Sierra Valley Revisited

American White Pelicans - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

American White Pelicans

Last week, my friend Judy and I returned to Sierra Valley to kayak and watch wildlife.  There wasn't enough water to kayak any distance, it was way too shallow, but the wildlife was amazing!  As we approached the Steel Bridge, a flock of American White Pelicans flew overhead.  To our delight a group of about 20 of them landed near the bridge and commenced "fishing"!  As we watched, they paddled along shoulder-to-shoulder in a tight-knit group.  Then all at once they would plunge their heads under water, presumably to catch fish, and then after a few seconds resurface in unison!  It was incredibly beautiful to watch!

American White Pelicans - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

These large Pelicans eat up to 3 lbs. of fish daily, which they scoop up in their large expandable bills as they swim along. They do not dive to catch fish. They will also scoop up crayfish and amphibians. They are one of the largest birds in North America. They are approximately 4 feet tall, weigh 16.4 lbs., and have a wingspan of 9 feet!

American White Pelicans - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

During breeding season the color of their feet, bills, irises, and the skin around their eyes becomes a really saturated-orange color! Also, the males and females both grow horns on their upper bills, which are shed once their eggs are laid. These pelicans do not breed in Sierra Valley.  This particular population is probably migrating to Anaho Island in Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Which is one of the primary inland breeding areas for American White Pelicans! 

Not all American White Pelicans breed every year.  David Lucas describes their behavior in the following quote from his book Birds of the Sierra.

"A significant proportion of the population does not breed each year and spends the spring summer, and fall loafing and wandering widely is search of places to feed. Nonbreeding birds are frequently joined by breeding adults who switch nesting duties every 3 days and use their days off to find food."

American White Pelicans - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

I was so thrilled to see this amazing small group of Pelicans fishing together in the vastness of Sierra Valley!  The grace and unison in their movement was overwhelmingly beautiful!  I've never been privileged to observe this behavior before!  I am so so lucky!

Sandhill Cranes - Antigone canadensis

Sierra Valley Birds!

More and more birds are showing up in Sierra Valley!  Some come here to breed, while others are just stopping to rest and feed on their migration north.  I have written about most of these birds in past blogs (use the "search this blog" bar on the top right), so this week I'm only writing in detail about the new species we saw.  I'll be returning to Sierra Valley later this month when even MORE birds will be present.  

Western Meadowlark - Tree Swallow - Sage Thrasher

Sturnella neglecta - Tachycineta bicolor - Oreoscoptes montanus

The Sage Thrasher was a new bird species for us!  We spotted it because it was singing a lovely loud song from the top of a fence post.  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states,

 "The Sage Thrasher has a long, melodious song of great variety, reminiscent of a mockingbird's song, and is found mostly in shrub-dominated valleys and plains of the western United States. It is considered a sagebrush obligate, generally dependent on large patches and expanses of sagebrush steppe for successful breeding."

They feed mainly on insects, but will eat small fruits and berries if available.  They generally nest in or under Sagebrush bushes. Both the male and female construct their bowl-shaped nest with twigs, lined with grasses, fur, and horsehair.  They will both incubate their 4-5 eggs for 11-13 days, feed the nestlings for 10-14 days, and care for the fledglings for 7 days or more.  I hope to see these lovely desert birds again soon!  Maybe even on a nest!

Greater White-fronted Geese - Anser albifrons

Although these Geese are not new to me, this is the first time I've seen them in Sierra Valley.

Greater or Lesser Yellow-legs - Gadwall (male) - American Pipit

Tringa melanoleuca or flavipes - Mareca strepera - Anthus rubescens

 I am not a good enough birder to distinguish if the Yellow Legs was the Greater or Lesser species!  Do any of you know?

Brown-headed Cowbirds on a cow!

Molothrus ater

I've seen Cowbirds many times before, but NEVER on the back of a cow!  I've read that they hang around cows and horses and eat the ground dwelling insects that they stir up, such as grasshoppers and beetles.  I've never read that they eat insects off the cow itself, and can't seem to find any information about that. Perhaps these Cowbirds were just enjoying the warmth from the dark fur of the cow!  I have to do more research!

Pronghorn - Antiolocapra americana

Pronghorns in Sierra Valley!

We've gone to Sierra Valley twice in the past two weeks.  On both trips we lucked out and saw a few Pronghorns! The second time we saw them they were a lot closer, so the heat waves rising off the valley floor didn't distort my photographs.  They were SO different looking with their unusual horns, banded necks, and wide-spread eyes.  They were all so incredibly muscular!  We lucked out and watched them for a good ten minutes before they moved to a more distant location. 

Pronghorn (2 males, 1 female) - Antiolocapra americana

Pronghorns are not antelopes, and are not related to antelopes, but are often known colloquially in North America as the American antelope, prong buck, pronghorn antelope, prairie antelope, or simply antelope.  They are the  only species in their antilocapra genus. Many (but not all) pronghorn herds are migratory, traveling long distances to warmer climates in the fall, and back to greener locations in the spring.

Pronghorn ( 2 males, 1 female) - Antiolocapra americana

These beautiful Pronghorns are the swiftest animals in North America, and have been recorded running as fast as 59 mph!  They can outrun any predator!  Their limbs  are cursorial (built for speed) but not for jumping.  Fences have had a detrimental effect on their population, as they cannot jump over them.  They need to live in areas that are wide open and basically treeless, like Sierra Valley.  They feed on a wide variety of plants, especially sagebrush in the winter. 

Pronghorn (female, male) - Antiolocapra americana

Their horns are keratinized sheaths which cover extensions of the frontal bone.  The sheaths are shed annually.  Both male and female have these horns. The horns of the males grow up to 11.8–19.7 inches, female horns are smaller at 2.9-3.9 inches. Males have lyre-shaped horns that curve inwards whereas females usually have straight horns. The female's horns are generally smaller than their ears, or absent, and aren't pronged. Additionally males have short black manes on their neck, as well as a neck patch and a black stripe that runs across their forehead from horn to horn.  Females lack these black facial patches, but have a small mass of black hair around their nose.  Breeding doesn't occur until mid-September to October when males acquire small harems of females.  One to two offspring are born the following spring.  They are usually weaned in three weeks, but will remain with their mother for a year and a half.  What a thrill it was to watch these amazing, wild, native mammals!

Scarlet Fritillary bejeweled with dewdrops!  

Fritillaria recurva

Earth Day is this Thursday, April 22.  I hope this year brings better environmental awareness and action than in the recent past.  We can't do enough to protect our precious earth!  Get out in nature as often as you can, and make it part of your life.  The beauty and peace is endless!

"For me it is simply instinct, and perhaps this is all that a person can try to put into each of her days: attention to the radiance, a rise to the full chase of beauty."    Ellen Meloy - The Anthropology of Turquoise

Cherry Blossoms and Storm Clouds

Weather Update

This week we had several days of beautiful dark gray storm clouds and a little rain, .16".  It was gorgeous outside with all the fruit trees in bloom in sun and shadow, against the stormy skies!  A chance of rain is forecasted for this coming Wednesday and Thursday.  I hope it pours!  We are indeed in another drought year, so my fingers are crossed.  

Judy kayaking in Sierra Valley!

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

What 's blooming locally?

What birds have recently arrived?

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

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