Red-tailed Hawk in the Rain - Buteo jamaicensis
Rain started falling last Thursday and didn't stop until Tuesday! The total precipitation for the storm was 12.3"!!! Most of the rain, 7.9", fell on Sunday! IT POURED! It was fabulous! We haven't had heavy rainfall like that for years and years! It has washed away the threat of wildfires in our area! What a miracle!!!
The storm was part of an "Atmospheric River" that covered most of California, with the northern part receiving the most rain. The following is NOAA's simple description of an atmospheric river.
"Atmospheric rivers are relatively narrow regions in the atmosphere that are responsible for most of the transport of water vapor from the tropics. Atmospheric rivers come in all shapes and sizes but those that contain the largest amounts of water vapor and strongest winds are responsible for extreme rainfall events and floods. This type of hydrologic event can affect the entire west coast of North America. These extreme events can disrupt travel, induce mudslides, and cause damage to life and property. Not all atmospheric rivers are disruptive. Many are weak and provide beneficial rain or high elevation snow that is crucial to the water supply."
Red-tailed Hawk - Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis - Buteo lineatus
After the Storm
I saw the Red-tailed Hawk in the top of a pine tree during a heavy rainstorm in 2019. This week, after the storm passed, I was lucky enough to see two different hawks spreading their wings to dry out in the sun. The Red-tailed Hawk pictured on the left was near the Open Slope that I often write about. The Red-shouldered Hawk on the right was on my neighbor/fellow naturalist's property! It made me wonder how birds stay dry in wet weather.
The following information is from birdwatchingpro.com.
"If you’re an avid bird watcher, then you probably already know that if a light rain is falling, birds will still go about their business as usual. This is because they are designed to have at least some sort of water resistance. Unless it’s a heavy rain, water will generally just slide off the feathers, and their bodies will be kept warm thanks to the air pockets beneath their feathers.
But in the heavier rains, most land birds will seek shelter from the storm. Small bushes, shrubs, thickets, or even some trees will provide excellent shelter from heavy rain. In order to maintain their body warmth for as long as possible, the birds will stay still and conserve their energy.
If the rain does not cease, then the birds will eventually run out of energy. So, they will have to venture out and find food to fuel their energy. Birds that feed on insects may have a tough time finding grubs while it is raining, but they tend to be spoilt for choice after the rain.
Raptors may also suffer during prolonged periods of rain. Birds that feed on seeds and worms will be okay for food, especially since heavy rains tend to unearth worms. If a storm rages on for a prolonged period of time, then raptors and insect-eating birds will suffer greatly and face hypothermia and even death."
The following additional information is from gckcopywriter.com.
"Raptors like rain about as much as a cat likes a bath.
Hawks, eagles, owls, and other birds of prey have a tough time during drenching rains.
First, depending on their size, a raptor’s wings can take as much as an entire day to dry out. Before that, it’s too difficult to fly any normal distance to find food.
Second, even if they can fly normally, their prey – whether its smaller birds, rabbits, or squirrels – take shelter against storms in dense surroundings or burrows. They stay hidden.
If it rains too long, raptors can be faced with a serious lack of food and face a real crisis."
North Yuba River 10/23/21
The River!
Before the storm came, the North Yuba River was very shallow and slow. There was a good sized rock bar that was visible downstream, with willows growing on it. During the height of the storm that rock bar was totally submerged!
North Yuba River 10/26/21
Over the course of the storm, the river rose from 1.4ft to 11.3ft in height. That's a difference of almost ten feet!!! It has since dropped back down to 3 feet in height. The cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) rate rose from 90cfs to 7,925cfs, at the height of the storm! It has since dropped down to 420cfs! It was amazing to see! The last "high water" I remember was in 2017!
Wood Duck (male) - Aix sponsa
Before the Storm
The day before the storm arrived I was down at the bridge in the early evening and just happened to spot a male Wood Duck swimming by! Wow! I have only seen these ducks on ponds, so it was a complete surprise to see one on the North Yuba River! It quickly took off downstream when it saw me, so I only got a few blurred photos. (The photo above was taken on a pond in the foothills last spring.)
Wood Duck (male) - Aix sponsa
Adults feed mainly on acorns off the ground, but will also forage for invertebrates and aquatic plants. These duck nest in the foothills of the western Sierra, usually below 3,000' - 4,000' in elevation, where there are a lot of oaks and acorns. They are tree-cavity nesters. They use natural cavities that have formed in a mature tree, often where a branch has broken off due to heart rot, as well as abandoned Pileated Woodpecker cavities. The Wood Duck is the only North American duck that regularly produces two broods in one 5-6 month breeding season! The female lays 10-13 eggs in her feather-lined nest, anytime between March and June. The incubation period is 30 days. The ducklings are born precocial, and leave the nest usually within 24 hours after hatching. They jump to the ground and their mother leads them to water, where they immediately start feeding! After approximately 30 days, the female abandons the young ducklings, to start another brood!
Common Merganser (female - male) - Mergus merganser
Earlier that day we also spotted several Common Mergansers on the river! We hadn't seen any for three weeks. At this time of year the males are molting and getting their mating plumage back. Their bright white breasts and bellies are a striking contrast to their dark heads. We haven't seen them since the storm came through. They must seek out ponds and slow moving side streams during periods of heavy rain and high water.
Columbian Black-tailed Deer - Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
inset: American Black Bear scat
Wild Rose in the Rain
Damp Earth Art
Thanks to all of you who contributed art, thoughts, and wishes to this "rain dance"! It's been fun! I'm going to keep posting rain inspired writings, art, etc. on my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com. Check it out and pray for rain!
What kind of Mushrooms are popping up?
Are the lichens active again?
Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more.
Unfortunately, you can no longer sign up to get my blog via email. Just go to northyubanaturalist.blogspot.com directly. It looks better than the emailed version!
Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!
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