Santa Ynez Valley Guest Currrent Issue Articles

Current Issue Articles

Story By Elisabeth Nesmith & Teona Schley
Photos by Phil Hall

The Santa Ynez Valley provides an ideal habitat for both grazing and browsing of a sizeable population of Coastal Mule Deer.	The wildlife that thrives throughout the Santa Ynez is a delight to observe during the golden summer months of the year. There are many species of birds and other wild animals that can be viewed right from your vehicle as you drive along or while you stop at a safe place along the road. This article will identify a few of the most common, and we ask only that for your own safety, and that of the wildlife, that you remain in your vehicle, or on designated public trails, or at clearly-marked observation points.
This article is also accompanied by photos of some, but not all, of the species mentioned, for the simple reason that it is much easier to spot them quickly in passing than it is to get them to pose for their portraits. We are grateful to Phil Hall of the San Lucas Ranch, a very talented photographer, who has allowed us to use some of his large collection of excellent wildlife photos--readers can see more of his work by visiting the San Lucas website at: www.sanlucasranch.com. By the end of the spring season, a whole new generation of animal inhabitants have begun their journey through life in the coastal chaparral and oak savanna that cover the outlying areas of the Santa Ynez Valley, beginning at the edges of the cities, towns, farms and ranches. As you drive along, keep your eyes alert for a quick glimpse of a deer, a fox, a coyote, a bobcat or maybe even a mountain lion or a black bear (which can also be brown in color). A wide assortment of birds can can also be seen from your vehicle, including a variety of hawks, buzzards wild turkeys and a number of songbirds, woodpeckers and, of course, California quail. Snowy Egrets also make appearances here during their annual migrations, as do Blue Herons, Mallard Ducks, Canadian Geese and a number of other bird species. The grasses and brush that cover the hillsides and meadows of the Santa Ynez Valley provide an ideal habitat for both the grazing and browsing of a sizable population of Coastal Mule Deer, which are distinguished by their large ears that move almost constantly, and independently of each other. At birth, a young deer weighs as little as eight to ten pounds, but has all the grace of a full-grown animal. These creatures move as if with springs on their small hooves, and it can be exhilarating just watching them soar over fences as high as six feet tall.
If you are close enough to see the eyes of a deer, you will find them astonishing in the softness they radiate while still being aware of your every motion. Take a moment to focus on the stance of a deer posed for flight. It's much like a wave on our California coast. Just before it breaks you’ll find it glassy, beautiful and for an undefined moment very still. Then the dreamlike instant is over and it changes motion, powerfully and rapidly accelerating into another cycle.	Look carefully to see the heads of two wild turkeys taking a bath in this watering trough while the rest of the flock await their turns.
Open your car's sunroof, or simply look up, and you may spot the majesty of a bald eagle circling steadily, unaware that he provides a glimpse of our country's symbol of freedom and independence. Many of these eagles are seasonal visitors to nearby Cachuma Lake, with a few pairs living there year-round. One excellent way to see them in action, along with many other birds and animals is to take the Cachuma Lake Nature Cruise, or get a day-pass for the lake and take a leisurely walk along some of the many lakeside trails. The Santa Ynez Valley is home to an unusually high number of species of birds. It is rare to find such a wide range of avian species thriving in one area. Visitors will almost always spot Red Tailed Hawks or Turkey Vultures (also known as buzzards) sitting atop telephone poles or circling overhead, riding the thermals provided by the summer heat rising from the ground. If you're very lucky, you might see a rare Golden Eagle also riding the thermals, dwarfing the other hawks, who sometimes chase after these larger birds that tend to raid their nests. Other birds that can sometimes be seen from the road are Acorn Woodpeckers, Yellow-Billed Magpies, Scrub Jays and American Kestrels. And, if you stop your car for a few moments along a country road, you might hear the distinctive song of the meadowlark and even spot this summer bird sitting on a fence post, dressed for courting in his yellow "vest" and brown "jacket."
