The Western Wood-pewee is a flycatcher that spends the winter in South America’s Andes Mountains. They make this 6 to 10,000 mile round trip each year, stopping to refuel on insects as they go. Those that migrate along the Pacific coast will be particularly affected by the drought. Not only will they have trouble feeding along the way, but those that try to raise young in our area will be hard pressed to find enough food for their broods.

If there is anything good to say about the four year long drought we are experiencing, it is that we are learning just how precious water is, and that we truly shouldn’t take it for granted. We are by now quite aware of how a shortage of water can change our lives, but consider the effect that it has on wildlife; every drop, every molecule makes a difference. If the food chain is disrupted at the very beginning, the effect is magnified through the entire ecosystem.

Ecosystems result from a process that begins with energy from the sun. Plants capture solar energy and through the miracle of photosynthesis make that energy available for other living things. But without water, photosynthesis can’t take place. The sun continues to shine, but that energy is not captured and the system stalls. With less plant matter available, herbivore populations crash; this includes everything from insects to rodents to deer. Predatory insects, spiders, birds, bobcats; all predators are hit even harder. And as one dry year follows another, the condition is magnified even further. There are fewer seeds to sprout, fewer eggs to hatch and the plants and animals that have managed to survive find themselves in a world without nourishment.

Some of these changes are already quite evident; bird populations are shrinking. Species that migrate to this area to raise their young do so because the winter and spring rains typically produce an abundance of insects. Even species whose adult diet is mostly composed of seeds raise their young on highly nutritious (and usually plentiful) insects, but with fewer insects fewer young are produced. The dawn chorus is much quieter than usual; where once there were hundreds of voices, there are maybe a dozen, some familiar voices are absent altogether.

The few rainstorms that we did have this winter produced heavy rain that came down so hard and fast that it didn’t really have a chance to soak into the ground and re-charge the water table. Our local reservoirs filled up quickly, but many streams like this that are fed by springs and normally flow through the summer are already dry.

Changes in plant and animal populations are part of the cycles of nature, but the longer term consequences may be influenced by unnatural factors. Invasive plants like the drought-adapted yellow star thistle may spread at a faster rate and over wider areas, which would cause permanent disruptions in those ecosystems. Introduced animals such as wild turkeys and feral pigs, which are omnivorous and quite opportunistic, could out-compete native species and cause localized extinctions. The impacts caused by changes like these could last well after the rainfall returns to normal, but what if this weather pattern is the new normal?

We can modify our habits and make an effort to conserve water; hopefully more people will choose to follow that path. But what about the wildlife that have no choice but to make do with what little water is available? Is there anything that we can do? It is tempting to want to provide food and water for the animals that live in the parched hills around us, but that can actually serve to make the situation worse by creating unnaturally high concentrations of animals in inappropriate places. To learn more about the consequences of providing supplemental food or water for wild animals go to the WildCare website and read the article about Wildlife and Drought. If you really want to help alleviate the suffering of wildlife consider becoming a volunteer or donating to organizations like WildCare, they really do make a difference.

 

By Linda Novy, Marin County Parks volunteer

Seven volunteers from Creekside Equestrian Center walked over to the Willis Evans Trail Head on Saturday morning, October 25^th. We met up with Matt Sagues, the Senior Resource Planner with Marin County Open Space District, who had the tools, knowledge, and the leadership we needed for this project. We walked into the Giacomini Preserve, across a bridge over Willis Evans Creek, spawning grounds for coho salmon, and then up a trail bordered by redwood trees, wood roses, ferns, huckleberries, and other woodland natives. As we reached the top of the trail, the forest plant community opened up into a meadow dominated by fescue bunch grasses. Matt told us that the meadow is composed of Festuca idaohensis, commonly called blue bunchgrass or Idaho fescue. As part of the District’s Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan, habitats are being cataloged throughout the Preserves, and this particular meadow has been deemed to be valuable habitat.

Matt went on to tell us that this serpentine meadow is home to a number of rare and endangered species endemic to California and specifically to Marin County. And, making it even more special, we noticed that the meadow is free from invasive grasses. Its beauty was truly stunning. One of the plants that is most exciting to the District and UC Davis botanists is the rare endemic, Tiburon Buckwheat, Eriogonum luteolum var. caninum. To identify this plant, the District asked UC Davis to confirm the plant’s identity which was accomplished by directly comparing buckwheat samples from Willis Evans meadow to Tiburon buckwheat samples at the UC Davis herbarium. This diminutive perennial, growing amidst the bunch grasses and along the wildlife trails, has red stems, and small fuchsia pink flowers on the one we found blooming. We were happy to see it recolonizing on a trail that now is closed to visitors. Matt pointed out another rare plant, the Tamalpais Manzanita, Arctostaphylos montana, growing here and also on Mt. Tamalpais. This Manzanita prefers serpentinite and rocky outcroppings, chaparral, and valley and foothill grasslands.

