When I was surveying the Puente-Chino Hills for birds in the late 1990s, they seemed to be more widespread, but now are gone from many of their former haunts. I've been revisting cactus patches over the past few weeks, and have either found many fewer or have found them gone entirely.

The cactus patches themselves also appear to be in trouble - the pads withered, with large dead areas within the patches. A colleague of mine has noticed the same thing in southern Orange Co. - sickly looking cactus patches devoid of Cactus Wrens. This is especially troubling because these patches hold several distinctive plant and animal species (not just Cactus Wrens), and can serve as refugia when fires whip through an area, protecting the soil.

Today, I checked the extensive cactus on the south-facing slope just south of Sycamore Canyon above Hellman Park in Whittier, basically the top of Rideout St. I didn't hear a single one. I'm working on a chart of extant populations, but it looks grim - Sycamore Canyon seems to have most of the birds, with small numbers in upper Turnbull Cyn. (north of T.C. Rd.), along Colima Rd. (in 2002) and just east of Hacienda Dr. near Skyline Trail. Birds appear to be gone from Schabaurum Park and possibly from the slopes above Whittier.

Does anyone know of additional populations, and if so, where??

Have you seen me?

2007-09-07T17:34:00.001-07:00

This is a Nutmeg Mannakin, a goldfinch-sized bird from southeast Asia that has become established in parts of the Los Angeles area in the past 15 years. They are most often found in wet, weedy patches, but will also visit bird feeders. I had one fly overhead (calling) at the head of Arroyo Pescadero just west of Colima yesterday, and today, I saw one perched just upstream of Murphy Ranch Park near the Whittier/La Habra Heights border.

New plant species for hills: Scrub oak

2007-09-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

Not much of a name, but there you have it. The scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia) is found in chaparral from Humboldt Co. into northern Baja Calif., Mexico (like many chaparral plants and animals). In the Los Angeles area, it is generally found in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mtns. and in the Santa Monicas where other chaparral species are present, such as chamise, mountain-mahogany and Ceanothus. It is scarce or absent at lower elevations and along the immediate coast such as Palos Verdes, the Baldwin Hills and the Montebello/Repetto Hills, where coastal sage scrub - dominated by sages, sagebrush and buckwheat - tends to replace the higher, thicker chaparral.

In the Puente Hills, typical chaparral occurs only east of Powder Canyon, from the open space south of Rowland Heights east and north into Diamond Bar. West of here, tall shrubland tends to be dominated by sumacs and toyon, and has been called "sumac scrub". It is possible that the scrub oak and other chaparral species were burned out of the Whittier Hills over the years, or were eliminated by early brush clearance and grazing. Or, there exists a mysterious ecological barrier that has prevented their expansion west.

While conducting fieldwork here in 1997, I noticed a couple scraggly-looking scrub oaks along the Edison powerline right-of-way west of Colima Rd., growing between a steep slope and a chain-link fence, and thus protected from fire and brush-clearance. The plants were still there when I collected a sample this week (photographed), and may be the only ones in the western Puente Hills.

New bird species for hills: Common Ground-Dove

2007-08-28T18:47:00.001-07:00

A male (see photo) was singing this morning at the Powder Canyon trailhead. This bird is a very localized resident in southern California, maintaining a small population in our area along the lower San Gabriel River. Has anyone had this bird at their feeder? They are tiny doves, just a little bigger than sparrows.

Side-blotched Lizard

2007-08-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

A tour of the old Nike missile sites along the ridgeline east of Harbor Blvd. today produced a male and female side-blotched lizard around the concrete debris at the site. The surrounding vegetation is extensive, open grassland (heavily grazed) with patches of Coast Goldenbush. A recent (2002 USGS reptile study of the Puente-Chino Hills found this lizard only east of Powder Canyon. This is surprising, since I've seen them along the San Gabriel River in Whittier Narrows, along the Arroyo Seco in northwest Pasadena, and at tiny habitat remnants like the Ballona Wetlands dunes in Playa del Rey.

Though they were historically much more common in the L.A. basin, they seem to like sandy soil with barren patches, which is now a scarce commodity. Most of these sites have been developed or have been replaced by different vegetation, and the animals that maintained this habitat (cattle, sheep, jackrabbits) are gone. For example, they were collected at Griffith Park decades ago, but have apparently disappeared from there since, as the vegetation there has matured from low, open buckwheat scrub to high sumac and Ceanothus chaparral.

This lizard is very poorly depicted in illustrations, including the Peterson guide to reptiles and amphibians - I think it's more attractive than our "normal" lizard, the western fence lizard, locally called the "bluebelly" for the blue underparts of the males. Side-blotched lizards are best identified by the gular folds (= loose skin) around the neck, and by the distinctive orange checkerboard pattern on the upperparts. Mature males will show black patches behind the front legs, but on many individuals these are absent or hard to see.

Ford property sightings

2007-08-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

While assessing the impact of the recent fire, Andrea Gullo and I visited the "Ford property", a parcel owned by the Habitat Authority at the head of Turnbull Canyon, just north of Turnbull Cyn. Rd.

