A Little Snow!

Alder cones

Last Tuesday temperatures dropped down into the teens and we got .31" of snow!  It was so beautiful!  The character of the snow flurries changed throughout the day.  Sometimes the snow fell in slow motion, sometimes like a blizzard, and sometimes it sleeted!  It snowed off and on all day, but not much built up on the ground.  Still, it was much needed, and way better than 70 degrees and windy!

Pine Siskins foraging in an Alder

Spinus pinus - Alnus rhombifolia

To my delight a flock of about 40-50 Pine Siskins began foraging in an Alder tree outside my studio window around 5:00 PM on Tuesday. It was just wonderful to watch these little birds busily pecking the seeds out of the female Alder cones!  The falling snow created a beautiful backdrop for their acrobatic antics!  I watched them for a solid half hour before they all took off at once in a beautifully coordinated flight!   They've been back several times this week!  It is such a joy to watch them!  

When food is plentiful they will store lots of seeds in their crop, which gets them through cold winter nights. Unlike hummingbirds, that go into a state of torpor overnight, Pine Siskins ramp up their metabolic rate to stay warm at night! They also put on a layer of fat for winter!

Skunk Track - Quail & possible Junco Tracks

The thin layer of dry snow was perfect for animal track impressions.  Just outside our front door I found a skunk track!  Down by the garden there were lots of quail and other bird tracks!  So much happens at night when we aren't watching!

Sandhill Crane - Antigone canadensis

On our afternoon walk on Tuesday, my husband and I heard and saw Sandhill Cranes flying over head!  WOW!  It seemed so unusual that they would pick the snowiest day in a month to head north!  Most of the Sandhill Cranes that overwinter in California's Central Valley breed in Idaho and Oregon.  However, the vast majority of Sandhill Cranes in North America breed in Canada, Alaska, and the Arctic.

At the entrance to the Sierra Valley Preserve

Sierra Valley Preserve

On Thursday, after most of snow had evaporated off the roads and all the Caltrans driving restrictions were lifted, we drove over to Sierra Valley for the day!  It was gloriously beautiful!!!  There was fresh snow on the ground and surrounding mountains, and the air was crystal clear! 

We decided to hike the trails at the Sierra Valley Preserve which is owned and operated by the Feather River Land Trust.  The Land Trust is a non-profit organization in the Feather River Watershed.

Mountain Lion Track (?) - Coyote Track (?) - Bobcat Track (?)

We saw LOTS of tracks in the newly fallen snow!  Because the snow was finer and deeper than the snow in our neighborhood, the actual footprints weren't clear. However, it was fun to follow them and guess what they were doing.  I'm not very good at reading tracks.  There are so many variables!  I've posted my guesses below the photos, but please don't take them as fact!  I guessed the Mountain Lion because of the distance four footprints covered, as well as the tail drag mark. I guessed the Coyote because I've never seen a track like that before (there aren't any in my neighborhood), there was a tail "swish" mark, and the distance the four footprints covered.  I guessed the Bobcat because of the smaller, rounded footprints, the smaller distance the four footprints covered, and no tail drag mark.  What was amazing was the number of tracks we came across.  They were everywhere!

View looking east from the Sierra Valley Preserve

Apparently Sierra Valley is teeming with life!  The following information is from the trailhead display at the Sierra Valley Preserve.

"Located where the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and Cascades converge, Sierra Valley is a place of remarkable biodiversity.

Birds: Sierra Valley's seasonal and permanent wetlands support the greatest concentration and variety of birds in the Sierra Nevada.  Over 280 species are known to visit, breed or live in Sierra Valley every year, including more than two dozen rare or threatened birds like Greater Sandhill Crane and Black Tern.  The valley also has some of the highest concentrations of wintering raptors in North America, including Rough-legged Hawks and Ferruginous Hawks.

Mammals: An unusual diversity of mammals thrive here too: Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Gray Fox, and Coyote, as well as American Badger, River Otter, Pronghorn and Mule Deer.

