altadenablog

Nothing runs like a deer

Got this note and pictures from Ken Wilson this afternoon:

At about 5:05 three deer traveled west to east on Pinecrest Drive and stopped in front of Noyes Elementary School for a few minutes.  I took several pictures then ran to get my grandson, but they were gone when I returned.  Thought you might be interested.  This is the first incident like this I can recall in the 37 years we have been here.

We're thinking, maybe they saw the sign that said "Aveson" and thought it said "Venison" ...

Reminder: don't feed the wild animals!

Received a note from town councilor Michele Zack:

I met a constituent on the trail who alerted me about the common dangerous practice of many people leaving pet foot outdoors, where wild animals can eat and endanger pets, your family, and the community at large.

In a follow-up email she said: "I just got my latest National Geographic and there’s an interesting page on the topic of rabies.  It says 50,000 people around the world die from rabies, due mostly to dogs.  In the United States, however, the main perpetrators of 40,000 bite victims are  raccoons and skunks. Bats are making something of a comeback, too.  Most rabies problems in the U.S. occur all the way up eastern portion of our country but enough occur here to alert people to the facts, such as the 6-shot regimen that counters the virus."

In a word, please don'e leave pet food out to feed the wild and feral creatures -- it just brings them closer to our environment, and nothing good can come of that!

Coyote mix on the loose? Chupacabra? or your dog?

Laura Cheung sends a note to the Neighbors listserv about an unusual animal in her neighborhood:

I've seen this stray dog around Mendocino Lane three times in the last month.  My husband and I saw it several times last weekend.  It seems quite wild and runs away when it sees anyone.  It's small, probably under 20 pounds and it kind of looks like it could be part coyote (if that's possible).  Has anyone else seen it or does anyone know if it belongs to someone?

 

Mountain lion sighting around Stonehill

Stonehill News has pictures of a mountain lion sighted in the neighborhood at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon.

Nature, red in tooth and claw ...

... or maybe not now, but Isaac Garcia on E. Loma Alta has great pictures of a Cooper's Hawk that landed in his yard on his own blog!

Keep your pets from cat-tastrophe

The cougars are out, and you foothill dwellers need to keep an eye on your dogs, kids, and other livestock. 

Thanks to the efforts of Lori Paul and Alice Wessen over at the Chaney Trail area, word is getting out among the newsgroups.  Click on the flyer to expand it to full size.

Bears and fire danger -- another week in Altadena

From Bill Westphal:

Heads up!

 

A Bear was spotted in the Chaney Trail / Alzada Road area.  that's only 1/2 Mile from Holly Slope Road.

 

Be alert when walking.  If you encounter a Bear do not run.  Make lots of noise and make yourself look as large as possible.

 

This Department of Fish and Game Web Site has more information:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/bear.html

 

Also, Fire Weather Watch.  Temperatures are rising and Humidity is falling through the end of the week.  There is a chance of Santa Ana Winds.  Be Prepared.  You should have a plan in place.  Know what you're going to take with you in the event you are asked to evacuate.  Have a hose with a nozzle ready, neatly stored, in case you need it in a hurry.

When the animals start lining up in pairs ... worry!

And just before we call it a night:  These shots courtesy Raina, daughter of JPL/ATC's Alice Wessen:

- A red dragonfly alighting on their yard this morning.
- One of two two-point bucks, sighted Tuesday morning.

- And this guy, who was going through the trash cans at about 6:15 this morning.

We just had squirrels, stray cats, and the suspicion of rats in the Altadenablog garage again.  Glad we haven't had to clear a bear out of the garage!

Thanks, Raina!

She's got legs (eight of them)

That Bill Westphal strikes again -- found this tarantula (4 in. from tip to tip) crawling around.  RIght now, she (or he) is in a Tupperware container and will likely go back into the woods (they're an important part of the ecosystem, gettin' rid of those bugs), but notice that there is yet another Altadena creature to look out for.

