Butterflies & Wildflowers!

Great Copper (?) on Glacier Daisy (?)

Lycaena xanthoides - Erigeron glacialis

Butterflies and wildflowers have been surprisingly abundant this year!  The late start to summer has prolonged the blooming period in the Lakes Basin.  Usually by September, the meadows are dry and the flowers are going to seed.  This year, there are still some flower-filled meadows at 7,000' and higher!  The lower elevation meadows have started to dry out, but there are still LOTS of Butterflies feeding on the remaining flowers!

   

 Great Spangled Fritillary (male - female)

Speyeria cybele leto

Butterflies!

I came across the black and white butterfly (above right) feeding on trailside asters just two days ago! I had never seen this species before, so I looked it up when I got home and it turned out to be a female Great Spangled Fritillary!!!  There are many different kinds of Fritillary butterflies, but most of the females resemble the males. I don't know why this female is so different.  Does it make her easier to find? 

The adult butterflies spend most of their time searching for mates, laying eggs, feeding and resting.  Males either search for mates or perch and wait for females to fly by.  If another male comes near a perched male, they will often engage in an upward spiraling flight, after which the "intruder" usually leaves.  If a female flies by, of the same species, the perched male will force the female to the ground to mate.  Another method of perching is known as "hill-topping". Wikipediea states: "Males of many butterfly species may be found flying up to and staying on a hilltop - for days on end if necessary. Females, desirous of mating, fly up the hill. Males dash around the top, competing for the best part of the area - usually the very top; as the male with the best territory at the top of the hill would have the best chance of mating with the occasional female, who knows the "top male" must be strong and thus genetically fit. Studies have shown that even slight elevation differences on flat terrain can trigger hill-topping behavior. Flowering or tall trees may induce hill-topping behavior."

California Tortoiseshell Butterflies puddling

Nymphalis californica

About a month ago a friend and I witnessed what appeared to be a migration of thousands of California Tortoiseshell Butterflies in the area of Babbitt Peak!!! They weren't in giant groups, just one or a few at a time would fly by, but it went on all day!  These butterflies overwinter in the foothills as adults.  In the Spring they migrate up-slope to mate and lay eggs.  After the resulting caterpillars pupate, the newly hatched adults migrate to higher elevations, usually above timberline, to estivate (enter a period of resting or dormancy).  In late September they leave the high elevations and head down-slope to the foothills, where they will spend the winter in a dormant state.  

California Tortoiseshell Butterflies (topside - underside)

Nymphalis californica

The fire watcher at the Babbitt Peak lookout tower, told us that a USFS Biologist had been there that day and said it was early for these butterflies to be migrating, which might indicate an early winter!  

Margined White - Pine White - Cabbage White

Pieris marginalis - Neophasia menapia - Pieris rapae

Butterfly Facts 

from butterflyconservatory.org  

"Butterflies have "complete" life cycles, with four different stages: egg, caterpillar (larva), chrysalis (pupa), and adult. The entire life cycle, from the deposition of the egg to the emergence of the adult, usually takes about a month for most butterflies. Each species of butterfly has a different adult life span. Some adult butterflies only live for a few days, while others live for a few weeks or even several months (if they experience dormant periods of diapause or hibernation). The average lifespan for most adults is one to two weeks.

Butterflies have compound eyes and simple eyes. They see very differently from us; they can see ultraviolet rays (which are invisible to us)."

Hoffman's Checkerspot (?) - Variable Checkerspot (?) - Fritillary (?)

Chlosyne hoffmanni - Euphydras chalcedona - Speyeria sp.

"A butterfly's antennae, palps, legs and many other parts of the body are studded with sense receptors that are used to smell. The sense of smell is used for finding food (usually flower nectar), and for finding mates (the female smelling the male's pheromones).

A butterfly's feet have sense organs that can taste the sugar in nectar, letting the butterfly know if something is good to eat or not. Some females also taste host plants (using organs on their legs) in order to find appropriate places to lay their eggs. These receptors (called chemoreceptors) are nerve cells on the body's surface which react to certain chemicals. We have similar receptors in our nose and on our tongue."

