Journal archives for April 2013

April 12, 2013

Welcome!

The San Mateo County Bio-Blitz launched on April 11, 2013, to coincide with the Sequoia Audubon general meeting program featuring iNaturalist co-directors Scott Loarie and Ken-ichi Ueda. Given the high level of participation in citizen-science projects by Sequoia Audubon members, and the mission statement of Sequoia including birds and other wildlife and their habitats, the shepherding of this project under the auspices of Sequoia made sense, but we welcome co-sponsors. Observe and record!

Posted on April 12, 2013 01:40 PM by gyrrlfalcon gyrrlfalcon | 2 comments | Leave a comment

April 14, 2013

Working with iNaturalist

This week I had two occasions to work with the co-directors of iNaturalist, Scott Loarie and Ken-ichi Ueda. First, the two of them spoke at the Sequoia Audubon general meeting on Thursday (April 11), then Ken-ichi joined me for a small Sequoia field trip Saturday morning (April 13) at San Gregorio State Beach and the Water Lane trail at Pescadero State Beach. This kind of partnering with local wildlife enthusiasts can help iNaturalist to grow, as more communities see the potential in this project. I alone have posted 26 pictures from today's field trip, started a San Mateo Bio Blitz project, and think that at least half-a-dozen new, active members of iNaturalist have been recruited. Hope we can do it again.

Posted on April 14, 2013 12:00 AM by gyrrlfalcon gyrrlfalcon | 0 comments | Leave a comment

April 22, 2013

Mountain Lion!

Yesterday I took part in the annual Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society's Bird-a-thon Fundraiser. For the third time in the last four years, I was part of the team organized by Bob Hirt, known as The Rock Wrens. This year, Bob had suffered a health set-back that made him incapable of doing the morning's owling, so Calvin Lou and I went up alone to Monte Bello. Walking along the Canyon Trail, entering a wooded portion shortly southwest of the .5 mile sign, I heard some leaves rustling, as if there was a large mammal nearby. Fully expecting a deer, I turned my flashlight in that direction. Quickly - and yet, somehow, time froze then, too - I saw it was a cat - flat nose and face, big eyes staring at me from about 25 yards away (at most). Then I saw the tail. Wow! I turned to Calvin (big mistake, I know, to turn away from a predator) to alert him, but when we turned back, the cat was gone. Most likely it had slunk away the moment it saw my attention swerve, but we couldn't rule out that it had climbed a tree and could be above us. So we talked loudly, made ourselves look large, and walked out to the open area (walking backwards and not running). Wow!

Posted on April 22, 2013 11:43 PM by gyrrlfalcon gyrrlfalcon | 2 comments | Leave a comment