Interspersed in the meadow we saw another interesting rare and endangered grass, Vanilla Grass, and forbs such as yarrow and Douglas iris. Moving up the slope, there were healthy clusters of coffee berry, toyon, and madrone. As the meadow transitioned to chaparral habitat further up the slope, we noticed a growing population of California yerba santa, and chamise. There was a prominent Sargent cypress, which is part of a chaparral, foothill woodland, and lower montane forest plant community, often on serpentine.

Then to work! Our goal was to remove encroaching Douglas fir trees from the edges of the meadow. Species like Douglas fir are pushing into serpentine habitat that would have naturally burned and been invigorated by fire. These tall trees will eventually shade out grassland species, so our goal was to fell saplings and smaller trees, and hand pull seedlings, in order to keep the meadow clear. We even pruned off some of the larger fir trees’ lower branches that were shading out meadow grasses. We bucked the brush into understory areas. After 3 hours, we felt we’d made a good dent in the fir tree population, and hiked back out, but not before agreeing to adopt this meadow and return to it at least once a year to keep pushing the encroaching fir trees back.

This was satisfying project, and as Matt said, it has high habitat value because of the rarity of this pristine meadow. The habitat restoration event was inspired by the participation of Megan Amaglio and Sophie Cox in the “Students in Parks,” part of the District’s Environmental Stewardship Program. Many thanks to volunteers: Elizabeth Barrow, Carson Cox, Ann Darragh, Linda Novy, Kathi Runge, Johanna Stefanski, Matt Sagues, Megan Amaglio, and Sophie Cox.

For more information about our volunteer programs, click here. Thanks for caring for Marin County’s parks and open spaces!

From left to right, Sarah Burkhart, Shannon Burke, Luke Bishop, Ian McLorg, Jason Samansky, and Mike Warner.
Photo by Tina Torresan

The following interviews were conducted by Kevin Wright, External Affairs Coordinator, in December 2013.

Meet these great new staff members at a park or preserve near you, and be on the lookout for more Measure A progress reporting at maricountyparks.org

The Ensatina, at home in the cool forests of Marin

When the winter rains come, some of us head indoors, preferring not to venture out on muddy trails. But there are other creatures who feel and smell the first rains of autumn and do just the opposite, they leave the shelters in which they have been hiding for many months and venture out into the cold wet world to feed and breed and generally celebrate the season. Marin is home to six species of salamanders, all of which are common and can be seen if you visit a forest during the rainy season.

Newts are probably the most familiar of our local salamanders. We have two species: the California newt which is usually associated with temporary ponds and creeks in warm habitats, and the rough-skinned newt, most often found in cooler forests. After the first significant rain, newts come to the surface and travel to the pond or stream in which they were born. Males usually arrive first so when the first females show up in the water, they are swarmed by the amorous males. After mating, females lay eggs (rough-skinned newts lay single eggs, California newts lay clusters of 5-12 eggs) which are attached to submerged vegetation. When the young newts hatch they are like tadpoles with 4 tiny legs and a pair of small feathery orange gills. These young newts feed on insects and other small underwater creatures for 2 to 6 months. By summer’s end they lose their gills and leave the water looking like tiny versions of their parents. Adult newts are dark brown on the upper surfaces and have bright yellow or orange bellies. These bold contrasting colors serve to warn predators to avoid eating them. Newts have toxic compounds in their skin that are among the most potent naturally occurring substances. A slight taste of a newt will cause illness, swallowing a newt will kill any healthy adult human.

The world’s largest terrestrial salamander is also found in Marin, it is the California giant salamander. These salamanders breed in cold streams and can be found in nearly every creek in the western part of the county as well as all of the watercourses on Mount Tamalpais. This species can grow to almost a foot in length, but they usually don’t exceed 8 inches in our area.

