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Hello,
Yesterday the wrong copy of the Valley Wilds was sent out. There were several errors and a missing link that have now been corrected. Sorry for any confusion that might have caused!
Happy reading!
All the best,
Dora O'Brien
Valley Wilds Editor
LARPD Naturalist
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North American River Otter | |
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Spring is just round the corner and our buddy, Sycamore Simon, can’t wait to share it all with our visitors. Spring is one of the most active times of the year for many of the wildlife in Sycamore Grove. There is new life to celebrate, food to be gathered and stored for the dry summer, and the last of the cool weather to enjoy before the HOT months set in. This is the season where life has an interesting habit of moving faster than expected, especially for ground squirrels, like our buddy Simon. In an effort to encourage everyone to take a breath, slow down and enjoy the world around them. Simon and the Rangers have put together a scavenger hunt for all ages to enjoy! This scavenger hunt can be used anytime you need it, in a backyard, during a park visit or any adventure you may be on.
Happy Spring!!!
- A green rock. ____
- A leaf as big as your face. ____
- Locate a bird’s nest. Is anyone home? ____
- Follow a flying insect for 15 seconds. ____
- Stop and listen with your eyes closed for one full minute. ____
- Find 5 different wildflowers. ____
- Spot a spider’s web, did they catch any food? ____
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Look down at the ground for animal tracks, who do you think made these prints? ____
- Find your initials in the branches of a tree.____
- Find a spot next to some water and watch it for one full minute. ____
- Locate evidence of decomposition (sight or smell). ____
- A face hidden in the bark of a tree. ____
- Identify one bird call. ____
- Find the seed of a tree. ____
- Spot every color of the rainbow (ROYGBV) in nature. ____
- Find a feather on the ground, can you guess which bird it came from? ____
- Locate evidence of an animal home. ____
- Identify a pollinator and thank them for their hard work. ____
- Crush a leaf and give it a smell test. ____
- Hug a tree for 30 seconds. ____
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Saturday, March 4th
8:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Join us, East Bay Regional Park District, and Livermore Area Recreation and Park District to discover what wildflowers are blooming in the Arroyo Valle habitat. Hike will be 5+ miles through Sycamore Grove Park and Del Valle with an option to stop back by your car in the middle. The route may be subject to change. Please follow the link for more information and to register!
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Sunday, March 5th
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Join us at the Native Garden in Sycamore Grove Park for a nature-themed story time. For more information, please call (925) 373-5500 or contact Librarian Caitlyn Lung at cmlung@livermoreca.gov.
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Saturday, March 11th
10:30 AM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Reservable Picnic Area
(5035 Arroyo Road)
Hungry? Love oversized pancakes? Bring your appetite to Sycamore Grove Park and join Ranger Seth at a fun filled large-sized pancake breakfast. You will get to choose your style of pancake: original, blueberry, banana or even chocolate chip! Ranger Seth will cook some of the biggest pancakes you’ve ever had. Then, we will discuss some of our more unique local wildlife and fun facts of Sycamore Grove Park. Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverages. Register online!
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Saturday, March 11th
10:30 AM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Reservable Picnic Area
(5035 Arroyo Road)
Come spend the evening with Ranger Gilbert in Sycamore Grove where we will gather around a fire, share some stories and of course feast on delicious s’mores. Don’t forget to bring your favorite blanket and warm clothes, it may get a little chilly once the sun goes down. All ages are welcomed. Register online!
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Saturday, March 18th
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Every 3rd Saturday of the month, join Ranger Seth for a volunteer work day in the park. From removing invasive plants to litter pick-ups to trail maintenance, volunteers will help maintain Sycamore Grove Park as a beautiful and healthy place for both visitors and wildlife. For more information and to register, please sign up here.
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Sunday, March 19th
8:00 AM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Come celebrate Ranger Danny’s Birthday with a hike along some of his favorite trails looking for wildlife and wildflowers! We will walk along the single track near the creek and come back through the Nature Area. This will be about a 3.5 mile hike so bring water snacks and binoculars! Register online!
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Sunday, March 26th
3:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Reservable Picnic Area
(5035 Arroyo Road)
Join Rangers Mae and Vickie to learn how the Spanish language relates to our solar system as we uncover astronomical codes and reveal mythological legends of the past. The program will be given in English, so prior knowledge of Spanish is not required—we will all learn new words together! We will provide note handouts for you to keep. This event will be under a cover with seating and will happen rain or shine. Register online!
