Drive Slowly and Carefully!

Please observe the posted speed limit and avoid wildlife on the roadways. Especially in warm weather, wildlife use the road as well. Reptiles are attracted to the heat absorbed by the asphalt roadway on warm spring and summer evenings. While the random evasive manuevers of a rabbit may work well to elude coyotes, they don't work so well to avoid cars. Please drive slowly and carefully to avoid killing wildlife with your vehicle.

Trash and Recycle Bins

Please keep your trash in a secure location, and put it out for collection as late as possible before pickup, which is normally by 7:00 AM Friday mornings. The following observed holidays will cause trash pickup to occur on Saturday instead: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Your neighbors will appreciate the prompt recovery of your empty trash and recycle bins.

Bears and Other Large Predators

Black bears will occasionally roam into the neighborhood (this is their territory), especially during the summer months when food can be scarce. They are opportunitistic creatures that will gladly help themselves to the buffet in your garbage bins. This is not a good habit to encourage: it's not healthy for the bears, and bears making regular visits near human habitation present many opportunities for conflict. When bears have access to human food, they can lose their natural fear of humans and may become agressive. Bears that become a nuisance because they view humans as a food source sometimes have to be relocated or killed, and that is never good. Bears have an excellent sense of smell, so it's important to keep all food tightly sealed and put away, and not to leave ground-floor windows open at night, especially during the summer months. If a bear feels threatened by you, or if a mother bear thinks you are a threat to her cubs, it may attack. But black bears are not typically aggressive, and making loud noises will usually scare a bear away. Other large predators in our neighborhood include coyotes and the occasional mountain lion. Please click here for more excellent information about wild animals and how to get long without negative impacts.

Live Oak Trees

The Live Oak Trees in our neighborhood are protected by law. They can not be removed or disturbed. You must use a licensed arborist to trim any tree limbs over 3" in diameter.

Snakes

Snakes are generally not aggressive, and will not strike unless they feel you are a threat or are trying to attack them. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. Snakes help to keep the rodent population under control, and they are an important part of the balance of nature. Rattlesnakes can't strike unless they're coiled, and if they are afraid of you, they will shake their tail rattles to warn you off. They really don't want to mess with you either. Watch out for babies!

There are several species of snakes around, including poisonous rattlesnakes. Reptiles and amphibians are cold-blooded, and will hibernate in the cold months. In warmer months, exercise caution when walking outside, particularly at dusk and early evening. If you have animals, keep them restrained or confined if you see a rattlesnake in your yard.

Usually if you just leave it alone, a snake will leave on its own. The hunting on the hillside is probably better than it is in your yard. If you can't wait and want the snake to move on without hurting it, try 'herding' it from a safe distance with a stream of water from your hose. Don't spray right at the snake, but start a few feet away from you, slowly moving the stream closer to the snake until it moves in the opposite direction. If it doesn't move right away, it will probably leave very soon after you turn off the water and go inside.

Feeding the Birds

Birds love shrubs like Pyrocantha (above) for food and shelter. A feeding station is a great way to attract birds into your yard. Wild birdseed that includes oiled sunflower seed attracts a wide variety of seed eaters. Other birds, such as orioles, will be attracted to fruit, but this may be a problem if your yard is also frequented by bears. In winter, birds will be attracted to suet, but it can get rancid if it gets too warm. You can make your own hummingbird nectar by boiling one part sugar and three parts water, and then adding one part ice. The red dye isn't necessary and it's not good for them. Most hummingbird feeders have red color that will attract hummingbirds. Once you start feeding the birds, it's important to keep it up. The birds may come to depend on you as a source of food, especially in the scarce winter months or if wildfires have destroyed other food sources.

Note: Predation by pet cats that roam outdoors has seriously depleted the songbird population. If you have cats that hunt, attaching jingle bells to their collar or harness will help the songbirds in your yard survive. However, because of the large predators in our neighborhood, if you let your cat outside to hunt, it will also be hunted. Your cat will live longer here if you keep them indoors.