However, golden eagles aren’t the only mighty eagles one can find soaring over the vast landscapes of the Diablo Range.

Look up and you could catch a glimpse of our national birds, bald eagles, which can be found up and down the Diablo Range, and throughout most of North America.

A bald eagle spreads its wings in the northern Diablo Range. Bald eagles are one of North Americas largest birds, with a wingspan of 6.5 to eight feet! Photo by Sean Burke

These extraordinary birds are both a symbol of the United States and one of the Diablo Range’s most iconic apex predators.

Historically, many bald eagles in California followed the San Joaquin River, hunting fish throughout central California’s longest river, which runs parallel to the Diablo Range.

Despite bald eagles’ symbolic importance, they didn’t officially become our national bird until 2024, when President Biden signed a law to make them so.

An American Conservation Victory

Bald eagle nest in the northern Diablo Range. Bald eagles build some of the largest nests of any bird, with a typical diameter of five to six feet! Photo by Sean Burke

For many years, bald eagles in the lower 48 states were an increasingly rare sight. Because of a cascade of stressors including overhunting, habitat loss, and DDT, our national birds were once at risk of extinction.

In 1963, their total numbers bottomed out at 417 breeding pairs.

Fortunately, bald eagles are a famous conservation success story. In 1973, bald eagles were listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Protections afforded by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act helped accelerate the bald eagles’ recovery, along with captive breeding programs and the eventual banning of DDT.

A bald eagle in the northern Diablo Range. These mighty raptors can live for decades in the wild. Photo by Sean Burke

As a result, in 2007, bald eagles were officially removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species.

And in recent years, bald eagle populations have sharply risen. From 2009 to 2020, bald eagle populations in the lower 48 states quadrupled, reaching 71,400 nesting pairs!

Now, protections afforded by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act help us conserve more of their Diablo Range habitat.

A juvenile bald eagle spotted at one of our 2024 BioBlitzes. Photo by Sean Burke

Save Mount Diablo has been working to preserve land with potential nesting trees, including large heritage oaks and the bald eagles’ preferred choice, the gray pine.

The bald eagles’ story is a great example of what we can do to protect wildlife populations in the Diablo Range and through the United States, and of how these can recover and flourish with the right support.

When the impacts of development and biodiversity loss are more evident than ever before, it’s important to look at success stories like that of the bald eagles to remind us that nature can recover, if we give it a chance.

Bald Eagles and Us

A bald eagle perches near a lake in the northern Diablo Range. Bald eagles breeding habitat in California is often near reservoirs, lakes, and rivers. Photo by Sean Burke

Eagle-eyed visitors can find bald eagles near large bodies of water within the Diablo Range.

Parts of the Diablo Range such as Del Valle, Los Vaqueros, and Pacheco Reservoir are great places to go if you want a good chance of spotting one.

Bald eagle nest at Pacheco Reservoir. Photo by Scott Hein

Spotting bald eagles in the wild is a special moment, a reminder of the grandness of nature and of our connection to it.

“Through hands on conversation work, with human beings helping those animals, we’re now seeing the nation’s bird in more locations than we ever saw them before,” says Save Mount Diablo Land Programs Director Sean Burke.

“They’re such a symbol of patriotism, and it really inspires me to see them flying freely in the Diablo Range.”

A pair of bald eagles perched over their northern Diablo Range habitat. Though bald eagles can eat a variety of food, they eat fish as the centerpiece of their diet. Photo by Sean Burke

Land is the most important thing we have, and it is our responsibility to future generations —and to ourselves—to protect and steward it.

We are a part of the land, but it doesn’t have a voice. It needs us to speak us for it, especially when a wide swath of protections like the Endangered Species Act are at risk of or are currently being rolled back.

A bald eagle swoops through the air in the northern Diablo Range. Every year, hundreds of bald eagles fly south to California for the winter. Many of them stay in the Diablo Range. Photo by Sean Burke

In these challenging times, we can look to the sky and the wonders it can bring.

When we are feeling hopeless or disconnected from the world, an awe-inspiring experience like spotting a bald eagle in the wild can reground and reconnect us with nature, giving us the will to protect it, something that is more vital now than ever before.

The post A Haven for Eagles: The Diablo Range appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

Of the many marvelous plants and animals you can see during a hike in the Diablo Range, insects may be the most understated and most diverse.

In particular, insects and other arthropods like centipedes, spiders, and scorpions, have a remarkable and still vastly under-described and little-known diversity.

Go to your favorite spot in the Diablo Range—that place with a sweeping vista of an oak savanna, a shady, secluded spring set with live oak, or a gently babbling seasonal stream—and no more than 30 percent of the insects around you have been recorded from that location.

Oak savanna along Quien Sabe Road in San Benito County, Diablo Range. Photo: Scott Hein

Also, a surprisingly large number of species at your spot remain undescribed and unnamed.

The spectacular biodiversity of the Diablo Range is made manifest through the efforts of taxonomists who discover, describe, and classify the organisms around us.

A contribution to our knowledge of dance flies of the Diablo Range was recently published by the Canadian team of Bradley Sinclair, Scott Brooks, and Jeffrey Cumming.

This study covers the species of the dance fly subgenus Enoplempis (Empis, Empididae) from western North America. The group has a total of 75 species in western North America, and an amazing 54 new species were described in this study.

Seven of those newly described species are found in the Diablo Range; four new species are known from the imperiled Del Puerto Canyon.

Del Puerto Canyon and Del Puerto Creek. Del Puerto Canyon is threatened by a proposal to build a large reservoir. Photo: Scott Hein

And one species has as its holotype (the single individual with the privilege of being the formal name bearer for the species) a specimen collected during the 2012 Save Mount Diablo BioBlitz on one of Save Mount Diablo’s properties.

Perhaps you are not familiar with our Diablo Range dance flies. If you have been hiking in the range, it is almost certain you have seen them.

Some species are best observed taking nectar on flowers, but many form small to rather massive swarms beneath trees and over streams.

They can be seen swooping and turning in the air, a dance they perform with aerial maneuvers that are part of courtship and mating. They are typically predatory flies, catching small insects on the wing.

You may be able to observe them flying with their lunch grasped with their legs. In some species both sexes catch prey, but in most the males hunt, form swarms, and then present the prey to the female as a “nuptial gift” upon mating.

Dance flies mid-air. Photo: Ameet Zaveri | CC BY-NC-SA

The most peculiar habits are exhibited by those species in which males secrete material from the digestive tract, forming this into a frothy, white ball or “balloon” (sometimes they are referred to as balloon flies).

This ball may trap a small prey, like a sticky trap, or act as a gift to prolong the courtship and mating.

If you look closely, perhaps with a hand lens, you can see that the flies are not like a common house fly.

A dance fly on an Indian lettuce flower. Photo: Tony Iwane

They have a relatively small but distinct head that is round, with very long, sharp beak-like mouthparts and often with relatively enormous eyes.

The thorax is large—housing the relatively immense muscles that power their flight wings. The abdomen is gracefully tapering but often ended with boldly prominent external genitalia in males.

The discovery, description, and classifying of the organisms of the Diablo Range is critical to conservation planning.

Knowledge of what species are involved in the diversity dance in the Diablo Range, like the little-known dance flies, makes our experience of the Diablo Range’s wild places richer and adds value to every acre that can be preserved.

