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Links -> Project Reports -> Camino Del Sur Project
To All Concerned Regarding Darkwood Canyon and the Camino
Del Sur Project;
San Diego Tracking Team Trackers, Barry Martin and John
Richards conducted an examination of this area in two phases.
Phase one was an analysis of Darkwood Canyon in the area of and
around the proposed road extension and tunnel site. We conducted a one time
transect which covered the area from the main Darkwood Canyon trail east of the
road/tunnel site, to the site, then west, south and finally north following
established trails toward the vernal pool area.
Phase two was an analysis of the area where Darkwood Canyon
intersects Park Village Road. Park Village Road runs east and west and Darkwood
Canyon is oriented north and south. Gypsum track traps were set up on
established trails on either side of Park Village Road. These trails intersect
the sidewalk of Park Village Road from the south (Penasquitos Canyon) and from
the north (Darkwood Canyon). The
purpose of this analysis was to establish whether or not animals move across
Park Village Road between Penasquitos Canyon and Darkwood Canyon. We also
interviewed the resident who lives adjacent to this location.
Also included is data from our transect in Penasquitos
Canyon which shows wildlife activity south of Park Village Road immediately
adjacent to the area in question. This in combination with data from our
quarterly transect that runs through Darkwood Canyon (submitted to Helix
previously) will provide a good overview of the wildlife movement occurring in
the entire area.
Methodology and Results
Phase One
On September 30, 2005 at 9:45 am we began our examination of
the area starting in Darkwood Canyon on the main trail southeast of the
proposed road/tunnel site searching for tracks and sign. This was a one time
transect done at a relatively quick pace.
Dry warm conditions, temperature in the low to mid 80’s and calm wind
were the conditions at the start time. Thunderstorms occurred in the area 10
days prior to this transect date.
We divided the
area into sections; #1 From the main trail to the approximate tunnel site, #2
The tunnel area in the small finger canyon just north of where the present road
ends, #3 West of the tunnel area,
#4 Trails to vernal pools heading generally northwest of tunnel site.
We took a GPS reading with each observation of key species
noting presence or absence of skunks, cottontails, squirrels and small rodents
with each. Key species on our list include coyote, mule deer, bobcat, gray fox,
raccoon, opossum, wood rat, badger, black-tailed jackrabbit, cougar, spotted
skunk, long-tailed weasel, ringtail and roadrunner.
Type of evidence is noted i.e. tracks, scat, browse, etc
Age of the evidence, tracking conditions (excellent, good or
poor), topography and habitat are noted with each observation.
Copies of the raw data sheets are available by request
to project principals. The following is a summary of our findings by section.
Section 1;
A mostly flat section, gently sloping down
to the creek and riparian area to the west from the Darkwood Canyon main trail.
Tracking conditions were classified as “good” in this
section. Scrub oak and chamise chaparral are dominant.
Cottontails and small rodent sign were apparent on all
observations in this section.
Key Species Observations;
Coyote Scat; 4 fresh, 5 historic
Coyote Tracks; 1 fresh
Mule Deer Tracks; 3 fresh, 1 historic
Mule Deer Scat; 2 fresh
Mule Deer Browse; 1 fresh
Bobcat Scat; 1 fresh
Wood rat Houses; 10 documented
Wood rat Scat; 5 middens
Section 2;
Flat to moderate slopes in and around
the proposed tunnel location, scrub oak chaparral dominant and a wash running
through the finger canyon. Water just east in the Darkwood Canyon
creek/riparian zone.
Tracking conditions were “good”
through here.
We had sign of skunks, cottontails
and small rodents concurrent with each key species observation.
Key Species Observations;
Mule Deer Tracks; 4 fresh, 5 historic
Mule Deer Scat; 4 fresh, 4 historic
Wood Rat Scat; 4 fresh middens
Wood Rat Houses; 9
Gray Fox Tracks; 1 fresh
Section 3;
West of tunnel site in dry wash moderate to steep sloping
terrain, scrub oak chaparral dominant.
Tracking conditions were classified “good” in this section.
Skunks, cottontails, squirrels and small rodents are
abundant in this section.
