Kalkar Open Space

Red-eared sliders do not belong in Kalkar Pond. They are a popular pet, and unfortunately, people who decide they can't care for them anymore (but don't know better) often release them in natural ponds. There they compete aggressively and often wipe out native turtles (Western Pond Turtles would be our native turtle).

These 2 hang out on the float (which more often is the hauling out spot for ducks, herons, and occasionally grebes). Turtle shells are bone, which can grow. But the plates on top (called scutes) don't grow. As a turtle grows, the scutes peel off - which is normal. This is probably the case for the turtle on the right. Its shell looks different mostly because it was sitting out drying for a while, whereas the turtle on the left just crawled out of the water when I took this shot.

This second image, also at Kalkar Pond, makes it clear why they are called "Red-eared".

Photo of 2 turtles by Ron Goodman. Photo of 1 turtle by Grant Pogson.

This Green Heron (Butorides virescens) chick recently hatched at Kalkar Quarry. Its plumage will shift as an adult, and it will get somewhat larger. This chick spent the first 2-3 weeks of life helpless in the nest, flying away by about the 3rd week of life. Thus, this bird might be 1-2 months old.

Photo by Grant Pogson

Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) are almost cartoonish in appearance. We haven't had many in the Kalkar Pond, and this guy stayed for only a few days this July. They are known to get harassed by Pied-billed Grebes which are year-round residents of Kalkar Pond. The grebes sometimes attack Ruddy Ducks from below the water, grabbing at their legs - a behavior called "submarining".

Photo by Grant Pogson

Snakes frequent the trails in Kalkar. These two were found this week.

Left: Pacific Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) Right: Northwestern? Garter Snake (Thamnophis sp.)

Main photos by Song Nelson, reference closeup unattributed.

The Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) have had 3 broods this season. The first two started with 12 and 10 ducklings, with only 4 surviving the first month (which is typical). The brood in the image is the third, and currently has 8 ducklings.

It's fun to get to know their very distinct personalities. Mallards are not all alike! That said, it seems that, like me, mom tries not to get too attached until it's clear who will make it.

Photos by Ron Goodman & Grant Pogson

This double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) is resting in the sunshine on one of the wildlife floats we've added to the pond.

Although this float has a turtle ramp (visible on the right), and is most popular with ducks, cormorants make occasional appearances. Without oily waterproof wings like ducks have, cormorants use this spread-wing-in-the-sun posture after a dive to warm up and dry off. Why haven't cormorants evolved to have oily wings? Cormorants are impressive underwater divers, and soaked wings allow them to be more negatively buoyant which helps them catch the deeper fish they dive after.

Photo by Song Nelson

I particularly love hearing great-tailed grackles while I work in the pond. This year we have 2 pairs. While we've have many baby birds (e.g., grebes, ducks, red-winged blackbirds, phoebes), so far, we haven't seen baby grackles. Thanks to Grant Pogson for the image.

Coyote parents find a safe den for pups in large territories. This year a family with 6 pups settled in at the quarry. They were very playful when awake, and slept safely in the limestone crevices. They have grown significantly and are substantially more mobile as June ends. Thanks to Grant Pogson for these images from when they were still quite small.

One of my favorite things about working on a pond is seeing how one thing leads to another.

Before I started creating open water at Kalkar Pond, there was literally no visible water. But, one way you could tell water was there was an abundance of crawdads (also called crayfish) crawling by the shoreline. Now, crawdads are a favorite food of many people, but there was no way people could catch enough crawdads to make a difference.

Unfortunately, Kalkar Pond crawdads are all non-native and invasive, and they are believed to prey on native amphibian eggs and tadpoles (although there is debate over how big an impact they have). So, people doing restoration often seek ways to manage crayfish population (since complete removal is very difficult).

Lucky for me, I was able to attract a large group of crawdad removers who work around the clock and for free! The best crewmembers are Hooded Mergansers, followed closely by Pied-Billed Grebes. After I cleared enough water to attract these birds, within one season they had decimated the crawdad population. Now, a few years later, spotting a crawdad is a noteworthy event.

The past 2 years have seen notably larger populations of Pacific Chorus Frogs. There may be other factors at play as well¹, but reduced crawdad population likely helped. And while we don't yet have California Red-Legged Frogs here, if they do arrive, their chances at successful breeding have improved.

¹ some other factors that have changed include: numerous new habitats designed to give amphibians good egg-laying sites, changes in water chemistry, temperature changes with sun exposure, fewer mosquito fish, more invertebrates, better water depth control

If you're still reading... well, more frogs means more frog predators. We've been seeing garter snakes, and plenty of egrets and herons who likely have taken their share. Raccoons and hawks can eat snakes - both of which are well represented here. I can only begin to imagine all the impacts to our complex and interconnected ecosystem.