The rain season is beginning again, and that’s good news for newts! California and Sierra Newts tend to become more active with the increase in precipitation, venturing from their summer refuges in burrows, woody debris, and rock crevices, toward aquatic breeding sites. Interested in seeing one of central Sierra’s endemic species? These adorable amphibians may […]
There is a pond in my neighbor’s backyard that Canyon (my 15-month old son) and I have been enjoying walking around for a few months, and as spring time kicks in the bird activity around this riparian refuge has really picked up. Just yesterday we saw several wood ducks, a nesting pair of geese, your […]
The Sierra Nevada is well known for being unique in its topography (think Yosemite), but it is also special in the large number of plants and animal species that are found here. According to the Forest Service’s Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment there are at least 1,300 plant species in the Sierra Nevada, and at […]
Four bear cubs!! While black bear are one of the most frequent visitors to our cameras, this is the first time we have documented FOUR bear cubs! CSERC has been using wildlife cameras that are triggered by motion to survey for rare wildlife in Yosemite park and the Stanislaus forest for decades. On a few […]
Just because the thermometer has dropped doesn’t mean that you can’t get out and enjoy wildlife. In fact, visiting locations in the foothills is one way to see wildlife and winter can be a great time to do it. Winter can be a time when outdoor activities give way to snuggling by the fire with […]
If you live in the Central Sierra Nevada foothills, you may be familiar with one of many intricate “ditch” canal systems that are laced among our forests. Local water companies currently use these canals as a way to convey water from rivers or reservoirs to their customers. Often there are well-established dirt trails following these […]
The Pacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacris regilla, aka tree frog, has always been a creature of curiosity for me. As each winter ends the song of the chorus frog announces the coming of spring, when the nighttime temperature reaches above 40 degrees. I get excited the first night that their call rings through the air (which […]