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Ranger Encounter at Sutter's Landing Park Today by Dale

12/10/2016

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​I went out for an afternoon walk in the rain today. I wasn't alone with lots of kids in the skateboard park, and other folks at the dog park and out on the trails like me. Runners, walkers, dog enthusiasts were out in lighter numbers. I also spotted 4 teens riding bikes on the foot path on the bluff above the river in the middle of what little habitat remains here. I continued up river and noticed signs of abandonment at a couple of camp sites I recently reported in the County 311 app with lots of trash remaining. Up ahead under the I-80 bridge I saw vehicle lights of a County ranger dealing with an active camp site including a fire with the camper and dog present. I stayed away but noticed a county parks dump truck across the river near the bridge apparently cleaning up that area. I found out later the ranger I saw now covers the stewardship area from Sutter's Landing Park to the Guy West Bridge. Sutter's Landing Park is a regional city park but the adjacent area along the river is in the American River Parkway. A big area to cover and it hasn't been common to see rangers like today. 
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4 bike riders rode on this narrow foot path in the rain today
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Abandoned camp site near RR trestle at Sutter's Landing Park
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Photo taken earlier this fall of a trash pickup trailer assigned to Sutter's Landing Park
​As I walked back I noticed a new active camp in the tree mitigation triangle parcel adjacent to the freeway and former landfill mound. That makes 2-3 active sites there with campfires that have the potential to damage this recently established and expensive city of Sacramento mitigation site. I've tried to report these sites in the County 311 system but am pretty sure its the responsibility of the City of Sacramento which doesn't have a straight forward way to report such incidents. I plan to discuss this with Parks staff and possibly councilman Jeff Harris. I will also bring up the lack of signs about no off-pavement bike riding on this side of the river which comes up often.

As I headed back the rain increased. I spotted the four teens riding the foot path again. It appeared they were exploring but not riding aggressively. As I decided my next move and whether to report, ranger Christopher McGeorge drove up and introduced himself. We discussed the 311 app and problems I've described above. He asked to be included when 311 reports are filed. He told me the Oak Leaf report is not being used and may be linked back to 311 now. We agreed the new County 311 system is much better. Meanwhile, the teens beat a hasty retreat while the ranger was present. I still filed a 311 report on their activities just to keep the record straight.

The presence of rangers today was a very good sight but the tasks they face in this area is huge and ongoing. The more eyes on the area reporting when problems are encountered the better for all.
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Abandoned camp site & ranger dealing with active camp site under I-80
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Team Otter Contributed Big to the 32nd Annual Wildlife Count Today!

12/3/2016

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Red-shouldered hawk "perched" on the mound
Team Otter this year included Robert, JoEllen, Jane, Kevin, Asli, Guy, and Dale. We had bright, clear, cool conditions making for great wildlife viewing. Our count numbers were up this year too. The following information was collected and contributed via eBird to ARNHA staff who are coordinating the count effort up and down the river. Team Otter did very well but did not see their namesake this year although a Sea lion was reported the following morning. Plenty of other great sightings though and the list was revised up with additional species overlooked initially. Keep watching for better much photos to hopefully be added soon. Special thanks to Robert & JoEllen for summarizing team data. 

American River Parkway--Sutter's Landing Park (updated with corrections)


Dec 3, 2016 9:16 AM - 11:16 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments:     
3 ground squirrels 
3 fox squirrels 
1 rabbit
1 peromyscus mouse sp. (being swallowed by a Great Egret)
3 house cats
7 off leash dogs 
1 red-eared slider turtle
​2 Chinook salmon
1 sea lion* (*observed the next morning after the count was completed & not included in report)
54+ species (+4 other taxa)

Canada Goose  80
Wood Duck  6
Mallard  12
Mallard (Domestic type)  2 all white
Bufflehead  5
Common Goldeneye  50
Common Merganser  2
Pied-billed Grebe  5
Double-crested Cormorant  8
Great Blue Heron  1
Great Egret  1
Turkey Vulture  4
Osprey  1
White-tailed Kite  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  2
Red-tailed Hawk  5
Killdeer  4
Least Sandpiper  1
Spotted Sandpiper  1
California Gull  3
Herring Gull  1
gull sp.  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  30
Mourning Dove  5
Anna's Hummingbird  4
Belted Kingfisher  2
Nuttall's Woodpecker  5
Northern Flicker  7
American Kestrel  1
Peregrine Falcon  1
Black Phoebe  6
California Scrub-Jay  6
American Crow  13
Oak Titmouse  4
Bushtit  25
House Wren  6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  7
Western Bluebird  2
Hermit Thrush  1
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  10
American Pipit  2
Cedar Waxwing  12
Orange-crowned Warbler  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  11
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  1
White-crowned Sparrow  4
Golden-crowned Sparrow  6
Song Sparrow  2
Spotted Towhee  5
Western Meadowlark  125
Brewer's Blackbird  1
Purple Finch  1
House/Purple Finch  40
Lesser Goldfinch  40
American Goldfinch  10
House Sparrow  1
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Great Egret by Guy Galante, later it was seen swallowing a mouse whole
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Anna's Hummingbird on a wire by Guy Galante
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Chinook salmon in mid leap by Guy Galante
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Male common merganser by Robert Sewell
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Snorkling Merganser by Robert Sewell
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Goldeneye Ducks
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A stand-off? This woman had a very bad encounter with this off leash dog on the north bank that turned into a 20 to 30 minute stand off. She finally / slowly passed on after he tired of barking, by Robert Sewell
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Off-leash dog "guarding" the trail from off pavement bike rider? by Robert Sewell
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Better grass habitat on the mound than the last few years, by Dale
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Quite a contrast in views from the mound, guess where the wildlife will be found... by Dale
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The habitat used to be MUCH better across the freeway than it is now...by Dale
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