I made this video just as a quick effort to share with others. We may have better videos later to post on the FOSL/FORB websites to show just how much SLP has changed.
SLP Clean-ups 2020
I was out on a levee walk yesterday afternoon and made a short video of what it looked like. For those of us that haven’t been able to get down to the Parkway for a while the trail side of the area looks much better. Much hard work by Tom, Betsy and others continues to make progress on the river side too where campers, illegal activities and vegetation destruction continue. So do regular meetings with rangers and filing 311 reports. As you can see, it was very quiet and tame along the bike trail today.
I made this video just as a quick effort to share with others. We may have better videos later to post on the FOSL/FORB websites to show just how much SLP has changed. SLP Clean-ups 2020
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Friends of Sutter's Landing Park will be at Sutter's Landing Park on July 3rd and July 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We will have a canopy and table with trashbags, gloves, etc., asking people to please Pack Out what you Pack In!
The trash at Sutter's Landing Park gets pretty bad along the river, especially at the holidays. The event is okayed by the City Parks Department, and we will follow Covid 19 restrictions. Masks, gloves, and social distancing to the extent possible will be required. Be aware that covid cases are on the rise in Sacramento—please use your best judgement and do not come out if you are immune compromised, especially at risk for the disease, or share a space with someone who is vulnerable. We want to keep everyone healthy, even as we care for the river. Please volunteer for a shift (2 to 3 persons per shift) July 3 9:00 a.m. until noon 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. July 4 9:00 a.m. until noon 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. RSVP to Betsy Weiland at [email protected] to volunteer. FORB held our very first virtual event by hosting local coyote expert, naturalist and professional instructor/photographer Guy Galante on June 18th. This live Zoom event was rescheduled from the original plan to have Guy come out for our Second Saturday program back in March. Not even a pandemic could keep Guy from dazzling a large online group with his latest experiences monitoring a family of coyotes presently making their home in Midtown Sacramento. Guy has years of experience observing and photographing coyotes along the American River Parkway and is presently focused on educating communities about how they can coexist with the "Song Dog" or coyote now seen increasingly in local neighborhoods. Want to learn more about this amazing animal and how we can be good neighbors? Well even if you missed this evening event it was recorded so it can be shared and help educate everyone.
FORB Urban Coyote Online Event with Guy Galante (55 min YouTube video) Want to read more about Guy's work with coyotes? (recent Sacramento Magazine article) Guy's Roots of Change website with more about his coyote work and other educational programs. A pair of Bald eagles have successfully nested in a Gray, or Foothill, pine above Lake Natoma since 2017. They have successfully raised two chicks each year with 2020 being an exception as they currently have three chicks! Their nest is very close to a trail actively used by walkers and horse riders in the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area directly upstream from the American River Parkway. There are homes and a neighborhood located nearby as well. Their nest site has become a popular area to view these majestic raptors. I volunteer during nesting season to help educate visitors about eagles and make sure that the nest or its occupants aren't disturbed.
Young eagles are called eaglets after they hatch while they are growing in the nest. When they take their first flight, they become fledglings. After they master take off and landings, they are juveniles eagles. After their first year, they are considered 2nd year, 3rd year, and 4th year eagles. Bald eagles become fully mature and both sexes have full white heads and tails in their 5th year. At that point they search for a mate and start their breeding cycle in a territory far away from their natal nest. Breeding Bald eagles have an approximate territory radius of 5 miles. While adult eagles are raising their eaglets, no previous year offspring or other eagles are allowed near the nest and will be screamed at and eventually chased away by the male. Adult Bald eagles leave the area in late July after their juveniles leave the area to begin life on their own. They return in late September or early October and begin repairing their nest in earnest in November by gathering branches from across the lake and grasses from nearby open fields. They work on their nest at sunrise and usually stop around 8:30am - 9am. Sometimes they will also work on the nest in the afternoon. They then fly westward to no doubt hunt for salmon downstream. They have been seen flying with their previous offspring and perching together as well during this time. A breeding pair of eagles may remain together until the death of one member, and the surviving bird may soon find a new mate. From late December until early February, they can be seen commonly mating frequently. According to US Fish and Wildlife, Bald eagle nesting season in this region begins the middle of January and that is when we begin monitoring and volunteer duties at the nest site. We strive to educate visitors that come out to see the eagles and take them to a designated viewing area (approximately 350’ west of the nest) to safely observe the eagles. Standing near an active nest during nesting season is considered disturbance to eagles per US Fish & Wildlife. Bald eagles are no longer a federally endangered species, but they are protected under the Federal Bald and Golden Eagle and Migratory Bird