Bear lurking around Glen Allen & Pinecrest last night

James Knowles sent us this message last night, after we crawled to bed:

Just to let everyone know, our brown bear was back in our driveway on Glen Allen Ln again tonight.  We scared him away and he was seen on Pinecrest after that.  Called Sgt. Villegas's office and then cell numbers and neither would take messages, so I guess he is not interested in helping ...

Be careful everyone, very careful ...

-jim

 

(yes, the picture is a black bear, but we just got tired of putting up the "waving bear" picture one more time!)

Bear at Gravity Hill

... and a big one, too, according to an observer:

I was driving home tonight (Saturday) at about 8:30 and was entertained by a  bear roaming around on the road by the bridge over the wash at Rubio Canyon  for a good minute or so.  This guy looked pretty good sized to me.

Hmm -- since that's the location of Gravity Hill, one of our local haunted areas, we're wondering if we classify this as a bear sighting, or a ghost sighting.

Update 7.27 7:30 PM: Per Jeremiah's note below, do check out Stonehill News, where he's collecting quite a pile of pictures of this ursus!

Possible rabid coyote sighted at JPL this morning

Just got this note from JPL's Alice Wesson today:

Dear Neighbors:

At 8:15AM Friday July 25, 2008, one of my staff observed a woman walking the fire road found alongside JPL’s east parking lot.  The woman was observed beating off a coyote that was trying to attack her dog. The coyote  had froth around its mouth.  Dog and woman are fine, if shaken up. The coyote was observed running away towards the area north-west of Florecita Farms/Meadows area.

I called Pasadena Humane and made a report and JPL security who made a report to forestry.

Please use appropriate caution when in the area. Wildlife are always here. We live in "their" territory.

From U.S. Department of Agriculture's website

Here are some steps you can take to reduce the chance of human-coyote conflicts:

       Do not feed coyotes!

•       Eliminate sources of water, particularly in dry climates.

•       Bird feeders should be positioned so that coyotes can't get the feed.  Coyotes are attracted by bread, table scraps, and even seed.  They may also be attracted by birds and rodents that come to the feeders.

•       Do not discard edible garbage where coyotes can get to it.

•       Secure garbage containers and eliminate garbage odors.

•       Feed pets indoors whenever possible.  Pick up any leftovers if feeding outdoors.  Store pet and livestock feed where it is inaccessible to wildlife.

•       Trim and clean, near ground level, any shrubbery that provides hiding cover for coyotes or prey.

•       Fencing your yard could deter coyotes.  The fence should be at least 6 feet high with the bottom extending at least 6 inches below ground level for best results.

•       Don't leave small children unattended outside if coyotes have been frequenting the area.

•       Don't allow pets to run free.  Keep them safely confined and provide secure nighttime housing for them.  Walk your dog on a leash and accompany your pet outside, especially at night.  Provide secure shelters for poultry, rabbits, and other vulnerable animals.

•       Discourage coyotes from frequenting your area.  If you start seeing coyotes around your home or property, chase them away by shouting, making loud noises or throwing rocks.

These steps may decrease the frequency of coyote sightings in your area if practiced continuously.  However, coyotes are adaptable to change and are quick to learn new ways of survival.   Occasional sightings most likely will continue.  By making life for coyotes in your neighborhood more difficult, you will increase the likelihood that they will go somewhere else.

For further information please visit:

 

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/education/living.html

What to do if you have potential rabies exposure:

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/types.html

Anyone missing a dove?

..because Kristen Opdahl has found one:

Has anyone lost a white dove or pigeon?  This bird is in my backyard, on Loma Alta Drive, and is very friendly and tame,  but seems lost...he has no band or significant marking

Please call me @ 626-296-3663 to bring him home  ;)

Thanks

Kristan Opdahl

A Royal Wonder in Altadena

Via Bill Westphal, these photos from his neighbor, Sarah Keever of Holly Slope Road.  Her horse, Cari, gave birth to a son, Royal Wonder, at 7:45 this morning.