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Saturday, March 25th
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Lake Del Valle
In observation of World Water Day, join EBRPD at Del Valle for a day celebrating water! Come to the Visitor Center for fun activities and games. By practicing water conservation and learning about all the different ways water benefits us and wildlife, we can value water properly and safeguard it for the future. Click the above image for more information.
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In 2018, I was admittedly skeptical when rumor spread of a North American river otter swimming through the shallow stretch of the Arroyo del Valle that meanders here through Sycamore Grove Park. People must have been seeing muskrats or the rarely seen Long-tailed weasel playing near the waters edge. Then more and more sightings started throughout the park, then there was photographic evidence to corroborate all the rumors and sighting. My skeptical nature was given no ground to stand on.
I decided it was time to learn a little more about these creatures that I was previously so certain could not be in the park.
Though donning the moniker of the "river otter" Interestingly enough, river otters only spend about 30% of their time in the water. The other 70% of their time they are on land. While on land, however, they seldom stray too far from a water source. They normally live in and raise their young in burrows near the water's edge. The dens have several openings and often have one of the openings in the water. The river otter can live in a variety of environments. They can handle extreme heat and cold, salt, fresh, or brackish water. The only two requirements are adequate food and water free of pollution. The presence of river otters is generally a good sign about the health of the waters they inhabit. River otters average 8-9 years of age in the wild and can double that in captivity. Otters are most active at night which might explain why they are so rarely seen by people.
The North American river otter can grow to between 2.5 and 5 feet in length and weigh between 11 and 30lbs. Like with many mammals, the males are normally larger. This makes river otters one of the larger members of the mustelid family. With small heads, thicker, longer necks, slim muscular bodies, short legs, webbed feet, and long tails, the river otter is truly streamlined for an aquatic lifestyle.
Their tail makes up roughly a third of their length. This large, flat, muscular tail is their primary means of locomotion in the water, helping them swim and play with each other almost effortlessly. Their short legs and webbed toes also aid them in the water. The back legs assist the tail in propulsion while the front legs mostly control direction. The otters head is also highly adapted to its life in the water. Its eyes and ears are high up on its head so that it can see and hear above the water while surface swimming. When diving, however, the otter can use specialized muscles to close their ears and nostrils to keep water out. They have been known to dive up to 60 feet deep and can remain underwater for up to 8 minutes.
Not only do they manage to close their ears and nostrils underwater, river otters also have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane. This membrane allows them to protect their eyes while still being able to see underwater, much like goggles swimmers wear.
Similar to felines, river otters have rigid facial whiskers. As it is with cats, these facial whiskers aid otters in locating and capturing prey.
The river otter's fur coat is made up of an dense under coat and longer guard hairs for its waterproof outer coat. This unique fur made the North American river otter a staple of the French fur trade in the 1700s and 1800s. Conservation efforts have begun to help river otters return to their once healthy numbers.
Like many mustelids, the river otter has seemingly boundless energy. This comes from the otters high metabolism. This high metabolism requires that the otter feed a great deal throughout the day. Though most of the river otter's diet consists of fish, there are several other creatures that are on the menu for this voracious mustelid. River otters have been documented eating frogs, birds, oysters, crabs, crayfish, aquatic invertebrates, shellfish, mollusks, insects, rodents, and even turtles.
Though most North American river otters live alone or in a pair, they do meet with other otters to play and socialize. Like with humans, most playing is done by juvenile otters. They have been seen sliding in the mud on riverbanks and in the winter sliding through the snow.
A mother otter can give birth to one to six pups in a litter. When the pups are two months old, the mother introduces them to the water. The pups are natural swimmers and need only limited supervision in the water. Mothers will stay with their pups until the pups are roughly a year old before the yearlings venture out on their own. Though most groups consist of a family unit made up of a mother and young, Males can form social groups together as well.
Years after the first sightings in Sycamore Grove Park, I was lucky enough to see otters for myself. A pair of otters ran in front of my ranger truck as I patrolled down Arroyo Road. I came to a stop and watched them weave through the fence at Wente. I pulled over and observed them playfully splash around in the pond. It was truly an amazing experience.
To learn more about river otters' amazing recovery in the Bay Area or report a sighting of your own check out the river otter ecology project. Click the links below to learn more!