Treaty acts as well as being a California Endangered and a Fully Protected species under state law. A female Bald eagle lays her eggs by the 2nd week or 3rd week of February and diligently incubates on them for about 35-38 days. The male eagle does relieve her but she is the primary brooder. The chicks hatch in the middle of March and are fed on demand for about three weeks. The male eagle is an ever diligent hunter and protector and will bring in fish after fish and an occasional mammal to the nest. This creates quite an odor attracting soaring Turkey vultures that circle the nest, not hunting the eaglets, but trying to scavenge the carcasses the male eagle brings in. When there are too many Turkey vultures circling the tree, the female eagle often screams. Sometimes the male will fly in to disperse the vultures as well. I am sure it causes the female eagle great angst when he does not come in right away. Young eaglets are not able to thermoregulate to stay warm when they hatch so the female stays in the nest with them for about two weeks. Once they are covered in downy feathers, she no longer has to keep them warm. The eaglets grow quickly as they must take their first flight in early June. After about a month or so, both adult eagles actively hunt to keep their growing eaglets satisfied. At about two months, food is not brought in as often as the eaglets would like. If they were fed on demand during this time, they would not be ready to fly in June! Thus begins what I call "Tough Love". The eaglets will squeal and squeal for food but the parents ignore them. They will be fed when the parents feel it is time and not when the eaglets want. I tell visitors that the only source of liquid they get is from the fresh kills their parents bring into the nest. Eagles have no way to bring in water so you can imagine how thirsty and hungry these eaglets might get. In May, "Wingersizing" (exercising the wings or flapping) is done in earnest by the eaglets. By the end of May and early June, they will branch by jumping and flapping up to a nearby branch and going back down to the nest. This helps build up strength they need for that all important first flight. It should be noted that at this time, the eaglets look a bit bigger than their parents. The reason for this is that the parents begin to molt some of their feathers. The young eagles will not molt until the following year so they are always growing new feathers which gives them the appearance of being bigger. The first flight of an eaglet is difficult to time but it is an exciting and nerve wracking moment. The nest has been the only home they have known for three months. When they first test their wings to fly it can be scary. I have seen them take their first flights and can tell you landing is very tricky. After about a week, they begin to get the hang of taking off and landing. The parents bring food into the nest for the juveniles for a couple of weeks. This forces them to fly back to the nest and practice the all important landing. In July, the parents will bring food to different tree branches to get the juveniles familiar with their surroundings. Usually, by the end of July, they leave the area to live independently The parents then leave the area and head north to cooler climates. They are not tagged or otherwise tracked so we do not know exactly where they go. Sometimes, we see juveniles flying with Turkey vultures who are better at locating carcasses. The juveniles muscle their way in and eat their fill while the vultures wait. This is one way young eagles can survive while they practice their fishing and hunting skills. We must remember that eagles are scavengers as well as skilled hunters. They will happily eat carrion and freshly caught fish, birds, reptiles and mammals. Nesting season is over by the end of July and our volunteer work is done until the following year. I began volunteering for California State Parks and then for the Bureau of Reclamation in 2018 at the Lake Natoma nest and continue to do so. The Bureau of Reclamation owns the land where the eagles nest. In 2019, Friends of Lakes Folsom and Natoma (FOLFAN) organized a volunteer group that works in conjunction with State Parks to help at the nest site as there are increasing numbers of visitors that come out to see these beautiful eagles. A new brochure has been created to help address common questions about eagles: "New Friends of Lakes Folsom and Natoma Bald Eagle Brochure" Due to the Governor’s order to Shelter in Place because of the pandemic, our volunteer efforts have been on hold since March. We hope to be back out as soon as the Shelter in Place order has terminated and it is safe to do so. Meanwhile, the eagles are doing what they have been doing successfully for a long time. The status of Bald eagles in California and elsewhere continues to be very positive. Population numbers are increasing and pairs are returning to nest in areas they were missing from for many decades due to DDT and lead poisoning, loss of habitat, power line electrocutions, and shooting. The recovery of this species is a remarkable success story aided by the Endangered Species Act. With good stewardship and public behavior that should continue into the future. Bald eagles in California FORB has cancelled several recent Second Saturday events due to COVID-19 and is following state and local health and safety guidance. At this point, we don't know when it will be possible to safely hold group events outdoors again. The 2020 calendar has been updated to note this existing uncertainty. Meanwhile, FORB is considering other ways to perhaps hold "virtual" events or otherwise help us all cope with these pandemic times. Any scheduled changes to activate FORB programs will go out to our mailing list and be published in our web calendar. Stay tuned and be sure to share any local observations or other information you may find if you spend time independently at Sutter's Landing Park or the lower American River Parkway.