(It's nice to see the OTHER end of the horse once in awhile!)

Filly and foal are doing fine.  Welcome to Altadena, Royal Wonder!

Help find Juju

Christen Buchanan has sent out an all hands bulletin to the newsgroups:

Lost Dog

sorry to bother you all with a personal issue, but we have lost our dog and are very worried. she is a rescue dog and is very scared and nervous & spooks easily.  her name is JuJu, she has acollar, she is medium size, mostly black with white chest, paws, and nose, she is about 12 years old.  if you see her, please let us know.

thank you,

~christen & mark
[phone numbers removed 2010]

Gladly the cross-eyed bear

Stonehill News blog hasn't had anything to say for a couple of months, but it's a doozy now:  pictures of a bear on the move in the Pinecrest area.

(And the headline is a church joke).

Note to self: do not mess with Chaney Trail residents

The Chaney Trail newsgroup has gotten rather bloodthirsty of late.

Fresh on the heels of the  lung and trachea found in a resident's yard (which now appears to come from a deer, not a dog), someone submitted a recipe for beuschl, an Austrian dish that is largely comprised of lung as well as other disgusting animal parts.  The homeowner responded:

Darn! I wish I had known about this recipe before getting rid of the beuschl.we should have scaped off the dirt, flies and yellow jackets and prepared a delicious meal for the whole neighborhood. With the price of meat skyrocketing, it's economical as well!

And if that's not bad enough:  there's been an ongoing spat in the neighborhood about closing the Chaney Trail gate.  It's supposed to be shut about 8 PM by sheriff's deputies, who conduct a sweep of the area to chase out anybody before closure.  That hasn't happened lately (sheriff's are claiming "emergencies," which is probably true, altho' you wouldn't know it to talk to them), and residents are concerned, as there is already the sound of firecrackers going off in the woods (as we've said: dry forest + drunken bonehead + fireworks = trouble).  So the residents are thinking of taking matters into their own hands.

After a short discussion on spreading the responsibility for shutting the gate, one member said:

On the other hand, heads on stakes are really good at keeping the wrong people out.

To which another commenter respondied:

Heads on stakes might also work, but then the Health Dept. and Vector Control would come unglued and someone would have to put fresh ones up on a regular basis. It's just not feasible or aesthetic...

Do NOT mess with Chaney Trail residents!

... and bears, oh my!

We had potential mountain lion mayhem -- and now we have more!  James Knowles sent us this:

Found your blog when I was searching how to report the brown bear that was in our back yard Saturday night.  Great Blog!!

 Then last night I thought that a bear sighting in Altadena might be something you want to report, to warn others, so here is the info:

We saw an approximately 5-6 foot long brown in our back yard on Glen Allen Ln about 5:00 PM on Saturday night.  It was sniffing around the area where our puppy plays.  My wife chased it down the hill towards Loma Alta and at least one of the neighbors on Loma Alta saw the bear at their house.

I called Sgt Luis A Villegas, who sent out an Animal Care & Control officer, who arrived about 7-8 PM.  Luckily for the officer (who is unarmed), the bear was long gone.

 

-jim

"A Bloody Lung and Trachea in Our Yard"

Hope this headline got your attention like it got ours.  A Canyon Crest Rd. resident found same, fresh in their yard this morning (ummmm - fresh lung!), and the best guess is (1) it came from a large dog, and (2) the mountain lion is back in Millard Canyon.  Hike with a partner, and be careful with your children and pets.

Snakes alive!

Lots of discussion in the local newsgroups about snake sightings -- there've been a lot of them lately.  As a general rule, leave 'em alone, but it's good to know which ones are harmless and which ones are not.  These photos came from folks who saw these snakes in their yards:

The pacific gopher snake can be big, but it's harmless (to you, unless you're a rodent).  Keep this one around.