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Saturday, April 1st
10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Reservable Picnic Area
(5035 Arroyo Road)
Come out to Sycamore Grove Park and join the Rangers for a Springtime egg-stravaganza! We will learn all about egg-cellent adaptive eggs! We will have five different start times for egg hunts, a look at some of our local bird nesting habits, and egg specimens, and some egg-citing eggs-periments! Candy and other prizes will be awarded for eggs gathered. Only Egg Hunt participants need to register and pay the fee – but all minors must be accompanied by an adult. Cancelled if raining.
Register online!
(Click the times above to register for that time slot.)
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Saturday, April 1st
2:00 PM
Amphitheater,
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Chupacabra and many others! Come join Ranger Seth and we will discuss where these myths meet the truth within these cryptid animals. You might actually be surprised to learn how some of these origins came to be. Then at the end Ranger Seth will tell you about his encounter with one of these BIG myths. What better way to celebrate April Fool's Day in Sycamore Grove Park? Register online!
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Sunday, April 2nd
9:00 AM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Come take a nice morning 3 mile walk up to Cattail Pond with Ranger Danny. We will learn about the turtles in the area and whatever other wildlife decides to join us for our morning jaunt! Bring water and snacks if needed. Register online!
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April, 3rd - 7th
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Reservable Picnic Area
(5035 Arroyo Road)
Calling all nature lovers! Join us at Spring Nature Camp during one of the most beautiful and fun times of year at Sycamore Grove Park. See birds building nests, hunt for ladybugs in the grass, and stop to smell the wildflowers all while learning about the natural world around us through age-appropriate programs and activities.
Register online by clicking the links below!
Oaks Group
Sycamores Group
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Saturday, April 8th
2:00 PM
Amphitheater,
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Let's make some art using the plant powerhouse, leaves! Join Range Lauren for a drop by opportunity to make your own Sycamore Grove inspired art to take home with you and learn a bit about the different leaf adaptations around the world. Register online!
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Saturday, April 8th
7:30PM
Sycamore Grove Park, Wetmore Road Entrance (1051 Wetmore Road)
Come out and enjoy Sycamore Grove Park after hours with Ranger Gilbert. We will be taking a nice stroll (approx. 1 mile) in hopes of catching a glimpse of some of the park's nocturnal inhabitants. Bring a comfortable pair of shoes and a warm jacket! Register online!
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Saturday, April 15th
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Arroyo Road Entrance
(5049 Arroyo Road)
Enjoy a water-themed storytime then walk down to the creek with an LARPD Ranger to learn about water and the wildlife found there. Please wear sturdy shoes that you don't mind getting wet. For more information, please call (925) 373-5500 or contact Librarian Caitlyn Lung at cmlung@livermoreca.gov.
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Saturday, April 15th
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Every 3rd Saturday of the month, join Ranger Seth for a volunteer work day in the park. From removing invasive plants to litter pick-ups to trail maintenance, volunteers will help maintain Sycamore Grove Park as a beautiful and healthy place for both visitors and wildlife. For more information and to register, please sign up here.
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Saturday, April 22nd
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
There is no Planet B… so best we take good care of this one! This Earth Day, come celebrate at Sycamore Grove Park while taking action to help protect our planet. We’ll have drop-in crafts and activities for kids and adults, guided hikes in the park, and volunteer projects to directly better our local ecosystems. Register online!
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Tuesday, April 25th
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Sycamore Grove Park,
Wetmore Road Entrance
(1051 Wetmore Road)
Meet the Rangers at the Springtown Library for some fun geology activities before going outside to admire some local geological features: Brushy Peak and Mount Diablo. For more information, please call (925) 373-5500 or contact Librarian Caitlyn Lung at cmlung@livermoreca.gov.
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Hello,
Spring feels like it has arrived to the Livermore Valley...besides the dusting of snow the hills recently received. Officially, Spring begins on March 20th this year! Wildflowers will be popping up everywhere! Keep an eye out for them as you hike.
Last month, Sycamore Grove was finally able to open up sections of the Upper Property to park visitors. This was made possible by our Open Space Volunteers, LARPD Maintenance Staff, Open Space Rangers, and upper management at LARPD. Thank you to everyone who has been coming out to help with rebuilding the trails and getting trails back open! It is much appreciated!
Open Space Staff have been enjoying seeing people back in the park and using the trails!
Thank you,
Dora O'Brien
LARPD Naturalist
Valley Wilds Newsletter Editor
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