Northern Pygmy-Owl (adult Pacific) - Glaucidium gnoma
Oh WOW an OWL!!! While walking in our neighborhood one afternoon last week, I spotted a small silhouetted bird with a broad, round head in a bare tree. It's an OWL I thought! A Northern Pygmy-Owl! I tried getting closer but a Steller's Jay arrived and chased the owl away! Rats! I did get a few photos (see center photo below), but not that great. The owl had been perched on the edge of a big open field near the cemetery. I thought it might be visible from the cemetery, so I walked up there and hung out for about 15 minutes. I saw quite a few Western Bluebirds but no owl. I decided to head home, but just then out in a distant part of the field a commotion of bluebirds began. They were all calling and flying around, and then one flew towards me. I watched it fly overhead and land in a big cedar tree in the cemetery. I zoomed in on it with my camera, and to my delight it was the Pygmy-Owl!!! WOW!!! It watched me for about a minute and then took off! That was SO exciting! They aren't commonly seen in my neighborhood. The last one I saw was in February 2018! I was so lucky to see one of these beautiful little owls again!
Northern Pygmy-Owls are little, about 6.75" long with a wingspan of 12". Unlike most owls, Northern Pygmy-Owls are diurnal (active during the day). They prey on small birds and mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. They perch and drop down on their prey, and often take prey up to 3x their size! They rely on their vision for hunting, rather than sound, and lack the facial discs of nocturnal owls
The Cornell Lab states, "Small birds such as nuthatches, robins, crossbills, wrens, creepers, hummingbirds, blackbirds, warblers, and jays frequently mob Northern Pygmy-Owls as they do other raptors—this behavior seems particularly bold considering small birds are what pygmy-owls eat. Some people have suggested that the eyespots on the back of the Northern Pygmy-Owl’s neck help deter mobbing birds."
Pygmy-Owl (adult Pacific) - Glaucidium gnoma
Apparently Northern Pygmy-Owls live in our area year-round, but are uncommonly seen. Not a lot of information is available on their breeding, nesting, incubating, and hatching times, as they are difficult to find and observe! They are seasonally monogamous, and pairs are known to allopreen each other!!! They never excavate their own nesting cavities, but instead rely on cavities caused by rot or woodpeckers.
Red-tailed Hawk (juvenile) - Buteo jamaicensis
Two weeks ago I spotted this juvenile Red-tailed Hawk in a tree on the edge of the river. I've seen it a few times since then, always perched high up in a tree. They like to perch in trees, or posts on the edges of clearings or meadows, and watch for prey. Ground squirrels, gophers, rabbits, mice, snakes, lizards, kestrels, and meadowlarks are their main prey. Once prey is sighted they will drop from their perch, flap-and-glide downward, then thrust their legs forward when about 9' from prey, and grab prey with feet. Birdsoftheworld.org states, "During the ensuing struggle, mammalian prey frequently bite the toes and legs of hawks (especially juveniles); many Red-tails bear scars of these encounters."
Red-tailed Hawk (adult) - Buteo jamaicensis
Just a few days ago, an adult Red-tailed Hawk showed up in our neighborhood! It was easily distinguished from the juvenile I have been seeing by its rust-colored tail feathers. If our area stays snow-free this winter, they might just stick around!
Red-tailed Hawks are large birds with a wingspan of 49", a length of 19", and a weight of 2.4lbs. They are one of the mostly commonly seen raptors in North America, and are found from coast to coast in the U.S. and as far south as Venezuela.
On New Year's Day a Bald Eagle showed up! Wow!! It was perched in a tree on the edge of the river, looking for prey! It's probably the one that I've seen infrequently this past month. What a thrill it was to see this commanding, handsome eagle in our neighborhood!
Bald Eagles are LARGE birds, measuring 31" in height, with a wingspan of 80" (6.5 feet!)! Fish, waterfowl, and mammals are their main prey. Congress made the Bald Eagle our national emblem in 1782. However, within approximately 200 years, illegal shooting, habitat destruction, and poisoning from DDT brought the Bald Eagle to the brink of extinction.