Krane Pond, purchased by Save Mount Diablo in 2023, with Mount Diablo above in the background. Photo by Ted Clement

The post 7 New Species of Dance Flies Discovered in the Diablo Range appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

Monarch butterflies are an iconic North American species. Their migrations, spanning up to 3,000 miles, take them up and down the continent, with Mount Diablo and its sustaining Diablo Range an essential part of that journey.

Their populations have been pushed to the brink of extinction by habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. Save Mount Diablo is working hard to give these butterflies a chance.

Monarch caterpillar on California milkweed. Photo by Sean Burke

For five years, Save Mount Diablo has been creating new habitat to aid in the recovery of this endangered species by planting native California milkweed and native nectar plants on our properties.

To start the project, a dedicated volunteer mapped the locations of native milkweeds all over Mount Diablo, giving us crucial insight and native milkweed seeds to work with.

Save Mount Diablo Land Stewardship Manager Roxana Lucero planting California milkweed at Curry Canyon Ranch. Photo by Haley Sutton

Since then, Save Mount Diablo’s Diablo Restoration Team (DiRT) has planted California milkweeds and native nectar plants across Mount Diablo on multiple Save Mount Diablo properties to aid the western monarchs’ recovery.

This work ensures that the Western monarch will have “islands of refuge” on Mount Diablo during its long migration.

This winter, we picked up 300 California milkweed plants at The Watershed Nursery Cooperative and planted them at our Curry Canyon Ranch property.

Volunteer planting California milkweed on Save Mount Diablo’s lands. Photo by Laura Kindsvater

These native milkweeds were grown from seed Save Mount Diablo staff collected across Mount Diablo.

Hundreds of volunteers, including middle and high school students, have come outside to help plant milkweeds for monarchs. They’ve worked hard collecting seeds to create and restore habitat, planting, and watering.

Monarch caterpillar on California milkweed seedling at The Watershed Nursery. Photo by Haley Sutton

Monarchs are in crisis, but they can be saved with your help. How can you support the recovery of this imperiled species?

• Plant native milkweeds and nectar plants,
• Buy native plants grown without pesticides,
• Don’t use pesticides,
• Advocate for policies that protect monarchs and other pollinators and their habitat in your area,
• Take action within your community to help address climate change.

Each thing you do to help provides a tangible stepping stone on the western monarchs’ road to recovery.

Monarchs and Milkweeds Video Sources

1. NPR, The Associated Press, Monarch butterflies will get federal protections as a threatened species, 10 Dec 2024 | https://www.npr.org/2024/12/10/nx-s1-5224132/monarch-butterflies-will-get-federal-protections-as-a-threatened-species (0:18 / 1:42)
2. Xerces Society, Monarch Butterfly Proposed for Listing under the US Endangered Species Act 10 Dec 2024 |https://xerces.org/press/monarch-butterfly-proposed-for-listing-under-us-endangered-species-act (0:38)
3. Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper | https://www.monarchmilkweedmapper.org/western-monarch-biology/  (1:47)
4. Xerces Society, Western Monarch Call to Action | https://xerces.org/western-monarch-call-to-action (3:04 / 6:20)
5. University California Riverside, Center for Bibliographical Studies: California Digital Newspaper Collection | California Digital Newspaper Collection (3:14)
6. Xerces Society, Monarchs in Decline | Monarchs in Decline | Xerces Society (3:17)
7. Xerces Society, Western Monarch Count 1997-2024 | View & Download Western Monarch Count Data – Western Monarch Count (4:27)
8. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 02 July 2019 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00258 (4:39)
9. Monarch Joint Venture, Breeding Habitat Loss | https://monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/threats/breeding-habitat-loss (4:57)
10. Xerces Society, Staci Cibotti, How Urban Pesticides Can Harm Monarch Butterflies: A Cautionary Tale from California 23 Jan 2025 | https://www.xerces.org/blog/how-urban-pesticides-can-harm-monarch-butterflies-cautionary-tale-from-california (5:12)
11. California State Parks Foundation, Emily Doyle, PhD 19 Nov 2024 | https://www.calparks.org/blog/new-analysis-impact-climate-change-western-monarch-butterfly (5:24)
12. Xerces Society, Monarch Nectar Plants: California | https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/19-046_01_MonarchNectarPlants_California_web-3pg.pdf (6:24)

Additional Photos By:

Glenn Fine | CC-BY-NC

jadeleven7 | CC-BY-NC

mrydfrn | CC-BY-NC

Arvel Hernandez | CC-BY

Jerry Kirkhart | CC-BY

Kenneth Rangel | CC-BY-NC

Fred Melgert & Carla Hoegen | CC-BY-NC

The post Saving Western Monarch Butterflies appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

We are excited to see that our efforts in supporting expanding American kestrel populations in the Mount Diablo area have been fruitful.

For many years, Save Mount Diablo volunteers and staff members have been installing and maintaining nest boxes around the mountain, and it’s great to see that many of these have been utilized as nesting habitats for North America’s smallest falcon.

American kestrel. Photo by Rick Cameron | CC BY-NC-ND

Kestrels are cavity nesters, they don’t typically build large stick nests or incubate eggs on rock scrapes, like eagles and peregrines. Instead, they find hollows in trees and at times buildings to lay their eggs and raise their clutch of young.

Populations of these fantastic raptors have been on the decline for more than 50 years in North America, and much of that decline can be attributed to habitat loss, like the removal of large trees with cavities, because of development.

Building and installing nest boxes is an easy way to create nesting habitat for these birds, and promote population increases, and the cool thing is, they seem to like these boxes.

Kestrel box in Curry Canyon. Photo by Floyd McCluhan

There are 37 nest boxes that we’ve installed around the mountain, and of the seven that we monitor closely, each of those boxes have fledged four to five young birds annually for the past five years of close monitoring.

This is really exciting news!

It shows that protecting and creating nesting habitats directly around the mountain is helpful in boosting populations, clearly linking the success of our conservation efforts and the importance of a positive interaction between human beings and open spaces.

How do we know that these boxes have been so successful?

Well, many years ago Brian Smith of The Kestrel Campaign and I installed game cameras on numerous boxes that had shown themselves to be productive.

Over the years we have included a couple more cameras on successful boxes so we can observe behaviors, prey delivery diversity, prey delivery rates of both parents, and when birds fledge.

An American kestrel feeds its young in one of our kestrel boxes. Photo by Save Mount Diablo wildlife camera

The wildlife cameras allow us to gather data without being invasive and causing stress to these wonderful birds while they are incubating and growing.

At the end of the nesting season, we gather memory cards and start crunching through the tens of thousands of images that have been collected during the season.

This year, we will be installing an additional 12 cameras on 12 boxes that we have not been monitoring as closely.

The additional cameras will help us to understand more about how kestrels are utilizing nesting habitat on a larger scale around the mountain, bringing our total number of boxes we observe to 19.

An American kestrel feeds its young in one of our kestrel boxes. Photo by Save Mount Diablo wildlife camera

This is in part because in fall of 2024 we received a grant from the Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development to explore our observations further, potentially affecting the future of project planning countywide.

We hope to discover more American kestrel populations increasing around the mountain, through our expanded monitoring efforts. Stay tuned!

