July 2020 |Volume 29 | Issue 7

Dear Open Space Supporters,
 
Welcome to the  Valley Wilds , a monthly email from the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District Rangers.

You are receiving this email because you requested to be added to our mailing list when you purchased a parking pass or gave your email address to a ranger. We email once a month only and never share your information with anyone. If you did not intend to sign up for this publication or no longer wish to receive it, please use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email or reply with the word "unsubscribe".

We hope you are staying safe and healthy and enjoying summer so far. Our outdoor ranger-led programs have resumed! In accordance with Alameda County Health Orders our group sizes are limited to allow for adequate social distancing. To RSVP please call the LARPD Ranger Office at (925) 960 2400 or use the links in this email. Most of our weekend programs are FREE and family-friendly.

LARPD Rangers also offer specialty fee-based programs for private groups. If you'd like to give your social bubble a special treat consider scheduling one of our famous ranger-led Hoot Owl Night Hikes. Custom programs available, just ask!

Keep reading for a schedule of public programs and an article about the most patriotic of birds!


Sincerely,

The  Valley Wilds  and LARPD Open Space Staff

PS Follow us on  Facebook Instagram  or  Twitter  for the most current park news! This includes event updates and info about occasional park and trail closures.​

Upcoming Programs
Post-Independence Day Walk (Free! RSVP)
Sunday, July 5   10:00 am 
 Had a little too much merry making and BBQ yesterday? Join Ranger Darren to walk it off in a peaceful setting. This will be about a two-mile walk on mostly level ground good for ages five and up (unless you want to carry them). Bring water and binoculars or a camera if you like. Please RSVP by calling (925) 960 2400 or emailing  dsegur@larpd.org. [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Amy Wolitzer
Cattail Pond Venture (Free! RSVP)
Saturday, July 11   10:00 am 
Sycamore Grove Park, 1051 Wetmore Rd.
Join Ranger Seth on a hike to one of the coolest parts of the park - the Cattail Pond. Be ready for a 3.5-mile round trip stroll. Along the way, we will discuss what we see and some of the wonders of Sycamore Grove Park. Please be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks (Ranger Seth gets hungry). See you then. RSVP by calling (925) 960 2400 or emailing  seddings@larpd.org. [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Glen Florey
REPTILES (Free! RSVP)
Sunday, July 12     2:00 pm
Sycamore Grove Park, 1051 Wetmore Road
Come to Sycamore Grove to learn about some of the reptiles in the park. Warm weather brings them out, including the rattlesnakes. Learn how to tell the dangerous ones from the harmless ones. We may have some live reptiles to check out as well.Please RSVP by calling ( 925) 960 2400 or emailing  veggert@larpd.org . [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Matt Gallagher
Cool Off in the Creek (Free! RSVP)
Sunday, July 19     2:00 pm
Sycamore Grove Park, 1051 Wetmore Road
What will we find lurking in the shallows of the creek? Wear clothes and shoes that can get wet and join Ranger Amy to explore! Our walk to the creek will be less than ¼ mile, so adults may want to bring a camp chair to sit comfortably on the shore while the little ones play in the creek. All ages welcome. Please RSVP by calling ( 925) 960 2400 or emailing  awolitzer@larpd.org . [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Tat Lim
Tick Talk (Free! RSVP)
Saturday, August 1     12:00 pm
Sycamore Grove Park, Reservable Picnic Area
J oin Ranger Seth to learn all about ticks. You will learn what makes them bite and why they suck. Ranger Seth will share facts and his personal stories about ticks. A technique for proper removal and how to identify different species will be taught. RSVP by emailing seddings@larpd.org or calling (925) 960 2400. If you have not been to the reservable picnic area before please [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Amy Wolitzer
Hot August Night (Free! RSVP)
Sunday, August 2     7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Sycamore Grove Park, 1051 Wetmore Road
Join Ranger Amy for a family-friendly one-mile walk in the dark! Let's go down near the creek as the sun sets and use all our senses to experience the night. Hopefully, we will see and hear nocturnal creatures. There is a possibility we may be able to do some stargazing on our way back to the cars. Our group size will be limited - please RSVP by calling (925) 960 2400 or emailing awolitzer@larpd.org. [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Amy Wolitzer
Summer Birding (Free! RSVP)
Saturday, August 8     8:30 am
Sycamore Grove Park, Arroyo Road Entrance (5049 Arroyo Road)             
Join Ranger Eric early in the day to beat the heat and learn about birds. Our walk may be slow-paced, but hopefully the birding will be fast and furious. Plan to walk at least two miles. We will have binoculars to lend out. Our group size will be limited - please RSVP by calling (925) 960 2400 or emailing ewhiteside@larpd.org. [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Amy Wolitzer
Young Scientists Creek Survey (Free! RSVP)
Sunday, August 9     10:00 am
Sycamore Grove Park, Arroyo Road Entrance (5049 Arroyo Road)             
Water is on everyone’s mind these days, and it doesn’t do us much good if it’s polluted! Come on out and help Ranger Darren with a creek survey and find out how clean the water is in the Arroyo del Valle. We will take scientific measurements and then do a benthic macroinvertebrate survey (also known as a waterbug hunt). Good for ages 8 and up. Please RSVP by calling (925) 960 2400 or emailing dsegur@larpd.org. [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: LARPD
Turtles (Free! RSVP)
Saturday, August 15     2:00 pm
Sycamore Grove Park, Reservable Picnic Area
They come in different shapes and sizes. They live in different environments from the ocean to the desert and everywhere in between. Some are small and some weigh as much as a small car. Join Ranger Dawn to learn about that charming group of reptiles - the turtles. There will be live specimens for us to look at. [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Polly Krauter
Nature Walk (Free! RSVP)
Sunday, August 16     6:00 pm
Sycamore Grove Park, Arroyo Road Entrance (5049 Arroyo Road )
Join Ranger Vickie for an easy-paced one-and-a-half-mile stroll through the park. We will look for deer and other animals coming out in the evening. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water if you like. This will be on dirt trails but fairly even ground. Open to everyone. [Click here to map meeting location]
Photo Credit: Amy Wolitzer
Eagles
By Ranger Doug Sousa
This time of year, patriotism isn’t far from anyone’s mind. With that come images of stars and stripes, of BBQ’s and fireworks, of traditions and fun - but we mustn’t forget that behind all the imagery and flash there is an animal of flesh and bone that is synonymous with America. So, let’s strip away the red, white, and blue for a minute and look a little deeper at the majestic creature proudly displayed on this holiday - the eagle.

