Friday, March 14, 2008
Saturday, March 01, 2008
I KNOW...I KNOW...TOO MUCH ABOUT MOUNTAIN LIONS
...but the plot thickens
The discovery of an old mountain lion kill has been made just 6 feet from the nature trail I built about a year ago. The bones pictured above are of a deer. In the close up below you can clearly see gouge marks (presumably from the big cat's fangs) in the vertebrae below the deers head. I removed the lower jaw of the deer for the purposes of a future exhibit, but half of the corresponding upper jaw and snout was missing. I understand that sometimes Mountain lions will suffocate their prey by crushing that part of the deer by biting down on it to prevent them from breathing.
The area around the bones had been scuffed up with pine needles and other brush scraped in the direction of the carcass. Mountain lions typically cover their kills in this fashion and revisit it over time. Much of the deer was missing, but we have been finding parts of it for some time down by the stream and behind Lisa's house. That would indicate that coyotes, ravens, raccoons and such have been visiting the kill as well.
The scary thing is that the deer carcass is literally 6 feet off of our nature trail. When I built the nature trail I largely followed established game trails, so on most days the trail is littered with animal tracks. The aforementioned biologist, Kevin Brennan, told me that where you have deer and raccoons in the San Jacinto Mountains you also have mountain lions. Not far from the nature trail is the Atipahato Lodge. The Atipahato has a problem with their leach field, which has resulted in profuse green grass spring up not far from where the kill was found. The deer have worn well-traveled trails between the bubbling leach field and nearby streams. These trails criss-cross the nature trail. I theorize that this is why we have the mountain lion hanging out in our neck of the woods. Kevin Brennan told me that people who have trouble with mountain lions coming too close to their homes are often guilty of feeding deer and raccoons. I think that, in effect, the Atipahato is feeding deer by not treating their septic problem.
(The section of trail where we found the kill)
I found more mountain lion tracks yesterday by dead man's cave. Not surprisingly they were found right where a multitude of deer tracks were going down to drink at a small stream that flows in front of the cave.
I called Atiphato and aired my grievances to their manager, and she advised me that she will be sharing my concerns with the owner, but I'm not holding my breath that they will do much about it. I guess I could contact the health department and use that as leverage to get the problem cleared up. Maybe I'm just a little too excited about the whole thing. I could be overreacting.
I like the idea of mountain lions being in the mountains, I just don't wnat them here in my camp. I have been worried about mountain lions for a while, and the topic tends to get me a little excited.
The discovery of an old mountain lion kill has been made just 6 feet from the nature trail I built about a year ago. The bones pictured above are of a deer. In the close up below you can clearly see gouge marks (presumably from the big cat's fangs) in the vertebrae below the deers head. I removed the lower jaw of the deer for the purposes of a future exhibit, but half of the corresponding upper jaw and snout was missing. I understand that sometimes Mountain lions will suffocate their prey by crushing that part of the deer by biting down on it to prevent them from breathing.
The area around the bones had been scuffed up with pine needles and other brush scraped in the direction of the carcass. Mountain lions typically cover their kills in this fashion and revisit it over time. Much of the deer was missing, but we have been finding parts of it for some time down by the stream and behind Lisa's house. That would indicate that coyotes, ravens, raccoons and such have been visiting the kill as well.
The scary thing is that the deer carcass is literally 6 feet off of our nature trail. When I built the nature trail I largely followed established game trails, so on most days the trail is littered with animal tracks. The aforementioned biologist, Kevin Brennan, told me that where you have deer and raccoons in the San Jacinto Mountains you also have mountain lions. Not far from the nature trail is the Atipahato Lodge. The Atipahato has a problem with their leach field, which has resulted in profuse green grass spring up not far from where the kill was found. The deer have worn well-traveled trails between the bubbling leach field and nearby streams. These trails criss-cross the nature trail. I theorize that this is why we have the mountain lion hanging out in our neck of the woods. Kevin Brennan told me that people who have trouble with mountain lions coming too close to their homes are often guilty of feeding deer and raccoons. I think that, in effect, the Atipahato is feeding deer by not treating their septic problem.
(The section of trail where we found the kill)
I found more mountain lion tracks yesterday by dead man's cave. Not surprisingly they were found right where a multitude of deer tracks were going down to drink at a small stream that flows in front of the cave.
I called Atiphato and aired my grievances to their manager, and she advised me that she will be sharing my concerns with the owner, but I'm not holding my breath that they will do much about it. I guess I could contact the health department and use that as leverage to get the problem cleared up. Maybe I'm just a little too excited about the whole thing. I could be overreacting.
I like the idea of mountain lions being in the mountains, I just don't wnat them here in my camp. I have been worried about mountain lions for a while, and the topic tends to get me a little excited.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
MOUNTAIN LION TRACKS CONFIRMED AT CAMP MARANATHA
On my way home yesterday I was walking behind Douglas Fir Lodge (building #5) and I saw some strange tracks in the mud. I have been paying attention to tracks lately, because I want to collect plaster casts of various tracks for an exhibit somewhere here at the camp. I knew instantly that they were too large for coyote tracks and they didn't have the claw marks and oval shape that are characteristic of all canine tracks. They look like the Bobcat tracks I had seen in my book, and then it dawned on me- these are mountain lion tracks! It had never occurred to me that I might find Cougar tracks in the camp. I had been on the lookout for a good raccoon specimen or maybe even a coyote or bobcat, but I thought it was outside the realm of possibility that a mountain lion would come right down into the middle of camp.
Still convinced that I had mistakenly identified a dog track as that of a mountain lion I called the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and they sent over Kevin Brennan, who is a biologist who has studied mountain lions extensively in the San Jacinto Mountains. He instantly confirmed that they were mountain lion tracks, and his trained eye also found evidence of a mountain lion that was not fully grown traveling with the big tracks I found. It had been a mother with her kit!
