Membership renewals are slowly coming in for 2012. Have you continued your support for our park?

For those of you who “do” Facebook” check this out:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Goodan-Ranch/258711270855493?sk=wall 

We look forward to the spring blooms after the Feb. rains.

Minutes of the Friends of Goodan Ranch and Sycamore Canyon Open Space Reserves

February 6, 2012

In attendance: Carol Crafts, Karen Larsen Gordon, Terry Callan, DeAnne Erickson, Nancy Ujazdowski, Ann Laux Tipps and Gardner Grady.

The meeting was called to order at 7:05pm.

-Secretary’s Report: The motion passed to approve the minutes of the meeting held November 1, 2011.

-Treasurer’s Report: Balances to date are: Checking – $3,407, Savings – $8,354, Total – $11,761. Annual membership renewals continue to arrive. The fiscal audit is pending. There was a $109 expenditure for inclusion in the San Diego Archeology’s lovely brochure – currently being distributed throughout the county.

-Ranger’s Report:  1) Hagey property will have biological surveys over the next 12 months, during that time the area must remain closed. After the surveys are completed, assessment of roads and trails to determine which trails will remain. Staff has already made contact with several property owners to the west to prevent trespassers on private property and public use during the closure.  Property to the east of Hagey remains private property. (Note: Carol and Karen walked the property upon invitation from Maureen). 2) Sunrise Powerlink has two last towers to erect in the Preserve. One adjacent to the heliport, just south of Calle De Rob and the Hagey property and one just north along the entrance road, Sycamore Park Drive off of Hwy 67. 3) Military Police have installed “No trespassing “ signs south of the Goodan Ranch southern gate boundary and are actively patrolling for trespassers.  First offense they record your identification.  Second offense they may confiscate your bike or issue tickets.  One man riding a motorcycle was detained on base with his bike.  They are also installing signs at their southern boundary inSantee.  MP’s told staff that mountain bike riders were riding onto the ridge of their firing range interrupting their training.  It always takes a few to ruin it for all. 4) Bobcat study in progress by PHD candidate Megan Jennings. (Note: A young male was trapped and tagged in late January.)

 5) Pending: surveying of the Hagey property corner points, new bridge installation near the windmill, road materials purchase and delivery on damaged roads throughout Preserve, bobcat taxidermy – have had no luck acquiring a great specimen, a new DPM assignment replacing DPM Cailin, and District 5 placement, and new trees and native shrub planting.

-Wildlife Monitoring: No report.

-Old Business:

1) Election results: President: Carol Crafts Vice President: Gardner Grady Secretary: Karen Larsen Gordon Treasurer: Terry Callan. Board Members: Phoenix VonHendy, DeAnne Erickson, Nancy Uzadowski, Ann Tipps and Bob Crafts.

 2) January 28^th program hosted by Karen and Carol had no attendees. Issues remain regarding promotion of programs. 3) In response to the closure of the Hagey property as noted in the Ranger’s Report, a letter will be sent requesting keeping Calle de Rob access available off of Highway 67. 4) Gardner continues to work on the Stowe Trail and access issues. Ann will contact Ernie Smith for clarification of the Millennium Trail designation. Historical context was provided in the Backcountry Horseman’s newsletter, May 2005.

-New Business:

1) Friends are now on Facebook and discussion was held regarding other social media feeds. 2) Carol reported learning of a plane crash adjacent to the preserves. Information can be found atwww.avistar.org/air/usa/ryan-fireball.

3) Gardner will coordinate another trail maintenance event, including a Friends hosted BBQ this winter. 4) The display available for visitors at the Visitor Center is currently showing a digital frame with wildlife photographs taken by the camera donated by our group.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:10pm. Next Meeting: May 7, 2012 7:00pm Coco’s.

Nancy made an informal plea for help funding Palomar Mountain State Park.

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 OLD WELL PUMP

The pump came from the farm of our grandfather, Math Shalka, who “homesteaded” in Alberta, Canada in 1902.  We believe he purchased the pump shortly after settling on his homestead.  One interesting piece of information is that the handle broke at some point and was repaired by a “blacksmith’s weld”.  We recall our father saying that the weld was done by our grandfather on his own forge. It remained in use on our grandfather’s farm until at least the 1940′s when it ended up on the scrap pile where it was “rescued” by Cecilia and her husband, Ray Burr.  It was then brought to Poway and, eventually, Rancho Bernardo. Lettering on the pump itself indicates that it was manufactured by the F. E. Myers and Bro. Company of Ashland, Ohio.  This was an old company started in 1870 which specialized in pumps and pioneered a “double action” system that drew water on both the up and the down stroke of the handle, thus saving considerable work. A quick search on Google has two interesting web sites – www.femyers.com amd www.oldiron-nut.com – which have more information about the company, which still exists and still specializes in pumps.

