05/10/2024
We went to Redlands City Hall last week to try to get them to stop trimming the palm trees, at the very least, during nesting season.
Here is a brief article about it by Linda Richards
Wildlife rehabber Marsha Sadler (right) showing a screech owlet rescued from Redlands to members of the Street Tree Committee. Redlands Community News Photo by Linda Richards
Wildlife rehabber Marsha Sadler (right) showing a screech owlet rescued from Redlands to members of the Street Tree Committee. Redlands Community News Photo by Linda Richards
Certified wildlife rehabber Kandie Cansler is frustrated again.
Three years ago she and another rehabber had descended on the city of Redlands Street Tree Committee (STC) when they rescued owlets from a palm trimmed in tree-rich Redlands.
The city was actively pruning its city trees during nesting season, which runs March through early September, and she pleaded with the city to delay until after nesting season.
A couple of weeks ago they were back with yet more wildlife rehabbers and their helpers, and crates full of rescued birds.
“Right now we have 52 great horned owls, 12 barn owls and three red-tailed hawks,” Cansler said, explaining that reasons included closures of other wildlife facilities, and recent rainfall and winds. “The rains bring more rodents, a major food of many raptors, who respond with ‘let’s have lots of babies.’ And because many bird species go back to the same trees every year, the high winds and rains can destabilize the nests and babies fall out.”
She said she has spent $7,000 of her own money this season to provide food and shelter for rescues.
Cansler said that tree trimming in the area results in many rescues.
“The one that is in our control is to not trim trees during nesting and baby seasons,” she said.
Palms are a big culprit, naming off a half dozen local bird species that use palms, including owls, hawks and orioles, plus an occasional squirrel or raccoon.
“It doesn’t cost you anything, there’s no reason financially — please push the city pruning to the right season,” said Leslie Triplett, CEO of Pond Digger Ranch Wildlife Rehabilitation in Cherry Valley, saying pruning should take place at the end of September through the end of February.
She advised the STC that state regulations prohibits harming birds, and that state code declares it to be unlawful to take, possess, or needlessly destroy the nest or eggs of any bird.
Erik Reeves, field services superintendent, responded that they met with their contractor West Coast Arborists the day prior, and palm pruning has finished, but some tree pruning is continuing. “There will be a change in the pruning schedule but I can’t elaborate on what that will be at this time,” he said.
Reeves cited examples of pruning that was stopped where the city contractors located nesting raptors, and skipped the trees.
Asked by a STC member where birds nest in palms, Cansler explained birds build nests from the old palm fronds towards the bottom up to the top.
“I don’t understand why the screech owls and barn owls use palms because they normally nest in tree cavities, but they build their nests on little ledges in the palms that look like a cavity,” she said, while orioles build hanging nests under palm fronds that are hidden from view.
“I don’t normally go halfway up the mountain to meet them but here was a tree trimmer doing the right thing. Instead of putting them through the wood chipper, which he said happens all the time, I drove up to get these ravens and made him promise he would always contact us,” said wildlife rehabber Marsha Sadler.
Reeves also commented on the frustration with some unlicensed private tree trimmers who work on residents’ trees, saying “It can be a cat and mouse game. It’s so easy for them to change their name and come back as a new company. We get their info, get photos of their truck and inform them what they need to do.”
There’s a link on the city of Redlands website where people can download a brochure “Keep Bird Nests Safe and Your Trees Healthy.”
Residents who observe tree pruning that may be harming birds may call the city or CALTIP at (888) 334-2258.
