The annual restoration work and maintenance that occurs on the project has slowed down during the winter season. During a walk yesterday, I was struck by the quiet and stillness on the project. The sun is beginning to shine once more and the sky is clear. Wildlife activity has eased as many creatures have hunkered down during the rains. Red-tailed hawks are staking out their territories and putting up with an occasional mobbing Raven. The tule elk are concentrated on the north side of the valley and grazing on the green grass adjacent to the inundated fields. In a few weeks, this silence will give way to the constant chatter of breeding bird songs, more movement of mammals as they teach their offspring how to forage and hunt, maintenance crews continuing the important habitat rehabilitation, and field biologists performing their surveys.
