Entries by Debie Montana

Special Status Species Spotlight – The Burrowing Owl

Here at Sequoia Ecological Consulting, we have the privilege of working with many incredible threatened and endangered species. In this series, we aim to go in-depth and highlight some of the magnificent creatures we work to preserve. In this installment, we will discuss the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia).  The burrowing owl (BUOW) is designated […]

Special Status Species Spotlight – The Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog

In our ongoing series of focusing on threatened and endangered species, we aim to go in-depth and highlight some of the magnificent creatures we work to preserve. In this installment, we will discuss the foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii).  Populations of foothill yellow-legged frog (FYLF) are dispersed throughout the state of California in six “clades” […]

Deadly ‘Snake Fungal Disease’ Hits California

We are fortunate to work with many incredible species of snakes on a regular basis. Our native snake species occupy vital ecological niches within their broader environment. More specifically, these serpents serve to maintain a balanced food web as both prolific predators, and important prey for the likes of raptors and other elite hunters. From […]

Lightning Storms and Wildfire Regimes in California

The Bay Area experienced a rare weather phenomenon last weekend (August 16th, 2020) when a summer lightning storm roared overhead in the midst of a blistering heatwave. The atypical weather was a result of the tropical storm Fausto off the coast of Baja California funneling moisture up into California. It was dangerously hot across the […]