Three of our salamanders are completely terrestrial, that means that they don’t need to find water (streams or ponds) in which to mate and lay eggs. During the wet season these species come to the surface from deep underground to feed and breed. The most familiar of these are the slender salamanders, a well named animal which sometimes appear more like earthworms than the tiny vertebrates that they are. Slender salamanders are common in well watered yards, and are easy to find under logs and stones in virtually any Marin habitat. Another terrestrial species is the arboreal salamander. These are large (3-5 inches long) and usually have a relatively large head. Their color ranges from maroon to dark grey and they usually have a scattering of small yellow flecks on their sides. Arboreal salamanders are common in oak woodlands, and as their name implies, they sometimes can be found at night climbing around in trees hunting for insects. A similar species is the Ensatina. The Ensatina is a pinkish-brown salamander that is more common in redwood–Douglas fir forests. Ensatinas resemble newts to most people. Scientists believe that this resemblance is no accident. By mimicking the dangerous newt, the Ensatina gets a free pass.

So there you have it, a brief introduction to the entire salamander fauna of Marin County, all of which can be easily found in the creeks and forests of our open spaces.

Today, we introduce you to one of our park rangers, Adam Craig. Since 2005, he has worked tirelessly to keep our parks safe and well-protected for future generations.

1. How long have you worked for Marin County Parks?

I began working for Marin County Parks in the summer of 2005 as a seasonal assistant. My primary assignments included invasive species abatement and fire fuel management on park lands. Which was a great assignment for me, because I was able to physically work on virtually every square foot of our agencies land. The work gave me a big picture view of Marin’s parks. Before that, I was a seasonal firefighter for the Marin County Fire Department.

2. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in San Anselmo, Sleepy Hollow actually. I couldn’t have asked to grow up in a better place. The Sleepy Hollow is a box canyon, surrounded by open space: undeveloped ridge tops, fire roads, hiking trails, rocky outcroppings filled with blue belly lizards, creeks teaming with newts, hawks and owls patrolling over head. I rode my bicycle everywhere and played pretty much every sport a young boy could play.

3. What inspired you to pursue your career with Marin County Parks (or in general)? 

I spent about six months on Maui and my experience there was dominated by natural cycles, by the earth, the ocean, and the constellations. When I returned home to Marin, I wanted to keep connected to those cycles, I wanted to work outside. And I wanted to wear flip flops (my better judgment steered me towards prioritizing adult responsibilities, but I’m still working on a steel toed sandal prototype). I really felt, and still feel, that my biggest contributions to my community would come through land stewardship and recreation.

4. What is your favorite preserve and why?

That’s a tough one, because every year, every season I discover something new. The preserve that nurtured me as a child is Sleepy Hollow/Terra Linda divide, wrapping all the way around Loma Alta. So a part of my spirit and personality will always have been influenced by her. But this Winter/Spring, My daughter and I discovered the water falls in Ignacio Valley. It’s just a magical place when the water is flowing.

5. What is your favorite free time outdoor activity?

Surfing. The only thing to have humbled me more, taught me more, or delivered so much joy and fulfillment, is my daughter.

6.  What makes Marin so special?

It’s the people. It’s the way the people interact with the natural. It’s the parks, the preserves, yes. But more so, it is the greater spirit of good, the credence of supernatural that results from putting good people in a great natural setting like Marin. Heck, the world’s greatest city folk built the world’s largest suspension bridge to get here faster. Enough said eh?!

A young fisherman at Paradise Beach Park

1. Gone Fishing

Saturday, July 20 8:30-10:30am

Paradise Beach Park, 3450 Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA

 Join Marin County Park rangers for our annual fishing contest! A limited number of fishing poles and bait will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis to beginners thanks to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Prizes will be awarded for the first fish, the biggest fish, and the heaviest fish. A fishing license is not required when fishing from the pier. Questions? Contact Ranger Mike Maraccini at (415) 435-9212 or MMarraccini@marincounty.org.

 2. Save the Bay at Hal Brown Park!

Volunteer at Hal Brown Park at Creekside

Saturday, July 20 9am-12pm

Hal Brown Park at Creekside, Greenbrae

Join Marin County Parks and Save the Bay for our second annual Ring around the Bay event! Hal Brown Park at Creekside serves as the North Bay location for an event that spans the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Learn the history of San Francisco Bay and Creekside Marsh and join us for a fun project that will improve native plant diversity and wildlife habitat at Hal Brown Park. Volunteers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. Pre-registration is required. To register, or for more information, visit www.safesfbay.org.

