Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority

Photos from our Trail Cam Study from January: bobcats in Sycamore Canyon (unincorporated Whittier). One of them is carrying a ground squirrel as a meal. Squirrels seem to be their favorite prey, based on the photos. Woodrats are also a popular snack. The other photo is a pair of bobcats. Breeding season for bobcats is usually January through March. We know that there was a litter of kittens photographed here several months ago, so this could be the parents or it could be a sibling pair that has not yet dispersed.

Thank you to LA County Fire Department for quickly putting out the Sycamore fire! And thank you to the MRCA Ranger Division for your quick response to shut down the trails in Sycamore Canyon and other coordination efforts. We also appreciate the assistance from Whittier PD for helping at Hellman and Turnbull while fire activities were going on. We're grateful for the partnerships and teamwork of these first responders, and very thankful the fire is out.

Toyon! This native ever-green plant often grows to be a large shrub. In the summer, the creamy white flowers are pollinated by beneficial insects, including bees. In the winter, these bright red berries provide food for birds and beauty for us.

Photos from a few weeks ago: another beautiful day in Turnbull Canyon. If you hike with your dog, please remember clean up after them.

This year has looked different for our volunteersno docent-led hikes or school programsbut they're still helping us! Trail Watch volunteers greet hikers and pick up trash, helping us be the face of the Preserve. Behind the scenes, volunteers help with our social media accounts, and sort and categorize the many photos from our trail cam project. As we reflect back on this unusual year, we would like to recognize the many generous volunteers whose presence out on the trails was so vital. Special recognition this season goes to the following volunteers: Claudia Alvarez, Licha Gonzales, Tom Merlino, and April Garbat Vaughan.

From all the staff and volunteers of the Preserve (and the plants and animals): have a safe and happy new year!

Meet our dedicated subcontractor, David Garcia! David is a wonderful, hard-working and dedicated maintenance worker that helps keep the trailheads clean for all of us. He always has a friendly smile and many of you probably already know him. We recently gave David a "Certificate of Appreciation" for his outstanding efforts of extinguishing a fire from a vehicle accident and for his first-rate dedication and hard work in caring for the Habitat Authority properties, especially ...during this pandemic. (David works for the MRCA, the agency that the Habitat Authority contracts with for ranger services.) If you see him on the trails, feel free to wave and say Hi!

Whatever you celebrate this season, best wishes for a safe and beautiful holiday from the staff and volunteers of the Preserve.

Trails will be re-open tomorrow, Wednesday, 12/30. Thank you for respecting the weather closure.

Good news! Puma Trail in Hacienda Heights has recently been cleared, and is now open for hiking. Enjoy some spectacular views!

Enjoy these views from Rattlesnake Ridge, taken by our Preserve Ecologist. What are your favorite views or vistas in the Preserve?

Our oak and walnut woodland along Powder Canyon Trail. The Preserve Ecologist was filming for our social media posts, and zoomed in on a coyote who was watching her! You’ll have to squint your eyes to see the coyote. There was a bird in the foreground, and the chirping squirrels were upset about the coyote being nearby and were also making alarm calls. The squirrels are going to town on the walnut fruits.

More restoration sites! Research over the years confirms that beneficial insects do better with native plants. As a result, birds do better with native plants, too. It's always important to stay on the trails, but it is especially important in recent restoration sites where young plants and seedlings are particularly tender while getting established.