FORB would have hosted another great bat program this month but of course that wasn't possible. Meanwhile the pandemic has added new problems to this sensitive and very important group of mammals. For more on that issue, please check out "Making Tracks With Bats..." including a recent interview with a local wildlife/bat rehab worker. Stay and well and enjoy nature wherever you can! We need to follow instructions and maintain physical distances from each other as this new coronavirus spreads. Meanwhile, nature and wildlife continue to be important to our well-being. It is possible to appreciate nature and observe wildlife from home especially if you have created some native habitat. That is a project that you can work on if you haven't. Our local California Native Plant Society has started a "Homegrown Habitat" initiative and provides lots of useful information to get started. You can also participate in many citizen science projects from home. Check out "Citizen Science-ing where you are" for suggestions. There are many webcams available to check in on your favorite park or refuge or even watch young California condors or other species in their nests. Make a project out of finding and sharing new webcams and enjoys popular ones such as these:
I've picked some great webcams around the globe to help keep you sane in these trying times. Depending on the time of day or night you’re reading this, they should offer you some solace and wonder for the long weeks ahead. Share your observations and discoveries with others as we help each other stay healthy and sane in these trying times. Tembe Elephant Park One of several great livecams from Explore.org. This one brings you to a very popular watering hole on the Mozambique border. Decorah Eagles A rare opportunity to see bald eagles up close and relaxed in Decorah, Iowa. Gorilla Forest Corridor You may or may not see any critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas, but this is a heck of a peaceful site in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Coral City An urban reef in Miami, Florida that’s part habitat, part science experiment and part art project. You never know who might swim by. Cornell Lab’s Panama Fruit Feeder-cam at Canopy Lodge Pay attention. All kinds of colorful birds fly by to sample the wares that scientists have left out for them at this conservation site in Panama. Big Sur Condors Two webcams from the Ventana Wildlife Society showcasing the amazing California condors in their care. The birds aren’t always on camera, but it’s worth sticking around to see them. Otters and More at Monterey Bay A neverending parade of sea otters, birds, harbor seals and other marine mammals will entertain you at this feed, courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Bison Watering Hole at Grasslands National Park Again, you never know what wildlife you’ll witness onscreen, but the beauty of this site in Saskatchewan can take your breath away. New York University’s Hawk Cam Oh wow, an urban nest whose residents are mini-celebrities. This includes an active chat feature, so it’s one more way to connect with fellow enthusiasts. Jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium Who knew jellyfish were so Zen? This livecam is about as relaxing as it can possibly get. Get lost in the gentle motion. There’s much more! Here's one more essential livestream that I can’t embed but it’s worth opening a new browser tab to see: Red Wolf enclosure cam — Check out one of the rarest predators on the planet, courtesy of the conservation breeding program at the Wolf Conservation Center, which also maintains several other great webcams. (Kudos to John Platt of "The Revelator" for much of the webcam info and much more wildlife conservation work.) Clear blue skies greeted the many folks that came out to enjoy another FORB New Years Day Celebration. Well over 50 people came, including many return visitors and some first time attendees. Everyone had a very good time enjoying oatmeal cookies, hot cocoa or coffee, wildlife viewing and being out in nature. The group also left the area cleaner than they found it too collecting litter as they walked. We hope to see you there next year and hopefully at one of our upcoming second Saturday events sooner. Photos and captions by Robert unless otherwise noted. Thanks to all who came and made it a special and memorable start of the year! A Friend of the River Banks, FORB! Robert The report for this hearty group was submitted along with all the other teams up and down the American River Parkway and will be compiled to give an overall look at the health and distribution of birds and other wildlife. This is a great example of citizen science and the data is shared in eBird where it is available to anyone who can study it or use it to plan a future outdoor experience. Thanks Team Otter!