Strong endangered species and environmental protection laws, as well as active private, state and federal conservation efforts, have brought back the U.S.A.'s Bald Eagle population from the edge of extinction. The use of DDT pesticide is now outlawed in the U.S. The Bald Eagle is presently protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940, Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, and the Lacey Act. It is listed as a "threatened" species in the lower 48 states."
Currently there are approximately 10,000 breeding pairs in mainland U.S. and approximately 35,000 breeding pairs in Alaska. It is my sincere hope that they remain protected by laws, and that their population continues to thrive.
Gray Lodge and Snow Geese - 12/04/20
Anser caerulescens
My Third Trip to the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area!
About 5 days before Christmas we drove down to the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area to check out the birds again. I absolutely LOVE going there! It is so full of life! The day before we went it had rained quite heavily. When we got to Gray Lodge, we were totally surprised to see that most of the Snow Geese were gone! I don't know why they left, but we did see several large groups of Snow Geese foraging in some plowed fields in the area. We did, however, see LOTS of raptors! They were everywhere!
Raptors are birds of prey that have strong curved talons for catching or killing prey, strong feet for holding prey, a strong curved beak for tearing flesh, and excellent eyesight for finding food. They are carnivores and eat only meat in a variety of forms, including fish, birds, small mammals, and snakes. In contrast to most other birds, they are almost always solitary, to avoid competition for prey.
Their are many classifications (or subgroups) of raptors, such as accipiters, buteos, falcons, eagles, harriers, kites, vultures, ospreys, and owls. It's harder for raptors to find prey while the weather is stormy, as the mammals and birds they prey on tend to stay out of the elements. There is also the risk that they could get too wet while hunting in heavy rain. Most birds tend to become inactive in heavy weather, and wait out the storm. Big birds have a better surface-to-volume ratio than smaller birds, and don't have to eat as often. Survival in the wild is a finely tuned balance of elements that can be challenged by heavy, winter storms.
Gray Lodge and no Snow Geese! - 12/19/20
Since there weren't the thousands of Snow Geese to distract us,
we focused on the raptors!
Peregrine Falcon (adult) - Cooper's Hawk (juvenile)
Falco peregrinus - Accipiter cooperii
We came across this stunning Peregrine Falcon towards the end of the day! What a surprise! Peregrine Falcons are uncommon, but we saw one two weeks ago in Gray Lodge! This one was a LOT closer and SO beautiful!
Peregrines are formidable predators that 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! They prey on 429 species of birds in North America!
Due to pesticides such as DDT, Peregrine Falcon populations declined drastically in the 1960's, across North America and parts of Europe. With the ban of these pesticides, additional stringent legislation, and by raising them in captivity and releasing them back into the wild, these magnificent birds have made a stunning recovery! The birdsoftheworld.org states, "One of the most widely distributed of warm-blooded terrestrial vertebrates, the Peregrine Falcon occurs from the tundra to the Tropics, from wetlands to deserts, from maritime islands to continental forests, and from featureless plains to mountain crags."
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My friend, Nancy, spotted this juvenile Cooper's Hawks in a Cottonwood Tree along the wetland! Wow! Some of the brown plumage on its white breast looked like rain drops! How beautiful! I wasn't 100% sure that this was a Cooper's Hawk, but iNaturalist.org confirmed its identification!
Cooper's Hawks are uncommon and mainly live in dense forests, but can also be found in leafy suburbs and open fields. They can be found across the United States year-round. Their main food is other large birds such as doves, pigeons and robins. They will also prey on squirrels, rabbits, mice and reptiles. They can readily pursue prey through dense thickets or forests. Their short wings and rudder-like tail makes them able to make quick, sharp turns. They grab prey with their feet, and will drown or squeeze them to death! They can see 2-3 times farther than humans!
Red-tailed Hawks (adults)
Buteo jamaicensis - possible "Harlan's" morph
Red-tailed Hawks were numerous, and in a variety of "morphs"! The one in the above right photo, was identified as a "Harlan's" morph on iNaturalist.org. The feather colors are SO different!
