Time to Wander

Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus

Last Thursday morning I finally had time to wander in my neighborhood! It had been a while since I had spent any length of time out observing nature. I roamed for several hours and saw many amazing things! It felt so good to be back outside again! To my delight I saw this Sharp-shinned Hawk fly up from the ground and perch on a low branch in a tree! I slowly got closer and closer and it didn't fly off! I thought that it might have been feeding on some prey on the ground, and was therefore reluctant to leave. I left after a few minutes, and when I got home and looked closely at my photos on the computer, I noticed that there was blood around its beak! Ah ha!

Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus

I hadn't seen any Sharp-shinned Hawks in our neighborhood this past year, and was thrilled to see one again.  They are the smallest hawk in North America, measuring only 11" from the tip of its beak to the end of its tail!  They are listed as a "vulnerable" species.  Wikipedia states, "A vulnerable species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as likely to become endangered unless the circumstances that are threatening its survival and reproduction improve. Vulnerability is mainly caused by habitat loss or destruction of the species home."  They do not live here year-round, and mainly breed up in Canada and Alaska.  

However, there are always exceptions, and although they are uncommon I have observed them in my neighborhood many times, even during the breeding season!

Northern Flicker feathers

90% of their diet is other birds, such as Sparrows, Robins, Thrushes, Warblers, and Juncos.  They hunt from a perch or a low-level flight.  They have long, thin legs and toes which enable them to reach into vegetation to catch prey!  They also have long, curved, needle-like talons which permit quick, sure grasping of prey.  About and hour after I had first spotted the Sharp-shinned Hawk, I returned to the site and looked for signs of prey.  Sure enough I found a big pile of Northern Flicker feathers!  Wow!!! You never know what you might see if you take the time to look!

Mountain Chickadee - Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Poecile gambeli - Regulus calendula

On that same morning I spotted a small flock of Mountain Chickadees and several Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  It's so amazing that they can survive up here in the winter!

Common Merganser - Mergus merganser

Another surprise sighting that morning 

was these 5 Common Mergansers swimming in the river!

Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias

I also saw our resident, beautiful Great Blue Heron!

Chickaree/Douglas Squirrel - Western Gray Squirrel

Tamiasciurus douglasii - Sciurus griseus

There are a few trees in our neighborhood that still have some apples!  I spotted this Chickaree eating an apple and this Western Gray Squirrel perching, in one of those trees!  I bet that it won't take them long to finish off the rest of the apples!

Gray Fox - Mule Deer

Urocyon cinereoargenteus - Odocoileus hemionus sp.

I also saw a buck and a fox late that afternoon!  

What an incredible day of wildlife sightings!

Weather Update

Over the past 12 days we've only had approximately 1.33" of rain.  The river flow is down to 280 cfs, and has dropped 3.5" in height.  More rain, but not a lot, is predicted for this week.  I hope more heavy storms arrive soon!

Hooded Mergansers (male & female) - Lophodytes cucullatus

Surprise Sighting!

A few days ago I went back up to the Charles Marsh Pond near the library, in hopes of possibly seeing a Hooded Merganser!  To my absolute delight there were 3 females, 2 males, and 1 male Bufflehead swimming around together on the pond!  Wow!  I had never seen a male Hooded Merganser before!  They are so strikingly feathered, and look so different from the females! How lucky to see them!  I was surprised that the lone Bufflehead seemed to be part of their group.  I've since read that normally Hooded Mergansers don't associate with other species.  So I'm wondering if the Bufflehead will stay with them.  I'll have to go back a check again soon!

Hooded Mergansers (2 males & 3 females) - Bufflehead (1 non-breeding male?)

Lophodytes cucullatus - Bucephala albeola

They were just a delight to watch as they swam back and forth in a tight group!

What kind of mushrooms are these?

What's happening on the creek?

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

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

If all of a sudden you haven't been getting email notices of my blog being published, just sign up again on my blog. I don't know why you got "unsubscribed". It's some kind of problem with Blogspot.com and/or FeedBurner.com. I apologize for this glitch!

Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated!

Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com