Trail Walk with Loretta Rose, Manager and Naturalist at the George F Canyon Preserve & Nature Center

by Amy Jaecker-Jones

On this warm and sunny day in February, students in the California Naturalist Program were led on a walk by Loretta Rose, Manager and Naturalist at the George F Canyon Preserve & Nature Center. Located in the city of Rolling Hills Estates, George F Canyon is operated by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. A stream, partly fed by underground springs, flows through the property seasonally. Spur trails connect the canyon to 96 additional miles of walking trails on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Before it became part of the mainland, the Palos Verdes Peninsula was one of the Channel Islands. As such, it shares much of its ecology with nearby Catalina Island. Because of its shape, which is something like the back of a turtle, one can easily imagine it surrounded by water. The bedrock in this area is Catalina schist, a hard, metamorphic rock that appears blue-gray, green, or purple when wet. Although Catalina schist lies under the entire Los Angeles basin, it is only exposed at the surface in two locations - Catalina Island and George F Canyon. The relative rarity of visible Catalina schist makes George F Canyon an important natural history site and a must-see for geology lovers.

Catalina Schist

As we walked, Loretta described some of the challenges of land management. When the city of Rolling Hills Estates turned over operation of the canyon to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, the area was landscaped more like a park. Under the Conservancy's leadership, native plant communities were restored. Despite the renewed presence of native plants, certain non-native varieties such as castor oil plant, eucalyptus, Brazilian pepper, Italian milk thistle, and Algerian ivy still survive.

Castor Oil Plant (Ricinus communis)

Recently 65 California fan palms were removed; all of them were over 50 feet tall. Although native to California, the fan palm was not historically found on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. It arrived at George F Canyon via bird and has proved to grow quite successfully. At this time, the canyon is not yet free of California fan palms. The question of whether or not more California palm trees should be removed proves just how nuanced the issue of native versus non-native plants can be. As Loretta told the class, "If you see something that looks really different from the environment around you, it probably is." California fan palms do tend to stick out visually, and they compete with native trees and shrubs for water. However, they also provide good nesting sites for orioles. And, as one member of the class suggested, "If birds [rather than humans] are bringing the seeds in, haven't they become natural?" As long as birds continue to bring seeds to George F Canyon the presence of the California fan palm will probably continue, as will the effort to curb its growth.

Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis)

Loretta preferred to remain positive, however. She pointed out examples of mature Arroyo willow trees lining the stream. Tufts of white floated through the air around us and bees hummed busily at the trees' yellow flowers. Not much farther down the trail, the buzzing increased, signalling the presence of a wild hive off to the side. Following recent rains, native plant life was lush and abundant. Loretta held up a trailing vine, which is found quite commonly in California. The wild cucumber, also known as, "marah," or "man-root," is California's only non-woody native vine. Small white flowers in early spring, soon give way to large, green, spiky fruit. Other flowering native plants included Arroyo lupine, California poppies, Canyon sweet pea, bladderpod, lemonadeberry, and California bush sunflower.

Loretta Rose Shows Wild Cucumber (Marah macrocarpa)

In addition to its geology and plant life, George F Canyon, also has an interesting history. The 36-acre parcel, once owned by the Stein and Hale families, was given to the city of Rolling Hills Estates in 1982. When donating, the two families asked that the canyon be named something other than Stein or Hale (although the current nature trail bears both names). The city then began the work of selecting an appropriate name. According to Loretta, different names were being considered before an elderly gentleman walked into a meeting carrying an old map. Written on the map, above the canyon's location was, "George F Canyon." As written, there was no period following the "F" and no indication of what the initial stood for, or who George F might be. The committee felt the name was appropriate, however, and designated the new park as George F Canyon. Over the years, many have tried to unveil the identity of the mysterious George. An article from the Los Angeles Times in May of 1996, presented several theories, among them that he might, in fact, have been George H. Bixby. Known well to residents of the South Bay, George H. Bixby was a prominent landowner in the early 1900s. There is no indication that Mr. Bixby is the George mentioned on the old map, and the Times also suggests San Pedro butcher George Vickery and Wilmington contractor George Oden as possibilities. We may never know the answer to the question of George F's identity, but can still enjoy the canyon that bears his name.