American River Parkway--Sutter's Landing Park Dec 8, 2019 09:00 Traveling 1.00 miles 90 Minutes All birds reported? Yes Comments: Team Otter Sutter’s Landing Park 9/8/2019 number of team subunits=4 Participants: Robert Sewell Asli Mete Kevin Baker Jane Taylor JoEllen Arnold 2 coyote 1 gray squirrel One 2 ½ foot long salmon swimming slowly upstream. Sign of beaver feeding precious night at shoreline: stripped branches in the water with tooth marks, drag marks from branches into the water, wood chips in the water Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.9.6 Build 18 40 Canada Goose 30 Mallard 17 Northern Pintail 10 Bufflehead 40 Common Goldeneye 1 Common Merganser 2 Pied-billed Grebe 50 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 7 Mourning Dove 1 Anna's Hummingbird 2 California Gull 3 gull sp. 1 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Great Blue Heron 1 Snowy Egret 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Northern Flicker 1 American Kestrel 4 Black Phoebe 7 California Scrub-Jay 30 American Crow 1 Oak Titmouse 5 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Bewick's Wren 26 European Starling 3 Northern Mockingbird 1 House Sparrow 5 House Finch 6 White-crowned Sparrow 7 Golden-crowned Sparrow 1 California Towhee 3 Spotted Towhee 25 Western Meadowlark 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler Number of Taxa: 37 What if the Salmon Return and No One Greets Them? FORB held its annual October event at Sutter’s Landing Park on the American River Parkway on Saturday, October 12th. This annual event welcomes the salmon back from their long journey to grow to adults at sea and return home to spawn. It’s one of FORB’s many popular events over the years with ideal weather, cookies, coffee, water, educational materials and games including an environmental education program led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This year there was also a volunteer work party to continue to remove trash, weeds and other invasive plants that continue to increase. Video clip taken during the scheduled FORB Salmon event This years event was no different except for one thing. Nobody came for the event. There were likely a number of reasons including key FORB volunteers being away due to family emergency, illness, and busy lives. The volunteers that were able to come (Tom, Molly and Betsy), arrived early for a work party to continue clearing the Sutter’s Landing Park gateway to the American River Parkway which has been neglected allowing invasive weeds to spread as increasing numbers of people visit the area but leave their garbage, dog waste and other trash behind. The gateway area looks much better now but is missing most of the native plants that were planted there with a grant to establish the gateway. Weeds are an ongoing problem but may be more under control with continuing hard work. Leaks in the irrigation system have been fixed and city Park staff continue to drop off and pickup a trailer for all the weeds and invasive plants being removed. The riverbank was cleaner too with only a single bag of trash and another full of recyclable bottles and cans removed today. That included rusty bottle caps, broken glass, hooks and fishing line, cans, bottles and more. Dog and human waste was avoided where encountered. The edge of riverbank is exposed now due to low flows of warm water which is not as good for salmon and all the dogs and human activities have trampled the bank and lowered the quality of habitat for returning salmon. The bank edge is about a foot lower and trampled mainly by all the off-leash dogs that are usually present. The roots of the remaining riparian trees are exposed by this trampling. There are also many signs of recent fires along the river edge and very little understory growing under the remaining trees. Human and dog activity was very limited today, probably in part due to the presence of CDFW staff and materials for the FORB event. The river area site was cleaned up and ready as were the CDFW staff who set up an educational table of wildlife specimens, exhibits and information as well as layout a scavenger hunt for the kids who never came. There were no actual event attendees today but people did come by for other reasons and often stopped briefly. On the positive side, there was more time to share information and plan future events while gradually a few families and other visitors stopped by incidentally. There were very good discussions about salmon, the need not to feed wildlife, where animal skins and skulls come from, why it is important to clean-up after visiting nature and more. All volunteers and incidental visitors left with smiles on their faces and maybe a cookie or two. The same was true at the parking lot above where free coffee, water, cookies and information greeting those that wandered by on their way along the Parkway. Seeing volunteers cleaning up the area and answer questions seemed to inspire some pride and friendliness too. What it would be like if there was a kiosk occupied regularly by volunteers with information, suggestions, extra eyes out for illegal activity and maybe some water and a cookie? The lack of a bathroom continues to be a major shortcoming and the port-a-potty over at the dog park is too gross to be used except in an emergency. Clearly, there is much to think about for future FORB events. There still seems to be great value in these events, even when they aren’t attended because of all the secondary benefits and incidental opportunities to inspire others to appreciate nature. Meanwhile, downstream at Discovery Park, the “AfterShock” heavy metal rock concert likely sold out for its now expanded 3 days along the river. An estimated 90,000 people were expected there this year. 66,000 people sold out last year’s event and paid at least $66/day. How much, if any of that money goes to benefit the Parkway or restore the damage that comes with so many people? Very little it seems and instead of making a huge event pay its true cost, the County is pursuing a grant from the Lower American River Conservancy to restore the picnic area. The Conservancy is supposed to provide funds for Parkway preservation, conservation, acquisition and restoration. Imagine what could be done to protect and appreciate the Parkway if such funds were used to benefit wildlife, habitat, nature/open spaces and encourage appropriate recreation and appreciation there? Something seems at least out of balance and maybe just wrong. Meanwhile, the salmon as well as all the other wildlife that count on the important habitat in this area did just fine without us... FORB's September "Dragons and Damsels" event was another amazing day searching for damselflies and dragonflies. Greg Kareofelas, our expert leader, told wonderful stories about these fascinating creatures and we had a cadre of excellent hunters to bring him examples for identification. All the insects were released unharmed after being documented for posterity including several that were somehow incredibly caught by hand!
Thank you, Greg, and all the enthusiastic dragon hunters who came out. |
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