Plants:  Over 1,200 plant species and varieties have been documented in Sierra Valley. How astonishing to find in Sierra Valley 18% of the plants found in all of California!"

Mouse Tracks - Geese Tracks - Wood Rat Tracks (?)

Without a doubt the most numerous tracks were mice tracks.  The mice apparently hopped, not walked, through the snow.  I'm not sure what species of mice are in Sierra Valley.  Deer Mice?  The track on the right looked like a bigger hopping mouse, with a biggish tail, so I guessed Wood Rat, but I'm not sure what it is.  I'll have to do some research!  The Canada Geese tracks were super easy to identify!

View looking east from the Steel Bridge

We also drove out to the Steel Bridge where there are incredible views of Sierra Valley, and usually numerous birds.  We were a bit early for large numbers of birds, but were thrilled to see Sandhill Cranes, Tundra Swans, and Snow Geese!

View looking north from the Steel Bridge

I hope to come back here in another month and see what other birds have arrived!

Sandhill Crane & Canada Geese 

Antigone canadensis - Branta canadensis 

Some Sandhill Cranes will actually nest in Sierra Valley!  

It is the southernmost area where they are known to breed and nest!

Tundra Swans - Cygnus columbianus

My friend BJ spotted these big white birds at a far distance from the Sierra Valley Preserve.  I was able to zoom in with my camera and identify them as Tundra Swans.  How cool!  Tundra Swans migrate to the Arctic to breed and nest!  They spend their winters in California's Central Valley!

Snow Geese - Anser caerulescens

Snow geese also migrate to the Arctic to breed and nest, and spend their winters in California's Central Valley!  I usually see thousands of them at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area in the winter.  We saw about 20 of them in Sierra Valley.

Alders and sleet

Damp Earth Art

Even though we only got .31" of snow this week, it was much needed moisture!  More rain is in the coming forecast. Yahoo!  Please join me in my continuing hope for precipitation! Perhaps our collective efforts may help it happen. I'm going to keep posting rain inspired writings, art, etc. on my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com. Any submissions would be greatly appreciated.

What's are these funny looking hairy things?

What insects are feeding on the blooming plants?

What else is blooming?

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

Early Bloomers!

Pussy Willows - Salix sp.

In January, the local male willows started making their flower buds or "pussy willows".  These buds stayed fuzzy and gray for weeks, until the weather warmed up.  Right now they are in full bloom throughout our area!  Willows are dioecious, having separate male and female plants. Once they bloom, the male and female plants are easy to distinguish from each other.

Willow catkins with inset Crab Spider photo (female - male) - Salix sp.

Willow flowers are arranged in "catkins". 

The Britannica online dictionary states, 

"A catkin is an elongated cluster of single-sex flowers bearing scaly bracts and usually lacking petals. Catkins may be erect or pendulous and are often somewhat inconspicuous. Many trees bear catkins, including willows, birches, and oaks. Wind carries pollen from male to female catkins or from male catkins to female flowers arranged in a different inflorescence form (e.g., in spikes). Depending on the species, a catkin-producing plant may be monoecious (both male and female flowers are present on a single individual) or dioecious (female and male flowers are borne on separate individuals)."

Male Willow catkins - Salix sp.

Each male willow catkin has 270 flowers with 2 stamens each!  Each stamen is loaded with yellow pollen which is windborne to the female catkins. They are so beautiful!

Female Willow catkins - Salix sp. 

Each female willow catkin has 142 flowers with 1 pistil each!  They are greener and less feathery in appearance than the male catkins.

White Alder with inset photo of an Anna's Hummingbird - 

Alnus rhombifolia - Calypte anna

The local White Alders also have blooming catkins right now.  In contrast to willows, alders are monoecious, having both sexes on one plant.  The beautiful tassel-like hanging catkins are male catkins that produce pollen.

White Alder female cones and male catkins - Alnus rhombifolia

The female part of the alder is a cone, not a catkin.  Most people are familiar with the little, dry, brown cones on alder trees.  This year's tiny, new, female cones, that will grow into full-sized cones, can be seen just above the male catkin!