Bolander's Yampah in Lincoln Meadow

Perideridea bolanderi

Still Blooming Wildflowers!

The most prolific wildflower this year is Bolander's Yampah. They have been in profuse bloom throughout the summer!  They are in the Carrot Family and can be distinguished by their umbrella-like clusters (umbels) of many tiny, five-petaled flowers.  To me the flower clusters look like fine white lace!  I saw thousands of them in all the wet meadows!  Just beautiful!  We spent many hours in these wild gardens this summer.  It was quite a joy!  We never knew what we might discover, while reveling in the beauty of familiar flowers.  It is always wonderful to see the same plants year after year, thriving once again in this sunny warm season!  I embrace them all!

Tinker's Penny - Western Ladies Tresses Orchid - Fireweed

Hipericum anagalloides - Spyranthes porrifolia - Chamerion angustifolium

We hiked along the north facing shoreline of Gold Lake several times this past week.  The water was perfect for swimming, and we saw a Bald Eagle and several Ospreys flying overhead during the day. In the wet grassy areas on the edge of the lake, and in a the wetlands at the west end there were still some flowers blooming.  New-to-me were the Tinker's Pennys!  These tiny flowers are in the St. John's Wort Family and are semi-aquatic!  They can even withstand long periods of submersion! 

  

White-veined Wintergreen - Pinedrops - Prince's Pine/Pipsissewa

Pyrola picta - Pterospora andromedea - Chimaphila umbellata

In the shaded forest along Gold Lake we came across these familiar beauties.  I was so surprised to see them blooming in late August!  The Prince's Pine/Pipsissewa has my absolute favorite fragrance of any wildflower!  You need to find them when they first bloom to enjoy the fragrance.  It's absolutely heavenly!  All of the plants that make up the forest, including the conifers, live in a close association with the mycorrhizal fungi in the soil.  They both need each other to survive.  The fungi colonize the root system of a host plant, providing increased water and nutrient absorption capabilities while the plant provides the fungus with carbohydrates formed from photosynthesis. In the case of the Pinedrops, that don't photosynthesize, they derive carbohydrates by degrading forest litter (dead organic matter).  Mycorrhizal fungi are involved in a mutualistic symbiosis with the roots of these plants, in which they obtain plant carbon in exchange for nutrients like phosphorous and nitrogen from the soil. 

Primrose Monkeyflower - Tubered Starwort - Mountain Tarweed

  Erythranthe primuloides - Pseudostellaria jamesiana - Madia glomerata

In another meadow, near Bearpaw Meadow, we found three more new-to-us plants!  The Primrose Monkeyflower, the Tubered Starwort, and the Mountain Tarweed are apparently all common, but we hadn't noticed them before!  The Mountain Tarweed flowers were SO tiny, about the size of a small freckle! It's always so fun to find new plants to study and appreciate.  Having a hand lens made them even more incredible!

California Goldenrod -  Northern Willow Herb - California Dodder

Solidago californica - Epilobium cilliatum - Cuscuta californica

We also came across large patches of  California Goldenrod, a scattering of Northern Willow Herb (new-to-us!), and several patches of blooming California Dodder.  Earlier this summer we found lots of Dodder at Howard Meadow, but none of it was blooming.  Now I realize that it's a late bloomer.  Dodder can regenerate from a piece of its stem, but the seeds from the flowers can overwinter, whereas the stems can't.  That's why they produce flowers.

What kind of caterpillars are these?

Where are the bears?

What's happening down in the garden?

Are there any hummingbirds around?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

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Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated!

Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!

Ponds and Lakes!

Veronica Lake 8/18/19

In the Lakes Basin there are many ponds and lakes teeming with wildlife. Although they contain many of the species that are found in rivers, they also harbor many of their own unique species. Compared to rivers, ponds and lakes are usually warmer and contain less oxygen.  They often, but not always, contain silt and algae in higher concentrations than rivers. Aquatic pond and river dwellers have adapted to these conditions in a variety of ways!      