If you would like information on installing kestrel boxes at your home or surrounding open space, please reach out to Sean Burke at sburke@savemountdiablo.org.

The post Fantastic Flights of Kestrels: Our Smallest Falcons appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

These endangered desert reptiles are officially known as blunt-nosed leopard lizards (Gambelia sila), and while they were some of the first species to be covered by the Endangered Species Act in 1967, like California condors and grizzly bears, the number of “Valley Dragons” has continued to shrink.

A recovery plan and an emergency breeding project at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has come to the rescue.

Save Mount Diablo is helping with a $5,240 grant from our Mary Bowerman Science and Research Program to cover the cost of a custom weather station which will aid in research about the lizard’s needs.

“Blunt-nosed leopard lizards originally inhabited millions of acres of the San Joaquin Desert, as well as the intermountain valleys nearby, such as the Carrizo Plain,” says Joseph Belli, a wildlife conservation biologist, and expert on both the lizards and the Diablo Range.

“They ranged at least as far north as Stanislaus County, and there’s a highly credible record of one spotted near Corral Hollow as recently as 1960. Today, it’s doubtful that any persist north of the Panoche region.”

And the Panoche populations were shrinking.

Fortunately, thanks to the award-winning efforts of the Fresno-Chaffee Zoo “Valley Dragons” are getting a second chance.

In 2020, when it looked like several of the Panoche populations might vanish, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo sent a collection team to bring in lizards from the dwindling population, focusing on a group that was genetically distinct and considered particularly high risk.

Conservationists were especially concerned about how quickly this population might expire, seeing as the blunt-nosed leopard lizard has a very short lifespan in the wild—about two or three years on average.

They were lucky to retrieve seven lizards, with which the Fresno Chaffee Zoo established a captive breeding program.

Four years later, that program is responsible for hatching more than 150 lizards, 17 of which the zoo released back into the wild in 2023. The zoo released another 20 lizards into the wild in 2024.

Zoo staff reintroducing a blunt-nosed leopard lizard to the wild in the Panoche area on June 3, 2024. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo

To assist in the reintroduction process for released lizards, the zoo equips the “Valley Dragons” with radio telemetry backpacks, specifically designed and tested to be worn in the wild.

These backpacks connect to an automated radio telemetry system and send out pings to help track their progress.

At 894 hectares of coverage, this telemetry system was the largest in the world when it was created, which earned the Fresno Chaffee Zoo the North American Conservation Award.

However, many environmental variables aren’t tracked by the backpacks. The program needed a new weather station to track temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and more.

The Panoche region in the Diablo Range. Photo: Scott Hein

Now, thanks to the grant from Save Mount Diablo, the new weather station was installed in the Panoche region in November.

The new weather station (in the foreground), which was installed in the Panoche region in late November. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo

“I was 12 when I first learned about blunt-nosed leopard lizards, and 58 when I first saw them in the wild,” said Seth Adams, Save Mount Diablo’s Land Conservation Director. “The very first U.S. list of threatened and endangered species in 1966 included 78 species, some quite notable.

“California condors. Ivory-billed woodpeckers. Grizzly bears, timber wolves. Florida panthers, key deer and manatees. San Joaquin kit fox. American alligator. San Francisco garter snake. And the blunt-nosed leopard lizard.

“Four of them were from the Diablo Range. Just three were reptiles. Remarkably, most of those 78 endangered species are in better shape today.

“That’s not the case for the blunt-nosed leopard lizard. It’s continued to decline. When I learned the Fresno Chaffee Zoo was conducting an emergency breeding program and had already had some success, I immediately wanted to get Save Mount Diablo involved.

“We’ve helped with lots of rare wildlife projects, from reintroducing peregrine falcons to Mount Diablo to aiding the California condor program at Pinnacles. This is another step south in our Diablo Range expansion, with new partners in a new geography.

“I can’t wait, and I’m so excited to maybe witness young leopard lizards bred at the zoo being released this spring.”

Not only does the weather station have the capacity to track the aforementioned factors, but it also will be able to track crucial factors specific to blunt-nosed leopard lizards, like solar radiation, soil temperature, and soil moisture.

With that valuable data, zoo biologists can finally assess how variations in the climate are affecting blunt-nosed leopard lizards. The data will allow the zoo to directly assess how annual variations in climate affect lizard habitat, colonization, and persistence.

That data is essential for reintroducing blunt-nosed leopard lizards successfully, because these incredible reptiles are highly susceptible to changes in their surroundings.

Dr. Rory Telemeco, Director of Conservation Science at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, says that given the program’s ongoing success, they intend to keep increasing the number of blunt-nosed leopard lizard introductions.

“We anticipate releasing up to 100 animals per year in future and will continue reintroductions until 50 or more natural-born females successfully reproduce for three consecutive years,” he said.

Dr. Rory Telemeco, Director of Conservation Science at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, with the newly installed weather station. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo

The insights gained from the new weather station combined with the existing automated radio telemetry system have the potential to help not just the population in the Panoche area, but also serve as a guide for rewilding lizards in any of the other San Joaquin Desert habitats.

These insights will deepen our knowledge of this incredible species.

“I’m so excited to work with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo and the Bureau of Land Management, which manages 250,000 acres of the Diablo Range, especially in Fresno and San Benito counties,” said Sean Burke, Save Mount Diablo Land Programs Director.

“This small grant from our Mary Bowerman Science and Research Program is a first step. Four years ago, we made our first $3,000 grant to the Pinnacles condor recovery program for GPS tags and subscriptions for three condors.

“And the condors immediately proved our point that the Diablo Range is rich and intact by showing up at Mount Diablo. This year, we’re funding GPS for 20 condors.”

San Joaquin Desert

“The saga of the blunt-nosed leopard lizard stretches back perhaps 10 million years, when uplift along the Garlock Fault resulted in the rise of the Tehachapi Mountains, forming a barrier between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert,” said Belli.

“Some species that once existed in both areas became separated, and over time isolation led to the evolution of taxa such as the San Joaquin antelope squirrel, San Joaquin coachwhip, and San Joaquin kit fox.

“The leopard lizards on the San Joaquin Valley side diverged from their Mojave Desert ancestors, their most noticeable adaptation being a truncated snout.

“They became blunt-nosed leopard lizards, found along the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding foothills and nowhere else.”

It’s only in the last few years that the San Joaquin Desert has been officially recognized as the newest, smallest desert in the United States.

In 2011, a group of scientists published a research article in the Natural Areas Journal, “The San Joaquin Desert of California: Ecologically Misunderstood and Overlooked.”

They concluded that the San Joaquin Desert “historically encompassed 28,493 km2 including the western and southern two thirds of the San Joaquin Valley, and the Carrizo Plain and Cuyama Valley to the southwest.

“However, this ecosystem has been reduced by up to 59% from agricultural, industrial, and urban activities.

“The conservation of the unique biodiversity of this region is dependent upon this ecosystem being appropriately managed as a desert and not as a perennial or annual grassland.”

The San Joaquin Desert overlaps with the Diablo Range’s east side, especially at Panoche, extending south and southeast of the range.

Blunt-nosed leopard lizards are directly tied to this unique desert ecosystem. They maintain a large territory of up to dozens of open acres with only enough vegetation so that they can hunt and hide.

