BIOLOGY

Alicia Sobalvarro Field Trip Extra Credit Geography 3350 Dr. Eigenheer Field Trip Paper: Knights Ferry (Extra) On Saturday, May 13, 2017, my family and I took a trip to the Knights Ferry Recreational Park to have a scenic picnic. This trip was unexpected and unplanned, but I figured I could make the most out of the situation and write about my experience there. Knights Ferry is located near the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and is on the Stanislaus River, approximately 40 miles east of Modesto. Knights Ferry Recreation Area is a massive, expanding park that is wonderful for picnicking, hiking, learning, and is a great because it offers a convenient area for river recreation. Knights Ferry Recreation Area has a Knights Ferry Information Center, which is a key place to get informed about the local history (including the ruins), local wildlife, as well as get exciting information on what to do in the Knights Ferry area. This center is run by the Army Corps of Engineers and is an interesting enough area to bring anybody, young or old, before you set out and discover the park. The recreation area also gives you the opportunity to cross the Knights Ferry Covered Bridge. This bridge spans 330 feet and is considered the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi. Not only is this bridge impressive, but it also looks incredibly beautiful against the stunning backdrop of California’s Northern foothills. It was awesome to be able to experience some gold-rush history while venturing across the bridge through the footpath. While we’re on the topic of the gold rush, it’s interesting to mention that the recreation area goes around the aged power station of Knights Ferry, which includes other monumental structures from the gold rush era. The hiking trails at the park can go as far as nearly a half mile. This does not limit the vast wonders of the park because there are many other hidden trails and turns that provide miles of scenic hiking. There are even more trails for those who show interest in exploring the main park, but also the Stanislaus River canyon, whose trail curves upward and eastward from the main park area. The park itself has ample parking and has numerous picnic tables, as well as BBQ stands. There were also water fountains, as well as many restroom facilities for hikers to take a quick pit stop. Since the park is along the Stanislaus River, it is inhabited by a wide variety of plant and wildlife that is exclusive to the area. You can find anything that includes gorgeous tall trees, river otters, and many species of fish. While traveling through the park I encountered, different types of oak (like the valley oak and California black oak) and willow trees closer to the banks. There were also many aquatic plants like cattails, horsetails, and different water ferns. The riparian environment makes is so that the plant life is exclusive to the area and not seen anywhere else in the Central Valley. There is also an array of mammalian life around the park. There could be sightings of deer, river otter, and fox though I did not personally encounter them. I did however encounter the smaller mammals like squirrels and rabbits. For the majority, these animal sightings require some luck and quietness to spot some of the more uncommon animals. There is obviously also some signs of birdlife and different species can be spotted from both the water and the shore. I mostly spotted Great blue herons although white egrets are a common sighting as well. Sightings of falcons, kingfishers, turkey vultures, and cliff swallows are also common, but I did not encounter any. A more dedicated bird watcher could possibly find species of owl, hawk, and eagles, but eagle sightings are especially rare. There is also fish life that thrives underneath the water. There has been special effort aimed at restoring Chinook salmon levels because the levels of Chinook salmon have fallen by 10 %. It is possible to see the salmon spawn every year around November from the bridges in Knights Ferry. I personally witnessed a large salmon carefully placing her eggs at the bottom of the river. I went several months back for an earth science class field trip. Other species of fish include steelhead trout, stripped bass, small bass, chad, rainbow trout, black crappie, and white catfish.