Pete Thomas Outdoors

With woodpeckers around, it's never a dull day in the forest

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park is overrun with acorn woodpeckers, and they're a beautiful sight ... colorful, sociable, raucous and simply entertaining as they zip from tree to tree, jamming holes with, or searching for stored acorns.

But capturing up-close woodpecker images can be tricky, especially for amateur photographers (like me) with limited lens-strength and patience.

(Typically, if I get close enough to photograph a woodpecker hammering away on the trunk of a tree, it will simply skitter to the opposite side of the trunk in what invariably becomes a frustrating game of cat-and-mouse.)

But on Friday, with little human traffic in the oak and pine forests of this spectacular East San Diego County wilderness park, at least one woodpecker didn't seem to mind the intrusion.

In fact, the bird shown in the accompanying images practically flew into my face before settling onto the tree trunk to single out one of hundreds of holes in its bark.

The woodpecker's purpose seemed so singular, at least for half a minute, that my presence was tolerated. 

But I did make note, while shooting through a 300-millimeter lens, that other woodpeckers were squawking in what seemed a protest. Or maybe they were just going about their noisy business. I'll never know.

However, when I got home, I consulted Cornell University's "All About Birds" website and enjoyed its description of the species:

"Reminiscent of a troupe of wide-eyed clowns, Acorn Woodpeckers live in large groups in western oak woodlands. Their social lives are endlessly fascinating: they store thousands of acorns each year by jamming them into specially made holes in trees. A group member is always on alert to guard the hoard from thieves, while others race through the trees giving parrot-like waka-waka calls."

So it seemed that despite the uncharacteristic absence of people on the trails, it was a typically busy day as far as the local wildlife was concerned, and that's what made the day so special.

--Pete Thomas

Texas bison herd will have an expanded home to roam

Descendants of the once vast Southern Plains bison herd now have an expanded home where they'll roam at Caprock Canyons State Park in Texas.

The 80 bison -- whose ancestors were part of a herd that prior to the 1870s numbered between 30-60 million head -- have a range covering more than  700 acres of restored native grass prairie, which will also allow park visitors to have a more up-close encounter with the mammals. Until now, the official state bison herd was confined to a 300-acre area of the park and could only be viewed from a considerable distance.

"This is first and foremost a restoration project, not an exhibit" said park superintendent Donald Beard. "We’re not just showing the bison, but are restoring an indigenous animal to its native habitat. For park visitors, it will be just like experiencing deer, roadrunners or any other wildlife in the wild. But it’s important to remember that the bison have the right-of-way and need to be given a large buffer zone." (Beard is in the below video, sharing interesting tidbits about bison -- about this herd and bison in general.)

An official ribbon cutting marking the completion of Phase I -- the release of the bison into their expanded range -- will take place Saturday at 9 a.m. to kick off the Caprock Partners Foundation’s Texas State Bison Herd Restoration Celebration. Weekend entry fees to the park will be waived and there will be exhibits, interactive displays and food and drink booths, including a booth offering a bison burger meal with proceeds going toward the restoration project.

Future phases of the project, depending on adequate funding, have the ultimate goal of restoring the herd to the park’s entire 15,000-acres.

 Photo: Remnants of the great Southern Plains bison herd enjoy their new 700-acre expanded range of restored native prairie at Texas' Caprock Canyons State Park. Credit: Earl Nottingham / Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Torrey Pines State Reserve offers a surreal hiking experience

From atop a cliff just above the shore, a pelican rides the updraft and is so close I can almost reach out and touch the great bird.

Much higher within Torrey Pines State Reserve, a gopher snake appears briefly on the path, a sign that spring is at hand.

In the distance, ravens patrol surreal-looking canyons and wind-shaped pines, and this would be a serene hiking experience were it not for the deafening roar of fighter jets, racing purposefully to the west.

This is the essence of the Torrey Pines hiking experience, enjoyable and unique. It is not a wildlife-seeking odyssey; in fact, aside from seabirds, ravens and towhees, you see very few wild critters. This is partly because the reserve is so popular among hikers and joggers. But the surreal landscape, shaped by wind and time, and the park's native flora and namesake trees, are what make this San Diego County destination so special.

Never have I seen a state park so well-kept. Trails meander through chamise and toyon trees and sage and wildflowers. Sandstone canyons are deeply rutted and wonderfully shaped. The rare pines are elegant yet appear almost tortured in their stance, as if determined to survive despite a prevailing harsh and salty wind, and parasitical bark beetles that have claimed a sad share of evergreen victims.

The trail system at the south end of the reserve is a series of loops, the longest being the Beach Trail to the Broken Hill and North- or South-fork trails. This is a downhill-uphill hike of about three miles and is simple, but moderate enough for a robust cardiovascular workout. The Guy Flemming Trail is a quick jaunt but affords spectacular ocean vistas, and the Parry Grove Trail is similar but involves a much steeper incline.

There are side trails too, leading to more vistas and moonscapes. A person could spend all day here and not grow bored.

In fact, I hiked all three trail loops Thursday, and might go back for more today.

-- Pete Thomas

Photos by Pete Thomas