Although they can dig their own burrows, they mostly depend on small mammals, such as kangaroo rats and ground squirrels, to create their hideouts, which the lizards need for overwintering in the wet months and as a place to escape extreme desert temperatures.

Blunt-nosed leopard lizards also form a precious link in the food web, serving both as a predator and a food source.

Blunt-nosed leopard lizard. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Large adults can measure 15 inches from nose to tail tip; some lizards boast pale stripes and dark spots along their backs. Coloration can be markedly different between individuals.

They also boast another remarkable feature—in summer, the males flush to a peachy-orange underneath, and female “Valley Dragons” present fiery orange splashes along their sides.

Joseph Belli has remarked that the food supply for these incredible “Valley Dragons” has been particularly hard-hit by aerial pesticides sprayed across the west side of the San Joaquin Valley—so with their food either absent or poisoned, it’s no wonder that the population has been suffering.

Belli is an experienced wildlife biologist specializing in the Diablo Range, and a blunt-nosed leopard lizard expert. The fact that these lizards can dash several yards at a time, even on two legs, he says is a sight to behold.

Since the 1970s, Belli has been exploring the Diablo Range and working with endangered species such as California condors and blunt-nosed leopard lizards.

As with condors, he believes that the captive breeding program for these lizards is essential for their return to historically populated habitats.

The successful recovery of blunt-nosed leopard lizards in the Mount Diablo Range would signal a turnaround for a critically endangered species.

Save Mount Diablo’s participation in the effort will help popularize the Diablo Range for decision makers and help the public appreciate the Diablo Range’s incredibly rich biodiversity. Endangered species recovery galvanizes attention.

When we protect the charismatic species, we support the whole related ecology. A colorful little lizard could become a catalyst for helping to protect the Diablo Range. Isn’t it an inspiring idea, and a cause for hope?

About Save Mount Diablo

Save Mount Diablo is a nationally accredited, nonprofit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, and watersheds; and its sustaining Diablo Range, through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide educational and recreational opportunities consistent with protection of natural resources. To learn more, please visit www.savemountdiablo.org.

About Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Fresno Chaffee Zoo inspires people to care for animals, create connections, build community, and save wildlife. To learn more, please visit www.fresnochaffeezoo.org.

Image Captions and Credits

1. Blunt-nosed leopard lizard with a telemetry device. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo
2. Zoo staff reintroducing a blunt-nosed leopard lizard to the wild in the Panoche area on June 3, 2024. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo
3. The Panoche region in the Diablo Range. Photo: Scott Hein
4. The new weather station (in the foreground), which was installed in the Panoche region in late November. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo
5. Rory Telemeco, Director of Conservation Science at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, with the newly installed weather station. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo
6. Blunt-nosed leopard lizard. Photo: Fresno Chaffee Zoo

High resolution versions of images are available; please contact lkindsvater@savemountdiablo.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Laura Kindsvater, Senior Communications Manager

C: 925-451-8376, lkindsvater@savemountdiablo.org

###

The post Save Mount Diablo Funds Custom Weather Station to Aid “Valley Dragon” Recovery in the Diablo Range appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

 * * *

The saga of the blunt-nosed leopard lizard stretches back perhaps 10 million years, when uplift along the Garlock Fault resulted in the rise of the Tehachapi Mountains, forming a barrier between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. Some species that once existed in both areas became separated, and over time isolation led to the evolution of taxa such as the San Joaquin antelope squirrel, San Joaquin coachwhip, and San Joaquin kit fox. The leopard lizards on the San Joaquin Valley side diverged from their Mojave Desert ancestors, their most noticeable adaptation being a truncated snout. They became blunt-nosed leopard lizards, found along the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding foothills and nowhere else.

Blunt-nosed leopard lizards are large, earth-toned lizards with considerable variation in pattern. Some feature a series of cream-colored lines across the back, while dark blotches reminiscent of leopard spots may be prominent, subdued, or practically nonexistent. During breeding season adults become considerably flashier: males take on a gorgeous background color similar to cantaloupe flesh, while females exhibit eye-catching splashes of red along their sides. From snout to tail tip, a large adult may measure 15 inches in length. That’s one impressive lizard.

Blunt-nosed leopard lizard in the Panoche region. Photo: Joseph Belli

And if breeding color and size aren’t enough, their speed is another marvel. Most lizards scamper a few feet, but leopard lizards can sprint a number of yards, occasionally on two legs. That’s a sight to behold. They run not only to avoid threats, but to capture prey, primarily insects and arthropods. Grasshoppers are a frequent menu item, and they’ll take larger prey as well—other lizards, including young of their own kind.

Blunt-nosed leopard lizards do best on open ground with scattered shrubs, which they depend on for shade and as refuge. They rely heavily on burrows dug by mammals such as kangaroo rats and ground squirrels. They’ll make use of the raised earth entrances as promontories, where they can scan the surroundings for both prey and predators, and bask in the sun. The adjacent burrows function not only as hiding places but as refuges from the weather, places to wait out chilly, windy weather and the blazing heat of summer. Like many lizards, blunt-nosed leopard lizards have a preferred temperature range for being active above ground, generally between 75 to 100 degrees.

Desert conditions in the Panoche region of the Diablo Range in June. Photo: Seth Adams

While some lizards are active throughout the year, blunt-nosed leopard lizards are active for only a portion of the calendar. Adults emerge from winter burrows in spring and return by late summer, staying active just long enough to breed and eat enough to fast the rest of the year; no sense exposing themselves to predators any longer than they have to. Hatchlings operate on a different time scale—they emerge in summer, about the time when the adults are retreating underground for the year. Given the threat of cannibalization, that’s a good thing. Hatchlings feed and grow throughout the summer, and sometime in fall take refuge underground like their elders, emerging the following spring.

* * *

Blunt-nosed leopard lizards originally inhabited millions of acres of the San Joaquin Desert, as well as the intermountain valleys nearby, such as the Carrizo Plain. They ranged at least as far north as Stanislaus County, and there’s a highly credible record of one spotted near Corral Hollow as recently as 1960. Today, it’s doubtful that any persist north of the Panoche region. Throughout their range, blunt-nosed leopard lizards have been decimated by habitat loss, as land has been converted from desert to farmland, oil fields and solar energy projects, and as cities and towns have sprung up over what was once prime habitat. Some lizards—fence lizards, alligator lizards—can thrive among orchards and in suburbs, but not leopard lizards; trees are as foreign to them as seaweed. They also have large spatial requirements; an adult male can roam a territory spanning dozens of acres. That’s a lot of ground, and it needs to be unbroken.

Grassland, sparse trees, and hills in the Panoche region of the Diablo Range in December. Photo: Al Johnson

Habitat loss can also be subtle. There are hundreds of thousands of acres along the east flank of the Diablo Range that persist as open space, but despite the lack of development, the leopard lizards are gone. That absence might be due to the proliferation of non-native grasses. Wild oats and brome have replaced the native forbs and bunch grasses, and that did the lizards no favors. Non-native grasses grow thick and tall, creating a forest that lizards can’t see beyond nor run through. They can neither forage nor flee. Where leopard lizards and grasslands coexist, it’s in places where grass growth is meager.

