A hike in Walnut Creek's Shell Ridge Recreation Area, and Diablo Foothills Regional Park

Contra Costa County, California

12 March 2008

9.21 miles, 1,518 ft. accumulated climb

Spring time in Northern California

COPYRIGHT NOTICE and HIKING DISCLAIMER

Photographs taken by Neil Mishalov with a Canon G9 camera

A view from the Briones-Mount Diablo Trail.

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An interesting rock formation known as "China Wall."

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A view from the top of China Wall. Suisun Bay in the distance.

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On the Little Yosemite Trail.

From the Little Yosemite Trail.

A Coyote (Canis latrans). "Coyotes are versatile carnivores with a 90% mammalian diet. They primarily eat small mammals, such as ground squirrels, and mice, though they will eat birds, snakes, lizards, deer and livestock as well as large insects and other large invertebrates. Though they will consume large amounts of carrion, they tend to prefer fresh meat."

Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura). "The Turkey Vulture forages by smell, an ability that is uncommon in the avian world. It often will fly low to the ground to pick up the scent of ethyl mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay in dead animals. This heightened ability to detect odors allows it to search for carrion below the forest canopy."

Valerie et Moi

Google Earth satellite/aerial photo map of the area with the tracked route of the hike superimposed in red on the satellite/aerial image.

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