Red Car Property: Leftovers

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 11, 2009. Harvester ants having a field day on leftover feathers from either a coyote or fox kill, above the viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Coyote

Video courtesy: Rosebud Marketing Group, July 11, 2009. Link to full-size video.

This weekend, a young coyote paid a visit to a backyard pond in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract. The owner's terrier can be heard as he defended the pond from the safety of the bedroom window.

So many neighbors comment they've never seen a coyote. In our neighborhood, I've seen more coyotes in broad daylight, than after dark.

If you have neighborhood wildlife photos or video, share them with us: redcarproperty@gmail.com. Do not attempt to touch or feed urban wildlife. For more on living with urban wildlife see: LA Animal Services website.

July 18 & 19: The Ultimate Urban Hike

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 8, 2008. Silver Lake Ave Staircase between Lake View Ave. and Riverside Place is Staircase 45 on on Day 2 of The Big Parade. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Next weekend, July 18 - 19, 2009, an intrepid group of local hikers will hike approximately 40 miles and 135 public staircases in 2 days.

Anyone is welcome to join them on "The Big Parade" for any length of time. If you'd like to join the hike or can provide support, they've got a good FAQ page on their website.

Route maps are posted with the trail between the historic Angels' Flight Staircase, Downtown, to the Hollywood Sign. In our neighborhood, Day 1: Saturday, July 18, includes the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract, Fellowship Parkway and Corralitas staircases, with a camp out at the Music Box Steps. Day 2: Sunday, July 19, includes the historic Red Car Viaduct Footings, Waverly, Roselin, Silver Lake Ave., Earl and Loma Vista staircases.

Neighbors are encouraged to offer cold drinks to these hardy adventurers as they take the ultimate urban hike.

Mystery Tree Blooming on Corralitas

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 2, 2009. Small tree blooming on the side of the 2 Freeway and Corralitas Drive. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Littlefoot Prowls Red Car Property

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 30, 2009, 8:08 AM. Fresh 3 inch long footprints just north of India St. entrance to the Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The Pacific Northwest has Bigfoot. The Corralitas Red Car Property has Littlefoot. The prints are possibly skunk, raccoon or opossum. Or, perhaps it's a small mutant hominid covered in fur: Littlefoot.

Littlefoot lurks in the shadows of the Red Car Property, venturing out at night and the early morning hours, foraging in bushes and around trashcans. A few minutes later, all evidence of Littlefoot was obliterated by the next truck driving onto the property. Littlefoot prints should not be confused with domestic dog footprints, below.

UPDATE July 10, 2009: A Red Car Property neighbor who also is a LA Zoo keeper thinks Littlefoot is a raccoon.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 30, 2009. Dog footprint near India St. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 30, 2009. Bird footprints near India St. Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Sunflowers The City Left Behind

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. A few sunflowers are still blooming on the Red Car Property meadow after the City did brush clearance with a giant rota-tiller. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Crap The Homeless Guy Left Behind

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 30, 2009. Homeless encampment remnants on the Red Car Property meadow. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

For about two years, a homeless guy made his home on the densely overgrown slope above the Red Car Property meadow. For the past year, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) worked to persuade him to move off the hillside (technically, a part of the Red Car Property) and into supportive housing.

Perhaps it was not LAHSA, but a skunk that finally persuaded this homeless person to leave. Two days prior to this photo, the slope near the encampment had a very strong skunk odor emanating from it. Or, he did some spring cleaning and pushed his trash down the slope. Prior to this incident, he had been extremely well-hidden and tidy.

Now we just have another pile of crap left on the Red Car Property. Why not? The City left piles of crap when they did brush clearance and every day, inconsiderate dog owners literally leave piles of crap all over the Red Car Property.

Belated 4th of July Post

Photo: Diane Edwardson. Fireworks on the LA River were spectacular as always. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The illegal fireworks show on the LA River was even larger and more explosive than usual this year. Luckily, there were far fewer LAFD sirens this year.

Stunning Action Shot!

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, June 29, 2009. Neighborhood hummingbird. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Jonathan Vandiveer, a Red Car Property neighbor, caught an awesome shot of a hummingbird outside his window. Vandiveer previously shared earlier wildlife encounters with Slender Salamanders and MOTHRA!

If you have photos of neighborhood wildlife, please email them to us: redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Remember, never attempt to feed or touch wildlife. If you encounter injured wildlife, call the City's info line: 311, ask for the Dept. of Animal Services.

Learn more about living with urban wildlife on the Dept. of Animal Services' website.

Menlo Property: 120 Units Proposed, Giant Retaining Wall Will Remain

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 14, 2009. It's an eyesore from every angle. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Tonight, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council will vote on the proposed Menlo Property development at their regular Governing Board meeting:

Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Meeting
Wed., July 1, 2009
7PM
Micheltorena School Auditorium
1511 Micheltorena St.

A City Planning public hearing is scheduled for Wed., July 22, 2009.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 1, 2007. Overwhelming in scale, in 1987, the wall was to extend the entire length of the vacant land with an apartment building atop the 40' wall. Just another episode in the Legacy of Failed Development. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Sunset Over Silver Ridge

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 29, 2009. The sunset was spectacular from the top of Corralitas last night. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Bees Will Have To Get High Elsewhere

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. More carnage from the City's brush clearance last week. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

A few weeks ago, bees were getting high on these still unidentified flowers. They'll have to get their fix somewhere else now. Last week, the City used a giant rota-tiller for brush clearance on the steep slope between Adelbert and the Viaduct Footings. It's a shame. They took out quite a few young California Black Walnut Trees that gained a foothold on the now barren slope (photo below).

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. Even native California Black Walnut Trees were not spared the from the City's brush clearance carnage.

Crap A Dog Owner Left Behind

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. Be a good neighbor, always pick up after your dog. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

More Crap The City Left Behind

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. Even when neighbors clear the arundo from the Red Car Property near Rose Scharlin Preschool, the City ignored it when they did brush clearance last week. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Crap The City Left Behind

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. The City did brush clearance on the Red Car Property and left big stuff behind near India St. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Brush Clearance Lost & Found

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. Red Car Property meadow. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

You never know what you'll find on the meadow after the City does brush clearance with a giant rota-tiller.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 25, 2009. Red Car Property meadow. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Dumped Puppies Found Homes

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 16, 2009. Both puppies, dumped on Corralitas a few weeks ago, found permanent homes. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Dog Friendly Neighborhood

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 23, 2009. City truck parked on Corralitas Drive. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Spider Season

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 20, 2009. Cool weather delayed the start of spider season this year. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: Bulldozer Alert

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 23, 2009, 9 AM. It's just the City doing brush clearance on the flat parts of the Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 23, 2009. Brush clearance equipment on Corralitas Drive. (Click on photo to enlarge.)