Kent Island Volunteer

3. Make an Impact at Kent Island

Saturday, July 20 10am-2pm

Meet at the public dock on Wharf Rd in Bolinas (across from the College of Marin biology lab.

Learn to identify invasive species, get hands-on training, and be a part of the team working to protect and restore the unique ecosystem on Kent Island in Bolinas Lagoon. Space is limited, so RSVP to save yourself a spot! To receive updates or to RSVP, contact Tori Bohlen at VBohlen@marincounty.org or the Marin County Parks volunteer office at (415) 473-3778.

Kids at Mount Burdell

4. Kids Event: An Evening at Mount Burdell

Saturday, July 20 6pm-8pm

This is a good time of year to adopt a crepuscular lifestyle – avoid the heat of the day and engage in outdoor activity during the evening hours. We’ll go for a short walk and enjoy a picnic dinner just as the evening activity period begins. We might get lucky and find a family of owls out for their evening hunt. We request that no animals (except service animals) attend. David Herlocker will lead. Questions: Contact David at (415) 893-9508 or DHerlocker@marincounty.org. High fire danger may cancel: Call (415) 893-9527 after 7am on the morning of the event to hear a recorded message if cancelled.

Until recently, I had never really spent much time thinking about Earth Day. Over the past few years I’d heard about Earth Day, but never knew what it was really about. However, this year I had the opportunity to take part in Earth Day events through my work with Marin County Parks. In advance of the big day, I did a bit of research.

With its origins dating back to 1970, Earth Day is a day to celebrate and demonstrate support for environmental protection. Today, Earth Day is an international movement, recognized and celebrated inin about 200 countries world-wide. Earth Day’s effects are so positive that there are numerous communities that celebrate “Earth Week”, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues.

So after getting to know a bit about the origins of Earth Day, I was ready to take part in the celebration. On Friday April 19^th, I worked to pull invasive French Broom on King Mountain Open Space Preserve with about 120 6^th graders from Hall Middle School. So much broom was pulled we had to set up a “fire line” to move it all up into a giant pile. I also had the opportunity to represent Marin County Parks at the annual Earth Day Marin event that took place at Redwood High School on Sunday April 21^st. Earth Day Marin was a wonderful event, with thousands of attendees, and many vendors supporting sustainability, live music, and speakers discussing climate change. I was able to spend the entire day in the beautiful weather with Ranger Rich Gibson and volunteer Finola Diaz, informing visitors about the different parks, preserves, and programs Marin County Parks has to offer. I also had the opportunity to quiz visitors on their knowledge about the flora and fauna of Marin County and hand out prizes. Finally, on Friday, April 26^th, I spent the day at Marin Country Day School, assisting with service projects all day. The students spent all day pulling broom and purple velvet grass in observance of Earth Day. It was really nice to see a younger generation of kids excited about protecting and preserving the environment, and knowledgeable about the natural world around them. It definitely gave me a bit of hope for the future of our protected lands.

Earth Day volunteers at McInnis Park

These events weren’t the only Earth Day projects hosted by Marin County Parks. Marin County Parks had several community service projects for Earth Day including an event at McInnis Park, Paradise Beach Park, a restoration project on Kent Island, and the Mill Valley Bike Path/Bothin Marsh cleanup, to name just a few.

Marin County Parks isn’t the only agency within Marin that provides service projects on Earth Day. There is a large effort to spread the word of Earth Day in Marin County by the My Earth Day Marin Coalition – a collaborative between Marin County Parks, the City of San Rafael, the Marin Municipal Water District, the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin, and the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program. The goal of My Earth Day Marin is to increase awareness of and participation in service projects throughout Marin . Over the past several years these Earth Day service projects throughout Marin have included decreasing litter in our watersheds, removing invasive plants, restoring trails, watersheds and sensitive habitat areas, removing graffiti, encouraging community involvement, inspiring youth, and enjoying our beautiful, natural environment.

I will definitely take my experience celebrating Earth Day to heart. Earth Day is a great idea and bringing awareness about environmental issues, sustainability, and support for environmental protection is definitely something that needs to be brought up on a national and international level. I think it is important to support environmental protection and sustainability every day, and not just save it for one day. Every day should really be Earth Day.

