January 26, 2008 (Sat) - Ranch Lake Newts
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Ranch
lake is part of the Sanborn county park system, located just minutes
up Rt 9 from downtown Saratoga. The lake itself is about 300 yards
long and maybe 100 yards wide, depending on the time of the year.
I'm not sure if it's an official reservoir for drinking water but
it is apparently under some sort of management. The lake, or really
more a pond, is a favorite destination for me. I found it about 10
years ago while exploring the various parks in the Bay Area. The trailhead
is at the end of Sanborn Rd (there's another trailhead on the other
side but requires about a 1.5 mi hike to get to the lake) and the
lake is a short 0.5 mi (uphill) hike from the trailhead. -
I love this place because it's so secluded (read: not too many people know about it or go there) and there's always some sort of wildlife every time I go. In the winter, as this photo set shows, it is Newt and ladybugs season. Around the new years, the newts emerge into the waters in the reeds fields and mate and lay eggs - perhaps 2 dozen in a transparent jelly ball about 1" in diameter. If the timing is right, you'll find hundreds of newts and thousands of egg balls. It takes a few weeks for the eggs (within the egg balls) to hatch. What an amazing process and show of life!
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Looking for newts, mating season. Water level much much higher than last year at this time. No eggs yet.
- See also photos from a few weeks ago: 1/6/2008
