A Gully Washer!

North Yuba River 

Last Monday night it started to rain around 9:30.  At first it was sprinkling lightly on the roof, then it increased to a steady rain, and then it POURED!  For a good hour it rained heavily!  We jumped for joy!  It was still raining when we went to bed!  Wow!!! The next morning I checked the rainfall total for our area, and it was .57", with as much as .75" on the surrounding ridges! This is the third rainstorm we've had in the past three weeks!  Sure hope it keeps up!  Rain, rain, come on down....

Columbian Black-tailed Deer - Odocoileus hemionus columbianus

It was a beautiful, moist, mist-filled morning that greeted us on our walk!  Right away we saw this buck, and about 20 minutes later we spotted this doe and fawn!  There was also another fawn just a few yards away from this pair.  I thought it might be the doe and fawns I had seen on the river, but these were Columbian Black-tailed Deer!  There seem to be lots of deer in our area lately.  They're probably here because of the river and it's lush green vegetation, as well as the ripe apples in our neighborhood.

Lady's Thumb - Willow Herb (flowers and seeds)

 Persicaria muculosa - Epilobium sp.

What's Blooming?

Most of the plants that are blooming in my neighborhood are found along the edge of the river, except for the Rabbitbrush that usually grows in very hot and dry areas.

The dark green splotches on the leaves (above left), are the origin of the name "Lady's Thumb." Supposedly the splotches resemble a lady's thumbprint! Now THAT takes a stretch of the imagination! I would have named it "Beaded Pinks" or something like that. I am, however, glad that the plant name wasn't named "Lady's Thumb" after its flowers, because that would had to have been inspired by a rather sore, diseased, and distressed thumb!

The tiny Willow Herb makes a dense hedge of thin seed pods, that explode open when they're dry and disperse their seeds.

Rubber Rabbitbrush - Moth Mullein - Devil's Beggarticks/Sticktight

Ericameria nauseous - Verbascum blattaria - Bidens frondosa

The Willow Herb, Rabbitbrush, and Beggarticks are native to our area.  The Moth Mullein and Lady's Thumb are introduced from Eurasia.

River Otter scat composed of crayfish exoskeletons - Lontra canadensis

River News!

Since the smoke wasn't around this week, I was able to go to a few spots on the North Yuba River that I haven't visited in a long time. One area has lots of sculpted bedrock pools that the river flows through. This year, because the water is low, there was a small bar of exposed river rocks in the middle of the river.  I waded out to it and found the River Otter scat pictured above, although there weren't any Otters. The scat was composed of dry crayfish exoskeletons!  It was about 1.5" long and 1" wide.  When I broke it open (above left) all the colorful crayfish claws and legs were exposed! How cool!

Canyon Wren - Catherpes mexicanus

To my delight a Canyon Wren was foraging on the same section of the river!  I saw one here last year, and am thrilled to think it could be the same one!  Canyon Wrens are usually solitary, except during the breeding season, and are non-migratory!  They feed mainly on insects and spiders.  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states, "Few terrestrial birds are as restricted to rocky cliffs or outcrops as this one. It inhabits the same territories year-round, commonly nesting in sheltered rock crevices, using its long, decurved bill and flattened head to probe for spiders and insects in rock crevices."  The Cornell lab also states that some Canyon Wrens may migrate below the snowline for winter.  I've never seen one here during the winter.  I'll have to come back this winter and check.

   

Our Scarecrows

Mystery Solved!

I finally saw a Chickaree pulling the stuffing out of our scarecrow's head this week!  I also found out where it's building its winter nest/home!  It's about 20' up a nearby locust tree!  These squirrels do not hibernate, they are active all winter. Right now they are busy caching food for the winter, usually nuts and seeds.

Chickaree/Douglas Tree Squirrel -  Tamiasciurus douglasii

A Chickaree might build a ball-shaped nest out of twigs, lichen, shredded bark, and apparently polyester fiberfill, up in a tree for the winter.  Or it might live in a woodpecker nest or hollow log for the winter.  I'm looking forward to watching the building of this nest!

Willows in the Rain

Damp Earth Art

Possible rain is in the forecast again for Wednesday through Saturday this week! Yahoo! Once again I hope it pours! The Dixie/Jarbo Gap and the Caldor fires have diminished even more. Fingers crossed that they continue to diminish. I am so grateful that there aren't any fires in our immediate area. My heart goes out to those who have lost their homes in this unprecedented fire season. My unending thanks go to the fire fighters who continue to battle these dangerous fires every day.

I so wish it would rain! We can't do anything about the drought, the wind, hot temperatures and fires. Worry makes it harder to bear. So anytime I think of it, I think rain, rain, 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. I've created a blog, dampearthart.blogspot.com where I post photographs, quotes, and artworks that feature rain.

Deer Lake - 9/30/21

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

How is the fundraising for the Wildlife Disaster Network going?

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

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