Columbian Black-tailed Deer - Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
At least 4 mornings a week I check out what's happening at the Open Slope. This week the Columbian Black-tailed doe, was out foraging with her two offspring! The juveniles bounded off before I got their photo, but the doe stayed and browsed on plants. Female offspring stay with their mother for two years after birth. Male offspring stay for one year. The two juveniles were probably born last June or July, so they'll be with their mom for a while still. Right now I can't tell if they're male or female.
Mule deer don't have upper incisors or canine teeth and can't nip off twigs. They must press plants between their upper hard palate and their bottom teeth and jerk their heads up to tear them off. In winter they mainly eat the growing tips of trees and shrubs, as well as acorns, fruits and berries. They are ruminants and have 4 stomachs in which food is fermented before it is digested. Their stomachs are small, so they select the most nutritious parts of plants that are high in fiber but low in starch. Some of their preferred forage is Ceanothus, Douglas Fir, Stonecrop, Manzanita, Creek Dogwood, Black Oak, and Elderberry.
American Kestrel (male) - Falco sparverius
About two weeks ago I spotted the American Kestrel in a cloud of non-biting midges. Neither species eats the other, but they both like the tops of trees! I haven't seen the Kestrel or the midges since. The Kestrel has probably moved on to greener pastures where food is more readily available. The midges have possibly finished with their mating flights for the year! Such a beautiful sight!
Common Goldeneye (male) - Bucephala clangula
The section of the river below the open slope is a favorite feeding area for Common Goldeneyes. All winter long I have seen them there, diving under water in their search for fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. They will be leaving for their breeding grounds across Canada and Alaska, in the near future. Now that the sun in shining on the river in the morning the males look especially gorgeous against the sunlit green river!
River Otter - Lontra canadensis
It is a ways down to the river from the top of the slope. You can also see quite a ways upriver from there. I had been watching the Common Goldeneyes on the river with my camera, when I noticed a much bigger wake in the river. Something large was swimming to shore. Unfortunately the bushes hid the shoreline, so I couldn't see what it was but I suspected it might be a River Otter!!! I got two quick blurred photos of the mystery swimmer (see orange arrows above) when it was quite distant. I enlarged them on my camera and thought for sure that it was an Otter! Since it was headed upriver, I thought I'd take my chances and run to an upriver spot where I'd seen River Otters once before. If I went fast enough I thought I just might get there in time.
So I hot-footed it upriver about a mile, and bigger than heck the River Otter was sitting on a rock ledge across the river! WOW!!! It was rolling around under some leafless bushes on the ledge. When it saw me it instantly dropped down off the ledge into the river and disappeared! This was right on a bend in the river, and there was a willow island in the bend that blocked the view of the river. So I walked upriver past the willow island to see if it would appear, but it didn't.
River Otter - Lontra canadensis
I knew I should head home as my husband was waiting for me, but decided to take one more look at the rock ledge just in case the otter had returned. So I walked back past the willow island, and the otter was there again, grooming itself on a tuber and grass hummock on the same river edge! WOW!!!
It was quite large! The biggest one I've ever seen! I have since read that they can reach approximately 5 feet in length, including the tail, and weigh up to 33 lbs! It posed for me for about 20 seconds and then dove back in the river. I decided I should leave and let it have its morning to itself.
River Otter - Lontra canadensis
I was so surprised that the Otter was on the ledge when I got there, as he had a much longer route to swim, than the route I ran. Swimming is second nature to River Otters. They are powerful swimmers! They can travel 440 yards underwater without surfacing, hold their breath for 8 minutes, dive to a depth 70', and swim 26 river miles in a day! Their nostrils and ears close underwater. They mainly hunt at night, using their long whiskers to locate prey, but I have seen them catch fish during the day. They eat fish, crayfish, turtles, muskrats, ducks, frogs, garter snakes, and newts.
