Los Jilgueros Preserve

Check out our spiffy new signage on the kiosks at Los Jilgueros Preserve! Thanks to FLC Director Lydia Rossi for donating her time and talent to design the sign...s, and Veronica Zuniga for translating so we can reach more of the people who use our preserves. The announcements will be updated periodically so check back often! See more

Stagecoach Sunday provides funding that allows the Fallbrook Land Conservancy to manage all our preserves, including Los Jilgueros!

NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION TEAM NEWS! Animals Love a Mess You’ve probably seen piles of cut sticks on the side of trails in the preserves, and an abundance of fal...len trees and limbs left lying under the treescape. These brush piles are important habitat for our native animals, and if ‘cleaned up’, will deprive them of safety, breeding areas, building materials for nests and hunting grounds. Also, these piles help shade and nourish the soil, which helps prevent erosion and protects tree roots. Birds also use brush piles for nesting and for safety. Many creatures depend upon brush piles, which may look like a mess to humans. One animal that benefits from brush piles is our native wood rat (Neotoma lepida). These rats don’t cause the destruction that the Norway or other invasive rats do; they live off of live oak leaves and bark. They make piled nests (like the wood rat midden in this photo) that look like brush piles of their own. These native rats are important not only as part of the food chain, but also in the breaking down of tough oak leaves into a more nutrient-rich and easily broken down form that feeds the trees. There is evidence that native rats compete with the invasive species and help limit their populations. Without piles of fallen twigs and leaves these rats would have nowhere to safely build their nests, nor have materials with which to build. Most of the properties the Fallbrook Land Conservancy holds are called preserves, because the goal is to preserve the plants and the wildlife native to the area. Humans are allowed in to observe and enjoy. The preserves are not meant to look like landscapes, but are there to provide habitat for our rapidly dwindling wildlife. Next time you take a walk through one of the preserves, observe the creatures that are rustling through the underbrush and inside of the brush piles; they are enjoying the ‘mess’. Join the NPRT any Wednesday at 8:30 am at Los Jilgueros Preserve to learn more about our local flora and fauna! See more

Thanks to those who came out to the Spring Bird Walk this morning, especially FLC Preserve Manager Alexis Smoluk who taught us a lot about birds! Among the 25 s...pecies recorded, we heard the song of the endangered Least Bell’s Vireo. This plain olive-grey bird feeds and nests in the riparian areas of protected open spaces like Los Jilgueros Preserve. Cutest find of the day was this large family of Mallards. Bonus find was a snake skin someone shed going in or out of a hole near the recently eradicated tocolote patch. Thanks to Wings of Change for sponsoring the Spring Bird Walk! See more

Calling all bird nerds or anyone wanting to learn more about our local wildlife! Join Fallbrook Land Conservancy Preserve Manager, Alexis Smoluk, this Saturday at 7 am at Los Jilgueros Preserve for a casual walk to listen and find some of our local avian neighbors. Alexis has been a practicing Ornithologist for over 25 years and would love to show you some cool birds! All ages and skill levels are welcome. Please bring binoculars or a camera, water, and sun protection. Thank you to our Kestral partner, Wings of Change, for sponsoring the FLC's Spring Bird Walk!

PRESERVE HIGHLIGHT: Los Jilgueros Preserve Jilgueros translates to goldfinch in Spanish, a fitting name for one of FLC’s first acquisitions. Acquired in 1990,... Los Jilgueros Preserve is approximately 43 acres of coastal sage scrub, wetland and riparian habitat offering two (2) miles of easy, rolling trails. Previously farmland, FLC began restoring the Preserve back to native habitat with the help of volunteers. Some of the original agricultural trees can still be found, such as oranges and walnuts. Also remaining are the check dams built along Ostrich Farm Creek, a creek named for one of our town’s earliest industries, ostrich farming. Listed as a hotspot on The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird site, Los Jilgueros Preserve is a popular birding location with 150 species of birds identified on the Preserve, including least Bell’s Vireo, red-winged blackbird, California towhee, and, of course, lesser goldfinch. You can also find an array of plant species at the preserve, including several varieties of willows along the riparian corridor, yerba mansa covering the hydric soils of the wetland areas, and flowering plants such as monkey flower, matilija poppy, and Cleveland sage. Los Jilgueros has come a long way since FLC acquired it, but we still have more to do! In 2020, the Preserve logged over 68,000 hiking trips. That means we have trails to repair and maintain, trash to clean up, and other impacts from people to keep an eye out for, such as graffiti, dumping, and the occasional case of vandalism. The preserve also faces pressure from non-native plants, which can crowd out our native plants and provide little support for the animals that call Los Jilgueros home. If you are interested in helping keep Los Jilgueros Preserve wild, here are few ways you can help: -Join us for a regular volunteer day! -Volunteer on the third Saturday of each month. Our next one is Saturday, June 19th at 8:30 am. Volunteers will meet at the Palomares House (1815 S Stagecoach Lane), gather tools, and caravan to Los Jilgueros Preserve where we will be trimming vegetation back along the trails. -Join the Native Plan Restoration Team! The NPRT meets each Wednesday at 830am to tackle weeds, all while having a good time with even better company! -Email us at [email protected] to set up a volunteer day and project that supports your schedule and interests. -Make a donation to the FLC for the Trails Committee or Native Plant Restoration Team to support their work. -Consider naming the FLC in your estate planning to support the long term management of our preserves. Other ideas? Give us a call to chat at 760-728-0889 As always, please remember to stay on the designated trails, leash your dogs, and clean up after your pets! Simple things make a difference in keeping Los Jilgueros Preserve wild and enjoyable for our community. We hope to see you on the trails! See more

