Blue Sky Reserve Tracking Team page 2

Formed in the spring of 2006 with more than a dozen members, the Blue Sky Tracking Team is sponsored by Friends of Blue Sky Canyon. The primary focus of the BSTT is to monitor local wildlife, thereby promoting the preservation of wildlife habitat in Blue Sky and the surrounding areas. In conjunction with the San Diego Tracking Team, quarterly wildlife surveys are conducted along designated transects to monitor the presence or absence of key wildlife species. (Photo: some of our members)

Membership in the BSTT is open to anyone with an interest and desire to help preserve and protect the flora and fauna of Blue Sky and the surrounding area. There is no charge to become a member, and tracker/naturalist training (a requirement for performing wildlife surveys) is available for free and/or a low cost through the San Diego Tracking Team.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Blue Sky Tracking Team, please contact the team leader, Anna Gateley-Stanton, at ags@san.rr.com.

Notes re: Findings During Transect Surveys:

2-5-11
striped skunk track With the temperature in the 40’s, four of us set out for a brisk walk to the beginning of the transect. Throughout our three and a half-hours, we found evidence of eight species. Deer, coyote, raccoon, striped skunk (photo at left), and spotted skunk all left tracks. Scat was deposited by coyote, bobcat, fox, and woodrat. We also found deer and rabbit browse. Presence of cottontail, ground squirrel, gophers and other small rodents was confirmed as well. We actually saw ground squirrel three times. The raccoons were nice enough to leave tracks in three of the six sections. Due to the recent rain, there was still water and mud in some places, which helped to capture and preserve tracks that otherwise would not be there.

We still could not find the woodrat nest, so perhaps it is using the boulders and building inside. Interestingly, the spotted skunk tracks were found in the same section and very close to where we first found skunk tracks. Some one glanced up and noticed a lovely brown harrier, a female, cruising low on the hillside, looking for a meal. She was around for more than an hour before moving out of our range.

11-14-10
Only one other person could make it today (thanks, Carol C.). We found tracks, scat, browse, and/or claw marks of: bobcat, coyote, gray fox, mule deer, raccoon, and striped skunk. We were able to get in and out in a little over two hours…that’s a record! It was another one-page day.

7-25-10
woodrat scat Four of us started early today to beat the heat, which worked out well. For the first time since the fires, we found evidence of woodrats in one section—scat was left on and near some boulders (photo at left). We also found tracks and/or scat for coyote, deer, bobcat, fox, raccoon, and striped skunk. The deer had also been browsing on deer weed in sections three, four, and five. There weren’t too many tracks this quarter…most of what we found was scat. We also confirmed skunk by way of smell!

5-23-10
As the cool morning wore on, two of us found evidence of only six species, mostly by way of scat. There were only four sets of tracks found all morning. Bobcat, coyote, gray fox, mule deer, and raccoon, which are our usual species, were confirmed. We were lucky and also found kangaroo rat tracks in the first section… the tail drag was the clincher. Of course we also found presence of cottontails, ground squirrels, and other small rodents.

2-13-10
Four trackers started out in brisk 46 degree weather. Besides the few wild flowers starting the season, we were excited to find spotted skunk tracks in section five. We also found tracks and/or scat left by deer, fox, coyote, and bobcat. It was a one-page day.

11-15-09
Six species were confirmed today by two of us on another 40+ degree morning. The usual four—bobcat, coyote, fox, and deer. In addition, we also found striped skunk tracks in the loose dirt in section one, and raccoon scat in two sections on the hillsides. We also found evidence of cottontails, kangaroo rats, and other small rodents.

7-26-09
raccoon trail Already 68 degrees at 7 a.m. We knew we were in for a warm one. The three of us started out and at the end of our three hours, we’d confirmed seven of the twelve possible species for our transect location. Striped skunk, raccoon (photo at left), deer, fox, coyote, and bobcat left either tracks, scat, and/or browse.

The highlight, though, was the sighting of a roadrunner. Not just an ordinary sighting—you could call it a roadrunner experience. We were walking slowly along the pipeline easement road, right where section four ends and section five begins. We heard movement in the brush. Suddenly, a roadrunner hops onto the road from the short bank on our left. Taking a few, slow steps towards us, he fanned his tail feathers, raised and lowered his head once or twice, and vocalized. He then proceeded cautiously right towards our group. Not wanting to scare him, we slowly moved to grab our cameras and get them into position. At one point, he was within an arms length away, still creeping slowly by. As he passed on the left, we slowly turned, bringing up our cameras for a shot. Shwooooosh. Instantly he was rushing up the hillside. We snapped off one or two shots anyway. Did we get him? Yes. Is it a good photo? No. But if you blow it up, you can tell that the dot on the hill is a roadrunner.

5-17-09
raccoon track, front & rear With excitement, three of us hit the trail for another morning of collecting data, not knowing it would be another one-page day…a slow one. We only confirmed five of the species we expected (raccoon (photo at left), bobcat, fox, coyote, and deer), but also found evidence of cottontail, k-rats, and other small rodents. During our three hours, only one set of tracks was found—mostly it was scat and deer browse. They were feeding on deerweed, mustard, and another unknown plant. We also found coast horned lizard, orange-throated whiptail, and a Costa’s hummingbird next with eggs.

3-8-09
Three trackers started out at 7:30 with 50 degrees and fog overhead. Four hours later, we had confirmed only five species—mule deer, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, and woodrat. Although no woodrat nest or scat was located, we did find a woodrat tail in some coyote scat. Since most, if not all, of the woodrats were destroyed in the fire, we decided the coyote may have eaten a woodrat from Mt. Woodson.

More tracking team reports