Wildlife of Putah Creek, Lake Solano

Go for a walk in Putah Creek Nature Park and Lake Solano Park and see how many of these animals you can spot

By Emma Johnson

Special to the Express

Western pond turtles

The western pond turtle and its dull, patternless shell might be dull in color, but these native turtles are entertaining swimmers to watch. While they might be slow on land, they are speedy and graceful once they get in the water. Look out for them resting on partially submerged logs in the shallows.

Riffle sculpin and prickly sculpin

These two species are well-camouflaged bottom dwellers, so you will have to be sharp-eyed and patient to catch a glimpse of them. The riffle sculpin like cool, fast flowing water, but the prickly sculpin can also be found in warmer, slower waters.

Chinook Salmon

Once almost nonexistent in Putah Creek, the chinook salmon has returned to Putah Creek thanks to conservation efforts. These fish need year-round water flow to make it up the creek to good spawning areas.

In the fall, the Railroad Bridge is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of a few spawning salmon. Stand at the midway point of the bridge and look down into the shallow water of Putah Creek. If you’re lucky you will catch a glimpse of a pair of salmon swimming in place. This is usually a mated pair protecting their clutch of eggs. Occasionally one might take a short break from the constant swimming and go along with the water flow for a few moments, but after a short break these protective parents will swim right back to their clutch.

It is best to observe these fish from a distance and leave the family alone.

Jeff Rawlinson/Winters Express A river otter slinks over a low branch of a fallen tree. These top notch predators can also be caught playing on the banks of Putah Creek, often by zipping down slides of their own creation into the cool water.

Pipevine swallowtail

These butterflies lay their eggs on vine called Dutchman’s pipe, which grows along the banks of Putah Creek. The larvae eat the vine after they hatch. Adult pipevine swallowtails can be identified by their dark blue-green wings which have orange spots on their undersides.

Valley elderberry longhorn beetle

to spot, considering that they are on the threatened species list. The males are less than an inch long, and have green spots on their red body. The species spends its entire lifecycle in close proximity to the elderberry tree, which grows along Putah Creek.

Mexican free-tailed bat

Look for these small mammals at dusk from summer to fall. In the evening light they look like small birds in flight, but take note to see if that “bird” is darting through the air at incredible speed. That’s the Mexican free-tailed bat, which is considered to have the fastest horizontal speed of any animal.

Their fleshy tail serves as a rudder as they navigate the skies catching small insects. Watch for them after sunset as they fly out of the vacant second stories of historic Winters buildings, and watch them hunting over Putah Creek.

River otters

These members of the weasel swim along the bed of the creek catching frogs and crayfish. Otters will also leave to water to hunt for smaller mammals. These top notch predators can also be caught playing on the banks of the creek, often by zipping down slides of their own creation into the cool water below.

Beavers

can be a plant restorationist’s nightmare, as they prefer gnawing on native plants and leave the nonnative ones to thrive. If you see a restoration area with young trees and shrubs wrapped in protective fencing, beavers are one of the reasons why.

Beavers are nocturnal animals, but if you catch one out you will be able to identify it by the way it swims with only its head poking above the water.

Crayfish

Crayfish, also known as crawdads, are freshwater crustaceans that look like small brown lobsters. They are the sanitation workers of Putah Creek, feasting on decomposing plants and other dead organic matter.

The birds of Putah Creek

Putah Creek is a great stop for birds, which makes it a great place for birdwatchers to visit. To date there have been more than 200 species of birds reported along Putah Creek.

Western yellow-billed cuckoo

These endangered birds are a rare sighting anywhere, but have been spotted along Putah Creek. Look out for their long tails, brown feathers and white bellies.

Yellow breasted chat

These loud songbirds try to stay hidden, but if you watch carefully you might catch a glimpse of their lemon-yellow breast feathers.

Red-tailed hawk

their large wingspan.

Jeff Rawlinson/Winters Express A heron attempts to blend into the background as it hunts for prey.

Swainson’s hawk

Swainson’s hawks migrate through Yolo County on their way to their destinations in Canada and Argentina. These threatened species have the longest migrations of any North American raptor.

Coopers and sharp-shinned hawks

These raptors fall under the subcategory of accipiters. They have shorter wingspans which allows them to dart through the air quickly as they hunt down smaller birds of prey.

Coyotes

Coyotes have earned their title of “omnivorous opportunist,” along with a lot of ire. They hunt small animals, eat carrion and will also pick up fallen fruit and nuts.

Raccoon

The most likely way to “see” this nocturnal animal is by looking out for their fleshy footprints in the soft mud. They forage along the banks of the creek and sometimes venture out into human spaces. Raccoons more of opportunists, who are happy to both hunt for crayfish and forage for berries. in the next five years. Most people, 56 percent, live in a home valued between $300,000 and $500,000. 15 percent live in homes valued at $1 million or more. 87 percent of housing units in the area are detached or single-family households. About 8 percent of units are attached to their neighbor and 5 percent of units as mobile homes.

The biggest boom in housing came in the 1980s, with 28 percent of all housing built in that time. Until this year, virtually no housing was built in Winters since 2010.

The latest generation of Esri’s data analysis approach uses 68 so-called “tapestry segmentations” to describe American neighborhoods. The top three tapestry segments according to Esri are “Urban Villages,” “Pleasantville” and “International Marketplace.” (A purview of data extended to a 10 or 25-mile radius reaches “Exurbanites” and “Soccer Moms” dominant segments).

Urban Village residents are multicultural, multigenerational, and multilingual. They have a median age of 34 years old, an average household size of 3.78, and an annual income of $62,300. They tend to be trendy and fashion-conscious risk-takers. These consumers focus on their children and often maintain gardens.

They are open to trying new things. They are comfortable with technology and interested in the latest innovations. They are well connected with their smartphones, but more likely to shop in person. Their favorite stores are as diverse as they are, but include Costco, Trader Joe’s and Target.

Pleasantville couples are slightly older couples that move less than any other market. They have an average household size of 2.88, a median age of 43, and a median household income of $92,900. Many are empty-nesters; some have adult children. They tend to own older, single-family homes and maintain a standard of living with dual incomes.

Esri describes these consumers as cost-conscious and willing to spend more for quality and brands they like. They prefer fashion that is classic and timeless as opposed to trendy and typically consume all types of media equally (newspapers, magazines, radio, Internet and TV).

International Marketplace neighborhoods are rich blends of cultures, usually found in more densely populated areas than in Winters. Almost 40% of residents are foreign-born; and nearly 1 in 4 households are linguistically isolated. It’s a young, diverse family market with 41 percent of families having children (as either a married couple or single parent), plus married couples without children and a notable proportion of multi-generational households.

These are described by Esri as hard-working consumers, striving to get ahead, with both labor force participation rate of 67 percent that is higher than the US average and an unemployment rate that is also slightly higher, at 6 percent. They tend to prefer the Internet.

Maybe a data-based approach to Winters is no joke, afterall!