Cache Creek Nature Preserve is located on the lower end of the Sacramento Valley, on the Valley’s western side, where Cache Creek flows eastward out of the northern Coast Ranges. As the creek charts a path through the Coast Ranges, it carries with it pieces of the range; silt, sand, and gravel. Where the creek asymptotically flattens upon reaching the valley floor, this material, alluvium, falls out as the creek flow slows and loses energy. The creek constantly moves and reworks the alluvium along its braided channel. The alluvium forms a rich and sought after source of aggregate, sand and gravel, the essential ingredient of concrete. As a result, the Cache Creek sand and gravel deposits have been extensively mined to support our headlong journey into the Anthropocene. Satellite views show a number of surface mines along the stream course.
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Cache Creek Nature Preserve is about 130 acres in size and is maintained by the Cache Creek Conservancy. The preserve is located just a few short miles west of Woodland, California. The preserve includes relatively undisturbed grasslands, oak savanna, riparian area, and a restored gravel pit that now is a rich wetland. The preserve includes about 1.5 miles of trail that wind through these various habitats.
I had a work trip down to Sacramento back toward the end of July and had a day to goof off before flying home later that day. I planned the day to start at the Cache Creek Nature Preserve first thing in the morning before it heated up into the upper 90s and beyond. The bird pictures didn’t turn out well but I did see and note a number of different birds; one was an ash-throated flycatcher, a new one for me. Insects were more cooperative photo subjects.
Bee on thistle. We had a great Bucket o' bees by 6412093.
I think this dragonfly is a Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis).
I’m pretty sure this butterfly is a Lorquin’s Admiral (Limenitis lorquini).
Of course, a Cabbage White (Pieris rapae). And there is a citizen science opp: The Pieris Project
I like this scene because it is, in a way, quintessentially California; dark oak contrasted with golden grass, barbed wire fence; like the place where I grew up on the fringes of Los Angeles. Well, those places are long gone.
California’s native black walnut.
This is a large valley oak. The posts you see around the tree are actually perforated PVC tubes surrounding oak saplings. I assumed that they were placed to protect the saplings from browsing deer.
The barn is part of the preserve’s complex. Sources I’ve read differ on its age; one source says 1870, the other says 1910. It is constructed of redwood.
The barn held a number of different pieces of historic farm equipment and implements. This is part of the Holt combined harvester, at least the business end of it. A display photo shows it being pulled by what I estimated was a team of about 30 mules.
Another piece of farm equipment. I'm not sure what it did.
What’s up in nature in your area today?
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