On April 20, in honor of Earth Day and to support Marin County Open Space, a group of equestrians from Creekside Equestrian Center,  Dickson Ranch, and as far away as Penngrove, gathered at the trail head of East Sylvestris Fire Road in the Gary Giacomini Preserve to make a dent in the “pioneer” French and Scotch broom population there. By removing this relatively small area of aggressive and invasive plants, we had a chance of keeping their population contained and even eradicated.  Rich Gibson, Marin County Parks Supervising Ranger, and his team thought our recommended project was a good one. He was there to welcome us at 9:00 AM sharp with a cooler filled with water, some snacks, tools, and most importantly, small packets of IvyX and Technu to subdue the poison oak we were bound to come in contact with!

Earth Day 2013

Everyone had their own reasons to show up. The youngest equestrian, Jenna Dahlin, 10, who arrived with her grandmother, Sandy, said she came because:  “I did it (pull broom) on a field trip and liked it. “ Meagan Amaglio, a young woman who also rides at Creekside, was there with her mother, Elizabeth.  She said she wanted to participate, and that she “…didn’t want to see the broom take over.”  The rest of us were there because we also wanted to give back something to the lands we enjoy on horseback and on foot.  Several members of the Open Space Mounted Patrol participated:  Delos Putz and his wife, Rena, Vicki Englert, Tracy Engelen, and Linda Novy.  Others members of the team included  Arielle Ikeda, who assists the Friendly Trails program, Katie Mason  and Rebecca Bailin, all from Creekside. From Dickson Ranch, Lisa Capaldini came with Sherry Amanpour.  Everyone worked diligently to eradicate the broom.

Earth Day volunteers hard at work

And as the broom came out, we discovered a diverse palette of California native plants struggling to survive amongst the invasive broom. Some of these plants included:  Western Buttercup, Douglas Iris, Pink Honeysuckle, Sticky Monkey Flower, Coyote Brush, and Oak, Toyon, and Madrone seedlings.  By removing the “competition” (the broom), we were giving these native plants a chance to grow and add to the beauty and bio-diversity of the Preserve.

We’ll all have the pleasure of watching this area develop as we ride and hand walk our horses along the Fire Road, and who knows, perhaps we’ll take the time to stop and pull out some of the remaining or re-sprouting broom plants.   As equestrians, we have the opportunity to not just add our horses’ hoof prints and fertilizer to the trail, but to demonstrate reciprocity.  Next time we have a broom pull, we hope you’ll join us and contribute some sweat equity to our beautiful Open Space Preserves.

For more information about upcoming volunteer events, please visit our website at www.marincountyparks.org.

If you’ve spent time on the trails of Mt. Burdell recently, you’ve probably caught a glimpse of cows grazing placidly on the hills above San Marin. Livestock grazing has actually taken place on Mt. Burdell for more than a century. When the Marin County Open Space District acquired the preserve, which was part of a former ranch, in the mid-1970s, the District continued the practice. As far back as 1974, the District leased Mt. Burdell to local ranchers for grazing purposes and to provide fire fuel reduction to protect nearby homes.

Cows of Mt. Burdell

Today, grazing is conducted by Hicks Valley Cattle and rancher Dr. Bill Barboni, a fourth generation Marin rancher, under a 5-year Lease Agreement. Grazing is beneficial to the Mt. Burdell preserve in many ways. It reduces fire fuels; preserves habitat for native species including fragrant fritillary, savannah sparrow and grasshopper sparrow; and sustains high quality forage to support local agriculture. The grazing season begins in early January each year and ends sometime in June; so over 150 cows (but no bulls or cows with calves) will graze on Mt. Burdell for the next few months.

Recently, Marin County Parks and Bill Barboni worked together to obtain Organic Certification, from the Marin County Department of Agriculture, making Mt. Burdell an organic certified rangeland.  Dr. Barboni monitors the cows and the fence lines by horse a few times a month. If you see him, be sure to say hello!

It is just after dawn on a mid-March morning, a doe is moving slowly through the dew covered grass between two ancient oak trees. She wanders away from her year-old daughter and seeks out the shelter of this quiet place. She feels the imminence of birth within her. A short time later she tenderly nuzzles two fresh spotted fawns, licking and nudging them both in turn as they lie wide eyed, ears laid flat back, getting to know the smell and feel of their mother. A little bigger than jackrabbits, they soon stand on spindly legs and nurse contentedly. Within an hour the mother has consumed the placenta, and coaxed each of the fawns to settle quietly beneath the massive trees where they become invisible among the bits of fallen branches nestled among the tall spring grass. Their spotted coats subtly blend with the pattern of dappled light and shadow. They wait still and silent as the mother steals away to feed. A boy wanders near; he’s flipping over the smaller fallen branches in search of salamanders, he comes within six feet of one of the fawns but it remains still, unnoticed as the boy continues up the hill. Even a hunting coyote would not detect these fawns unless it stumbled directly upon them, they are scentless and they innately know that stillness is their protection.