On the other hand, the diamondback rattler (see its distinctive markings) needs to be avoided!

American Humane offers animal emergency training July 17-18

Altadenablog is nowhere near prepared for an emergency -- we don't have enough water and food put away (we were planning on living on our extensive stock of emergency beer), and we look upon our pets as an alternate food source.  Fortunately, not everyone feels this way, and (courtesy Alice Wessen) American Humane is on the case:

Be Prepared When Disaster Strikes
Get American Humane²s Basic Animal Emergency Services Training

Training from American Humane -- a national leader in disaster response and animal rescue -- is coming toyour area. Gain the skills to respond to emergencies and care for animals when the unthinkable happens.

Basic Animal Emergency Services Training is ideal for anyone who loves animals and is interested in their welfare.

Come learn about animal first aid, shelter set up and response, incident command systems and more. This course trains you to be able to assist in your community, and it is the first step to becoming an American Humane Red Star Animal Emergency Services volunteer.

You can make a difference for animals that are all too often left behind when disasters strike. This class will get you ready!

Basic Animal Emergency Services Training

July 17-18, 2008

Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA
361 S. Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA

Tuition: $85 for American Humane members; $100 for non-members. Training materials provided. Certificate presented upon completion.

Register today!

http://www.americanhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ev_professionals_aes_training

Download, fill out, and email or fax the registration form.

When cougars attack

It must  be global warming or something ... but there's a new cougar sighting .. in CHICAGO!  And he apparently migrated from the hills of South Dakota, 1,000 miles away.  Makes our local cats seem to lack ambition ...

Altadena gets animal control officer

This message from Lori Paul has been making the rounds of newsgroups:

Dear Neighbors & Trail Users,

Most of you are aware of the dismal service Altadena has long
experienced from L. A. County Animal Care & Control's distant Baldwin
Park Animal Shelter. For years our calls have been routed to a
general Distpatch number that often disconnects callers or fails to
reach the proper authorities, even in an emergency. Baldwin Park
Animal Shelter seldom responds to calls in less than a few hours or
fails to show up at all. Many animals have suffered and died
needlessly as a result.

While many chronic policy and enforcement problems remain, Altadena
now has a dedicated Animal Control officer, Sgt. Villegas. The Sgt
was assigned to Altadena in response to numerous, vociferous
complaints made at one of Supervisor Antonovich's town hall meetings.
We have the Supervisor to thank for funding and ordering Animal Care
& Control to provide a dedicated animal regulation officer and truck
for our community. Sgt. Villegas is now located in Altadena during
day time hours several days a week.

If a cougar attacked your dog, wooden shoe fight it?

Comes the news (making its way through the local newsgroups) that a MIllard Canyon cabin resident's dog was almost dragged away by one or two cougars this morning (Sunday).  The report says:

[The cabin resident] was awakened this morning by yelping. In her bathrobe and wooden clogs she turned on an outdoor light to see a large cougar attempting to drag Ford [her German shepherd] across the deck with the cat's jaws clamped around the dog's throat. [She] hollered at the cat, ran over, and bonked it multiple times with her wooden clog until the cougar dropped the dog and fled to the fenced front yard. [She] retreated with the dog, who was able to get himself back inside the cabin. [She] then returned with a bright spotlight and continued to yell at the cat. The cougar paced the high fence trying to escape, then pulled itself over the gate and vanished.

But that's not the end of it:

Perhaps more disquieting, [she] heard a noise on her roof a while after the attack. When she investigated, she saw a cougar up there. It may have been a second cat instead of the first cougar returning. Sub-adult males will often travel together. She again hollered at the cougar to go away, shined a bright light at it, and set off a loud air horn. The cougar left.

The incident was reported to the U.S. Forest Service and California Fish and Game.  Ford sustained a puncture wound to his neck, but his thick fur (and his owner's quick action with the shoe!) managed to minimize the damage, and it's reported he'll be fine.

A little extra caution is advised on the trails!