White Leaf Manzanita - Arctostaphylos viscida
It's Raining again! Yahoo! We got .77" of rain in the past 24 hours, and the forecast is for a "showery" week! I hope this wet weather continues for a long time! We really need it to keep the fire danger down. I've been singing my rain song over and over! My friends and I think it helps! I encourage everyone to do anything to invoke more rain! Get out there and dance and sing!
Rain, rain, come on down.
Come and quench this thirsty ground.
Come and let wet smells abound.
Fill the air with a joyful sound!
(repeat)
Pond at Black Swan Preserve 3/4/20
Black Swan Preserve
Last week we went down to the Black Swan Preserve off of Highway 20. During the Gold Rush this was a hydraulic mining site. It is currently open to the public, and there is an easy 2 mile loop trail featuring wetlands, blue oak woodlands, and historic mining sites. In a couple more weeks it should be in bloom.
The following information is from the website bylt.org/land/black-swan-preserve.
"In 2012, Bear Yuba Land Trust was approved to receive a grant from the CalTrans Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program to acquire this “highly sensitive” 50 acres. With mining’s legacy hydraulic pond and diggings, the property is now home to a rich variety of wildlife, birds and the Western pond turtle, a species of special concern. BYLT trails team and volunteers have built two miles of trail around the pond with more on the way. Black Swan Preserve will ultimately be transferred to California Department of Fish and Wildlife once the pond and riparian area is restored and the trail system is complete."
Red-winged Blackbirds - Canada Geese
Agelaius phoeniceus - Branta canadensis
There weren't any ducks on the ponds, but we did see some Canada Geese. I tried to find out why it is called the "Black Swan" Preserve, but didn't have any luck. The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) is native to Australia. They are occasionally found in North America when they escape from a zoo or someone's private collection. Did someone think these Canada Geese were Black Swans? Please let me know if you know the answer! Thanks!
We also saw and heard a few Red-winged Blackbirds, a definite sign of Spring!
1 Western Pond Turtle & 3 Red-eared Sliders
Actinemys marmorata - Trachemys scripta elegans
I spotted these turtles in one of the first ponds we came across. It was exciting to see a native Western Pond Turtle, but discouraging to see the non-native, invasive Red-eared Sliders.
The following information is from the californiaherps.com website.
"The Western Pond Turtle is in decline throughout 75 - 80% of its range. There a number of reasons for this decline.
The following information is from the californiaherps.com website.
"The Western Pond Turtle is in decline throughout 75 - 80% of its range. There a number of reasons for this decline.
Beginning in the 19th century, the commercial harvesting of Western Pond Turtles for food was a major threat to the species. That trade continued at least into the 1930's.
Another cause for the decline of the species was the massive wetland drainage projects in the Great Valley of the early 20th century which destroyed numerous wetlands and lakes and altered rivers, all of which destroyed or reduced suitable habitat for the Western Pond Turtle. Tulare Lake, now gone, was once the home to an estimated 3.5 million pond turtles, almost all of which are now extinct in the area. The destruction or degradation of other wetlands throughout the state has certainly also added to the decline.
The introduction of non-native turtles into Western Pond Turtle habitat, especially the two most successful invasive turtle species, the Red-eared Slider and the Painted Turtle, has been another cause of the decline of the Western Pond Turtle. Both species are common in the pet trade and feral turtles now found in California were most likely released by their owners. Since the Western Pond Turtle is the only native freshwater turtle in its historic range, it did not develop the ability to successfully compete for resources with other species of turtles, and both the Red-eared Slider and the Painted Turtle produce nearly twice as many offspring as the pond turtle which allows them to overwhelm and out-compete the pond turtle population.
Another threat to the pond turtle has been the American Bullfrog, an invasive species that has spread throughout the state. In 1994 report, Dan C. Holland writes that the invasive bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is a known predator of Western Pond Turtles, and the report includes a picture of a bullfrog preying on a juvenile pond turtle in San Diego County. Bullfrogs breed in such large numbers that adults can eventually eat so many hatchling turtles that few turtles can survive to adulthood and after the existing adults die off there will be no more turtles at that location."
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has an "Invasive Species Program". The following information is from their website wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives. If you would like to get involved in the 7th annual California Invasive Species Action Week on June 6-14, 2020, visit the CISWA page or email Invasives@wildlife.ca. gov to find out how you can participate as a partner organization, event host, or an individual.