Doe and her fawns

The doe feeds steadily nearby, ever alert for disturbance or danger. Just after noon one of the fawns awakens hungry, and it utters a high pitched bleat. Quickly the mother returns and coaxes the fawn to stand and follow her a short distance before allowing it to nurse. The mother turns several times to lick the fawn; she licks beneath its tail and stimulates it to urinate and defecate, which she consumes – leaving no telltale scent to alert potential predators. The first fawn settles down and assumes the compact, head down, ears back posture. The doe locates the second fawn and entices it to move to a new spot under the adjacent tree before feeding and cleaning it. For a few weeks this activity pattern will continue. Eventually as the new fawns become stronger, they will follow their mother and year old sister wherever they go. This little family will remain within their 150 acre home range, seldom associating with other family groups or the bucks that roam over the entire valley.

By midsummer the fawns are feeding alongside the older females, they nurse less and less and they begin to lose their spots as they are weaned. The tender sprouts on which they grazed during the spring are gone, and they now spend most of their time browsing – stripping new leaves off of shrubs and small trees. Between bouts of foraging they lie together in sheltered places, chewing and re-chewing their cud, each facing in a slightly different direction, ears cocked, alert. Although they are extremely fast runners, their principle means of avoiding predators like coyotes and mountain lions are their keen senses. They use their acute eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell to detect threats across great distances.

Black-tailed buck

Adult males live solitary lives or sometimes form loose associations during the non breeding season. From January through April they resemble females to most observers, but late in spring, they begin to sprout antlers which develop quickly through the summer. Antlers originate as living bones that are nourished by an outer layer of highly vascularized tissue known as velvet. Late in summer, the antlers stop growing and the bucks seek out willow trees on which they will scrape off the still bloody velvet. Their preference for willows becomes clear whenever you look for the telltale signs of antler rubbing in groups of mixed small trees. Oaks and alders remain untouched, while willows have their stringy bark stripped bare. Perhaps this is because of the analgesic properties of the willow sap; willows are the original source of salicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin.

The shorter days of fall trigger many changes in the bucks. Antlers are polished, the skin of the neck becomes swollen, and the testicles enlarge dramatically. The surging hormones that accompany these changes also cause bucks to focus almost exclusively on tracking adult females. Males attend closely to females, constantly on the lookout for rival males that are chased off. During this period a buck will ignore his own hunger, he becomes preoccupied with sniffing at the female and her urine, seeking to detect the time when she will be ready to mate. When a rival buck approaches he is usually greeted with a series of ritualized displays which allow each buck to assess the size and fitness of the other. Occasionally well matched individuals will lock antlers and engage in a shoving match. Both bucks twist their heads in an attempt to throw their rival to the ground. The vanquished buck retreats, the victor proceeds to focus his attention on the female feeding nearby.

The little family we watched at the beginning of this story is still together at the end of September. They focus on finding acorns which are plentiful this fall in the surrounding oak woodlands. These acorns are a rich resource, filled with proteins and fats that will sustain them through the winter ahead. A three year old buck attends to the group. He follows them for two weeks until he is challenged by a prime five year old. He retreats without a fight. When he leads off the year and a half old female, the older buck does not notice, he is entirely focused on the older doe. The young buck and the young doe remain together through the fall, they mate several times but she does not conceive, a common occurrence among yearling females. By December she will rejoin her mother and younger siblings.

Deer on Marin’s coast

The older buck remains with the older doe until November, when he wanders off in search of another receptive female. He has repelled many suitors, but he has mated successfully. He is worn out and nearly starving from two months of ignoring his own hunger. A pair of coyotes decides to test him; they chase him down the valley and over a ridge. He falters at the top; they sense his fatigue and press the pursuit. Within the hour they have him cornered in an impenetrable willow thicket. He lowers his antlers, but the coyotes are quick and relentless, eventually he goes down. The coyotes gorge themselves on his organs and flesh; they will not need to feed again for a week. Turkey vultures, ravens, crows, foxes, three more coyotes, and a hundred million insects will proceed to spread the tissue of this once magnificent creature throughout the surrounding countryside. He also remains a part of this valley in the form of two perfect fawns who will greet a dew draped morning the following spring.