Another likely factor in the decline has been the use of pesticides and rodenticides. The west side of the San Joaquin Valley has seen multiple campaigns against various insect pests using widespread aerial spraying. Those efforts both poisoned and reduced the food supply for lizards. The equally enthusiastic war on rodents may also have contributed to the lizards’ downfall by eliminating the creatures that dig the burrows lizards rely on for shelter and refuge. Given the spread of invasive grasses and aggressive pest-control efforts, all that open space mattered little, for lizards disappeared.

Today, the stronghold for the species are the natural lands west of Bakersfield—the Elk Hills and Carrizo Plain. Scattered populations persist on the floor of the San Joaquin Valley in places such as Pixley National Wildlife Refuge, but those populations are small and isolated. Besides a population outside of Madera, the lizards in the Panoche region represent the northernmost outpost for the species and the sole presence in the Diablo Range. That population has persisted because the area was never converted to crops or energy development, nor was it targeted for pesticide campaigns. But populations on Bureau of Land Management holdings in the area have experienced significant decline in recent years, for no apparent reason. To resuscitate the population, a captive breeding program has been established at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Several pairs of lizards were captured in the Panoche region as breeding stock, and their progeny have been released back into the wild to bolster the population. The California condor may be the signature captive breeding program in the region, but the blunt-nosed leopard lizard program may be just as important if the species is to persist in the Diablo Range.

About the Author

Joseph Belli. Photo: Joan Hamilton

Joseph Belli has hiked and explored the Diablo Range extensively since the 1970s. He holds a master of science in conservation biology and has worked as a wildlife biologist for the National Park Service. He has conducted surveys for the Bureau of Land Management and California State Parks, and has worked with California condors, California red-legged frogs, and other sensitive or endangered species. Belli’s writing has appeared in High Country News, the Ponderosa, and The Wonder of It All, a collection of stories from National Park Service employees and volunteers. He lives on a rural property in the Diablo Range.

He has written two books:

• The Diablo Diary contains 25 natural history essays about the Diablo Range.
• Beneath a Black and White Sky: A Year Among Condors at Pinnacles National Park is his inside account of California condor reintroduction in Pinnacles National Park.

Image Captions and Credits

1. Blunt-nosed leopard lizard at the Carrizo Plain. Photo: Joseph Belli
2. Blunt-nosed leopard lizard in the Panoche region. Photo: Joseph Belli
3. Desert conditions in the Panoche region of the Diablo Range in June. Photo: Seth Adams
4. Grassland, sparse trees, and hills in the Panoche region of the Diablo Range in December. Photo: Al Johnson
5. Joseph Belli. Photo: Joan Hamilton

High resolution versions of images are available; please contact lkindsvater@savemountdiablo.org.

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But not all native plants are equal—some provide incredible habitat for birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife. Which ones should you consider for your garden?

Here are 19 powerhouse plants (sometimes called keystone species) that would be a fantastic choice if you live near Mount Diablo or in the East Bay. (Some of these plants would also be excellent in other parts of California as well.)

Save Mount Diablo staff and volunteers have planted many of these plants at our pollinator gardens and other habitat restoration sites at Big Bend, Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve, Irish Canyon, Ang, and Marsh Creek 1, 4, 6, and 7.

1. Sunflower

California sunflower. Photo: Dan Fitzgerald | CC BY-NC

Sunflowers (of the genus Helianthus) are the most important genus for native specialist bees in the Bay Area.

Some bees can feed their young on pollen from many types of plants, but others require specific plants: these are the specialist bees.

A scientist named Jarrod Fowler studied specialist bees across the western United States. Helianthus provides pollen to a whopping 100 species of specialist bees (60 in California), which is the largest number of species of specialist bees that rely on a native plant in the western US.

Mount Diablo is home to three native species of Helianthus:

• Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus), which is an annual
• California sunflower (Helianthus californicus), a perennial
• Chaparral sunflower (Helianthus gracilentus), also a perennial

2. California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum)

California fuchsia. Photo: Sairus Patel | CC BY-NC

Hummingbirds love this plant. It also blooms in the fall, when less nectar from other sources is available for them to eat.

3. Currant

Chaparral currant. Photo: Andrea Kreuzhage | CC BY-NC

Chaparral current (Ribes malvaceum) provides nectar to hummingbirds and bees in the fall and winter, when not much else is blooming. It is also a host plant for up to 76 species of butterflies and moths.

Closer to the coast in the Bay Area, pink-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum) is a similar excellent choice.

4. Silver Bush Lupine (Lupinus albifrons)

Silver bush lupine. Photo: LD Jaffe | CC BY-NC

This lupine is a host plant for up to 49 species of butterflies and moths; it also supports bees, birds, and even bats.

5. California Goldenrod (Solidago velutina californica)

Butterflies love California goldenrod too. I think this butterfly is a gray hairstreak. Photo: Laura Kindsvater

This plant is beloved by small native bees. Plant it, and they will come! I have seen many different small native bees including green sweat bees on this plant in my garden. Its genus, Solidago, supports 59 types of specialist bees in the western US.

6. Manzanita

Mount Diablo manzanita. Photo: Dan Fitzgerald | CC BY-NC

Manzanitas bloom in the winter, providing a critical source of nectar for bees. Manzanitas are also the host plant for 68 species of butterflies and moths.

Mount Diablo is home to at least five species of manzanitas:

• Contra Costa manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita laevigata)
• Mount Diablo manzanita (Arctostaphylos auriculata)
• Great-berried manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)
• Eastwood manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa glandulosa)
• Arctostaphylos tomentosa crustacea

7. Oak

Students reflect on nature under the oak trees at our Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve. Photo by Mary Nagle

Oaks provide food and habitat for an unbelievable number of wildlife species. For North America, they are the best native to plant in support of butterflies and moths.

On Mount Diablo, we have more than eight types of native oaks, including

• blue oak (Quercus douglasii),
• valley oak (Quercus lobata),
• coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia),
• interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni),
• canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis),
• black oak (Quercus kelloggii),
• leather oak (Quercus durata), and
• scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia).

8. Narrow-Leaved Goldenbush (Ericameria linearifolia)

Narrow-leaved goldenbush. Photo: Ashley D | CC BY-NC

The genus Ericameria supports 93 species of specialist bees that are native to the western US!

9. California Lilac

Jimbrush (Ceanothus oliganthus var. sorediatus). Photo: Terry Gosliner | CC BY-NC-SA

California lilac (Ceanothus) species are the hosts for 117 species of butterflies and moths.

10. Black Sage

Black sage. Photo: Kendall Oei | CC BY-NC

Black sage (Salvia mellifera) provides food for caterpillars, butterflies, bees, and bats. It is exceptionally well adapted to very dry conditions.

Black sage with a western tiger swallowtail butterfly. Photo: Richard Breisch | CC BY-NC

Black sage with bumblebee. Photo: Richard Breisch | CC BY-NC

11. Gumplant

Great Valley gumweed or gumplant. Photo: debattaway | CC BY-NC

Gumplant blooms into the fall, which makes it essential for pollinators. Its genus, Grindelia, supports 84 species of specialist bees in the west.

12. Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa)

Coyote mint. Photo: Jasen Liu | CC BY-NC

Bees and butterflies love coyote mint!

Coyote mint with yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii). Photo: Irene | CC0

13. Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)

Blue elderberry. Photo: Susan Fawcett | CC BY-NC

Blue elderberry supports 30 species of butterflies and moths, plus bees, birds, and bats.

