Catalina Update

Hello all! I know it's been painfully quiet around here. Internet on the island is very limited, and when I do get it, I've been working on paperwork for grad school and a scholarship I'm applying for.

Life on the island has been incredible. We lead hikes and do campfire programs on weekends, a Botanical Garden walk in Avalon daily, and an outreach table in Two Harbors and Avalon daily. We have California Quail, House Finches, Allen's Hummingbirds, Pac Slope Flycatchers, Bewick's Wrens, Common Ravens, Red-tailed Hawks, and even an occasional Bald Eagle in our camp in Avalon.

My favorite camp visitor however, is the Santa Catalina Island Fox. We have a ballsy fox that uses our camp as part of it's territory, and will bark at us when we cross paths. It will also eat our beautiful co-op fruits and veggies when we forget to immediately put them into the coolers.

We helped with data collection on one of the rarest shrubs in North America - the Catalina Island Mohogany. A rare endemic species found only in one canyon on the island.

All in all it's been a wonderful summer, but I am definitely looking forward to moving to Vermont to start my new life there as a masters student at Vermont Law School.

West End Hummer Tour

Two Harbors

Cat Harbor and the isthmus at Two Harbors.

Catalina Update

Sunrise views from our tent at the volunteer camp =)

CATALINA

In a few short hours I'll be sharing a home with these endemic species!

Mammals

Beechey ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi nesioticus)

Santa Catalina island fox (Urocyon littoralis catalinae)

Santa Catalina island deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus catalinae)

Santa Catalina island harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis catalinae)

Santa Catalina island shrew (Sorex ornatus willetti)

Birds

Bewick’s wren (Thryomanes bewickii catalinae)

California quail (Callipepla californica catalinensis)

Hutton’s vireo (Vireo huttoni unitti)

Invertebrates

Avalon hairstreak butterfly (Strymon avalona)

Scarab beetle (Coenonycha clypeata)

Scarab beetle (Coenonycha fulva)

Scarab beetle (Phobetus ciliatus)

Scarab beetle (Serica catalina)

Walkingstick (Pseudosermyle catalina)

Catalina shield-back cricket (Neduba propsti)

Catalina orangetip (Anthocharis cethura catalina)

Flora

Catalina manzanita (Arctostaphylos catalinae)

Trask’s mahogany (Cercocarpus traskiae)

Catalina dudleya (Dudleya hassei)

St. Catherine’s lace (Eriogonum giganteum var. giganteum)

Santa Catalina bedstraw (Galium catalinense ssp. catalinense)

Santa Catalina Island ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. floribundus)

In addition, two other taxa have previously been considered Catalina endemics and have the potential to be recognized as such again:

Wallace’s nightshade (Solanum wallacei var. wallacei)

Trask’s yerba santa (Eriodictyon traskiae var. traskiae)

Trask’s monkeyflower (Mimulus traskiae) was another plant restricted to Catalina Island, however it is presumed extinct.

Off to Catalina

I hope to update you all with gorgeous photos from my summer on Catalina very soon!

Trans-Catalina Trail

The newly completed 37.2-mile-long "Trans-Catalina Trail" is an excellent way to spend some time this summer. It can be completed in about 3-4 days, but to take the trail you must first pick up a hiking permit at the Conservancy House in Avalon.

The campsites along the trail include Black Jack Campground, Little Harbor Campground, Two Harbors Campground, and Parsons Landing.

Final Hours

Well I'm down to the last few days before I leave Monday for Catalina. I went on my last hike yesterday with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, in Baker Canyon. I didn't bring my camera because it's already packed away safely for the island. Of course, whenever you don't bring a camera, you see all the coolest things.

We started off the hike with beetles galore, trying not to step on them as we made our way up the hillside. Then, after pausing to enjoy the view of Red Rocks, we almost walked right past a tarantula on the trail. Everyone took out their cameras while I gazed sadly on. She was passive, but probably very freaked out about the giants crouching around her.

There was a surprising number of wildflowers still out, including a gorgeous little meadow of Plummer's Mariposa Lillies.

As we continued on, butterflies were swarming the trail, and they weren't a species I recognized. They were about the size of a buckeye, with eyespots on the wing, but they were a very dark, sooty gray color.

Lastly, as we neared the end of our hike, I stepped right over a gopher snake lying in the trail. After everyone got a look at it, we urged it back into the bushes off the trail. All excellent opportunities for photos I didn't get :/

I can't believe by Monday I'll be living on Catalina!

Richard Crossley's Wild in the City

Look for me between 35 seconds and 60 seconds! Hope the show gets picked up, it's definitely got potential to be interesting.

Once you check it out, take the survey about the demo here to help them develop the show.

