2 Freeway: Another Flipped Car

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 31, 2010, 8:38AM. Northbound 2 Freeway just south of Rosebud Ave. overcrossing, as seen from the top of the Corralitas Public Staircase. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Corralitas Drive: Garden Artifact

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 27, 2010. The neighbor who found a 1925 wristwatch while gardening, previously found a homemade stepping stone in the backyard. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Riverside Drive: Slow Down!

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 30, 2010. Electronic speed monitor on Riverside Drive at Allesandro Elementary School reminds drivers to slow down. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Corralitas Drive: Buried Treasure

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 27, 2010. A neighbor recently found an antique watch while digging in the garden. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Until the mid-1950's, the City had no curbside trash pick-up. People, even in hillside neighborhoods, burned their trash. Today, neighbors in older neighborhoods often turn up artifacts in their gardens like old bottles, cans and even old Red Car Trolley railroad spikes. Once in a while, you'll hear of cars discovered buried in backyards in Echo Park. Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 27, 2010. It may be a retirement watch from an earlier owner. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

For now, Thomas S. Watters and how his watch ended up buried in the Corralitas Drive home's garden, is is a mystery. The house was built in 1929. Artifacts found elsewhere in the garden include a wall date-stamped "1932," an artistic homemade stepping stone (coming tomorrow) and rusty barbed wire (another reason to wear gloves while gardening).

Learn how one Echo Park homeowner researched his home's history on Echo Park Historical Society's website.

Red Car Property: Non-Native Grasses Near Adelbert

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. Non-native barley and other grasses will soon be dry and ready to get stuck up your dog's nose, in their ears and between their toes. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Click here for our catalog of non-native, invasive neighborhood plants.

Red Car Property: Swallowtail Butterfly

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 27, 2010. The Swallowtail Butterfly looks pretty beat up, which could be why I could get close enough for a good shot. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

According to UC Irvine, this appears to be an Anise Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio zelicaon). Unfortunately the light wasn't right to catch the vibrant blue spots or the red and yellow eyespot on the tail. But when it took off there the blue spots were much more apparent.

There have been lots of butterflies all over the neighborhood for the past few weeks. A variety of Swallowtail Butterflies live in the neighborhood, including the more dramatically patterned Tiger Swallowtail.

Swallowtails are not endangered. Click here for the UC Berkeley guide to endangered California insects.

If you have photos of neighborhood wildlife, birds or insects, send them to us: redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Corralitas Drive: Great Blue Heron Sightings

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 27, 2010. Great Blue Heron over Corralitas Dive at 2:42PM. (Clicking on photo won't make it better.)

This afternoon, a Corralitas Drive neighbor emailed me an unusual bird sighting. "I'm no ornithologist but last night approx 7PM, a very large bird flew into the highest point of my cypress tree - and it never came out. It was not the hawk you spoke of but rather some kind of long beaked very wide winged span species. I searched the internet for clues...And I believe I found it." The neighbor included a link to a Wood Stork.

While I wouldn't be surprised if it was a stork, I had not heard of a population of storks on our part of the LA River. I thought it was more likely a Great Blue Heron. I sent the neighbor a few photos from my archives (including the one below). The neighbor immediately identified the bird as a Great Blue Heron.

As if to prove my point, I happened to be walking up the hill an hour later, when a Great Blue Heron flew from the LA River toward Silver Lake Reservoir, directly over Corralitas (photo above). The very large birds tend to nest on the reservoir and hunt on the banks of the river. Since about 2005, Blue Heron flyovers have become commonplace, but no less impressive.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 24, 2009. Great Blue Heron on LA River north of Los Feliz. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: California Black Walnuts Indicate Season Change

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. First day of Spring and the California Black Walnut Trees are sprouting new leaves. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 12, 2010. The Black Walnuts had completely dropped their leaves prior to the big January rainstorms. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 22, 2009. Black Walnuts were late in dropping leaves for winter. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Canyon: Fungus Drying Out

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. The last of the mushrooms are dying out. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Canyon

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. People are doing a better job of picking up after their dogs. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Stalled Development: Corralitas Pits of Doom

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 22, 2010. The Corralitas Pits of Doom have seen no activity since early January 2010. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Grading for construction of 2463 & 2467 Corralitas Drive began in August 2006. Three and a half years later, the chasm remains between the unfinished retaining wall and the Corralitas Public Staircase.