14. Pink Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)

Pink honeysuckle. Photo: Keir Morse | CC BY-NC-ND

Looking for a native vine for your garden? This one provides food for 30 species of butterflies and moths, plus bees. Birds love the berries.

15. Buckwheat (Eriogonum)

California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) with a bee feeding on its nectar. Photo: Andrea Wuenschel | CC BY-NC

Buckwheat species support 56 species of moths and butterflies, plus native bees.

16. Penstemon

Penstemon heterophyllus. Photo: Eric Koberle | CC BY-NC

Thirty species of butterflies and moths can lay their eggs on foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus).

Mount Diablo is also home to scarlet bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius).

Scarlet bugler. Photo: Amber Nichols | CC BY-NC

17. California Rose (Rosa californica)

California rose. Photo: lvlyfungi | CC BY-NC

California rose flowers attract bees and butterflies, and it is the host plant for 95 species of butterflies and moths. Birds and other animals eat rose hips, the plant’s fruit.

18. California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica)

California sagebrush. Photo: Sarah Lizette | CC BY-NC

This plant feeds birds, caterpillars, butterflies, and bats. It has a wonderful scent.

19. Willow

Students planting willow trees at our Curry Canyon Ranch property. Photo by Mary Nagle

If you have access to a wet area that is along a creek or pond, plant willows. In our region, they provide food and habitat for even more species of butterflies and moths than do oaks (willows are number 1, oaks are number 2), as well as for many other wildlife species.

Bonus: Milkweed

Monarch caterpillar on milkweed. Photo by Haley Sutton

Milkweed isn’t a keystone species, but it is the famous host plant for the monarch butterfly, and it is also the host plant for another butterfly, the queen butterfly. Some bees also like the nectar, and the plants also support birds.

Mount Diablo has two native species of milkweed:

• Narrowleaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis)
• California milkweed (Asclepias californica)—this species is hard to find in nurseries, but check Mariposa Nursery for starts and seeds, which they can ship or mail to you. I ordered some seeds, and when they arrived, the packet said something like “Contra Costa seed source,” which I was happy to see because I live in Contra Costa County.

There are many other native plants that are important keystone species too. Check out the section on additional resources below for more information. Happy wildlife gardening!

Native Plant Nurseries

• The Watershed Nursery
• Native Here Nursery
• Linda Vista Native Plants
• Yerba Buena Nursery
• Find others on Calscape. You can search and find which nurseries commonly carry the plant you are looking for. Ask the nursery if their plants are grown without pesticides (which could kill the pollinators you are trying to support). Pesticides can linger up to six years and sometimes even be transmitted to other plants in your garden.

Additional Resources for Creating a Wildlife Garden

• Sign up to plant and care for native plants at Save Mount Diablo’s pollinator gardens and restoration sites for our Diablo Restoration Team
• Calscape (search for which plants are native to your neighborhood and what types of wildlife they support; find more native plant nurseries)
• Bringing Back the Natives keystone species guides
• California Native Plant Society planting guides for the East Bay and other parts of the Bay Area
• The Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mount Diablo, California by Dr. Barbara Ertter and Dr. Mary L. Bowerman
• Native bee specialist pollen needs per Jarrod Fowler (compiled for our area by the California Native Plant Society, Yerba Buena Chapter)
• Jarrod Fowler website: Specialist bees in the western US
• Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard by Doug Tallamy
• Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Doug Tallamy
• Homegrown National Park

Top photo by Laura Shaskey, California Department of Fish and Wildlife | CC BY

The post 19 Native Plants to Plant for Pollinators and Other Wildlife This Season appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

Whether they’re chasing down prey with immense speed or quietly gliding through the sky, a glimpse of one is awe-inspiring. Here’s our comprehensive list of the raptors you may encounter on and around Mount Diablo.

Fast Falcons

Peregrine falcon at Castle Rock in Mount Diablo State Park. Photo: Wallace De Young

Peregrine falcons, known for their incredible speed, are the fastest animals on Earth. When diving to catch prey, they can reach over 200 miles per hour.

Although they’re not as common on Mount Diablo as others in the genus, their dramatic hunts make any sighting unforgettable.

Thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, including by Save Mount Diablo staffer Seth Adams beginning in 1989, these falcons have made a strong comeback after being endangered in the mid-20th century.

Prairie falcon spotted exploring the Diablo Range. Photo: Scott Hein

Prairie falcons, the peregrines’ slightly smaller relatives, are spotted on the mountain more often.

Known for their agile flying and preference for open grasslands, prairie falcons frequently hunt small mammals. Their swift, low-to-the-ground chases showcase their skills as aerial predators, perfectly suited for Mount Diablo’s varied terrain.

A kestrel fledgling takes flight. Photo: Sean Burke

American kestrels, though the smallest of the raptors, are no less fierce.

These brightly colored hunters are commonly seen perched along fence lines or hovering in place, scanning the ground for insects, reptiles, and small mammals, such as rodents.

Their bold orange and blue plumage is a striking contrast to the typically more muted tones of other raptors, and their small size makes them particularly agile hunters.

Majestic Eagles

A juvenile golden eagle launches into the air during our 2024 BioBlitz. Photo: Sean Burke

Golden eagles reign supreme in the Diablo Range. Their breeding concentration is bigger in the northern Diablo Range than anywhere else in the world.

Their massive wingspan, sometimes over seven feet, makes them easily identifiable as they soar high above the peaks.

Known for their sharp vision and powerful talons, golden eagles hunt many forms of prey, including other birds and a variety of mammals, such as deer and jackrabbits. Seeing one up close is a truly breathtaking experience.

Farther south in the Diablo Range, a bald eagle flies above the San Antonio Valley Ecological Reserve. Photo: Sean Burke

Although a rarer sight than golden eagles and fewer in number, bald eagles visit the Mount Diablo area. Adults’ distinctive white heads and tails, and their powerful, broad wings make them unmistakable.

Usually found near larger bodies of water like lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, bald eagles use their talons and incredible strength to catch a variety of small animals, including fish; they also feed on carrion.

Hawks and More

A pair of Swainson’s hawks soar above Panoche. Photo: Scott Hein

Swainson’s hawks migrate thousands of miles between North and South America; some of them pass by Mount Diablo on that journey. Large hawks, their brief presence is always a sign of the changing seasons.

Northern harriers are also frequent visitors, gliding in low and graceful flight patterns over grassy fields as they search for small mammals.

These slim hawks are distinguished by their owl-like faces, disks of stiff feathers that direct sound to the ears and help them detect hidden prey.

Up close and personal with a red-tailed hawk. Photo: Scott Hein

Red-tailed hawks are a familiar sight on Mount Diablo, and their reddish tails and broad wings make them easy to identify.

Often seen soaring over open fields or perched high in trees, they’re skilled at catching rodents and small animals.

Their cries, heard echoing across the mountain, are such a signature sound of open country that they’re often used in films.

A red-shouldered hawk shows off her namesake. Photo: Ethan Winning

Red-shouldered hawks, known for their sharp, high-pitched calls, are typically found in wooded areas hunting, for small mammals and amphibians.

Their reddish-orange undersides and striking black-and-white patterned wings and tails make them a beautiful sight in flight.