Bald Eagles and Bison

There are about two dozen Bald Eagles on Catalina. The eagles lived on the island, until the 1970's, when a harmful pesticide called DDT wiped them out, and affected many other birds of prey throughout California. DDT increased as it made it's way up through the food chain, weakening the shells of eggs, which caused them to break under their mother as she tried to incubate them. When DDT was banned, the Eagles were reintroduced, and have been recovering their original range slowly. There is a live webcam set up by the Institute for Wildlife Study. It can be accessed by clicking HERE, and clicking on the Eagle photo which says 'Interactive'. Ridiculously cool.

From the Catalina Island Conservancy's website: "The bison were introduced to Catalina. Fourteen head were brought to the Island in the 1920s for the making of a film. Over the last 85 plus years of residence on the Island, bison have become an expected feature, almost iconic, to the Island traveler. A number of tours, literature and attractions feature the bison, which have become rather famous. In 2003, the Conservancy commissioned a scientific study of the bison and their impact on the Island. According to the study, the bison suffer from a poor diet due to frequent drought conditions and a history of overgrazing by other non-native herbivores. 

The study also found that the animals are significantly smaller than mainland bison, and appear in relatively poor nutritional condition.The study additionally concluded that while a large, unrestricted herd of bison can be detrimental to some of the more fragile native habitats, a small herd (between 150 and 200 animals) restricted to certain areas of the Island could be sustained without causing undue stress to native plant communities. The Conservancy is sensitive to the wants and needs of the resident community, and has adopted this strategy. The Conservancy is committed to maintaining a herd of between 150 and 200 animals, the number determined through a scientific study to be optimum for keeping both the herd and the Island ecosystem healthy."

Catalina Island Fox

I leave for Catalina in 13 days, so over that time I'll be posting information about the island up to prepare. I figure if I have to learn as much as I can about the island and it's ecology, why not share? ;)

Let's start with the Catalina Island Fox. The information I'm posting came from the Catalina Island Conservancy's website. The Island Fox has been on the island for around 4,000 years. There are differing theories as to how they came to be on the island, including making their way across during storms by drifting over, or being brought by the natives that inhabited the islands. They descended from the grey fox, and can be found on 6 of the 8 Channel Islands. 

The sub-species found on Catalina is the Santa Catalina Island Fox - Urocyon littoralis catalinae. They run about 4-5 pounds, and are solitary animals with the exception of January through March, when they breed. They usually produce 2-3 kits per litter. 

The foxes are omnivores, and the island's largest predator. They'll eat eggs, berries, lizards, mice, insects, and even cactus. They are crepuscular, meaning they are active mainly at dawn and dusk. 

In 1999 a particularly virulent form of canine distemper came to the island via domesticated dogs. This ravaged the fox population on the east end of the island. Only 20-25 individuals remained. The far more remote west end was spared and efforts were undertaken to vaccinate all of the west end population, and begin captive breeding and transfers to try and revitalize the eastern population. The species is eligible for being listed as a federally endangered species, and as such, it is imperative that people do not feed these animals, or try to keep them as pets. Often when fed the animals come up to roads, causing a potential for car strikes. 

Non-Native Species on Santa Catalina Island

As important as the endemic species are the non-natives. While endemic species, found only on the island need protecting. The non-natives need management and removal. These species often have profound negative impacts on the delicate island ecosystem. Out-competing natives, causing erosion, and desertification of native habitat. Here's a list from the conservancy of the non-native species present on the island:

• American Bison
  
• Black Buck
  
• European Starling
  
• Feral Cat
  
• Feral Goat
  
• Feral Pig
  
• Mule Deer
  
• Norwegian Rats
  
• Bullfrog
  

Catalina Endemics

There are 22 endemic species and sub-species on Catalina Island. Endemic means that those species or sub-species are found nowhere else on the earth except there. Certain species are endemic to the Channel Islands, and others to Catalina specifically. The Avalon Hairstreak is the only full species butterfly endemic to Catalina. The Catalina Orangetip is an endemic sub-species found only on Catalina Island. I love hairstreaks and orange-tips so I'm definitely looking forward to chasing these two down for a photo.The Bewick's Wren, the California Quail and the Hutton's Vireo are all Catalina endemic sub-species.The Island Loggerhead Shrike, the Orange-crowned Warbler, the Allen's Hummingbird, the House Finch, Horned Lark, and the Spotted Towhee are all Channel Island endemic sub-species. I've seen the Orange-crowned warbler and the Allen's Hummingbird as well as the Santa Cruz Island Scrub Jay on Santa Cruz Island, years ago. It will be neat to see them again on Catalina.

Monterey Bay Birding Festival

This fall there will be an awesome opportunity to get some birding in the Monterey, CA area. The Monterey Bay Birding Festival will take place in September: the 24th-27th, and should be amazing. Monterey is home to some fabulous views, awesome birding, and excellent birders. Check it out!

Article Link

Here's a link to the article I wrote about the Fremont Canyon hike I did last week in our school paper at UCI, The New University.

