2017-09-30 Angel Kerley Trail and Burma Rd to Moses Rock and back

Setting and Route:
2017-09-30
07:30 to 12:30
Mount Diablo - Start Northgate Rd and Angel Kerley Trail, then Burma Rd to Moses Rock.
Temp 57 to 68 degrees. Slight wind. Estimated 0-5 mph, depending on location and time.
Angel Kerley and the first mile and a half of Burma Rd is Oak Woodland, then turns uphill into Chapparal. Heavy Chamise and some areas with Manzanita.

Observations:
https://youtu.be/8OMlLVSuNYg
The hike started with a welcome from a Tarantula (Aphonopelma Iodius) just after the trailhead. I call him the greeter. He sat for a good 20 seconds while I got my GoPro started, then backed toward and into his burrow. Sighted 4 Columbian Black-tailed deer before hitting the Chapparal. From the rock that overlooks San Ramon Valley, saw a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on a large boulder. Got nice video of it as it rustled, then took off. Just past the rock, saw three young (not pups, not adult) Coyotes running along the ridge.
The Chapparal area is home to a family of White-tailed Kites. Saw 4 at one point. One was on the bare peak of a tree, repeatedly lifting and lowering her tail. No takers that I saw. :)

Usually pass Moses Rock without inspecting futher, but decided to go off-trail and look around. Moses Spring actually comes partially from the rock and cascades (drips this time of year) down. Lots of plants that I'm not familiar with and aren't typical of the local area. Will have to make a special iNaturalist trip to familiarize myself with them. Also, as I approached, a Red-tailed Hawk was perched on the water cistern. Wonder if they eat goldfish... It would be too easy.
On the way back past my lookout rock, saw 2 Northern Harriers. One had prey in its talons. Got some video, but just after I stopped, an American Kestrel attacked. Over too quick to capture it, so on my way. At the junction of Burma and Angel Kerley, came across a Gopher Snake basking mid-trail. Was not budging or bothering with me. Not far from there, on Angel Kerley, came across another that I mistook for a Rattlesnake because it's head was a triangular. I knew that they would rattle their tail to mimic rattlesnakes, but did not know that they could somehow change the shape of their head to look like a pit viper. It looks like it sort of pulls its head back slightly. This one was not in a friendly mood. Got a nice video of it striking my GoPro.

Thoughts:
Fall is upon us. I arrived at my usual time (as soon as the gates open), but the animals are more active than they were during the summer. Possibly a seasonal change in behavior, or may be due to the shortening day. I'm not arriving as late after sunrise. The weather is changing as well. Dew on the grass and on my hiking stick.

The behavior of the Tarantula and the 2 Gopher Snakes made me think about camouflage. Both seemed to use being motionless as the first way to not be seen, and only moved when I didn't go away. Also makes me wonder how many things I just pass by on a typical hike.

In the early morning, raptors were either not visible or perched. Perhaps the air was too still for hovering and/or the ground was too cold for thermals. Later in the morning, Red-tailed hawks were kettling, but still no hovering kites. Most likely, the ground had warmed enough for thermal, but the air was too still for hovering.
Moses Rock and Moses Spring have me interested in how they seem to be an oasis for plant life. Will make a special trip soon.

Publicado el octubre 2, 2017 03:11 MAÑANA por kendalloei