A Northern River Otter!

Northern River Otter - Lontra Canadensis

Early one morning this week I spotted a Northern River Otter in the North Yuba River! I watched it for about 30 minutes, as it swam, dove, and caught fish and crayfish! Wow!!! It would dive underwater and vigorously nose around in the rocks until it caught something. Then it would surface, tilt its head back, and crunch, chew, and swallow its prey! Since it was early morning low-light, most of my pictures are blurred, but I saw it eat prey seven times in about 10 minutes! I was so excited! I haven't seen an otter in the North Yuba River for more than a year! It definitely saw me, but didn't seem disturbed by my presence! Otters are not numerous or common in our area. I was SO lucky to see this beautiful wild animal!

The following quote, from https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5210168.pdf, describes its history and current status in North America. 

"The Northern River Otter occurs in streams, lakes and reservoirs, wetlands, and marine coasts. The species occurs broadly across much of North America and is considered reasonably secure overall. Severe declines in the 1800’s from unregulated fur harvest and habitat destruction extirpated or severely reduced populations in many parts of the United States. River otters were extirpated from Colorado and Nebraska, nearly extirpated from South Dakota and Kansas, and severely reduced in Wyoming. Regulation of trapping, improved water quality, and intensive management, including translocations, have re-established the species to much of its former range in North America. Re-introductions in all Region 2 (Rocky Mountain Region) states except Wyoming have re-established river otters to some of its former range, and otter populations appear to be expanding into additional remaining suitable habitat."

Currently the North American river otter is also found inhabiting inland waterways and coastal areas in Canada, the Pacific Northwest, the Atlantic states, and the Gulf of Mexico. North American river otters also inhabit the forested regions of the Pacific coast in North America. The species is also present throughout Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands, and the north slope of the Brooks Range.

Northern River Otter - Lontra Canadensis

Northern River Otters are active year-round, and are most active at night and at dawn and dusk. They become much more nocturnal in the spring, summer, and fall seasons, and more diurnal during winter. 

 Rainbow Trout - Signal Crayfish

Onchoryhncus mykiss irideus - Pacifastucus leniusculus

Their preferred food is fish, but will also eat crayfish, mussels, snakes, frogs, turtles, and waterfowl!  In winter, adult crayfish shelter in burrows and enter a state of torpor.  The burrows are a series of interconnecting tunnels that can be two meters deep!

 Male Willow Flowers - Salix sp.

It Rained!!!

Last night we got .45" of rain!  Yahoo!  Everything was fresh and lovely this morning!

This brings our total rainfall for this water year to 20.67", only about 60% of the normal amount.  More rain is forecasted this coming weekend.  I really hope March brings LOTS of rain to our area.  Fingers crossed!

The Pussy Willows have blossomed!  The hairy-looking male flowers are full of pollen, and the green female flowers are full of nectar.  

 Manzanita Flowers - Female Willow Flowers

Arctostaphylos sp. - Salix sp.

 Local Manzanita bushes are also in bloom, and attracting insects.  I'll talk more about the insects next week.

 Common Goldeneye (first year/mature males) - Bucephala clangula

The North Yuba River Corridor

This past month, I've been seeing several groups of Common Goldeneye Ducks in a nearby section of the North Yuba River.  The adult males are in their breeding colors.  The first year males are more grayish than the mature males.

 Common Goldeneye (first year male - adult female) - Bucephala clangula

The females have a brownish head and gray body.  Some of them have an orange tip to their bill.  These ducks sit a lot lower in the water than the Hooded Mergansers.

Common Merganser (2 female adults - 1 male adult) - Mergus merganser

This week I've seen two adult male and two adult female Common Mergansers.  The males are in their striking mating colors.  I've also seen Common Goldeneye Ducks swimming with these Mergansers!

American Dipper - Canyon Wren

 Cinclus mexicanus - Catherpes mexicanus

On one of my favorite downriver sections of the North Yuba River, I was delighted to see and hear a Canyon Wren last week!!!  This is the first one I've ever seen in our area, although they are listed as common!  They have a lovely descending call! 

An American Dipper was also in the same section, and was singing and calling its loud, bell-like songs!  This one is the one featured on my "Too Busy to Blog" blog last week.  David Lukas describes their behavior in the following quote from the book Sierra Nevada Birds.  "They are absolutely fearless on the edge of furious rapids and plunging waterfalls, diving effortlessly to feed and popping to the surface like a buoyant cork."

Belted Kingfisher (female) - Megaceryle alcyon

Pond Update

At the Charles Marsh Pond the female Belted Kingfisher is still present... 

Hooded Merganser (female - male) - Lophodytes cucullatus

...as well as a pair of Hooded Mergansers!

 Mallard (male-female) - Hooded Merganser (male)

Anas platyrhynchos - Lophodytes cucullatus

At the pond where I saw the Northern River Otter and the Bufflehead Ducks two weeks ago, there are a few new arrivals.  A pair of Mallards and two male Hooded Mergansers, showed up this week!  This male merganser has his head feathers fully erect and on display!  I looked and looked for the River Otter, but didn't see one.  Maybe next time!

Wood Duck (2 males - 1 female) - Aix sponsa

The Wood Ducks are still occupying the pond down from Grass Valley.  
What a treat it was to see them again!  Such beauty!

What are these tiny creatures?  

 What kind of insect is this?

 Why are the needles growing out of the TRUNK of this pine tree?

What insects are out and about?

Have any new birds arrived?

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

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