Click here for all Corralitas Pits of Doom posts.

Historic Viaduct Footings: Unpermitted Alterations

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. Wood framing atop Historic Landmark 770 hasn't changed much in the past 3 weeks. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. Holding pens have been moved around on the flat part of the lot above the viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. At least one of the six pens migrated south a few hundred feet. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Permits have NOT been applied for to alter the City Historic Cultural Resource. If you know what is going on with the current vandalization of the historic viaduct footings or dumping of the holding pens, please contact redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Corralitas Drive: Garden Creeping Toward 2 Freeway

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Drought tolerant plants are beautifying the divide between a Corralitas neighbor's home and the 2 Freeway. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Adelbert Garden: Miner's Lettuce

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Yes, I'm still using photos from March 5, it was just a spectacular day for great photos. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Vernal Equinox: Exact at 10:32 AM PDT

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Butterfly on non-native, invasive Wild Radish at the historic viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

It's the first day of Spring - get outside and enjoy the wonders of the neighborhood.

Adelbert: Native Garden

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Native tree poppies bloom in a neighbor's garden, directly across from the Red Car Property on Adelbert. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

A Red Car Property neighbor on Adelbert has an extensive garden of native plants. The slope is north facing and shaded much of the day. Similar conditions encourage more native wildflower growth on the northern end of the Red Car Property, near Adelbert.

Click here for our catalog of neighborhood native plants.

Adelbert: Nightshade Blooming Spectacularly

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. The leaf shape indicates this is likely a native species of Nightshade (Solanum) at the Adelbert entrance to the Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. The Nightshade bush is length of several cars and more than 7' tall. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Nightshade is beautiful, but deadly. Calflora lists Nightshade as a Class 1 Major Toxicity plant.

Click here for our catalog of neighborhood native plants.

No Blarney: It's a Green Bee (or Wasp?)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Yes, it's a metallic green bee or wasp on the native Morning Glories off the Corralitas Public Staircase. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Coudn't resist the bee wearing the green on St. Patrick's Day. BugGuide.net cites 13 species of metallic green bees (Agapostemon) occurring in the United States, coast to coast. There's also a few green wasps. So if you have more insight, please send us an email: redcarproperty@gmail.com.

You can tell it's a bee or a wasp, rather than a fly, by the body shape. Compare the bee in this post to the fly on last week's giant mushroom.

St. Patrick's Day: Non-Native Clover

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Non-native, invasive Burclover (Medicago polymorpha) above the historic viaduct footings near Adelbert on the Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Non-native Annual Yellow Sweetclover (Melilotus indicus) grows on the lower levels of the Corralitas public staircase. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Click here for our catalog of neighborhood non-native, invasive plants.

Viaduct Footings: California Black Walnuts Coming Back

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. The young California Black Walnut Trees that escaped last summer's carnage wrought by the City's Lot Cleaning Department, are sprouting fresh growth at the historic viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Click here for our catalog of neighborhood native plants.

Red Car Canyon Lake: Coast Live Oak

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2010. New growth is sprouting on native Coast Live Oak. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Corralitas Public Staircase: Ladybugs

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 8, 2010. Last week was party time for the Ladybugs on the Corralitas public staircase. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: Non-Native, Exotic

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2010. Non-native Lion's Ear (Leonotis) grows at the mouth of Red Car Canyon where it opens into the meadow at the Corralitas end of the Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Fungus Week Finale: Delicate Parasols

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2010. Some mushrooms caught my eye while I was photographing wildflowers at the mouth of Red Car Canyon. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2010. From above, they are not nearly as dramatic. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Canyon: Fungus Week Continues

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. The 3" diameter mushroom seems to mimic the shape and texture of the old tree branches. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2010. In just 2 days, a host of fresh mushrooms were sprouting near the large one from the first photo above. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: More Fun With Fungus