Veronica Lake (above photo) is really more like a pond, with a muddy bottom and lots of algae. Usually by August, it has shrunk to a large puddle. This year there is still a surprising amount of water. Last week my friend Nancy and I, waded out into it and found ourselves surrounded by thousands of fairy shrimp! WOW!!!  I went back two days later to photograph them and found several other aquatic species!

 Damselfly nymph - Spiny-tailed Fairy Shrimp - Tadpole 

When I revisited Veronica Lake, I brought a strainer and bowl to catch and hold specimens.  I spent several hours exploring the silted, algae filled waters.  Because the water wasn't clear, it was hard to see some of the critters.  Most of them were really camouflaged.  Can you see the damselfly nymph lying on the horizontal beige plant stem?  The fairy shrimp are the pale gray short lines (lots of them) in the middle photo.  If you look carefully you should see the tadpole's head right in the middle of the photo on the right.  

Spiny-tailed Fairy Shrimp - Streptocephalus sealii

Freshwater Crustaceans!

The most amazing find was the Spiny-tailed Fairy Shrimp.  There were thousands of them, measuring 3/4" to 1 1/2" in length!  They have 11 pairs of leaf-like legs that ripple as they paddle around on their backs!  These legs also serve as their gills, and absorb oxygen out of the water.  They have one pair of stalked eyes, and 2 pairs of antennae!  They are filter feeders of tiny organisms and plant detritus, and will also scrape algae and detritus off of rocks and sediments.  They are preyed on by other aquatic insects, shore/wading birds, and sometimes fish.  Their typical life span is 3-4 months.  They only live in inland, non-flowing, temporary, fresh (non-marine) water.  When they die or their pond dries up, they leave behind thousands of embryonated eggs, or cysts, that will remain dormant until the pond refills.  These cysts can remain dormant for decades! WOW!!!  Apparently these fairy shrimp used to be more widespread, but as human developments filled in wetlands and vernal pools their numbers have declined.  How lucky to see these fascinating crustaceans!

Signal Crayfish - Pacifastucus leniusculus

I investigated about 4 lakes, and 3 ponds since we found the fairy shrimp at Veronica Lake, but haven't found any more fairy shrimp!  I did however, find another crustacean at Gold Lake, a Signal Crayfish!  We were just going swimming in the lake, when this crayfish ambled past in the shallows!  These crayfish are native to North America, west of the Rocky Mountains.  They are found in the rivers and lakes in our area. They are primarily nocturnal and shelter in their underwater burrows during the day.  They are omnivores and eat fish, frogs, invertebrates, and plants, either living or decomposing.  They are preyed on by Great Blue Herons, large fish, River Otters, raccoons, and minks!  How lucky to see one in the daylight!

Damselfly nymphs - species unknown

Odonates: Dragonflies and Damselflies

Odonata is an order of carnivorous insects encompassing the dragonflies and the damselflies. Dragonflies are generally larger, and perch with their wings held out to the sides; damselflies have slender bodies, and hold their wings over the body at rest.

Immature odonates are referred to as naiads or nymphs. All nymphs are voracious predators feeding on everything from small invertebrates such as mosquito larvae to smaller vertebrates such as fish and frogs.

Nymphs will molt nine to 17 times before becoming an adult. The number of generations per year depends on the species of odonate.  When nymphs are ready for their final molt they leave the water and crawl onto the bank or vegetation. They will dry out and their exuvia (exoskeleton) will crack open on their back.  They will then pull themselves out of their exuvia, pump up their wings, and dry out. A newly emerged odonate is teneral (soft). A teneral dragonfly or damselfly has glossy wings and the colors on the body are often pale. Several days after emerging, they are hardened completely and will have taken on the colors of an adult.

I caught the above Damselfly nymphs in Veronica Lake.  I found one on the bottom of the pond, the other one was clinging to a plant stem.  At first I couldn't find any of them, but then one of them moved!  As soon as I saw one, 6 or 7 of them magically "appeared".  They were so camouflaged I hadn't seen them!  Damselfly nymphs are pretty tiny, only about 1/2" in length!  Their tail filaments are actually their gills! 