More images from the field trip to George F Canyon may be found on Flickr at the following link:

George F Canyon Photos 

Visit George F Canyon in person, or by going to the following link:

Visit George F Canyon Preserve & Nature Center

27305 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rolling Hills Estates CA 90274

(310) 547-0862

the Nature Center is open Friday 1pm - 4pm

 Saturday and Sunday 10am - 4pm

other days by appointment

References:

Johnson, Tracy. 1996. "Curious George: Nature Center Takes Title from Canyon's Enigmatic Namesake." Los Angeles Times, May 31. http://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-31/local/me-10457_1_nature-centerhttp://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-31/local/me-10457_1_nature-center

Rose, Loretta (nature walk, George F Canyon, Rolling Hills Estates, CA, February 21, 2015)

Birding Tips

from Tracy Drake, Manager and Naturalist at the Madrona Marsh Preserve & Nature Center, Torrance, CA

On February 14, 2015, Tracy Drake led California Naturalist students on a bird walk at the Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum. Along the way she taught how to properly use binoculars. Here are some tips from Tracy:

• Start early. The early bird gets the worm, and the early birder makes the most discoveries. Try to begin by 7:30 a.m. If you can make it even earlier, do so; it will be worth that extra cup of coffee.

• Listen first. Tune into the sounds around you as soon as you get out of your car. If you do this, you will know which birds are in the area, and determine a direction to begin walking.

• You can develop your ear for birding by using identification apps, which often contain bird calls. iBird PRO is one such app. Caution, do not play bird sounds outside during the spring, when birds are seeking mates.

• Look for scrubby, wild places when birding. Birds congregate at the edges of open space and dense thicket.

• Bird with the sun at your back. It's not easy to spot something when being blinded by the morning sun.

• Imagine a clock, with twelve o' clock at the top. When directing others attention to a particular bird, reference its position on the clock.

• Learn birds' habits and preferred food sources. Tracy pointed out several bushes and trees, which were empty of fruit in February, but will attract certain bird species later in the year.

Enjoy using your new birding skills!

Binoculars Basics

from Tracy Drake, Manager and Naturalist at the Madrona Marsh

Preserve, Torrance, CA

On February 14, 2015, Tracy Drake led California Naturalist students on a bird walk at the Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum. Along the way she taught how to properly use binoculars. Here are some tips from Tracy:

• Buy the best pair of binoculars you can afford. Usually, a magnification of 8x40, 8x42, or 10x42 will be sufficient and cost between $200 and $300. Don't buy binoculars in a hunting store as you will most likely find ones with orange tinted lenses. You want the lenses to be clear so that you have the best possible view of a bird's coloring.

• Consider whether you want to buy binoculars with a wide or long view. Binoculars with a wide view allow you to see more of the environment to the left or right, but will not allow for long distance spotting of birds.

• Adjust your binoculars every you use them. Our eyes change shape subtly when we sleep, and this affects how well the binoculars will work.

• First, make sure that you adjust the angle of the barrels so that the ocular lenses fit comfortably at your eyes. 
  
  
  
  
  

• If you wear glasses, fold the rubber eye cups down so that the lenses sit closer to your eyes.
  
  
  
  
  

• Set the diopter adjustment ring at 0. (So that 0 matches up with the dot.)
  
  
  
  
  

• Find something in the distance, preferably text, on which to focus. With your left hand covering the left objective lens, use your right hand to turn the diopter adjustment ring in both directions until you find a point at which your vision is most clear. 
  
  
  
  
  

• Uncover your left lens piece and adjust the center focus until you can see your object with crystal clarity.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• If you already own a pair of binoculars, it is wise to make sure that the inner mechanism is working properly. Focus on a horizontal line in the distance. If the line appears intact (as below), the binoculars are functioning fine. 
  
  
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• If the line appears broken, with one side higher than the other (as below), the binoculars no longer function properly and will need to be replaced.
  
