Holly Sletteland - Contact Holly
 Quail Photo by Dave Menke - USFWS
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New Feathered & Scaly Friends
by Holly Sletteland
Great Horned Owlets Photo by Sandy Harris
This has been quite the month for sightings of young wildlife at the preserve. The word has definitely gotten out about the Great Horned owlets that hatched this spring. People have been showing up on a pretty regular basis with cameras, scopes, and binoculars asking where they can find the owls. Fortunately, the owls don't seem too concerned about all of the commotion, although I do urge people to stay on the trail and remember their birding etiquette during their observations. We have received a number of complaints about people leaving the trail and getting much too close to the owls. They probably won't nest there again if they feel threatened. We should all heed the advice of the American Birding Association (ABA) suggesting that "Everyone who enjoys birds and birding must always respect wildlife, its environment, and the rights of others. In any conflict of interest between birds and birders, the welfare of the birds and their environment comes first."
I happened to discover the owl fledglings by chance when I was watering one day and noticed two balls of fluff sitting on a cypress branch above me. They were on their own that morning, although they typically are accompanied at least one parent. I understand that owls can be fiercely protective of their young, even attacking people who wander too close (another reason to give them a wide berth). I have also heard that when horned owls are irritated, their ear tufts lie flat on the head as opposed to standing upright, so if you ever see that happen you should take that as a cue that you've overstayed your welcome.
We also saw gopher snakes for the first time and not one, but two in the same day. I knew that they should be there, but for some reason our paths have never crossed before. One was an adult about three feet long that was helping itself to a drink out of some seedling trays. The other was definitely a juvenile, as it was less than a foot long. It was stretched out, lazily sunning itself on the sand. The snakes were a very welcome sight, given that we have been noticing more gopher activity at the preserve.
And last, but certainly not least, in the list of the new additions to the preserve, are a number of iddy-biddy baby quail. I'm often accompanied by quail as I make my rounds weeding around the sages, coyote brush, and lupine. They busily scratch and peck at the ground while I work, looking for seeds and insects, not unlike my chickens at home. There is usually a sentry on duty, keeping a watchful eye out for approaching danger. And should the sentry sound an alarm, the rest of the flock darts for cover. As Judith Lawry describes it, "The blur of their running legs is almost comedic, making it almost a disappointment when they finally take to the air, which they do with seeming reluctance and only when pressed."
Supposedly, quail are doing just fine and aren't a species of concern. But it seems to me that I used to see a lot more of them as a child. And when you read historical accounts with descriptions of coveys containing three or four hundred birds, I wonder if we aren't just adapting to diminished expectations. Seeing large coveys has become a rarity these days. Certainly quail numbers have plummeted in many areas where they used to be ubiquitous. Hopefully, that will never be the case at Sweet Springs and the recent hatch will mark the beginning of resurgence in their population.
Trail Work Photo by Devra Cooper
We are actively trying to improve their habitat by providing oak trees for night roosting, shrub islands for cover, and open areas for foraging and dust baths. This past volunteer day, many of us gathered seeds of a variety of forbs and shrubs in preparation for planting this fall. Others worked on improving "human habitat" by replacing the very rotten border logs along the Pond Trail Loop. The Cal Poly Logging team had generously volunteered to cut some small trees for us to use earlier in the week. All in all, it was a very productive day. I'm hoping that our next volunteer day on Saturday, July 9th from 9-12 will be equally constructive and rewarding. Please join us!
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