Damselfly nymph - Damselfly exuvia

I saw this large, red damselfly nymph in a different section of Veronica Lake, where there were more plant stems.  It was obviously a different species than the ones I had caught and photographed!  The damselfly exuvia I found on a stem above the surface of the pond.  It was so delicately beautiful!

Damselflies - unkown species

 These two damselflies are not mating.  Either they are about to mate, or they have already mated and the female is about to lay eggs in the water.  Some damselflies separate right after mating.  Some stay connected until the egg-laying process (oviposition) is completed.  

The mating process starts with the male clasping the female on the back of her neck with the claspers on the end of his abdomen.  If she is sexually receptive she will raise her abdomen up to his, and sperm will be transferred once they are connected.  This is called the "wheel" position, in that the two damselflies form a sort of circle or heart when connected!

Dragonfly Nymph - Dragonfly exuvia

I didn't see any dragonfly nymphs in Veronica Lake, although I looked and looked for them.  They are a bit larger than damselfly nymphs, chunkier and wider. I took the above photos last year.  I found the adult dragonfly nymph walking across a rock on the edge of Little Deer Lake!  The Dragonfly exuvia I found on grasses at Big Bear Lake.

Four-spotted Skimmer - Libellula Quadrimaculata

There were however, lots of adult dragonflies flying and resting at Veronica Lake! Locally, adult dragonflies only live for about two months!

Common Garter Snake - Tadpole

Thamnophis sirtalis - frog species unknown

Amphibians and a Reptile!

I also saw a Common Garter Snake and LOTS of tadpoles in Veronica Lake!  I don't know what species the tadpoles were but there were hundreds of them!  The following information about the life cycle of a frog came from allaboutfrogs.org.

"7 to 10 days after a tadpole hatches, it will begin to swim around and feed on algae.

After about 4 weeks, the gills start getting grown over by skin, until they eventually disappear. The tadpoles get teeny tiny teeth which help them grate food turning it into soupy oxygenated particles. They have long coiled guts that help them digest as much nutrients from their meager diet as possible.  After about 6 to 9 weeks, little tiny legs start to sprout. The head becomes more distinct and the body elongates. By now the diet may grow to include larger items like dead insects and even plants.

The arms will begin to bulge where they will eventually pop out, elbow first.

After about 9 weeks, the tadpole looks more like a teeny frog with a really long tail. 

By 12 weeks, the tadpole has only a teeny tail stub and looks like a miniature version of the adult frog. Soon, it will leave the water, only to return again to lay more eggs and start the process all over again!"

The Common Garter Snake was probably eating the tadpoles!  They can move about freely on water or land.  They prey on fish, toads, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, leeches, slugs, earthworms, birds and small mammals!

Yellow Pond Lily - Nuphar lutea ssp. polysepala

Pond Plants

Like underwater critters, pond plants are an integral part of a pond's ecosystem.  They can shade large sections of a pond, and keep it cool.  They provide shelter for a wide variety of aquatic insects, as well as food for ducks, shorebirds, geese, and even muskrats!  They even contribute a little to the oxygen content of a pond or lake, although most of the oxygen is made by microscopic phytoplankton. 

Floating Pondweed - Narrow leaved burr reed
   Potamogeton natans - Sparganium angustifolium


Western Grebe - Common Mergansers
Aechmorphorus occidentalis - Mergus merganser

Gold Lake Birds

A lot of the birds species I see on the North Yuba River also thrive up in the Lakes Basin.  We spent a day on Gold Lake and saw a Belted Kingfisher, Ospreys, and Common Mergansers!  The abundance of fish has brought them there!  To our surprise we also saw a Western Grebe!  These birds like to dive for prey, such as fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects.  They live and breed on lakes, but will leave high elevation lakes during the winter.  It was really unusual to see one, even though they are listed as being here!  I haven't seen one in the Lakes Basin before!


