KEEP:Nature Sightings

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Nature Sightings

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On the south edge of the Dome sits KEEP Ocean's native plant garden. Naturalist, Steve Schubert, is the caretaker of this unique pocket of plants and visiting animals. Steve keeps a current list of all the animals that have been sighted in this small but active place.

naturesightingscrabseastar: - Our Fall school year started with warm temperatures and mild nights. Although the students have not had to deal with much rain this school year we were treated to some very high waves generated by large storms out in the Pacific. In January, Norris Middle School students had to deal with record high temperatures in the beginging of the week followed by sub-freezing temperatures by the end of the week. There were some very cold toes in sleeping bags! Having dry weather is nice but we do need rain to get the hills green and flowers blooming.

On all the walks and around campus we have seen many wildlife sightings:

- At the KEEP campus Mule Deer have been regularly seen. The bucks we saw in the fall have left and now we are just seeing the does and thier young from last year. In December Ollivier Middle School students watched a family group of 3 Coyotes ramble through the campus. In March the local pair of Red-tailed Hawks are nest building and should be sitting on eggs soon.

- In Morro Bay we have had regular sightings of Osprey preying and feeding upon fish. In December we were treated to a sighting of an adult Bald Eagle over the salt marsh. In March Students of Seibert School were treated to the sight of a newly born Sea Otter (minutes old) being washed and groomed by its mother.

- On the Islay Creek walk students from Wallace and Huron school were treated to an amazing sight. They watched as two coyotes tried to seperate two Mule Deer fawns from their mothers. The hunt lasted for over 15 min. with the fawns vocalizing in panic as the does tried to drive the coyotes away with kicks from their front hooves. By the end it appeared the coyotes were going to go hungry that day.

- On our Dunes walk, in addition to seeing tidepool creatures, some students have been able to get excellent looks at a Burrowing Owl. The owl has also been seen by many students from the bus standing near the entrance of an old coyote den that is visible from the road.

- On Valencia Peak we have been getting regular sightings of many raptors such as migrating Coopers Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks. Also seen are White-tailed Kites, Red Tail Hawks, Northern Harriers, and hunting American Kestrels. It seems that since the new year our Gray Whale sightings have increased. From up on the mountain it is easy for the students to see the white plume of the whales breath against the bright blue of the ocean. Norris students sighted 15 in one afternoon!

- On the Coves walk the students are also seeing the Gray Whales, but our good low tides have revealed some interesting intertidal life as well. Juvenile Red Crabs have been found with their elaborately stripped shells. Many Gumboot Chitons are being seen and and young Sculpins are swiming in all the pools, much to the delight of the Snowy Egrets that are seen there catching them.

All in all it's always exciting walking the trails at KEEP because we never know what new and interesting thing may pop up.

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