It was an exciting discovery! Bowden took one of the plaster casts into preschool for show and tell today, and I will have plenty of casts for our display some day.
Still convinced that I had mistakenly identified a dog track as that of a mountain lion I called the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and they sent over Kevin Brennan, who is a biologist who has studied mountain lions extensively in the San Jacinto Mountains. He instantly confirmed that they were mountain lion tracks, and his trained eye also found evidence of a mountain lion that was not fully grown traveling with the big tracks I found. It had been a mother with her kit!
It was an exciting discovery! Bowden took one of the plaster casts into preschool for show and tell today, and I will have plenty of casts for our display some day.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
THE EAGLE HAS LANDED
Mom's flight got in at the scheduled time, and we picked her up without incident. We took her out for lunch in Santa Monica before making our way out of L.A. through the traffic. Mom was excited about the palm trees and the temperature in the upper 70's (it crept above 80 at times- warm enough to turn on the van's air conditioner for the first time this year.) It is sooooooo good to have her here. We got home at around 8:30 pm (11:30 EST), and my poor exhausted Mom went straight to bed. The kids are really excited to have her stay with us, and so are sarah and I. Let the party begin!!!
I've got to do something about that belly.
I've got to do something about that belly.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
PARTY AT MY HOUSE!!!
During the last weekend in March, Chad and Tricia Irving are coming to Idyllwild!
What?!?!
To Idyllwild!!!
...and so is my brother, John!
What?!?!
I said John Tate sucka!!!
I think we are all going to stay in the Big Pine Lodge.
What?!?!
The Big Pine Lodge!!!
What?!?!
To Idyllwild!!!
...and so is my brother, John!
What?!?!
I said John Tate sucka!!!
I think we are all going to stay in the Big Pine Lodge.
What?!?!
The Big Pine Lodge!!!
Friday, February 22, 2008
FUN AT THE SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK
Yesterday, we went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park with two other couples from church. They have kids who are about the same age as ours so we thought it would be fun...and it was. The only scary thing was when that funny looking lion climbed up onto the hood of our landrover in the last picture.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
AN INTROVERT'S RESPONSE TO STRESS
When this old world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right in to space
On the roof it's peaceful as can be
And there the world below can't bother me
Let me tell you now
When I come home feelin' tired and beat
I go up where the air is fresh and sweet
I get away from the hustling crowds
And all that rat race noise down in the street
On the roof's the only place I know
Where you just have to wish to make it so
Oh, let's go
up on the roof
At night the stars put on a show for free
And darling, you can share it all with me
I keep a-telling you
Right smack dab in the middle of town
I found a paradise that's trouble proof
So if this world starts getting you down
there's room enough for two up on the roof
Up on the roof
Everyhting's all right
Up on the roof
Oh, come on baby
Up on the roof
Up on the roof
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right in to space
On the roof it's peaceful as can be
And there the world below can't bother me
Let me tell you now
When I come home feelin' tired and beat
I go up where the air is fresh and sweet
I get away from the hustling crowds
And all that rat race noise down in the street
On the roof's the only place I know
Where you just have to wish to make it so
Oh, let's go
up on the roof
At night the stars put on a show for free
And darling, you can share it all with me
I keep a-telling you
Right smack dab in the middle of town
I found a paradise that's trouble proof
So if this world starts getting you down
there's room enough for two up on the roof
Up on the roof
Everyhting's all right
Up on the roof
Oh, come on baby
Up on the roof
Up on the roof
AN EXTROVERT'S RESPONSE TO STRESS
When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go downtown
When you got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know, downtown
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go downtown
Things'll be great when you're downtown
No finer place for sure, downtown
Everything's waiting for you
Don't hang around and let your problems surround you
There are movie shows, downtown
Or maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close, downtown
Just listen to the rhythm of the music that they're playin'
Making conversation while you're on the dance floor swayin'
Happy again
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go downtown
Where all the lights are bright, downtown
Waiting for you tonight, downtown
You're gonna be alright now
And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to guide them along
So maybe I'll see you there
You can forget all your troubles
Just forget all your cares
And go downtown
Things'll be great when you're downtown
Don't wait a minute more, downtown
Everything's waiting for you
Downtown, where all the lights are bright
Downtown, waiting for you tonight
Downtown, you're going to be alright now
Get on, get on, get on downtown
Fade:
Downtown, where all the lights are bright
Downtown, waiting for you tonight
Downtown, you're going to be alright now
Get on, get on, get on downtown
You can always go downtown
When you got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know, downtown
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go downtown
Things'll be great when you're downtown
No finer place for sure, downtown
Everything's waiting for you
Don't hang around and let your problems surround you
There are movie shows, downtown
Or maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close, downtown
Just listen to the rhythm of the music that they're playin'
Making conversation while you're on the dance floor swayin'
Happy again
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go downtown
Where all the lights are bright, downtown
Waiting for you tonight, downtown
You're gonna be alright now
And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to guide them along
So maybe I'll see you there
You can forget all your troubles
Just forget all your cares
And go downtown
Things'll be great when you're downtown
Don't wait a minute more, downtown
Everything's waiting for you
Downtown, where all the lights are bright
Downtown, waiting for you tonight
Downtown, you're going to be alright now
Get on, get on, get on downtown
Fade:
Downtown, where all the lights are bright
Downtown, waiting for you tonight
Downtown, you're going to be alright now
Get on, get on, get on downtown
IT'S SNOWING HARD RIGHT NOW IN IDYLLWILD
I hope it thaws out by the time you touch down at LAX Mom. That is right around the corner. We are so excited!!!
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