The apples are ripening up.  Will the bears start coming around?

I'll talk all about Lakes Basin wildflowers next week.  There are still LOTS in bloom!

The sunflowers in our garden are all in bloom, and some have gone to seed.  
Are the goldfinches going to arrive soon?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

If you suddenly stop getting my blog in your email, you need to sign up again. This is a problem with blogspot.com and I can't figure out how to fix it.

Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated!

Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!

Underwater Life!

Common Merganser - Mergus merganser

There's a lot happening on the river!  It is a source of food for many different species of wildlife.  There are many aquatic insects, several crustaceans (some being microscopic), mollusks, fish, as well as reptiles and amphibians that inhabit the river. For some species, fish make up more than 90% of their diet. For other species, fish are just one of their food sources. 

Common Mergansers are diving ducks that feed on mollusks, aquatic insects, crayfish, worms, frogs, small mammals, other birds, plants and fish! They mainly eat fish in the winter, when aquatic insects, frogs, worms, and crustaceans are less active.

   

Common Merganser - Mergus merganser

I saw this group of 9 Common Mergansers on the river one morning this week.  It must have been a mother with adult-size juveniles!  They all looked like they were females, but they probably weren't.  After breeding, most ducks molt into "eclipse plumage" in which males acquire a female-like plumage. That's why in the summer, it seems as if all the male ducks have left!  This plumage change also coincides with the molt of all flight feathers in the male ducks. The male ducks are quite vulnerable without their flight feathers, so the female-like plumage provides better camouflage than their breeding plumage. It takes about a month for the flight feathers to grow back! The males will molt again this fall, back into their breeding plumage. The females molt their flight feathers later than the males, usually after their young have fledged. The females molting process does not noticeably change their appearance. All juveniles look like females.

Common Merganser - Mergus merganser

All birds have a nictitating (blinking) membrane, a transparent extra eyelid.  This serves as a diving mask that allows mergansers to keep their eyes open underwater, while they swim with webbed feet.  When at the surface, they will swim forward with their head underwater searching for or chasing prey.  In shallow water, they return to the surface to swallow their prey.  In deeper water, they may swallow fish while still submerged.

Common Mergansers underwater - Mergus merganser

I was lucky enough to see the same group of Common Mergansers diving underwater this week!  It was fascinating to watch!  In the photo above, the large grey blobs with orange appendages are the underwater mergansers! WOW!!! Their heads are down, probing sediments and underwater stones for prey. Often when one bird dove in the group, the others followed the leader and dove!!! They can stay under for up to 2 minutes, but they normally dive for less than 30 seconds.  So amazing!!!

Coastal Rainbow Trout Fry and Adult 

Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus

Rainbow Trout!

The most common species of fish in the North Yuba River is the Coastal Rainbow Trout, which are native to California, but have been planted locally. There are also non-native German Brown Trout, that swim up to spawn from Bullard's Bar Reservoir. Occasionally you might also find a non-native Brook Trout that has flowed out from a higher elevation lake, during the high water of Spring.

Fish are preyed on during all stages of their life cycle, from eggs to adults. Their predators range from tiny dragonfly nymphs to large Black Bears! 

Fish start as eggs which hatch into larvae. The larvae are not able to feed themselves, and carry a yolk-sac in their bellies which provides their nutrition. At this stage they are called "alevins". When they have developed to the point where they can feed themselves (mainly zooplankton), the fish are called "fry". When they develop scales and working fins they are called "fingerlings". This juvenile fingerling stage lasts until the fish is fully grown, sexually mature, and interacting with other adult fish.

Water Strider Nymphs and Adult - Gerris sp.

Aquatic Insects!

Water Striders start out as eggs which hatch into nymphs. The nymphs have 5 instars (periods of growth) between molts. In about 60 to 70 days the nymphs become adults. As adults they prey on spiders and insects that land on the water, as well as nymphs of their own species! Birds are the main predators of the adults. To avoid predation the adults can fly away or dive under water!