Happy Memorial Day

I found this entry from a journal I kept in 2005, the first time I did the memorial weekend circuit in the desert with the boys: 

"Hey guys. Just got back from a long ass hardcore birding trip in the desert with all my boys. It was kickass. We saw about 100 species of birds there, +150 something for the entire weekend. (including a day of birding here when they dropped me back home) More Im sure if I counted it. Got about 13 lifers including incredible looks at a long-eared owl in broad daylight. Also, I held a baby Kangaroo Rat!! so adorable. pictures to come...It wasn't as hot as it could have been, hovered around 95-100 degrees, because there was a strooooong wind blowing most of the time we were there. Salt and dust in your eyes constantly. ew. 

We went all over the Mojave, Kern, Inyokern and Death Valley area. Great birding overall, even if the first few days were woefully slow. Ran into a lot of birders doing variations of the same route we were. Apparently desert birding is a Memorial weekend must. lol.We camped each night in the cars or on cots next to the cars, then birded alllll day, stopping sporadically to eat, get gas, or pee. (not as often as my bladder or stomach would have liked I might add...) It was fun and exhausting.

 Even though I got home last night, I birded with them this morning and I plan to sleep the rest of the day so I can go to school tomorrow... hope Im not toooo far behind in all my classes now. ugh.I love my boys. Ryan, Mattie (Matt), Oscar, Dave, Austin and his dad. Others came and went, Ryan's parents, who I adore. Also the Howes, Tom and Leiga, and a man named Mike, and quite a few others who we met at various spots, birded with, then parted ways. Good times, good people, good beer, good birds. What more is there to life? =)"

This year I'm grilling with my parents and beginning the long and depressing task of packing up my apartment because I graduate and move out in a little over two weeks. I have tons of stuff to sort through and decide what stays in CA, what comes to Vermont, and what I need for my summer on Catalina. 

Hike to Tecate Cypress Forest in Fremont Cyn

This morning I went on a 10.5 mile hike with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy to the Tecate Cypress forest in Fremont Canyon. We began at the staging area at 7:30am, and the first few miles were uphill! After finally getting into our stride we came to the abandoned coal mine. The coal there was poor quality, so the mining was abandoned, but it's a pretty cool example of a strip mine.Coal layer with sandstone above it
We continued on to the Fremont Weather Station, where some of the strongest winds in Orange County are routinely recorded. Evelyn and I were thrilled to spot some black-chinned sparrows up and about on the hillside, definitely a year bird for me. We then descended down into a little valley for a bit before heading back upwards toward the Tecate grove. As we neared the Tecate grove and the half-way point of our hike we were finding plenty of wildflowers including bedstraw, mariposa lilies, CA poppies, and a few lingering lupins.Coast Spiny Lizard!

The Tecate cypress suffered huge casualties in the 2007 fires. There were a few remaining plants, but the population was greatly reduced from their pre-fire numbers. Tecate cypress are very rare, and only grow three places in the world, this stand in Orange County, the Otay Mountains, and Tecate, Mexico.ID help?
I'm thinking GRRO tracks?

We finished our hike around 12:30pm, and not a moment too soon as the heat began to really make it's presence noticed. It was a wonderful hike, and I got to see some very cool critters, all in all, a great day.

IRC Round Canyon Hike

This morning I went on a hike with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy in Round Canyon, off of Portola. The hike was geared toward bird-watching, my specialty ;) Lois Taylor is a wonderful plant guide, and while the group was birding, I was quizzing Lois every few feet: "what's that one? Ohh, what's this?"

Wine Cups

 

Our plant list included Mustard or evening primrose, star thistle, tarweed, bedstraw, Parry's phacelia, morningglory or bindweed, stinking gourd, an aster which wasn't cud leaf, CA figwort, wine cups, splendid mariposa lily, cliff aster, miniature lupin, stream monkeyflower, telegraph weed, CA goldenbush, elderberry, coast live oak, western sycamore, laurel sumac, black mustard, bull thistle, coastal sagebrush.

Acmon Blue

Good birds included great looks at Bullock's oriole, ash-throated flycatcher, lazuli buntings, blue-gray gnatcatcher, and a beautiful singing, Bell's vireo. Also of note was a gopher snake, very cold, moving slow across the trail. Fun!

Whispering Bells

Parry's Phacelia

Aster I don't know, not cut-leaf

Cliff Aster

Hairstreak on Deerweed - maybe Grey?

Endangered Species Day

Happy Endangered Species Day. Take today to do something that will benefit the preservation of endangered species, plant some natives, do a restoration project, or find a celebration going on in your area!

Update and Countdown

I'm in my last 35 days at UCI, hence the lack of real birding. Here's a link to the article I wrote about the most common species on the UCI campus.

I can't believe I will be graduating in a little over a month, then heading immediately to Catalina Island where I will work as a naturalist. Then in three short months, I'll be Vermont-bound!