Despite its being the most recognizable animal in our country, most people don’t know very much about the Bald Eagle. This bird is an avid fisherman. Fish comprise up to 66% of these eagles’ diets. They aren’t only fish hunters, however. The Bald Eagle is an amazingly opportunistic hunter, who has been documented to have some 400 animals upon which it predates. Anything from small mammals to carrion is on the menu for this adaptive bird. The call of the Bald Eagle that we commonly hear in fourth of July commercials is actually the call of the Red-Tailed Hawk. The call of the Bald Eagle is much less impressive, sounding more nasal, like a high-pitched giggle. These eagles typically mate for life, which can be quite a commitment due to the fact that they can live up to 38 years in the wild. The male and female share the responsibilities of the nest, like incubating eggs and feeding their young. Though they are, in my opinion, the most beautiful eagles in North America they are not alone.

Of all the unique and amazing raptors that North America has to offer, the largest is the Golden Eagle. This massive bird can have a wing span of over seven feet. This predator mostly hunts small mammals. Some of their favorite prey are marmots, ground squirrels, and rabbits. The Golden Eagle is the second-fastest bird on the planet, second only to the Peregrine Falcon. When in a dive, the Golden Eagle can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. Few production supercars can exceed that speed. Typically though, they soar high above the earth and use their amazing eyesight to scan for prey. They have been said to soar as high as 15,000 feet - that’s almost three miles up in the sky. Much like the Bald Eagle, these eagles mate for life and enjoy long lives. In captivity, Golden Eagles can live up to 50 years. Though the Golden Eagle is the largest eagle in North America, it is not the largest eagle in the world. That title goes to a much different raptor.

The largest eagle on planet earth today is the Steller’s Sea Eagle. Much like Sycamore Grove Park’s own Steller’s jay, this aerial wonder is named after the 15th century German explorer Georg Wilhelm Steller. The Steller’s Sea Eagle not only has a large wingspan that can reach over 8 feet, but it has a very sturdy body for a flying animal. This eagle can weigh anywhere from 11 to 20 pounds. This makes it not only the largest, but also the heaviest eagle on planet Earth. Much like a larger version of the Bald Eagle, this eagle’s diet is heavily fish-based. Upwards of 80% of their diet can be comprised of salmon, trout, Bering wolfish, and Alaska Pollock. Being dedicated to the coastline, however, does not mean this massive predator only consumes fish. It supplements its diet with a variety of waterfowl. As you would have probably surmised, this giant eagle touts some serious weaponry. Its talons are not as long as other comparably sized eagles who hunt mammals, but they are heavily curved for hunting fish. This type of curved talons is found on eagles known as “booted eagles.” Along with its dangerous talons, the Steller’s Sea Eagle sports the largest bill of any eagle in the world.

Even with all these amazing hunting adaptations, the Steller’s Sea Eagle is, unfortunately, endangered. Its home is limited to costal parts of northeastern Asia including Russia, China, and Japan. The large body size and distribution of the Steller’s Sea Eagle has led researchers to believe that one of the reasons for its endangered status is that it is a glacial relict. This means they suspect that the Steller’s Sea Eagle had a much larger range during the last ice age, when the earth was cooler, and prey was larger.

Another relict of the past is the Haast’s eagle, the largest eagle the world has ever seen. This true goliath was native to New Zealand and died out in the 15th century. With a wingspan of almost 10 feet, these avian monsters would hunt their favorite prey, the Moa. Moas were large, flightless birds that roamed New Zealand and also went extinct roughly 500 to 600 years ago. They weighed around 500 pounds and could stand 12 feet tall (that’s much larger than the largest ostrich alive today). The Maori, who were the sole inhabitants of New Zealand at that time, spoke of Haast’s eagles in legends, saying that they would hunt people. Scientists believe this could be more than just a legend, as these eagles may have topped out at 36 pounds, and were capable of hunting animals much larger than humans.

Whether in our own backyard, across the globe, or lost to time, eagles are formidable and awe-inspiring creatures. The sight of them can fill us with wonder and a sense of freedom as they fly high overhead. It is easy to see why they were selected as our national symbol. Now that we have learned a little about eagles as animals and not just as a symbol of our beautiful nation, let’s get back to enjoying this great holiday and throw some more dogs on the BBQ. Be sure to save one for me!

[Photo by Saffron Blaze via Wikipedia]