Donated by Cecilia Burr and Bob Shalka Feb. 2012 through Friends of Goodan Ranch

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A new visitor to our preserve has shared her photos – Look at

http://greenjeanie.smugmug.com/Nature/SYCAMORE-CANYON-PRESERVE-San/20758386_69dKgZ and read her article

ACORN WOODPECKERS ~ SOCIAL NETWORKING EXPERTS

In the canyons of Los Penasquitos Preserve, a uniquely social species of woodpecker thrives. They are the Acorn

Woodpeckers, named after their diet of acorns. They utilize a communal granary or acorn tree to store or cache their

live oak acorns from season to season.

Being skillful at drilling holes is one of their gifts. Their “social networking” group tends to the acorns, moving them to

the right size holes as the acorns dry out and shrink.

Another job is to protect and defend their cache from robbers like the Western Scrub Jays. They stick together as their

shared survival depends on their granary’s fortunes.

Acorn Woodpeckers communicate to their tribe with loud raucous “rachet-rachet-RACHET“ calls that sound like laughing

to us humans. Also, they are noted for their “drumming” which is a woodpecker’s way of communicating with the

group. Drumming consists of 2-20 evenly spaced taps and is often executed on specific drumming posts, typically dead

limbs with good resonance. Drumming is associated with intra-specific territorial encounters and as a method to attract

mates. Drumming is done by both sexes and may occur at any time of the year but is most common in spring. (Koening,

1996) Drumming is also done on telephone poles, buildings and other man-made structures that provide good

resonance. (…Often to the dismay of their human neighbors!)

Where can you find these denizens of the Preserve? A good place is the north side of Penasquitos Preserve – the trail

head at Park Village x Camino Del Sur. Hike in to the main trail and turn toward the east. The trail jogs toward the

north at one spot. Within a dozen steps look to the right – toward the creek – and you should see the granary tree in

the photo below. Wait a good 10 minutes – especially in the early evening – and you should reliably see some

woodpecker activity.

Male Acorn Woodpecker showing full wing span as he lands at the granary. Female on right side above.

Look closely at their head colors. The Males sport a large red cap starting at the forehead with white toward the front.

Females sport a smaller red cap with some black toward the top and white in front.

Male Acorn Woodpecker at the granary in Los Penasquitos Preserve. Spring 2010.

When you get to feast your eyes on one, you may agree that they look a bit like Woody the Woodpecker who was partly

based on their comical facial plumage.

More photos of Acorns:

http://greenjeanie.smugmug.com/Nature/LOS-PENASQUITOS-PRESERVE-Flora/8563854_VnzvQx

Hope you get to see these amazing birds soon! See you on the trail. ~

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History Buffs:

www.congressof history.org

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·                                 Looking for a fun outing? Plan to do this run around Lake Poway (to the Ramona Dam as well if you do the 10K) on Sat. May 5, 2012.         

5th Annual Cinco de Mayo Trail Run – 10K • 5K • Kids Race

cincodemayotrailrun.org

?5th Annual Cinco de Mayo Trail Run –

10K • 5K • Kids’ Race

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Beginning Tracking Walks

Join an experienced SDTT Tracker for a FREE easy wildlife tracking walk. Look for tracks, scat,

and further evidence that coyotes, bobcats, raccoon, deer, and other wildlife have been in

the area! No reservation is necessary. Simply show up at the designated time and location:

First Saturday of every month at 8:30 a.m. at the Mission Trails

   Regional Park Visitor Center For information: www.mtrp.org or 619.668.3281

Second Saturday of every month at 8:00 a.m. at the Adobe Ranch House in

   Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

For information: www.sdtt.org or 760.715.4102

E-mail: info@sdtt.org  “Tracking Our Native Wildlife”

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Dead Birds: Dead less than 24 hours – no obvious damage – do Not freeze. Call 1-888-551-4636.Weekends: 858-565-5255

Have you found an injured or orphaned bird or mammal in San Diego County?