Two sensitive species were present, a Cactus Wren giving a single "chert" call from the cactus on the slope below (to the west), and a coastal western whiptail moving through the leaf litter at the edge of the property's driveway. This lizard is apparently localized in the hills. I've posted a (poor) photo of the whiptail here.

New mammal for Puente Hills: Long-tailed weasel

2007-08-22T22:52:00.001-07:00

The same yard that brought us the bobcat photo below produced a long-tailed weasel in February 2007, photographed here carrying what appears to be a Norway rat.

The weasel was listed as "potentially occurring" in the Resource Management Plan, and is probably an uncommon resident throughout the Puente-Chino Hills. They are somewhat like ground-squirrels, but are much slimmer, with distinctive dark facial markings. Weasels are most often seen alone, in brushy areas near water (when they are seen at all). They live in burrows excavated by other animals, and are most active at night.

Anyone else ever see a weasel in the hills?

Turnbull Canyon fire

2007-08-22T16:32:00.001-07:00

Approximately 80 acres of open space burned yesterday in the upper Turnbull Canyon watershed, ignited by a car that went over the side of the road near the midpoint of Turnbull Cyn. Rd. (the driver escaped with apparently minor injuries). The fire burned a bit of the downhill (northern) slope below the road, but quickly raced uphill to the south and east before being contained at the ridgeline. If you're familiar with hiking or riding in this area, the burn area is mainly south of Turnbull Cyn. Rd., roughly bounded by the Schabarum Trail on the east and by fireroads/trails on the west and south, and includes a portion of Workman Hill.

This fire occurred in the wide portion of the corridor, in an area that has seen frequent fire over the years. Thus, it should not appreciably affect the movement of animals through the hills. As with all small fires, most animals flee the area briefly during the burn, or retreat to burrows, emerging only hours after the flames subside (only the top few millimeters of soil are burned). Plants will start resprouting almost immediately.

Unfortunately, frequent fires, as have occurred here, have resulted in the degradation of the soil microflora over recent decades. Extensive fields of non-native black mustard and thistle - and dense stands of laurel sumac shrubs - attest to a history of disturbance, both from grazing and fire. Still, the upper Turnbull watershed is still very diverse in terms of habitat types, with oak woodland, sumac-elderberry scrub, coastal sage scrub and native grassland occurring in patches of various sizes. Several of these patches were coded as "high quality habitat" by the Resource Management Plan (Fig. 5), a designation that was based on the dominance of native plant species.

Two populations of the rare Catalina Mariposa-Lily and one population of the rare Plummer's Mariposa-Lily (per Fig. 10A) were detected during recent surveys within the area affected by the fire; fieldwork this spring is needed to assess their current status. Fortunately, the unique vernal pool area just to the south (upper Worsham Canyon watershed) was unaffected, and neither were the large prickly-pear/buckwheat patches on south-facing slopes north of Turnbull Cyn. Rd., which are important for many rare plant and animal species.

We will be monitoring the recovery of this area in upcoming years.

Two new insect species for hills: Western pygmy blue and giant darner

2007-08-20T15:42:00.001-07:00

Note: by "new", I mean unlisted by LSA and Associates in their Resource Management Plan for the Puente Hills (2007), which included a comprehensive species list of observed and potentially-present species.

Several western pygmy blue butterflies were flitting around their preferred foodplant, Australian saltbush, on the former Unocal property east of Hacienda Blvd. on 14 Aug. 2007. This is a widespread native species closely tied to weedy chenopods (saltbushes and relatives) that is probably fairly common in the hills.

A single giant darner was hunting in a disced/plowed border of one of the restoration sites in the same area today. It was nearly twice as large as the numerous gliders in the area, and showed the long, distinctively drooped abdomen. Usually found along streams, they should be looked for along Arroyo San Miguel and elsewhere.

New bird species for hills: Black Swift

2007-08-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

Two Black Swifts cruised low over my head this morning as I was touring one of our restoration sites near Skyline Trail west of Hacienda Blvd. They were in a mixed flock that included other swifts (White-throated and Vaux's), as well as Cliff and Violet-green swallows.

The Black Swift is an uncommon and irregular transient throughout southern California, typically seen with other swifts and swallows in late spring (esp. May) and fall. They are very localized nesters in our area, with Big Santa Anita Cyn. being one of the traditional sites. They nest on the misty, mossy rock walls behind waterfalls.

Bobcat, La Habra Hts.

2007-08-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

A bobcat was observed and photographed on the morning of Aug. 15 near the intersection of Citron Rd. and Reposado Dr. in La Habra Heights. It was carrying a squirrel, possibly an California ground-squirrel (right).

The bobcat is an uncommon resident of the Puente Hills, occurring in a wide variety of habitats. They are active day and night, and are often seen walking along roads and trails, or stalking rodents on grassy hillsides. Like mule deer (and unlike coyotes), they rarely occur more than about a half-mile from large patches of open space. (Additionally, I observed a bobcat on Aug. 14 on Habitat Authority land east of Colima Rd.).

Welcome!

2007-08-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Puente HIlls Nature!

Daniel S. Cooper
Ecologist, Puente Hills Landfill Native Habitat Preservation Authority
Whittier, CA
dcooper@habitatauthority.org