Aspen leaves in a partially frozen puddle
Last Sunday night, it started raining around 9:00 pm, and kept up all night! It poured! Our precipitation total, by 10:00 am on Monday morning, was almost .75" of an inch! Heavy rain is predicted to start tonight and continue through Monday, with a possible precipitation total of 8-10"!!! Yahoo! My fingers are crossed. This could very well be the end of the fire season in our area! In fact most of California is getting some of this heavy rain! Thank goodness! Rain, rain, come on down...
Aspen Meadow 10/18/21 - 10/10/18
On Tuesday we decided to drive up to the Lakes Basin to check out the aspens one last time before the rains came. We went to our favorite aspen-rimmed meadow for our annual picnic and were surprised to see about two inches of snow on the ground! It was so beautiful!
Sierra Buttes 10-19-21
We went to several other areas where there are aspens, and saw the newly
snow-dusted Sierra Buttes from different vantage points. Such beauty! What a relief to get this weather! It's been a tough couple of years for all of us with Covid-19, wildfires, and horrendous smoke on top of all our normal day-to-day stresses. Now this snow and rain will literally and figuratively make us breathe easier! I am so grateful!
Black Oaks on Highway 49
A Scenic Drive on Highway 49
It's about a 45-60 minute drive from our area up to the Lakes Basin, and a climb in elevation of about 2,500'-3,000'. For most of the drive, the beautiful North Yuba River is alongside the highway. It's always a lovely drive, but right now the Fall colors are spectacular despite the drought. I think the main reason that the leaves didn't just dry up is that it rained a little in our area, every week for the past 5 weeks. Apparently it was just enough rain to keep the leaves from drying out! Additionally the river kept the canyon cool and damp, and kept plants from drying out. Anyway it's a gorgeous drive. Here are some photos of the beauty! Enjoy!
Fremont Cottonwoods on the North Yuba River
Populus fremontii
Big-leaf Maple & Mountain Dogwood
Acer macrophyllum - Cornus nuttallii
California Black Oaks - Quercus kelloggii
Indian Rhubarb - Darmera peltalta
Western Gray Squirrel - Sciurus griseus
What are the Squirrels doing?
Right now the Western Gray Squirrels are eating and storing as much food as possible for the winter. At this time of year they mainly eat mushrooms, mistletoe berries, acorns, pine nuts and seeds. They search for food daily, but also have small caches of food to eat when snow blankets the ground. During winter they usually live in a hollow tree or limb, or abandoned woodpecker cavities.
Chickaree/Douglas Squirrel - California Ground Squirrel
Tamiasciurus douglasii - Sciurus griseus
Chickarees/Douglas Squirrels are also eating and storing as much food as possible for the winter. 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. They and the Western Gray Squirrel are called "scatter hoarders", because they stash food in many places, not just one spot. They are incredible tree climbers and acrobats, and can rotate their hind feet 180° backwards when climbing down a trunk. Pine Martens, Bobcats, foxes, owls, and Goshawks are their predators. Pine Martens hunt mainly on the ground for rodents at night, but will also pursue prey in trees. Goshawks are diurnal forest hunters, and Chickarees are their preferred prey! Bobcats are nocturnal and mainly hunt for prey on the ground, but can also easily climb trees.
Unlike the Chickaree and the Western Gray Squirrel that stay active throughout winter, California Ground Squirrels hibernate in winter, so right now they are eating and bulking up as much as possible. Their diet consists of primarily seeds, including acorns, insects when available, berries, roots, and bulbs. They will also cache some food in their underground burrow. These squirrels are highly adaptable, and live at elevations from 0 - 7,215'! They prefer to dig their underground burrows on the edges of open areas, such as meadows or fields.
seeds, barley, oats, and acorns (Quercus): valley oak, blue oak, coast oak). They also eat fruits, like gooseberries and pears, and quail (Callipepla) eggs. They include insects in their diets when they are available, and have been known to eat grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and caterpillars. They also eat roots, bulbs, and fungi, such as mushrooms.
Joubert's Diggins
Depot Hill Pond
Smoke has kept me from stopping and checking out one of the local ponds. The other day was overcast and smoke free, so I stopped by for a visit. To my delight the cattails had turned and the pond looked beautiful. On the far distant edge I spotted a lone American Coot in the water! The forecasted rain will bring the water level back up and then maybe more waterfowl will show up.
Cattails and reflection of the Sky
The cattails and the reflection of the brilliant blue sky and clouds were stunning! I'll have to stop by again next week!
Manzanita leaves beaded with Rain!
Damp Earth Art
It may be the beginning of the rainy season! We've been in a 5 day rainstorm and more is expected next week! I'll post the total precipitation next week. The river is up, and the earth is damp and fragrant! Perhaps our wishing for rain helped! Thanks to all of you who contributed art, thoughts, and wishes to this effort! It's been fun!
Check out my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com where I post photographs, quotes, and artworks that feature rain.
What's happening with the Deer and Bear?
What's happening with the moss and lichen?
Are mushrooms popping up?
Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more.
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Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!
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