August Happenings 2024

Juvenile Hawk Bathing | Fundraising Success | Ballot Measure

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online. It's bath time! Alex Pierce, an amazing birder and Conservancy member, spotted and photographed this juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) taking a "spa day" at a birdbath on Strathmoor Drive. Red shouldered hawks tend to frequent the canyon and are easily distinguished by their rufous shoulders and black and white banded tail with checkered wings. Juveniles, on the other hand, lack this patterning on the flight feathers, and are brown above and white below with brown streaks. Visit allaboutbirds.org to learn more about these raptors and listen to their whistled kee-rah call. Follow Alex on Instagram (@strathmoorimages) to see her video of the hawk bathing and other species she's photographed in the Canyon. Fundraising success The Conservancy recently moved into a new era with the retention of part-time staff people to write this monthly email and our semi-annual print newsletter, coordinate stewardship activities, and manage our bookkeeping. It takes money to do this and the Conservancy recently celebrated a successful fundraising drive to be able to retain our staff people. We raised $40,000 which keeps these three positions going for one year. This effort became necessary when Marilyn Goldhaber scaled back her activity. She will continue to provide sage advice and insights. We will miss her day-to-day involvement but we are so glad to be able to find solid staff. Our fundraising work must continue, however, to meet our ongoing expenses and provide stewardship, public education, and advocacy so key to our work in Claremont Canyon. Contributions can be made online on our website. Photo by Ruby J Soto Cardona: Nancy Mueller (left) and Sonya Moore (right) at the fundraising celebration posing in front of Troup 19's project poster and holding one of the newest Conservancy card sets. Make a Donation Ballot measure on November 5th The goal of the Keep Oakland Wildfire Safe Committee is to do everything possible to pass the Wildfire Prevention Zone ballot measure on November 5th. The Claremont Canyon Conservancy board, along with the North Hills Community Association, Oakland Firesafe Council, and the Piedmont Pines Neighborhood Association, have endorsed the measure because it will help the city of Oakland improve wildfire prevention on its property. To find out more about the measure and how you can get involved, click here. For questions or volunteer interest contact Elizabeth K. Stage at stage@berkeley.edu  Get Involved Invasive plant removal for fire safety We've been holding volunteer days for anyone who is interested in learning more about how to steward the Canyon, either on your own or with your group of friends. Our activities range from helping maintain main trails, caging small oaks, to identifying and removing invasive plants. Photographed above is Wyllie, our stewardship lead at Signpost 29, pulling out invasive Dittrichia graveolens (stinkwort). This is an annual plant, native to southern Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, that favors disturbed areas and is spread easily. When invasive plants are left unchecked they outcompete native plants and become a fire hazard since they increase biomass on the ground, burn hotter, and become fuel for wildfires. If you're interested in volunteering with us visit our website or send us a message at info@claremontcanyon.org. Photo by Ruby J. Soto Cardona. Volunteer All levels are welcome! Wear sturdy shoes, dress in layers and bring your favorite water bottle. Tools and gloves are provided.  Garber Park Stewards Saturday, August 17th and Sept. 7th 9a.m. - 12p.m.  Visit this 13-acre park and help restore its native wild habitat (we meet year-round). Meet at the Fireplace below the Evergreen Lane entrance (Map). For more information or questions contact Wyllie. Volunteer at Signpost 29 Saturday, August 24th 10a.m. - 12p.m.  Join us at Signpost 29 for a day of restoration (1.5 miles up Claremont from the intersection of Ashby/Tunnel Rd.) as we work to restore and maintain pathways, remove invasive broom and collect litter. More information Here. Questions? Contact us at info@claremontcanyon.org. Grizzly Peak Cleanup Check back on our schedule page for exact dates Join the Grizzly Peak cleanup volunteer days! Everyone is welcome. If you have rock climbing skills sign up as they are in need of people to help clean on the steeper parts of the hills. Please contact John Kirkham at johnwkirkham@gmail.com Hiking the Canyon We would love to hear from our members and others who are out hiking or otherwise observing nature in the canyon. Send us your pictures at info@claremontcanyon.org and we will feature one each month. Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) crawling along a branch covered by various lichens, moss, and algae at Signpost 29. Photo by Josh Borkowski. Josh has submitted various observations to the iNaturalist app. Visit his page to see his observations and explore other features of iNat so that you can also make your own observations of species in and around Claremont Canyon. Share this newsletter with your friends: Do you have a friend who would appreciate receiving our monthly email newsletter? You can easily add new recipients to our mailing list by going here. Bay view from Derby Canyon—photo by Marilyn Goldhaber.  Trails are open All trails are open and accessible throughout Claremont Canyon. For maps and complete information on trails click here.  You can also take a guided tour here. Please stay safe and take all items and pet waste out with you. For the long-term stewardship of Claremont Canyon Copyright © 2023 Claremont Canyon Conservancy, All rights reserved. This email was sent to {{Recipient Email}}. Click here to unsubscribe.