Water Striders are known for their curious ability to "walk-on-water"! They are able to do this for a variety of reasons. They use the natural surface tension of water, along with a water-repellent body covered in LOTS of fine hairs (up to several thousand hairs per mm), as well as long thin legs that distribute their body weight over a large area. The round shadows they cast, from the tips of their legs, are caused by the dimples their feet create on the surface of the water!

Stonefly Nymph and Adult - Plecoptera sp.

Stonefly nymphs will live underwater for 1 to 4 years, depending on the species. They prefer running rivers and streams, not lakes and ponds. They feed on algae, detritus, and plant materials under water. When their nymphal stages end, the nymphs will crawl out of the water onto rocks, their exoskeletons will dry out and crack open, the adult will pull itself out of the exoskeleton, pump up its wings, dry out, and fly away! As adults they feed on nectar, as well as algae and lichens. The adults usually live for about a month, just long enough to mate and lay eggs!

Caddisfly larvae in cases - Trichoptera sp.

Pictured above are Caddisfly larvae in their cases. These larvae can be found in streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds! The material used to make the cases varies between species.  Inside its case, a Caddisfly larva makes a silken cocoon around its body. It will pupate in this silken cocoon before it becomes an adult. As larvae they feed on algae, as well as aquatic and terrestrial vegetation. As adults, Caddisflies feed on nectar! The larvae live for about a year, whereas the adults live for about one month! Thousands of these adults were clinging to our window screens at night, a few weeks ago! They are attracted to light, just like moths! One night I watched a Deer Mouse outside our lighted window, climb up the Hop vines and eat these insects one after another!  WOW!

Dobsonfly Nymph - subfamily Corydalinae

Dobsonfly larvae live in the highly oxygenated (white water) parts of the river because they need lots of oxygen.  They have 6 legs, all the other appendages are gills, through which oxygen is absorbed from the river water!  They live underwater for up to 2 years, feeding on other aquatic insects, before they molt and fly away as an adult.

Whirligig Beetles - Western Aquatic Garter Snake 

Gyrinus sp. - Thamnophis couchi

As adults Whirligig beetles spend most of their time on the surface of the water, looking for insects to eat. They also look for prey underwater. They can see above and below the water surface, because they have eyes that are divided in half horizontally!!! The bottom half sees underwater. The top half sees above water! If alarmed these beetles will dive underwater for safety. The middle and hind pairs of legs are "natatory" (adapted for swimming), and are quite hairy. Their front legs are used for grasping prey. Their outer wing covers are covered in a waxy layer that is water repellent!  If their watery environment dries up, they can fly away to another area! After mating, the female lays eggs on the stems of submerged plants. The eggs hatch into aquatic larvae that live in streams. These larvae pupate in cocoons, above water, when mature.  I find all of these adaptations to their watery environment astonishing!

Western Aquatic Garter Snakes are not poisonous, even though they might bite when agitated.  They are active during the day, and can be mainly found in lakes, ponds, streams and rivers, or basking at the water's edge.  They eat mainly fish, and amphibians and their larvae.

What kind of flowers are these?

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

Are the Tanagers, Orioles, and Grosbeaks all gone?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

If you suddenly stop getting my blog in your email, you need to sign up again. This is a problem with blogspot.com and I can't figure out how to fix it.

Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated!

Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!

Cooler Weather!

Grizzly Peak - 8/10/19

This week we had cooler temperatures, clouds, and even a sprinkling of rain!  It was such a fresh and moist change from the hot and dry days we've been having.  In the mornings it seemed hushed and quiet.  I watched clouds for hours as the sunlight played on them.  The river has slowed down to 300 cfs., and is clear, green, and peaceful.  How wonderful it all is! 

Great Blue Heron on a cloudy morning - Ardea herodias

  

Great Blue Heron - Common Merganser (female)

 Ardea herodias - Mergus merganser

There are fewer mergansers on the river, probably because they've eaten most of the recently planted fish.  However, the Great Blue Herons are still here, as well as the Common Merganser and her duckling. I was so thrilled to see the juvenile Common Merganser with its mom!  This must be the pair that I have seen sleeping on a beach downriver!  I watched them foraging in the water, along the edge of the river several mornings in a row!