 Sierra Treefrog (on top) unknown frog (on bottom)  

Pseudacris sierra - unknown sp.

A Surprising Roadside Ditch! 

In my daily wandering I usually walk by a roadside ditch on the edge of the highway.  One afternoon I recently heard lots of frogs calling from the ditch so I went to investigate.  To my surprise I found this pair of frogs in "amplexus"!!!  What was surprising is that they definitely looked like two different species of frog!  I posted this photo on iNaturalist.org and am waiting for an identification. 

Wikipedia states, "Amplexus is a type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species in which the smaller male grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process, and at the same time or with some time delay (two or more days), he fertilizes the eggs, as they are released from the female's body."

I have since found out that in mating season, male frogs will grab on to any female that comes near regardless of species!  Although not common, seeing unrelated species in amplexus is not rare.  However a "mixed-breed" frog will not result from this attempt at mating.

 Frog eggs in the ditch water

Since these two frogs were mating, I figured that there must be some frog eggs in the ditch pond that I hadn't noticed. After careful scrutiny of the ditch pond, I found some frog eggs clinging to some submerged plant parts! The jelly surrounding frog and toad eggs swells up immediately after the eggs are shed. 

In Pacific Tree Frogs breeding takes place from January to May. The female lays an egg mass containing 10-70 eggs. It takes about 3-4 weeks for the eggs to hatch. The colder the water is, the longer it takes for the eggs to hatch. This is the embryonic stage of a frog. Once they hatch, they will remain tadpoles for approximately 3 months before they are fully formed adults!!

Cranefly larva - possible Tube worm

Tipula sp. - unknown sp.

I also found some Crane Fly larva when I inspected the ditch pond!  I saw these for the first time last winter. Apparently, female Crane Flies lay eggs in shallow water in the fall. The eggs hatch into these larva, which will pupate and become adult Crane Flies sometime in the Spring!

I also found the unusual critter pictured above right!  It was very tiny, and at the surface of the water it had a fan of "appendages" around an opening.  I think it might be a tube worm, or the bum end of a Crane Fly larva!  I posted the photo on iNaturalist.org to hopefully get an identification. I wonder what else I might find in this small ditch ecosystem!  It's fascinating!

Pussy willows in the Rain - Salix sp.

Damp Earth Art

Once again we had unseasonably warm days into the 60's this week along with intermittent wind! It was very disconcerting. The lack of rain is increasingly worrisome. There's a 40% chance of rain this coming Monday night! My fingers are crossed that this may open the "storm door" and more storms will come. Please join me in my continuing hope for precipitation! Perhaps our collective efforts may help it happen. I'm going to keep posting rain inspired writings, art, etc. on my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com. Any submissions would be greatly appreciated.

What's happening in Sierra Valley?

What insects are feeding on the blooming plants?

What else is blooming?

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!

February on the North Yuba River

North Yuba River 2/20/20

The North Yuba River is a beautiful clear glass-green in the winter. It's gorgeous! The water clarity is amazing! Most of the winter the river water is quite cold, about 42 degrees! Despite the cold, there are animals that live in and on the river in winter, including River Otters, American Minks (which I haven't seen in years), Waterfowl, Herons, Dippers, trout, crayfish, and aquatic insects. Each one has a specific way in which they deal with the frigid water.

(Use the "search this blog" bar, on the top right of this page, for more information from past blogs about these species.)

 

Common Goldeneye (male) - Bucephala clangula

River Birds

In California, Common Goldeneyes are the only ducks that regularly spend the winter on rivers and lakes above the foothills of the western Sierra. They, like most waterfowl, have several ways to survive the cold of winter, including dense layers of insulating feathers, counter-current blood flow to reduce heat loss through their feet and legs, behavioral modifications to reduce exposure to the elements, and the ability to carry large fat reserves.