We need to keep following 2 issues: the Water District’s San Vicente Pipeline www.sdcwa.org; click on “infrastructure”; then “esp”; then “San Vicente Pipeline” and

     PARK UPDATE:  Trails at southeast side of Sycamore Park Drive maybe closed temporarily due to Sunrise Powerlink construction activities.  Additionally, helicopters and heavy machinery may temporarily increase noise levels, dust, and other disturbances; hours of construction are Monday – Saturday, 7:00am to 7:00pm.  For more information on the project, visit sdge.com/sunrisepowerlink or contact Todd Voorhees at sunrisepowerlink@SDGE.com or by telephone at (877) 775-6818.

 The Parks website is www.sdparks.org.  During rainy weather and post rainy weather the Parks Preserves are closed for safety and damage control due to muddy, wet trails and roads.  Please check the Parks website or call the ranger’s office at 858-513-4737 for Preserve status. 

Below is the link to the most current Program Guide.

http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/reusable_components/images/parks/doc/destinations.pdf

Events at Goodan Ranch/Sycamore Canyon:

Over ten miles of trails and service roads open to hiking, mountain biking and equestrian use.  Preserve visitors are welcome to visit our new visitor center.  Live animals and exhibits on Goodan History, Cedar Fire, Kumeyaay and the MSCP are on display.

Events, hikes and programs start at various Preserve locations.  Some require a one mile walk from Goodan Ranch staging to the Visitor Center. ALLOW ½ HOUR TO PARK AND WALK TO THE VISITOR’S CENTER.  Please check descriptions closely.  No vehicular traffic is permitted in the Preserve.  Transportation for those with disabilities can be arranged, by calling the ranger at (858)513-4737. Goodan staging area accessed from Poway Rd. east on Garden Rd, then south on Sycamore Canyon Rd.  Sycamore Canyon Rd.ends at parking lot.

Highway 67 staging area accessed through SOUTHBOUND Highway 67 only, half a mile south of Scripps Poway Parkway. 

All events are free.  For information or to make event reservations call(858)513-4737 or email Justin.Gibbons@sdcounty.ca.gov.

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MARCH

Friday, March 16^th, 2012     Sunset Star Party.   RAIN or CLOUDS CANCEL.

Saturday, March 24^th, 2012     10:00am – 12:00pm Introduction to Geocaching.

APRIL

Saturday, April 7^th, 2012     9:00am – 11:00am Edible Plants.

       Come learn all there is to know about our local edible plants from author and college professor Lisa Chaddock.

Friday, April 20^th, 2012     Sunset  Star Party.

Saturday, April 28^th, 2012     9:00am – 11:00am  Coffee with a Ranger

MAY

Sunday, May 6^th, 2012     9:00am – 11:00am  Wildflower Walk.

Friday, May 18^th, 2012     Sunset  Star Party.

Saturday, May 26^th, 2012     10:00am – 11:00am  Snakes Encounter.   .

JOIN NOW FOR 2012 

 All Memberships are from 1 January of each year.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Name___________________________________

Address_________________________________

City_____________State__________ Zip______

Phone__________________________________

Email___________________________________

____$20 Senior 62 plus      ____$20 Student

____$25 Individual   

____$40 Family

____$100 Patron    

 ___ $250 Corporate    ____$1000 Lifetime

PLEASE MAKE YOUR CHECK OUT TO “FRIENDS OF GOODAN RANCH”

AND SEND IT TO: MEMBERSHIPS

13030 Birch Lane,

 Poway, CA 92064

   Sycamore Canyon consists of 1700 acres of coastal sage scrub and chaparral-covered hills nestled between the cities of Poway and Santee. Bordering on the west side and stretching through the valley floor is the 325-acre Goodan Ranch, a mix of diverse habitats including grassland, riparian, coastal sage, oak woodland, and mixed chaparral.

    Goodan Ranch is rich in early American history. Present day structures at the preserve date back to the 1930s, when it was a working ranch. Today, Goodan Ranch is jointly managed by the cities of Poway and Santee, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation.

 Goodan Ranch and Sycamore Canyon are enjoyable for their peaceful solitude, recreation opportunities, and beauty. You’ll find a multitude of different plant and animal habitats, including coastal sage scrub, southern mixed chaparral, oak woodlands, riparian, and native grasslands.

Common plants include California sagebrush, buckwheat, chamise, lilac, manzanita, lemonadeberry, coast live oak, sycamores, arroyo willow, and various native grasses. Mule deer, coyote, bobcat, rattlesnakes, and birds such as California gnatcatchers, Hutton’s vireos, and scrub jays are among some of the wildlife you may discover.