Please stay on the trails when you visit FLC preserves! The Yerba mansa makes a lovely backdrop for photos, but when people go off the catwalk to walk among the...m it damages plants, compacts wetland soils, and negatively impacts sensitive habitat. These plants get once chance to grow and bloom annually and when they are trampled they will not return this year. We also have ground nesting birds with eggs this time of year that could be destroyed by a single step in the wrong place. Birds work hard to camouflage their nests so someone walking off trail could step on one without even knowing. See more

Have you been meaning to get more involved with the FLC? Now is a great time! We have plenty of opportunities throughout the month for you to help with trimming... trees, pulling weeds, learning about native plants, and having fun with other FLC members! We even have a new trail maintenance volunteer day starting this month: TRAILS COMMITTEE VOLUNTEER DAY - NEW!! When: Saturday, May 15 @ 8:30 am Where: Meet at the Palomares House and then drive to a preserve. Who: You! All ages and experience levels welcome! What: We’ll do light vegetation trimming along trails on one of several preserves. Tools and training are provided. Please bring water and a mask. Please click here for more info: https://fb.me/e/6uY9sHssK Saturday, May 1 @ 8 am - Volunteer Day at Monserate Mountain Preserve https://fb.me/e/d7aiJjM23 Tuesdays, May 4, 11, 18, 25 @ 10 am - Sculpture Garden Volunteers meet at Palomares House & Park https://fb.me/e/dbk2tfsXb Wednesdays, May 5, 12, 19, 26 @ 8:30 am - Native Plant Restoration Team meets at Los Jilgueros Preserve https://fb.me/e/2hVp5LhYZ Thursday, May 13 @ 9 am - Volunteer Day at Monserate Mountain Preserve https://fb.me/e/2nf6jXUd3 Saturday, May 8 @ 8 am - Save Our Forest Old Highway 395 cleanup across 395 from Pala Mesa Resort https://fb.me/e/iUrGchlnN Saturday, May 15 @ 8:30 am Trails Committee meets at the Palomares House & drives to a preserve https://fb.me/e/6uY9sHssK Wednesday, May 19 @ 8:30 am - Save Our Forest meets at Village Square https://fb.me/e/dxidQilNw Sunday, May 30 @ 7:30 am - Save Our Forest meets at Village Square https://fb.me/e/dnslhSz5w None of these convenient for you? Want to volunteer independently or with your own group? Just let us know and we can find a volunteer opportunity that works for you! Email us or call the office at 760-728-0889. Thank you to the Fallbrook Regional Health District for generously supporting our volunteer program.

The FLC is updating our five year strategic plan and we want your input as we look toward 2027! Please take a couple minutes to fill out this brief survey: http...://survey.constantcontact.com///a011dko0g2biq/greeting *Photo of Monserate Mountain Preserve from Engel Family Preserve for perspective. See more

FLC volunteers will be out at our Monserate Mountain Preserve and Los Jilgueros Preserve trailheads at peak times Saturday and Sunday looking for new members and volunteers. Stop by and let us know how you’d like to get involved!

Happy Earth Day! You can make a difference globally by supporting a local organization dedicated to preserving and protecting nature. Since 1988, the FLC has a...cquired land in San Diego County to protect open space for native wildlife and recreation. We are a non-profit 501(c)3 and manage over 3000 acres of open space with a small staff and a dedicated team of volunteers. Become a member today by making a donation on our website www.fallbrooklandconservancy.org/become-a-member and receive all the benefits of membership, including the great feeling that comes from knowing you are helping the environment. Thank you Fallbrook Regional Health District for helping the FLC keep the Earth and its inhabitants healthy! #fallbrookland #villagegreen #fallbrookca See more

Please join us for the second Spring Nature Walk of 2021! Perennial plants and annual wildflowers should be in peak bloom by mid-April. This burst of color will fade once temperatures rise, so don't miss the show! Whether you walk at Los Jilgueros every day, or have never been there, you'll discover something new at this event. All ages and backgrounds are welcome. Please wear a mask and sun protection, and bring your binoculars or camera if you like. Thank you to the Del Rey Avocado Company for sponsoring the Spring Nature Walk!

It was a beautiful morning for a spring nature walk at Los Jilgueros Preserve today with this lovely group of people! We explored and learned some new plants from each other and iNaturalist. Thanks to The San Diego Foundation for sponsoring this walk!

Whether you have never been to Los Jilgueros, or you visit every day, you'll likely discover something new on this leisurely nature walk. All ages are welcome to join us as we stroll along the trails enjoying the spring wildflowers, birds, reptiles, and mammals. Please wear a mask and give other visitors plenty of space. Binoculars and/or a camera are strongly encouraged! Thank you to The San Diego Foundation for generously sponsoring this event.

Love to golf? Love the FLC? We’ve got a win-win for you! Join us at the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce Avicado Open for a full day of golf, prizes, and fun! Not a golfer? You can sponsor the tournament and promote your business or make it possible for a Veteran to play!

First California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) of the year at Los Jilgueros Preserve! Please remember to take only photos and do not pick flowers at any FLC preserves. Left to develop seeds, these and other flowers will feed wildlife and produce more plants to bloom next year!

Our volunteers are awesome!!! In just two hours this morning we put in enough posts for 400’ or fence and dozens of native plants. Thank you to everyone who cam...e out to help! If you want to get in on the fun we’ll be back out here at MMP on Thursday, Feb. 11 and every Wednesday at Los Jilgueros Preserve. Find all our volunteer opportunities at FallbrookLandConservancy.org/volunteer See more