This Common Grey fox seems to be telling its cub not to get too curious about the photographer.	Among the more exotic animals to be found in the Santa Ynez Valley are mountain lions, bobcats, and bear. You probably don't want to tangle with any of these. Mountain lions weigh up to 130 pounds, while bobcats usually weigh less than 30 pounds, but it's almost all muscle, claws and fangs. While mountain lions present a potential threat to local ranchers, in that they may prey on a calf, or even full grown cow, the majority of the bobcat’s diet consists of the area’s plentiful ground squirrels, field mice, gophers, ground-nesting birds and carrion left by larger predators.
Two close encounters with these cats on Highway 154 left me profoundly conscious of how close in proximity these exciting animals really do live. Fortunately, in both cases I saw the cats in time to avoid hitting them. I'm hoping that this article will help others drive carefully, within the speed limits, and also avoid injuring an animal or themselves in this area where wildlife is so abundant. One other moonlit night, I was driving along a country road when I saw what I thought was a very large dog, perhaps an Old English Sheep Dog, shuffling along, right where a car might hit him. So I pulled up along side of him and rolled my window down to shoo him off the road.	Both birds and beasts have adapted amazingly well to human technology - - -speaking of which, you can see more of Phil Hall's striking wildlife photos at www.sanlucasranch.com.
At birth a young deer weighs as little as eight to ten pounds, but has all the grace of a full grown animal.	A horrible smell hit me in the face! That was no dog smell! I quickly rolled up the window, and as the animal passed in front of my car, the moon came out from behind a cloud to illuminate a black bear lumbering across the road in front of me, content and drowsy. My knees shook for a while, but then I felt very fortunate to have seen this magnificent animal at such a close range. A coyote’s lonely howl can provide Hollywood-like sound affects on almost any summer evening in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Coyotes can also sometimes be spotted during the day, especially at dawn and dusk, trotting along through fields and sometimes following a scent or creeping up on a wary ground squirrel. You will usually see one coyote by itself, unless it is a female with half-grown pups she's teaching to hunt. Most of their hunting is done during the night, but since ground squirrels come out during the day, we have been increasingly seeing more coyotes out in the daylight as well. Another crafty fellow you might spot out hunting for ground squirrels or field mice is the Common Grey Fox. The fox is a close relative of the coyote, although much smaller (they average 8 to 15 pounds, where coyotes average 20 to 45 pounds, sometimes even a bit more). Like coyotes, foxes have grown used to humans and sometimes live quite close to developed areas, including camping or picnicking grounds, where they scavenge food scraps from garbage containers. One nearby community experienced a series of thefts of expensive shoes from back porches, until the culprit was caught on video--a nesting fox with a penchant for footgear.
When tracked to her den, 22 pairs of shoes were found (not all complete). The community named her Imelda and began to keep their shoes inside their own houses. Another interesting thing about the Common Grey Fox is that it climbs trees, especially ones with low, sloping or tangled lower branches. It is the only member of the canid family known to do this, and will often take refuge in a tree, or even climb into one to sun itself or to get a better view of the surrounding terrain, a smart hunting tactic.	Two wild pigs head towards a bath tub turned watering-trough--do they want a drink or a bath? Sometimes in the spring you may see the tiny, snorting piglets with their parents.
Tarantulas look scary, but are really shy and peaceful. Try to avoid them on the roads as they often cross in search of mates during August and September.	Another thrill is to see a herd of feral or wild pigs crossing a field or gathered around a livestock watering-trough. Look closely among the larger pigs to see the youngsters. Summer finds the tiny, snorting piglets of the spring developed into more purposeful, larger scavengers, but they're still not very big, and you might need binoculars to spot them. If they’ve managed to escape a coyote’s appetite as little piglets, they must remain aware of this predator if they wish to grow to the 300 pound size of their parents.

The Santa Ynez Valley is still part of the wild west, where the mountains and canyons protect the circle of life interrupted urban environments elsewhere. Behind the bountiful and aesthetically pleasing façade of vineyards abounding in the valley remains a vibrant and exquisite community of animal life. It may take some exploring, or you may have a lucky chance encounter with some of these creatures. But, while in the Santa Ynez Valley be sure to take the time to look around for the wild life--at the very least, you will enjoy the scenery. And who knows what else you'll catch a glimpse of?