Cooper’s hawks bring a different kind of intensity to the hunt. These medium-sized raptors with lightning-fast reflexes specialize in catching smaller birds, often chasing them through dense tree canopies.

Their sleek bodies and long tails give them an edge in navigating tight spaces like Mount Diablo’s woodlands.

A white-tailed kite above Save Mount Diablo’s Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve. Photo: Scott Hein

White-tailed kites are a stunning addition to Mount Diablo’s skies.

Their white bodies, red eyes, and black wing markings are easy to spot and their delicate, fluttering flight, known as “kiting,” makes them a mesmerizing sight. They seem to hover in place as they search for prey.

These birds are adept hunters, often feeding on small rodents and insects.

Silent Owls

A barn owl discovered during one of our BioBlitzes at Marsh Creek State Park. Photo: George Phillips

The nighttime brings out another class of raptors—owls. Barn owls and great horned owls are the most common species on Mount Diablo.

Barn owls, with their ghostly white faces and silent flight, are masters of nocturnal hunting. Their keen hearing, together with their ability to swoop down on prey without a sound, makes them very efficient hunters.

They feed primarily on rodents and help to keep populations in check.

A great-horned owl oversees a Save Mount Diablo trail adventure. Photo: Scott Hein

Great horned owls are larger and more aggressive. Apex predators in their own right, with fearsome talons and sharp beaks, they’re powerful enough to take down prey as large as skunks and rabbits.

Sometimes called the hoot owl because of their deep hooting calls at dusk or dawn, they are more often heard than seen.

Nature’s Cleanup Crew

Raptors aren’t just hunters—the designation debatably includes vital scavengers like turkey vultures and California condors.

Turkey vultures—commonly seen circling the skies or basking in morning light—play an important role in the ecosystem by feeding on carrion.

Their keen sense of smell allows them to detect dead animals from high above. And their bald heads are perfectly adapted not only for thermal regulation but also for scavenging, preventing feathers from becoming soiled when feeding.

California condors use the Diablo Range as a wildlife corridor. Photo: Erin Lehnert

Sighting a California condor is a rare and wonderful thing. These majestic scavengers, with wingspans nearing 10 feet, are the largest birds in North America and feed on a variety of dead animals.

In recent years, as a result of efforts launched in the late 20th century to prevent their extinction, condors have made an extraordinary recovery.

In 2024, seven condors visited the Mount Diablo area, the fourth time since 2021 that condors have flown so far north from their homes around Pinnacles National Monument and other parts south.

Before 2021, California condors hadn’t been recorded near Mount Diablo for over 100 years.

Juvenile red-tailed hawk. Photo: Joan Duffield

The post Raptors on and around Mount Diablo appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

The three-hour flight began shortly after noon, when they left their previous evening’s roost site south of Ohlone Regional Wilderness.

They soared over Pleasanton and Sunol, near the intersection of Highways 580 and 680 and the furthest west the birds have flown in the East Bay. They flew over Dublin and Tassajara.

They ventured north over Mount Diablo’s Pine Canyon near Castle Rock—a possible future nesting site and where Save Mount Diablo previously helped reestablish endangered peregrine falcons—and as far north as Lime Ridge Open Space west of Clayton before veering east—the furthest north the birds have flown in Contra Costa County.

Map showing notable condor movements from Pinnacles National Park to the Mount Diablo region. Map: Evan McWreath/Ventana Wildlife Society

They circled Mount Diablo before heading south over the outskirts of Livermore and then spending the night in the mountains near Lake Del Valle. The condors, fitted with radio and GPS transmitters, did not appear to have landed during their time in the area.

We know all of this because wildlife biologist Joseph Belli, who volunteers for the California condor recovery program at Pinnacles National Park, also works closely with Save Mount Diablo and pays special attention to birds ranging up and down the Diablo Range.

The condors’ flight paths, tracked via GPS, highlight the vital role the Diablo Range plays as a wildlife corridor.

Save Mount Diablo, which recently expanded its geographic scope to 12 counties, has been instrumental in supporting these efforts, funding GPS transmitters and data subscriptions that allow for detailed tracking of the condors’ movements.

“I’ve been monitoring condors for nearly 20 years and it’s wonderful to see groups of them exploring further north in the Diablo Range every summer for the past four years.

“We would rarely know of these long-range flights if it weren’t for the GPS transmitters on some of the condors. I wouldn’t be surprised if these summer forays continue into the future, so all you eagle-eyed condor enthusiasts should keep an eye to the sky!” said Alacia Welch, the Condor Program Manager at Pinnacles National Park.

“I was riding my mountain bike at Lime Ridge, and I noticed a group of rather large birds a couple times but kept on riding, not looking too much into it because why would I think they could be condors,” said Frenchy Hendryx, a former Save Mount Diablo employee.

“The next day I heard the story that condors had flown over the area from Sean [Burke], and at that point, I wanted to know what time they had flown over. When the times matched, I got excited. I may have seen condors!

“I will definitely be looking out for them now and paying closer attention. A condo of condors is just not something you see every day in the Mount Diablo area.”

Condors returning to Mount Diablo. Graphic: Evan McWreath/Ventana Wildlife Society

If this story sounds familiar, it’s because a very similar event occurred around this time last year, when six condors undertook an exploratory flight near Mount Diablo. It was the first flock in Contra Costa County in 100 years.

Two of them—#1021, a three-year-old male, and #943, a six-year-old male—were also among this year’s group.

#943 made news in June 2022 for making a solo flight near Brushy Peak, the second condor documented in the area in over a century after #828’s ground-breaking journey in August 2021.

The other five—#1099, #827, #912, #986, and #1078—are a mixture of juveniles and young adults, both male (#827, #912, #986) and female (#1099, #1078). It’s this age group that tends to undertake ambitious discovery flights.

Older condors with nesting territories tend not to wander as extensively. Condors can begin breeding as early as five years old but generally wait until they’re at least six and often much older before nesting.

#827 is the oldest of the group, an eight-year-old male who has yet to find a mate.

The group is also a blend of condors raised in captivity (#1099, #827, #986, #943) and products of wild nests (#1021 in southern San Benito County, #1078 and #912 in Pinnacles National Park).

Pinnacles and Ventana Wildlife Society co-manage the flock, managing release sites and monitoring the birds from the park and Big Sur.

All condors have radio transmitters because there are so few, and each one is important to the overall population. That allows the birds to be tracked if necessary.

Some also wear GPS transmitters (less than half the flock have GPS, though most Pinnacles birds do, thanks in part to Save Mount Diablo).

In the last few years, Save Mount Diablo has funded additional GPS transmitters and subscription services for Pinnacles birds with grants from its Mary Bowerman Science and Research Program.

The transmitters and subscription services allow precise flight tracks to be monitored and recorded.

Condors prefer to fly over undeveloped areas.

The theory in making the grants for GPS transmitters and subscriptions, especially for young birds, was that their GPS flight tracks would define and highlight the importance of the giant Diablo Range as habitat for the birds—200 miles north-south and 3.5 million acres of high-quality intact habitat.

The theory is proving to be true.

The central California flock consists of roughly 100 free-flying condors, ranging from north of Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo to southern Santa Clara County and occasionally beyond.

That number will increase toward the end of the year, when 10 to 12 young condors raised in captivity will be released.

