(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Daily Bucket - Yorba Linda Regional Park: A Nature Oasis Next to a Freeway [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-04-12 A Canada Goose sits in a tree about 8 feet off the ground. Yorba Linda Regional Park stretches for more than a mile along the Santa Ana River and a major freeway, the Riverside Freeway (SR91), at the entrance to the Santa Ana River canyon. Part developed park with picnic tables, playgrounds and playing fields, Yorba Linda has nature areas, fishing ponds and a wonderful walking/equestrian trail next to the river. Unfortunately, the river is in a restricted channel that runs right next to the freeway. The muted roar of cars, trucks, and motorcycles filters through the trees and is a constant ambient noise in the background. Yet the nature areas attract the local wildlife and birds. The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow. While visiting family for Easter, I took a jaunt to check out this park. I headed to one of three ponds in the middle of the park and immediately notice a couple of ducks in the water. A Ruddy Duck swims on the calm pond waters. A Bufflehead hen. She constantly dove and disappeared underwater more than she spent above on top of the water. The American Coots kept to the far side of the pond. A Canada Goose makes an awkward landing into the pond. I noticed a natural area on the other side of the pond and came across more waterfowl as I walked towards the river on the backside of the park. A pair of non native Egyptian Geese relax on the lawn next to the pond. Another area of the park held a flock of approximately 50 Egyptian Geese. A pair of Mallards sleep behind the twisted roots of a tree. A Muscovy Duck pair, another non native, settle in the shade of one of the many Pepper trees dotting the park. Once across a small footbridge to the backside of the park, I found a nice picnic table next to a natural area. A beautiful song and bright yellow body alerted me to a new bird I had never seen before. Yellow Warbler sitting in a eucalyptus. Swallows were constantly flying overhead but I was unable to get anything except a blurry brown spot. Merlin identified these swallows as Northern Rough Winged Swallows. Two or three birds continually made graceful aerobatic maneuvers as they hunted insects flying above the river and park. I also missed a Red-shouldered Hawk that stopped for a brief moment on an utility pole and took off before I could aim my camera. Other park residents included: Cedar Waxwing in a Willow Tree. Goldfinch hiding in an oak. A Black Phoebe takes off from a lawn area next to the nature reserve. A Western Bluebird hen sits in a cut crotch of a tree. The Male Western Bluebird shelters in a nearby spot. Don’t know what this bird is, but there were lots of them. There were lots of other critters in the park. I saw plenty of ground squirrels everywhere in the park. A pair of turtles rest on the pond’s edge. I believe they are red sliders. This little lizard skittered in and out of the nature area while I sat at the picnic table. There were a number of butterflies and moths. I saw white Cabbage Moths and an Orange Monarch. They also came out as blurry spots. I took a couple of shots of the wildflowers in the area. Pretty purple and yellow flowers lined the natural area. Fountain grass was also planted in the nature area. It was just amazing to see a bit of wilderness in the middle of urban development. Commercial businesses, housing, major roads surrounded this oasis and yet nature thrives. Finally I saw this brown bird around my mom’s house. The bird is all brown including the breast. It’s larger than a sparrow but smaller than a robin. This little brown bird has me stumped. We had several days of spring with normal temperatures that will continue to the end of the week. But it looks like we are heading for cooling temps and the possibility of more rain next week. What’s up in your neck of the woods? [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/4/12/2163426/-Daily-Bucket-Yorba-Linda-Regional-Park-A-Nature-Oasis-Next-to-a-Freeway Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/