"The mission of the Invasive Species Program is to reduce the negative effects of non-native invasive species on the wild lands and waterways of California. We are involved in efforts to prevent the introduction of these species into the state, detect and respond to introductions when they occur, and prevent the spread of invasive species that have become established. Our projects address problems with introduced animals and plants, both terrestrial and aquatic. More fundamentally, we try to identify and address the ways by which the species are introduced, typically inadvertently, by human activities. Studies show that preventing introductions is the most effective and cost-efficient way to manage invasive species. We conduct our work in coordination with other government agencies and non-governmental organizations."
I was so lucky to see this native Western Pond Turtle! I'm going to see what I can do to help with the CDFW Invasive Species Program.
Red-tailed Hawk - Acorn Woodpecker - California Scrub-Jay
Buteo jamaicensis - Melanerpes formicivorus - Aphelocoma californica
We heard a lot of birds, but didn't see most of them. Birdwatching isn't as easy as you might think! The birds pictured above were common, and easily seen in the area. The Scrub-Jay and the Acorn Woodpeckers are year-round foothill residents. The Red-tailed Hawk may spend the winter in the foothills and valleys, but can also live at higher elevations if food is available.
Gray Pine - Blue Oak
Pinus sabiniana - Quercus douglasii
The ceanothus was is full bloom, and there were a few buttercups dotting the hillsides. The trees were mainly Gray Pines as well as Blue Oaks, that were just leafing out. The spindly nature of the Gray Pine needles is a sharp contrast to their heavy, sharply-spined cones!
American Wigeon (male) - Wood Duck (male & female)
Buteo jamaicensis - Melanerpes formicivorus - Aphelocoma californica
Since we were close by, I made a quick trip to the Wood Duck Pond to see what was happening. To my delight the Wood Ducks were still there, and there were also two pairs of American Wigeons! Seems like the waterfowl population is always changing on our local ponds. It's fascinating!
Tree Frog eggs and embryos (?)
I found these Tree Frog eggs and embryos in a ditch along the highway near my neighborhood! The water was super cold, and none of these tiny creatures were moving. The two types were contained in separate, clear, one inch, globular blobs that were attached to dead plant material in the ditch. I have never seen these before!!!
In Pacific Tree Frogs, breeding takes place from January to May. The female lays an egg mass containing 10-70 eggs. This eggs mass is laid in a temporary pond, where it floats, attached to pond vegetation, about 3-4 weeks before hatching. The colder the water is, the longer it takes for the eggs to hatch. So, I think the spherical "critters" on the left are eggs that are younger than the embryos on the right. The embryos look like they have stomachs, but I don't know if that's what the yellow shapes are. I think the next step in their metamorphosis will be to change from embryos to tadpoles. I'll keep checking on these tiny critters, and let you know what happens next!
Polygonia faunus - Nymphalis californica
Two types of butterflies have been flitting around our neighborhood lately, the Green Comma and the California Tortoiseshell. Both of these species overwinter as adults. The Green Comma is listed as "usually uncommon"!
I found the large, adult Snow Sedge Caddisfly on my car window one morning last week! I thought it was an unusual moth! I submitted my photo to bugguide.org and they identified it as an adult caddisfly!!! I have seen caddisfly nymphs in just about every river or stream I examine. They make external "cases" out of pine needles, twigs, tiny rocks etc., in which they live. They live underwater as nymphs for a few months to several years, depending on the species. As an adult they only live for one month, and live on the nectar of flowers! The nymphs are only about an inch long! The adult was quite large, about 2" with 1.5" antennae!!! What an interesting find!
Eggs are generally laid in temporary ponds. Embryos and larvae may die when the pH of the habitat ranges from 4.2 to 4.5. The larval stage can last from 45 to 90 days, and is partially dependent on the availability of water in vernal pools. Compared to a related species, Pseudacris triseriata, the spring peeper has a longer development time (a prolonged larval period), in which metamorphosis is delayed.
Sierra Buttes 3/6/20
We went hiking on the snow up to Salmon Lake last week! There is still about 2.5'-3' of wet, packed snow around the 6,000' level. It was a beautiful day, and no one else was there, as the county has closed the access roads. Salmon Lake was still frozen!
Such beauty!
What's happening with Project FeederWatch?
What new birds have arrived?
Where are the deer and bears?
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
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