For four years I've been visiting the Open Slope frequently. Sometimes I walk there, and other times I stop and park on my way home. I'm always on the lookout for River Otters, but this is the first time I've ever seen one on this part of the river! I looked it up when I got home, and I had seen a River Otter further upstream a year and a day before, on March 2nd! Maybe this was the same otter on his annual journey up the river! You just never know! What a huge gift it was to see this beautiful wild animal three times in one morning! WOW!!!
View of the surrounding hills from Quail Valley
Quail Valley
A week ago, my friend Nancy and I went for another foothill hike, down in Quail Valley. We had never been there before. It is part of the Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area, operated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is approximately 7,000 acres (in four parcels) of rolling hills covered with blue and live oak, gray pine, thick brush, and poison oak. Domestic cows also roam free in the area. There are no trails, just cow footpaths and a bunch of dirt roads that meander through the woodlands. It was a beautiful blue-sky day so we headed north on a footpath to see what we could see!
Western Meadowlark - California Quail - California Towhee
Sturnella neglecta - Calipepla californica - Pipilo crissalis
Right away we saw a Western Meadowlark calling from a high branch! This photo doesn't show its beautiful yellow throat, breast, and belly. In the right light they are a gorgeous saturated golden-yellow. I was surprised how long and sharp their beaks were. In Sierra Nevada Birds, David Lucas states, "Their sharp bills are adapted for "gaping", the ability to forcibly open their bills to pry open crevices or dig in the soil." They feed on grubs, insects, and seeds on or in the ground.
We heard, but didn't see, a California Quail while we were there. We also saw a California Towhee, Golden-crowned Sparrow, and a Mourning Dove. There weren't lots of birds yet. Perhaps in a week or two there will be more in the area.
Red Maids - Nemophila sp. - Pygmy Poppy (?) - Hooker's Saxifrage
Calandrinian menziesii - Nemophila sp. - Eschscholzia minutiflora
Micranthes integrifolia
We saw a few wildflowers, but definitely more will be in view as Spring progresses. We'll have to revisit soon!
Valley Oak - Quercus lobata
Although predominantely a Blue Oak forest we also came across some huge Valley Oaks! This one was a good 15' in circumference! In Trees and Shrubs of California by John D. Stuart and John O. Sawyer it states, "Valley Oak is considered to be an uncommon species, largely because of loss of habitat to agriculture and urbanization. Where it does occur, it provides important habitat for wildlife. Native Americans ground its acorns into meal."
Pacific Chorus/Tree Frogs - Pseudacris regilla
There were several small ponds scattered throughout the area, probably for cows to drink out of! One of them was teeming with aquatic wildlife!
Frog eggs with embryos - tadpoles - snail
We found tree frogs, snails, spiders, some aquatic insects, and frog eggs with lots of embryos in them! Next time I'll bring a bowl and see what else is in the algae covered bottom!
Valley Oak Silhouette - Quercus lobata
As we left the wildlife area, the beginning of storm clouds started to move in. We had big hopes that the predicted storm would bring much rain and snow!
It's snowing!
More Damp Earth Art!
A cold winter storm just rolled through and we got approximately 2.78" of precipitation in the last four days! We ended up with about 4" of wet snow on the ground! Up in Sierra City, they got about 1.5' of powdery snow! I'm sure the Lakes Basin got even more! Since we still need more rain, I am continuing to maintain this blog and am again sending out yet another "Call for Art" in celebration of rain. My intention is to focus on the need for rain, and through collective positive energy invoke rain to fall. It is just a wish, a thought, and a hope. If you would like to submit some art, or writing, or a photo please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Check out what's already been submitted at dampearthart.blogspot.com
You can view what was submitted last year at dampearth.blogspot.com.
I will be posting new art weekly. Check it out and pray for rain.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
In celebration of all things Green!
What's happening in the Lakes Basin?
Are anymore plants blooming?
What kind of insects are out and about?
Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!
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