It’s also been a banner year for nesting, with a record nine chicks potentially ready to fledge in fall. The growing population bodes well for the future and the likelihood of more frequent condor appearances in the East Bay.

Special thanks to Joseph Belli, a wildlife biologist working closely with our organization, for his work in tracking California condors.

Belli’s new book, Beneath a Black and White Sky: A Year Among Condors at Pinnacles National Park, offers a deeply personal look at the condor recovery program and the challenges and triumphs of conserving these incredible birds.

Wildlife biologist Joseph Belli recently published a new book about California condors, Beneath a Black and White Sky: A Year Among Condors at Pinnacles National Park. Illustration: Megan Gnekow

His work underscores the critical importance of habitats found in the Diablo Range for the future of the condor population.

As Save Mount Diablo continues to expand its efforts across the Diablo Range, its focus remains on ensuring that wildlife connectivity persists for future generations. The protection of these lands is crucial to the survival of California’s most iconic species.

Condor #912, one of the California condors that flew to the Mount Diablo region on August 18, 2024. Photo: Joseph Belli

About Save Mount Diablo

Save Mount Diablo is a nationally accredited, nonprofit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, and watersheds; and its sustaining Diablo Range, through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide educational and recreational opportunities consistent with protection of natural resources. To learn more, please visit www.savemountdiablo.org.

Image Captions and Credits

1. Condor flock at Pinnacles National Park. Two of the birds in this picture, the ones in the middle with numbers 12 and 86 on their tags, were among those who flew to the Mount Diablo foothills on August 18, 2024. Photo: Joseph Belli
2. Map showing notable condor movements from Pinnacles National Park to the Mount Diablo region. Map: Evan McWreath/Ventana Wildlife Society
3. Condors returning to Mount Diablo. Graphic: Evan McWreath/Ventana Wildlife Society
4. Wildlife biologist Joseph Belli recently published a new book about California condors, Beneath a Black and White Sky: A Year Among Condors at Pinnacles National Park. Illustration: Megan Gnekow
5. Condor #912, one of the California condors that flew to the Mount Diablo region on August 18, 2024. Photo: Joseph Belli

Higher resolution versions of these images are available upon request; please contact lkindsvater@savemountdiablo.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Laura Kindsvater, Senior Communications Manager

C: 925-451-8376, lkindsvater@savemountdiablo.org

Seth Adams, Joseph Belli, and Alexander Broom contributed to this press release.

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The post For the Fourth Year, California Condors Return to Mount Diablo and the East Bay appeared first on Save Mount Diablo.

Petition to List Burrowing Owls As Endangered or Threatened

On March 5, 2024, conservation groups led by the Center for Biological Diversity launched a petition. 

The petition would change the conservation status of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) to “endangered” or “threatened” under the California Endangered Species Act. Currently the owl is considered a “species of special concern” in California. 

According to the petition, burrowing owls have been eliminated as a breeding species from almost all of the California coast. And they are rapidly nearing localized extinction in the Bay Area, where fewer than 25 breeding pairs remain.  

Western burrowing owl. Photo by Scott Hein

Though there are some holdouts in some parts of California, particularly in the Imperial Valley, it’s clear that certain populations are in trouble. 

Although western burrowing owls are already federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, new protections would do much more to protect the species. 

The petition specifically requests the following.

• List as endangered: San Francisco Bay Area, central-western California, and southwestern California populations, and  

• List as threatened: Central Valley and southern desert range populations  

OR  

• List the burrowing owl throughout its entire range in California as threatened.  

What Makes These Birds So Special

Western burrowing owls are highly adapted to, and reliant on, grassland ecosystems. Unlike most owls or other birds in general, they live in burrows in the ground, often using abandoned burrows of animals like prairie dogs and ground squirrels.

California ground squirrels create habitat for many species, including burrowing owls. Photo by Scott Hein

Burrowing owls are often out in the daytime, making them more observable than many other owls. Social birds by nature, burrowing owls often live in scattered colonies. 

Ecologically, burrowing owls help control insect and rodent populations, which can benefit agriculture and maintain ecological balance. Their population declines also signal broader environmental issues.  

A western burrowing owl on the Stewartville Trail. Photo by Scott Hein

Culturally, they are symbols of wisdom and guardianship, featured in folklore and storytelling.  

Scientifically, their unique behaviors and adaptations make them valuable subjects of ecological and conservation studies, offering insights into urbanization and habitat fragmentation. 

With their bright yellow eyes and unique behavior, burrowing owls are visually striking and endearing, enhancing public interest in their conservation.  

These factors combined make western burrowing owls a special and valuable part of their ecosystem, and a species that could contribute (through listing status) to conserving their broader ecosystems. 

Historic and Current Threats

Western burrowing owl. Photo by Frank Schulenburg | CC BY-SA

Many past threats have endured for this species.  

Petition author and senior conservation advocate Jeff Miller of the Center for Biological Diversity explains: “These fascinating ground-dwelling owls need relief from their homes being bulldozed for irresponsible development.”  

“I’ve witnessed the disappearance of burrowing owls from much of California over the past two decades, and it pains me to watch their extinction trajectory. They need immediate protections if we want to keep these owls around to grace our grasslands and open spaces.” 

This belief is well-aligned with the mission of Save Mount Diablo.  

In the eastern Contra Costa County City of Antioch, community members advocated to protect the birds back in the mid-2000s. Without the protections conservation groups are now advocating for, the birds were still handed an eviction notice.

Antioch’s Burrowing Owl Habitat Preserve. Photo courtesy City of Antioch

Today, the City of Antioch maintains a site to protect a small population of western burrowing owls.  

The 24-acre Burrowing Owl Habitat Preserve is fully protected from the withdrawal and reallocation for other city uses with management funded through an endowment established by the City of Antioch. 

With more protection, these birds and their grassland habitats may be able to receive more mitigation lands and preserves.

Del Puerto Canyon grasslands. Photo by Al Johnson

Burrowing owls do face other threats, including  

• Agricultural practices such as disking and tilling can crush owls in their burrows  

• Predation by both native and introduced predators, including feral cats and dogs 

• Collisions with vehicles given the owls’ low, ground-level flight 

• Wind turbines (if the wind turbines are carefully sited or relocated, the mortality caused by wind turbines could be greatly reduced) 

• Shooting, vandalism, and collisions with aircraft

Additionally, rodent control measures that poison or eliminate ground squirrels indirectly affect owls by destroying their burrows. Climate change, leading to extended droughts and extreme weather events, further exacerbates these challenges. 

Save Mount Diablo’s Work 

Save Mount Diablo is highly supportive of additional protections for western burrowing owls.  

We continue to monitor developments and advocate for responsible land use and habitat protection. 

Grassland along North Gate Road. Photo by Scott Hein

Continued and new support of the organization will maintain and expand our ability to keep these ecosystems protected from multiple threats. 

Our expanded work area now covers the whole of the Diablo Range, which contains native grasslands that are home to all sorts of amazing flora and fauna.  

Our advocacy and land use work is a top priority for Save Mount Diablo. 

By supporting enhanced protections for the western burrowing owl, conservationists can ensure that these charming birds continue to grace our grasslands and contribute to the health of our ecosystems. Together, we can make a difference. 

Hills of Antioch near Sand Creek. Photo by Alexander Broom

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