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Ecological Reserve #7 Warden’s Annual Report 2018

Posted November 12, 2019 | Categories : 7,Warden Reports |

Ecological Reserve #7 Warden’s Annual Report 2018

Reserve Name: Trout Creek

Wardens: Kathryn McCourt, Mark Gardiner

Report Date: November 12, 2019

March 28, 2018, Kathryn McCourt: first inspection of the year, and to check southeast fence.

Conditions: 7, wind calm, light cloud cover, patches of snow.

Duration: 11:00-12:30.

Walked from gate to SE corner, found six fence sections bent from climbing over. Checked new walk-through: had to squeeze through sideways.

Birds: Northern Flicker, Mountain Chickadee, American Robin, American Crow, Northern Shrike (unusual)

Plants in bloom: Ranunculus glabberimus, Lomatium geyeri, Foliage: Fritillaria pudica, Lewisia rediviva.

Arthropods: numerous small black spiders, one fly

Notes: in NW-SE drainage approximately 50m north of old road, an ephemeral stream was flowing. Cluster of twelve fallen Pinus ponderosa about half-way up west side. Many small P. ponderosa in mid-south area. North of aerial photo marker possible patch of sulfur cinquefoil.

May 11 – Repairing fence: Kathryn and Mark.

May 30 – Kathryn McCourt: Monthly survey, notes missing.

June 13, 2018            Mark Gardiner

10:00 to 13:30 (initially sunny but started raining toward the end of the visit)

I entered the ER through the brown “gate” then headed north onto the eastern (north-south) ridge. I followed the ridge to the northern boundary of the ER then descended west to west (north-south) ridge. I walked a little further west until I was above the cliffs which form the west face of this ridge. I then proceeded a short distance south before descending west down a steep gully adjacent to the cliffs, eventually reaching the terraces above Trout Creek. I then headed south (downstream) a short distance before working my way down steep slopes (mostly following deer trails) to the creek itself. After spending some time by the creek I ascended back up to the terraces and headed south-east back to the brown “gate ” and on to the trailhead.

I saw no sign of recent human activity and the only litter observed was the remains of a disintegrating balloon.

Birds observed between parking lot and ER boundary

HOWR-1                    VGSW-3                     CAFI-2

BARS-1                      AMGO-1                    NRWS-1

OSFL-1                       WEWP-1                    CHSP-4

VESP-1                       AMRO-1                     WETA-1

GRFL-1

Birds observed within ER

NOFL-4                      WETA-2                     MOCH-2

GRFL-1                      CAFI-1                        WEWP-1

CLNU-2                      VESP-4                       CONI-1

YRWA-1                    STJA-1                        PYNU-1

PSFL-1                        NAWA-1

Noteworthy plants

Chaenactis douglasii – 3 plants with fresh flowers observed on steep south-facing slopes of east ridge.

Mammals

3 black-tailed (mule?) deer including 1 fawn.

July 07, 2018              Mark Gardiner

7:00 am to 8:45 am (sunny)

I entered the ER by passing through the ER fence just north of the SE corner of the ER then headed north following the east boundary. I followed the fence to the NE corner of the ER then descended west to the central (north-south) ridge. I proceeded south to the southern end of this ridge before descending down a steep gully through the cliffs, eventually reaching the brown ER access “gate ” and returning to the trailhead.

I saw no sign of recent human activity.

Birds observed between parking lot and ER boundary

HOWR-1 (at nest box)           PYNU-2                      CORA-2

BARS-3                                  CAGO-4+yng             AMRO-1

WETA-1                                 WEWP-1

Birds observed within ER

NOFL-1                      WETA-3                     CHSP-1

GRFL-1                      CAFI-1                        BHCO-3

CORA-4                      VESP-2                       PYNU-3

YRWA-1                    TOSO-4                      RECR-2

WBNU-3

Noteworthy plants

Chaenactis douglasii – numerous plants with fresh flowers observed on central N-S ridge

Rhinanthus minor – small area along central N-S ridge contained numerous plants

Lianthus pungens

Stephanomeria tenuifolia

August 10, 2018        Mark Gardiner

9:10 am to 11:30 am  (sunny but smoky)

I entered the ER through the brown access gate then traversed above the GC to Trout Creek canyon. Following deer trails I descended to Trout Creek then hiked back up following the same route. I then hiked north along the rim of the canyon until I reached the north boundary of the ER. From there I followed a gully up through the west facing cliffs to the top of the west (north-south) ridge. From there I continued east through a gully and up onto the east (north-south) ridge. Finally I followed this ridge south eventually returning to the brown access gate.

I saw no sign of recent human activity.

Birds observed between parking lot and ER boundary:

HOWR-4+ (in tree adjacent to nest box just upslope from parking lot (trailhead))

Birds observed within ER:

RECR-2                      WBNU-1                    NOFL-1

RBNU-1                      MOCH-1                     WEWP-2

AMRO-1                     SPSA-1 (Trout Cr)      CONI-1

August 31/18 Kathryn McCourt

7:30-8:50, 11 degrees, light breeze, clear sky. Walked south from gate, down first drainage to east fence, along fence to SE corner, back up road to upper flat, west to ner canyon, up to foot of cliffs and along them east to gate.

Birds: PYNU, WBNU (4-5), MOCH.

Mammals: Bighorn sheep scat

Arthropods: Robber fly, grasshoppers, bumblebees, flies.

Plants in Bloom: Ericameria nauseosa, Chamerion angustifolium, Artemesia dracunculus, Grindelia squarrosa.

Notes: Gate in east fence has been opened, needs to be re-wired.

No garbage or golf balls. Five-foot stand of white sweet clover in drainage that contained running water in spring.

 September 21, 2018             Mark Gardiner

2:15 pm to 4:10 pm (cloudy with light showers toward end of visit – 11º C)

I entered the ER through the brown access gate then proceeded north up the east (north-south) ridge until I reached the north boundary. From there I proceeded west to the west (north-south) ridge then follow this ridge south to where it ends in small cliffs. I retraced my steps north a short distance before descending a gully to the west following deer trails. Once below the cliffs I traversed around the south end of the ridge and back to the brown gate.

I saw no sign of recent human activity.

No birds were observed between the parking lot and ER boundary.

Birds observed within ER:

SACR-65                    RCKI-7                       MOCH-5

RBNU-1                      WCSP-1                      PYNU-2

NOFL-2                      COPO-1                      YRWA-7

WBNU-1                    MOBL-12                   DEJU-5

AMRO-1                     CAFI-1                        CORA-1

October 25/18 Kathryn McCourt, Mark Gardiner. Hiked up east fence to NE corner, along fence to west where it descends to canyon, along west edge until it bends to south, and angled back to gate.

Time spent: approximately 17.5 hr

Distance travelled: approximately 90 km

submitted by Kathryn McCourt