Turkey Vulture (adult) - Northern Harrier (adult male)
Cathartes aura - Buteo jamaicensis
Turkey Vultures were roosting throughout the area. This one was sunning or drying out its huge wings! They are large birds, measuring 26" in length, with a wingspan of 67"! Using these large wings, they can soar for hours while searching for carrion. They have a keen sense of smell and can detect carrion for miles! Their red heads are featherless, which helps keep the carrion from sticking to them. They also have excellent immune systems and don't contract botulism, or salmonella from the carrion they eat.
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We saw a Northern Harrier making its typical low-flight search above the reeds and tules. I wasn't able to get a photo, but it was lovely to watch (the above photos is from a different wetland). Northern Harriers are uncommon but widespread in grasslands, as well as fresh and saltwater marshes. They can be found across most of the United States and Mexico in winter, and will migrate to Canada and Alaska to breed. They prey on medium to small sized birds and mammals, reptiles, and frogs. Unlike other hawks, they have an owl-like facial disc/ruff that helps them locate prey acoustically.
Snowy Egrets (adults) - Egretta thula
We spotted these beautiful Snowy Egrets on our way home! They were so elegantly perched on these leafless branches!
Snowy Egrets feed on worms, aquatic and terrestrial insects, crabs, shrimp, prawns, crayfish, snails, fish, frogs, toads, snakes and lizards! They have more foraging methods than any other egret species, including foot-stirring, walking slowly, hovering, striking, and disturb-and-chase. They can live in fresh or salt water wetlands, and probably live year-round in California's Central Valley.
In the 1880's the Snowy Egrets population was in serious decline. Birdsoftheworld.org states, "This species was among the most sought-after of all herons and egrets for its delicate, recurved back plumes, used to adorn women's hats. In 1886, plumes were valued at an astounding $32 per ounce, twice the contemporary price of gold . Plundering for plumes began about 1880, peaked in 1903, and continued until 1910, when outraged citizens forced the passage of laws that reduced the slaughter. Hunting continued longer in Central and South America because of continued European demand. The species mounted a remarkable comeback following cessation of the feather trade, even extending its range beyond that of historical record."
White-faced Ibis (adult) - Sora (adult)
Plegadis chihi - Porzana carolina
We only saw a few White-faced Ibis. They were a dark, rainbow-iridescense in the sun! They use their long decurved bills to probe for aquatic insects, crustaceans, earthworms, and midge larvae. During their breeding season (April to mid-May) a white rim of feathers is displayed around the bare skin of their face, hence their name! They may stay and breed in California, or migrate to Idaho, Montana, N. & S. Dakota, or Iowa. We saw several lone Ibis, as well as one large flock. When they fly they look almost prehistoric to me, with their curved necks and bills.
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We lucked out and saw a Sora in the tules! These birds are secretive and more commonly heard than seen. They live in shallow, fresh water wetlands with emergent vegetation, such as cattails, and feed on seeds and aquatic invertebrates on the surface of the water. They prefer to run rather than fly, and do most of their foraging at night! I only saw it for a few seconds, and then it disappeared into the tules. What a lucky sighting!
Sierra Buttes - 12/28/20
Lakes Basin Update!
Last Monday I drove to the Lakes Basin and hiked up to Sardine Lake from the Sand Shed on Highway 49. The sky was blanketed in patchy clouds, and there was about a foot of snow on the ground. It was easy walking on the road that had been packed down by snow mobiles! Luckily there weren't any people around at all. I was amazed at the abundance of life written in the snow! There were animal tracks everywhere!
Sierra Buttes from frozen Sand Pond - 12/28/20
The lakes were frozen, and the Sierra Buttes were capped in mist! It was wonderful to be back in the Lakes Basin and its winter beauty!
Will the expected stormy weather bring a lot of rain?
Does lichen have the same relationship with rain/water that moss has?
What are the deer doing?
Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!
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