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Recent Events

Mountain Lion Talk Draws Crowd

Forty-five area residents attended a fascinating talk on November 6th by Bruce Elliott, montain lion expert and biologist. The group was enthralled as Elliott compared mountain lions to other kinds of cats and told us about their habits.

Mountain lions prefer to attack their prey from behind — so if you're ever confronted by one, be sure to remain facing it. This is one of the tips we learned. Elliott also showed slides of lions in varied settings and displayed a mountain lion skull and other objects of interest.

Elliott will give an early-evening talk at the Wetlands Educational Resource Center on Earth Day, April 22nd, on canines (foxes, coyotes, etc.); time to be confirmed. There is no charge for these educational events.

So save the date on your calendar! If you would like e-mail notification of this and other upcoming Watsonville Wetlands Watch events,

Mountain Lion

Lion Spoor and Scat



Picnic on the Fish and Game Knoll

On Saturday, July 19th, 2008, members and friends of Watsonville Wetlands Watch gathered for a fun-filled afternoon, picnicking on a knoll at the Department of Fish and Game property that the Watch is restoring on Lee Road.

Thirty-two people attended and had a terrific time watching the cormorants, eegrets, pelicans, and other birds from the telescopes mounted at the top of the knoll and with binoculars provided by the Watch.

The pot-luck food was good and plentiful. Kay Metz brought a homemade peach pie made with peaches from her own tree.

A special visitor was Bruce Delgado from the Chuck Haugen Conservancy,with two very tame gopher snakes. Bruce explained that any California snakes with pointed tails, like these two had, are harmless; the only venomous snake found in California is the rattlesnake, which has a broad tail with a “rattle” on the end.

We hope you can join us for next year’s picnic!

Volunteers picknicking near West Struve Slough
Looking down on the west branch of Struve Slough are Jim Whittome and Bill Best; in front of them are Michelle and Kirk Samis.

Sampling the goodies are Kay Metz, foreground, and Anne and Byron Thomas, Anne Sherwood, Joan Rose, and Don Hoernschemeyer.

Getting acquainted with the gopher snakes are Jim Whittome, above left,
and Anne Sherwood and Anne Thomas, above right.