  

Common Merganser (female) and juvenile - Mergus merganser

One morning another female merganser engaged in what appeared to be a short "battle" with the mother merganser!  The mother was able to drive off the intruding female!  The whole incident lasted for less than a minute, and the mom and duckling just went back to foraging like nothing had happened!  It happened so quickly that I didn't manage to get a photo.  I have no idea why the "battle" happened.  I'll have to do some research!

Common Ravens - Corvus corax

There has been a pair of Common Ravens in our neighborhood for many years.  During the past two weeks I have seen 6-7 ravens in the immediate area, and 3 of them seemed to always stick together.  It also seemed to me that 1 of the group of 3 ravens was always cawing!  I think, but I don't know this for sure, that the talkative one might be the juvenile offspring of the other two!  It was amazing how much it cawed!  This week the number of ravens is down to 3, and the juvenile isn't talking as much.  I hope the juvenile is the offspring of our 2 long-time resident ravens!  That would be wonderful!

Common Ravens - Corvus corax

Peregrin Falcon - Falco peregrinus

A Peregrin Falcon!!!

On Wednesday morning I went down to my regular spot on the river to see what was happening. To my delight there was a Peregrin Falcon in the fir tree across the river!!! It was plucking feathers off a dead bird it had in its talons! I think it was a dead Brewer's Blackbird!   Peregrin Falcons have speed and extraordinary vision on their side.  They are the fastest animal on earth!  Their top diving speed can reach 238 mph! WOW!!!  For this speed they need to start their dive at at least 3,280' off the ground, and the dive must be vertical!  Most of their dives, or stoops, start at 705' to 1049' off the ground.  If their dives aren't vertical, their diving speed is typically 66-86 mph.  As they dive they spiral down to their prey, rather than turn their head! 

Peregrin Falcons are formidable predators!  The following quote from the Cornell website birdsna.org explains their hunting methods in detail.  "They have several methods of attack, including stooping (diving), ringing up, direct pursuit, contour-hugging, shepherding, running or hopping, and flapping on ground.  Most often stooping falcon pulls out of dive some meters behind escaping prey and shoots forward at great speed to grab or strike prey, or repeatedly stoops to force it down into water or onto open ground where it can be grabbed. Sometimes stoops directly down on prey, striking it in head, wing, or back, killing it or breaking wing. They usually grab prey with their feet and bite into the neck. Sometimes prey is killed by strike of impact, but usually they are only stunned. Captures mainly by grabbing prey with feet (binding) but rarely kills small prey by forcing talons into body as accipiters do. Instead, falcon bites into neck, disarticulating cervical vertebrae and severing nerve cord; even with prey killed in stoop, falcon bites into neck before feeding begins."  It was thrilling to see this amazing falcon right in my neighborhood!  WOW!!!

Howard Meadow - Sierra Buttes - Lincoln Meadow

The Lakes Basin is BLOOMING!

I went on several hikes in the Lakes Basin this past week including the Sand Pond loop trail, Round Meadow Trail, Lincoln Meadow, and a re-visit to Howard Meadow.  Even though it's August, there are wildflowers everywhere!  If you can go, it's definitely time to get up there!  It's incredibly gorgeous!

Elephant's Head - Little Elephant's Head
Pedicularis groenlandica - Pedicularis attolens

Fireweed - Leopard Lily - Monkshood
Epilobium angustifolium - Lillium pardalinum - Aconitum columbianum

Short-flowered Owl's Clover - Checker Bloom - Checker Mallow
Orthocarpus cuspidatus - Sidalcea glaucescens - Sidalcea oregana

Horsemint - Scarlet Gilia - Cow Parsnip & Arrowleaf Groundsel
Agastache urticifolia - Ipompsis aggregata - Heracleum lanatum - Senecio triangularis

What kind of fish and insects are in the river?

Are the Tanagers, Orioles, and Grosbeaks all gone?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

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