On September 6, 2007, I personally saw 11 Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) on the Kismat tract in the Conservancy’s Central Basin Reserve Area. This is the first time these birds, some having wing spans of 80 inches, have been seen on Conservancy preserves. While the birds are not one of the HCP’s “covered species,” they are nonetheless striking in their beauty and sheer size, and at least in recent history, are unusual in the Natomas Basin. The group was wading in water control structure “K” on the preserve, and white faced ibis (an HCP covered species) were in the same area. Truly a breathtaking scene.
They’re back!
We are so pleased to see one of the NBHCP’s “Covered Species,” the Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), back on Conservancy property! Going back 15 years, the owl used to be seen frequently on Conservancy mitigation lands. At the time, we documented too-common depredation of them by dogs from nearby residential… Continue Reading They’re back!