Sky Lupine after the Rain - Lupinus nanus
There is so much going on locally, that it's hard to keep up with it all! Plants are blooming, birds are nesting, insects are hatching, reptiles and amphibians are mating, it's warming up, and the river is rising from the melting snow! For a change, I didn't go anywhere this week and just focused on my neighborhood. It was fun!
The BIG news is that it rained this week! For three days, beautiful dark grey clouds moved in and brought scattered rain showers to our neighborhood. We only got a total of .50" of rain over the three days, but the damp earth smelled wonderful and everything was refreshed! I hope lots more storms keep coming, and keep the drought at bay. Fingers crossed!
Brewer's Blackbird (female - male) - Euphagus cyanocephalus
Nesting News!
The Brewer's Blackbird males arrived here a few weeks ago, and this week the females arrived. There are two small groups of approximately 10 birds that I've been watching. The females in both groups are starting to gather nesting materials! One group prefers to nest in the small deciduous trees perched on a steep cliff, along the highway. The other group prefers to nest in the Lilac Bushes along the road near our home! In the morning I've seen the females collect nesting material on the ground among the Sky Lupines.
Only the females build the nests, and incubate the eggs for 12-13 days. The males stand guard and ward off predators or other males during this time. Once the nestlings hatch, both parents feed them. Fledging occurs 12-15 days later, but the parents continue feeding them for another 15 to 20 days.
Canada Geese with goslings - Branta Canadensis
For years now, there have been several pairs of Canada Geese, which mate for life, living in our neighborhood. Sometimes they even stay all winter, if there isn't much snow. Every spring, I wait to see their new goslings! This year they appeared a month earlier than last year, just about two weeks ago! One couple has two goslings, the other has three! I am amazed at the amount of parental care the adults provide. They are constantly with their young, and somehow are able to keep them safe. With foxes and mountain lions in the area, I'm surprised the goslings survive, but year after year I've watched them mature into adults! They get bigger quite quickly, and are full size in about two months. The new goslings will remain with their parents for their first year!
Valley Tassels - Applegate's Paintbrush - Lupine sp.
Castilleja attenuata - Castilleja appelgatei - Lupinus sp.
Wildflowers are popping up in the sunny areas, especially along the highway! Sky Lupine (in blackbird photo) is one of the most commonly seen flowers and forms large masses of blue blossoms. The bright reddish-orange paintbrush contrasts beautifully with the blue lupines.
Naked Broomrape - Aphyllum purpureum
I was thrilled to find these Naked Broomrape flowers on the Canyon Creek Trail. They were growing in a wet, mossy seep alongside saxifrage, of which they are root parasites. They were quite small, only about 2" tall. I have never seen them before! Their hairs glistened incredibly! Their unusual name is derived from; "broom" = European plants called brooms, "rape" = rapum or cluster of tuber like roots, and "naked" = leafless.
Hartweg's Ginger - Grand's Hounds Tongue - Hooker's Fairybell
Asarum hartwegii - Cynoglossum grande - Prosartes hookeri
In the shady areas, different flowers are showing up! The ginger flowers are incredibly hairy and slightly stinky! Their smell attracts flies, which are their main pollinators!
Say's Phoebe - Western Meadowlark - Cedar Waxwings
Sayornis saya - Sturnella neglecta - Bombycilla cedrorum
Mexico - Mexico - Costa Rica
Lots of birds are arriving in our neighborhood lately! Some are just passing through, while others will raise their young here. Most of them are long-distance migrants, and spend their winters far south of here. I've labeled them with the name of the most southern country in which they are known to winter. It's amazing to me that they can travel such incredible distances every year!
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Cliff Swallow - Violet-green Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis - Petrochelidon pyrrhonta - Tachycineta thalassina
Costa Rica - Brazil - Costa Rica
Black-headed Grosbeak (female - male) - Evening Grosbeak (male)
Pheuticus melanocephalus - Coccothraustes vespertinus
Mexico - short distance migrant or Mexico - Mexico
Spotted Sandpiper - Osprey - Turkey Vulture
Actitis macularius - Pandion haliaetus - Cathartes aura
CA Central Valley or Chile - CA Coast or Brazil - CA Coast or Columbia
Mountain Dogwood - Cornus nuttallii
Trees are blooming everywhere! Some have showy flowers, while others have tiny flowers on dangling tassels! They are all gorgeous! Next week I'll discuss the various insect pollinators that are visiting them.
Wild Plum - Prunus sp.
California Black Oak - Quercus kelloggii
Pacific Madrone - Arbutus menziesii
What kind of beautiful creature is this?
What about those insects?
What are the amphibians doing?
What's happening in the Lakes Basin?
Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!
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