Common Goldeneyes underwater - Bucephala clangula

They are diving ducks and eat fish, aquatic vertebrates, seeds, and tubers. When diving, they keep their wings pressed to their sides underwater, and swim with their webbed feet! 

Common Goldeneye (females) - Bucephala clangula

This species can fly up to 40 mph, and the wind "whistles" through their wing feathers! They will spend the rest of the winter here. In the spring they will leave for their northern breeding grounds in prairie-pothole regions of Alaska and Canada.

Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodius

There is one Great Blue Heron that lives here year-round. You'd think it would be hard for a Heron to stand in the cold river for any length of time.  However, birds' feet don't get frostbit or even close to freezing because there's not much fluid in the cells of their feet. Their feet are mainly made up of tendons and bones, and don't have much muscle or nerve tissue. Also, the two blood vessels that carry the blood from the bird's body to its feet and back, are right next to each other. The cooled blood returning to the bird's body, is warmed by the body-warmed blood going to the feet! Also, their circulation is so fast, that the blood doesn't stay in their feet long enough to freeze! Wow!!

American Dipper (adult) - Cinclus mexicanus

There are a few American Dippers that live here year-round. They are absolutely amazing birds! They dive underwater and swim with their wings to find aquatic insects and larvae to eat! They, like all birds, have an extra lens (nictitating membrane) over their eyes that works like goggles underwater. This lens is hinged at the inner side of the eye and sweeps horizontally across the cornea. They also have special muscles that close their nostrils underwater!

American Dipper Underwater (adult) - Cinclus mexicanus

American Dippers are the only aquatic songbird in North America! Lately I've been hearing them sing some amazingly varied songs! It turns out that fall, early winter, and early spring are when they sing the most. They are quiet in spring and summer when raising their offspring. They have enlarged oil glands, which contain oil for waterproofing their feathers. They also have a thick coat of downy feathers, below their outer feathers, that keeps them warm in cold water. 

 

Northern River Otter - Lontra canadensis

River Otters

One morning this week I spotted a Northern River Otter in the river!  It was catching fish and eating them while I watched!  At one point it swam to shore with a medium sized fish, got out of the river and proceeded to eat the fish!!!  I've since read that they eat small fish in the river, and large fish are brought to shore.  In the river they raise their heads vertically and chomp away at their catch. Makes me wonder if they're treading water with their legs while they're eating in the river, or if they're just floating!  I watched this Otter for a good 15 minutes before my fingers froze and I had to leave!  

Northern River Otter - Lontra canadensis

Northern River Otters are not commonly seen in our river, because there are not a lot of them. They need a lot of food daily, and consequently need a large area in which to hunt. If food is scarce a female otter may travel 19 miles in one day, and a male may travel 37-56 miles! Usually they only travel 1.5-3 miles in a day. 

Northern River Otter - Lontra canadensis

90% of an Otter's diet is fish, but not just trout. They will also eat sucker fish if they are available. Most of the local, native sucker fish have been depleted by the otters.  In addition to fish, River Otters will eat garter snakes, clams, mussels, turtles, crayfish, molting ducks, frogs, aquatic insects, and newts.

Northern River Otter - Lontra canadensis

River Otters are "at home" underwater. Their ears and nose are closed when they are submerged. They can swim at 6-8 mph, and can hold their breath for 8 minutes! They can dive to a depth of 68 feet, and can swim the length of a football field without surfacing! They have a layer of fat and a thick undercoat to keep themselves warm in cold water.  Their outer fur is waterproofed by oil applied from their oil glands, and their underfur is very dense, averaging 373,000 hairs per square inch!  WOW!

Northern River Otters are active year-round, and are most active at night, dawn, and dusk. Typically they become much more nocturnal in the spring, summer, and fall seasons, and more diurnal during winter. At night their whiskers help them detect prey! They are large, strong animals weighing 11-31lbs. They range in length from 35"-51", with their tails an additional 12"-20"! How lucky I was to watch these uncommon, amazing animals in their home!