Key Species Observations;
Mule Deer Tracks; 7 fresh, more than 10 historic (our
protocol has a limit of 10 per section)
Mule Deer Browse; More than 10 areas of fresh browse
Wood Rat Houses; 7
Wood Rat Scat; 5 fresh middens
Coyote Tracks; 4 fresh
Section 4;
Trail system heading northwesterly toward vernal pool area
from the tunnel site.
Tracking conditions classified “good” in this section.
Steep terrain, scrub oak, chamise and mixed chaparral
typical.
Skunk, cottontail and small rodent sign plentiful here.
Key Species Observations;
Coyote Tracks; 3 fresh
Coyote Scat; 1 fresh
Mule Deer Tracks; more than 10 fresh, more than 10 historic
Mule Deer Scat; 3 fresh
Mule Deer Lay; 2 fresh
Wood Rat House; 3
Wood Rat Scat; 4 fresh middens
Wood Rat Tracks; 1 fresh
Phase Two
On 9/30/05 after completing the transect described above we
set up the gypsum track traps on both sides of Park Village Road where Darkwood
Canyon is cut by Park Village Road. There are several well-used trails on both
sides of the road oriented north and south indicating the possibility of
wildlife crossing the road heading north or south as they move between
Penasquitos Canyon to the south and Darkwood Canyon to the north. Seven stations were established and
checked everyday for six days. Each evening the gypsum was cleared of the
previous day’s tracks and the next morning the stations were checked. One of the neighbors was interviewed
and we also documented deer tracks indicating that it had crossed Park Village
Road from the south on the morning of 9/20/05. It had rained the previous
evening and tracking team member John Richards spotted the tracks in the soft
wet dirt the morning of the 20th noting this in his tracking
journal. These tracks are still visible as of this writing since they made deep
impressions in the wet substrate.
During the course of the six-day period we found coyote,
raccoon, mule deer, gray fox, along with presence of cottontails, ground
squirrels and small rodents.
There is a group of at least 4 deer regularly approaching
the road from the south and going into the park across the street from the
school to browse on the lawn. We also found evidence of deer crossing the road
as well as walking along the sidewalk. Coyotes and raccoons are the most
frequent species to travel through these stations with fox making regular
appearances. We found clear evidence of raccoons crossing the road from the
south since the gypsum was tracked into the street and a similar situation with
the coyote and fox, on occasion tracking gypsum from the stations onto the sidewalk
and into the road, both north and south sides.
In interviews with the resident at the corner of Darkwood
and Park Village, we were told of a deer that had been killed trying to cross
Park Village on 9/21/05. She also has witnessed coyotes crossing quite
frequently from Camino Del Sur to the west and beyond Darkwood Road to the east
as she walks her dogs early each morning, relating how she recently watched a
coyote walk across the road from the park south of the road headed north into
the school parking lot with a rabbit in it’s mouth.
General Comments and Summary
Upon entry to Darkwood Canyon we found and trailed three
sets of deer tracks from the Park Village Road entrance to Darkwood Canyon
heading north on the main trail to where they veered off the trail heading
toward the riparian area adjacent to the proposed tunnel site. As we progressed through the transect
we found that this area supports a very active deer population as well as a
variety of key species.
We found a healthy, diverse habitat with a good ratio of
predators to prey apparent from the tracks and sign we observed however the
wood rat population was higher than we typically see. There is an obvious and
surprisingly significant (by count) movement pattern of mule deer and coyotes
between the Darkwood Canyon Riparian area and the vernal pool complex as well
as between Penasquitos Canyon to the south and Darkwood Canyon to the north
across Park Village Road.
There is a resident bobcat as well as a fox working the
area.
In addition to the tracks and sign documented we were aware
of a very active and diverse bird population including red-shouldered hawk,
coopers hawk, red –tailed hawk, scrub jays, wren-tit, house wren,
goldfinch, thrasher, spotted towhee, California towhee and quail to name a
few.
In combination with the key species a vigorous population of
rodents and rabbits exists making for a dynamic ecosystem complete with the
full range of predator prey interactions you would expect. All in all this area
was found to be quite healthy and vibrant with excellent diversity.
Barry Martin, President of the San Diego Tracking Team,
submits this report. Please address all inquires regarding this report to barrymartin@san.rr.com or by calling
619-892-7620 or Karen Larson-Gordon, SDTT Executive Director at the SDTT
number, 760-715-4102. |