  
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Bird Walk with Tracy Drake, Manager and Naturalist at the Madrona Marsh Preserve, Torrance, CA

by Amy Jaecker-Jones

When our California Naturalist class first met Tracy, she was already excited about leading a walk at the Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum and had listed the location as a birding "hot spot" on the website eBird. According to Tracy, the Rancho's location is ideal for birds. It lies along the Pacific Flyway, in which migrating birds make their way north or south every year. Traditionally, birds' flight paths follow rivers. In southern California, where rivers often run dry, birds will follow freeways. It makes sense. When seen from above, freeways must look like long and winding tracks of water.

But, there are many places along the Pacific Flyway that do not have the abundance and diversity of birds found at the Rancho. What other qualities might make this a perfect stopping point for migrating birds? To answer this question, Tracy urged us to think about the Rancho in the context of its surrounding communities. Sandwiched between the cities of Carson, Compton, and Long Beach, it is a green oasis in a gray land of cement, train tracks, and freeways. That's not to say that the cities of Carson, Compton, and Long Beach don't have areas of beauty. They certainly do. It just means that when a bird flies overhead, the predominant view is of an urban environment, rather than wildlands. Elevation is also a factor in determining the popularity of this site. The Rancho sits on a hilltop. Hilltops, she explained, are attractive to both butterflies and birds. Additionally, nearby Compton Creek provides an essential water source.

Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)

Apart from migrating birds, many species make their year-round home in southern California. Taking advantage of the qualities mentioned above, several types of birds breed at the Rancho. Among them are black phoebes, house sparrows, and yellow-chevroned parakeets. I was excited by the possibility of finding a yellow-chevroned parakeet nest, but learned that this type of bird builds their nests in the tops of palm trees. Indeed, on our walk we saw several parakeets flying upward and into the palms.

Yellow-chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris Chiriri)

As we covered the Rancho grounds, Tracy pointed out some common birds. Often, they were not even visible, but that didn't stop her from identifying them and finding their locations. I know that experts rely on hearing to find birds and to distinguish between similar species. Personally, I can only identify a few birds by this method. I admitted my weakness to Tracy and asked her how I might better develop my ear. In response, she asked us all to stop and listen. First, she told us, identify the highest tone you can hear. After that, what is the lowest? Slowly identify each sound in between the highest and lowest. You might find that these tones are not birds at all, but the sound of a passing airplane, the freeway, or the scratching of a pen on paper. The source doesn't matter; this exercise is about differentiating between sounds. Once you have learned to hear the sound of a bird, listen for distance. Then chase that bird down until you can identify it.

Tracy also suggested that we learn distinct bird calls. Today, technology makes it easy to do so. There are birding apps, such as iBird PRO, which include a bird's sound, as well as its description, habits, range, and photographs or drawings. Practice listening to a few birds a day. Over the course of several months, the number of birds that you can identify by ear will increase. Due to the popularity of smartphones, it is even possible to play a bird's sound in the field therefore helping to help triangulate the location of a bird you're tracking. There is one caveat, however, do not play bird sounds outside during spring, as it may interfere with the process of mate selection.

Once you have learned scores of bird calls, you may be surprised at how many new birds you can find. Don't be surprised, though, if a bird sometimes tricks you. The northern mockingbird, Tracy told us, can vocalize between 85 and 185 different sounds. Many of the sounds are those of other birds, such as that of a western scrub-jay. Several members of our class also mentioned hearing mockingbirds mimic city sounds, such as that of a car alarm. Once, Tracy said, she had to listen carefully just to make sure of what she was hearing. A mockingbird was making the sound of a cricket!

Learning more about birds' habits will also help you to know where and when to expect certain birds. Cedar waxwings and American robins like the fruit of ficus trees. A birder would be more likely to find those particular birds in a ficus during its fruiting season. Migrating flickers and sapsuckers, both members of the woodpecker family, are attracted to pepper trees. If a series of small holes, arranged in a line, are present on a pepper tree, it is a sign that a sapsucker has been there. Tracy had seen both a northern flicker and red-breasted sapsucker the previous day at the Rancho, and was hoping to spot them again. Alas, just like fate, birds often tend to be fickle, and we did not find any flickers or sapsuckers this day. Supporting Tracy's suggestion that the Rancho is a birding hot spot, however, we did see 19 species of birds on our walk and predict that many more are possible according to season.