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2010. How many mushrooms do you see? Anwer: 3. Mushrooms are masters of camouflage. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 9, 2010. Only one of the two mushrooms in the foreground made it. The giant mushroom is now a rotting, stinking pile of goo. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: Dinosaur Eggs?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2010. What looked like 3" dinosaur eggs appeared in a mulch pile, about 200' south of the Silver Lake Ave public staircase, and just a few feet away from the giant mushroom. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 9, 2010. Or, perhaps they were alien pods morphing into human-like creatures. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 9, 2010. Nope, it's just more fun with fungus: giant mushrooms look like they danced out of the Disney classic, Fantasia. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Canyon: Wet Conditions Attract Different Species

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Wafer thin mushrooms angle their caps downward and darken on the second day. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The same wet, peaty, forested conditions that encourage mushroom growth also attract Slender Salamanders and San Bernardino Ring-necked Snakes. Look for them under rocks, fallen branches and leaves in the wooded Red Car Canyon between Corralitas, Lake View and Riverside Place.

If you find a reptile or other wildlife on the Red Car Property, take some photos and let the animal be. Send photos and details of your encounter, including the location, time and day to: redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Red Car Canyon: Fungus Week

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March, 5, 2010. Tiny wafer thin mushroom sprouted under the tree the bees love. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: Really Big Mushroom

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. The mushroom (200' south of the Silver Lake Ave public staircase) had about a 10" diameter. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: End of The Road

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Puncture wounds on the roof rat's back indicate it was most likely killed by a cat. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Big ears and eyes, white belly, tail longer than its head and body - UC Davis says this is a roof rat, our most common rat in California hillsides.

Roof or tree rats are more attractive than Norway rats. A neighbor once thought roof rats were baby opossums because they were so cute with big ears and eyes. Nightly, they climbed across the telephone wire from a nearby fruit tree, to the roof and down the porch to get to the dog food bowl, showing no fear of dogs or people. Opossums are a lot larger and generally avoid contact with dogs and people.

When we rescued Red Tail Hawks in 2005 and 2007, a wildlife rehabilitator with the Ojai Raptor Center strongly advised us to tell neighbors NOT to use rat poison to deal with rat problems. When rats or mice ingest poisoned bait, they do not die right away. They desperately seek water and run around erratically, catching the attention of predators. The predator eats the poisoned animal and can die from eating the poisoned rat.

UC Davis Integrated Pest Management Program has a lot of information on rat control.

Red Car Property: Native Coast Live Oak

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. The Heritage Coast Live Oak on "Lot C" is heavy with flowers and bees. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Castor Beans: Non-Native, Invasive, Toxic

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 4, 2010. Castor beans take over the lots adjacent to the Corralitas public staircase. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Castor Beans (Ricinus communis) are non-native, invasive and on the UC Davis list as Class 1: "Major Toxicity" to to humans and animals. They also release a toxic gas when they burn. Castor Beans will quickly take over a hillside and return year after year. I've been on the Corralitas staircase in the summer, when the pods pop and launch their seeds a good 20 feet.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 25, 2009. Castor Bean seedlings on the Corralitas public staircase. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The following account is my own observation of eradication attempts on the Corralitas public staircase.

Seedlings sprout 10 days after rain. Within 2 - 3 days, they can reach a root length of 6 - 8" while the plant above ground is only 2 - 3". It's best to eradicate them by carefully pulling the entire seedling and either let it dry out on concrete or immediately dispose of the seedlings.

If the seedling breaks off at the root, it will grow back in a matter of days. If you toss the seedling onto dirt or grass, the root will grow into the soil and establish in the new location.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 5, 2010. Dozens of Castor Bean seedlings are sprouting in patches on the Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

After the first few days, it's difficult if not impossible to pull the seedling by hand because the taproot grows so fast. Neighbors use shovels to dig out patches of hundred of seedlings at a time.

If the plants reach adult stage, you have to chop them down before they go to seed and remove the roots with a shovel. In the years when brush clearance was done prior to the Castor Beans going to seed, it was easier to eradicate the seedlings in the next rainy season, with fewer plants reached maturity. They will grow from seedlings to 12-feet tall in just one rainy season.

Silver Ridge Ave: Aliens Landing?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 4, 2010. Looks like aliens are landing on the other side of Silver Ridge this evening. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Car Canyon: Non-Native, Invasive

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 24, 2010. Non-native Black Mustard (Brassica nigra) is moderately invasive according to the California Invasive Plant Council. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Click here for our neighborhood catalog of non-native invasive plants.