Elsmere Canyon Animal Life

Deer (7/18/2009)

Deer after 11/08 fire near the near the Los Pinetos undercrossing

Racer after 11/08 fire

This rattlesnake is somewhat upset after I got too near it on the south road out of the canyon

Another rattlesnake, same day, same road, just past the previous snake

Face to face with same snake

Woodpecker with black and white markings

This fox was not particularly afraid of people. Three other people saw it (Steve with the MRCA, Gary and Bob - both MRCA volunteers) and the fox still stayed around long enough to get these pictures.

Lizards are the most common animal in the canyon

Tadpoles love to eat the algae

Colorful frogs are common in the right season

Horned toads are pretty common

Sacken's Velvet Ant. It is actually a flightless female wasp that supposedly has a very painful sting. Luckily (for Dr. Dick Squires whose hand you see), it was friendly today.

Bee hive at the base of a nearly burned-out tree.

Black-shouldered (or white-tailed) kite. It would hover over one spot looking for food (kiting) and then dive to the ground. This is in the flat area where the boiler is.

There is actually a nest in this pipe that the bird is guarding. I could hear the babies chirping.

Turkey Vulture with the Nike base far in the distance. Photo taken from the site of Elsmere 20 oil well.

Turkey Vultures

Turkey Vulture

These two turkey vultures are purched on the jack line cradle

They are looking at me

The sun was in a bad position for these pictures, but the head is distinctive

This tick is crawling up my leg. I always were pants when hiking off-trail.

Close-up of tick. Ticks should be taken seriously because of the threat of Lyme's disease. They are attracted to bushes or grass that have an animal smell. They hang out with extended arms and wait for an animal to brush the branch or grass (there must be physical contact - they can't jump). Then they grab on to the animal. I have read that it takes 24 - 48 hours before a tick will actually select a place on your body before they will start drinking your blood, so take a good shower when you get home. Whenever I brush up against a bush I check my pants for ticks. They are usually on the front below the waist. They tend to quickly start climbing upwards so you can just flick them off or pick them off between your fingers and toss them away.