Native Wildlife | Curbstone Valley

California Slender Salamander

by Clare | Nov 15, 2009 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Wildlife, Natives

I wasn’t intending on posting another fauna piece so soon, but a few nights ago I met someone new on the property. Well, new to me. It was just dark, and I went to lock our hens up for the night. I entered the chicken run where the hens were still milling...

Banana Slugs

by Clare | Nov 12, 2009 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Wildlife, Natives

It’s fall, and we’ve noticed the banana slugs are more active around the property again, no doubt due to the cool damp weather. Slugs are not usually favored in most gardens but, with a little research, we’ve come to realize these are actually...

Curbstone Valley Farm Becomes a Certified Wildlife Habitat

by Clare | Nov 6, 2009 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Wildlife, Natives

On November 2nd, 2009, Curbstone Valley Farm became a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. As much as we joke about the deer devouring the vegetation, gophers gnawing their way from one end of the property to the other, and rampaging...

Anna’s Hummingbird

by Clare | Sep 29, 2009 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Wildlife, Natives

This past Sunday, during an impromptu trip to the garden center, we picked up a half dozen Mexican Bush Sage plants (Salvia leucantha). This is a popular semi-evergreen plant in this part of California, blooming late in summer and early autumn, when many garden...

Native Brush Rabbit

by Clare | Sep 22, 2009 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Wildlife, Natives

As I was getting ready to take the dogs out for their early morning excursion, I looked out the front door, and was met with this view. I immediately muttered “It’s YOU!” and went zipping down the hallway to grab the camera off my desk. Usually...

Santa Cruz Gartersnake

by Clare | Sep 7, 2009 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Wildlife, Natives

This afternoon a Santa Cruz Gartersnake (Thamnophis atratus atratus) was found sunning itself in the middle of the driveway. This particular species is a very common, and very welcome, inhabitant of the farm. We are surrounded by woodland and have two seasonal creeks...