Northern River Otter - Lontra canadensis

The following afternoon my husband and I were out walking when we spotted an Otter in the same pool as the day before!  It too was hunting and chomping up fish in the river!  It was probably the same Otter!  At one point it swam to shore and climbed up on land, but it didn't have a fish!  This time it rubbed and scrubbed its back on the mossy rocks!  You could sense the pleasure the otter was experiencing through his exquisite body language!

Northern River Otter - Lontra canadensis

Luckily I was able to make a short movie of him scratching his back on the rocks!  I apologize for the amateur quality of the movie (hard to handhold the camera steady), but it's fun to see!  I never saw this behavior before!  What JOY!  Wikipiedia states that Otters "dry themselves and uphold the insulative quality of their fur by frequent rubbing and rolling on grass, bare ground, and logs."

Northern River Otter scat and tracks - Lontra canadensis

I've frequently come across Otter poop and tracks along the river's edge.  The poop seems to be mainly composed of crayfish exoskeletons.  I don't know why there aren't a lot of fish bones in the poop as well.  Perhaps crayfish are more readily available.

Signal Crayfish - Coastal Rainbow Trout

Pacifasticus leniusculus - Onchorhyncus mykiss irideus

Being coldblooded, trout, crayfish, and aquatic insects become less active when the water temperature drops below 40 degrees. Their metabolism and respiratory rates slow down. Adult trout usually stay in deep, slow moving pools during fall and winter, while Crayfish sequester themselves in underwater burrows.  These burrows are a series of interconnecting tunnels that can be two meters deep!  Aquatic insects also become inactive and shelter under rocks.  All these river dwellers eat less and move around less in winter. 

As water temps continue to decline, trout are less likely to expend precious energy chasing down prey, so small fish become a less frequent item on the menu. In Winter, small fish usually stay away from adults, and retreat into areas of shallow water with overhanging shrubbery.  Aquatic insects will make up most of a trout's diet as they sit stationary in the current and wait for bugs to drift by, providing an easy meal.  Midge larvae are probably the most important aquatic insect for trout during the winter.

American Mink - Neovision vision

American Mink

It's been several years since I've seen an American Mink in the river. Nevertheless, they do inhabit the river so I thought I should mention them. I photographed this female with her three offspring back in July of 2019. American Minks aren't seen that often because they are mainly nocturnal, and are especially active at dawn and dusk. They are called "aquatic weasels" because they can pursue prey underwater. They eat muskrats, crayfish, frogs, ducks, waterfowl, and fish, in rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. They can swim a distance of 100' underwater, and can dive to a depth of 15'!!! They also hunt on land and eat shrews, mice, and rabbits. They are much smaller than Northern River Otters, weighing 1.5 to 4lbs, and approximately 2' in length, including a 12" tail.

Common Raven Couple - Corvus corax

Happy Valentine's Day!

Some birds mate for life such as Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Red-tailed Hawks, Tundra Swans, Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese, Canada Geese, Barn Owls, Pileated Woodpeckers, and probably Common Ravens! Most birds only mate for one season or a few more. Many birds have several mates in one season. There is monogamy (one mate in a season, eg. Goldfinches and most songbirds), polyandry (when a female has more than one mate in a season, eg. Spotted Sandpipers), and polygyny (when a male has more than one mate in a season, eg. Hummingbirds).

The birds that tend to mate for life are large birds. Some scientist think that this is because large birds tend to have large territories to defend and it's better to not waste time on finding a new mate every year. Scientists don't think "love" is an issue with birds, rather it's all about procreating and survival of the species. However, we non-scientific humans tend to see "caring" between birds and their mates. Are we projecting our emotions on wildlife? Probably! However, when I watched two Ravens allopreen each other it really seemed so gentle and loving to me! I remember a story Loren Eisley wrote, called the "Star Thrower", in which he realized "caring" of offspring was quite possibly an additional reason for wildlife survival, not just its genetics. Who knows for sure? In the meantime, I am absolutely amazed that a Sandhill Crane can live up to 35 years in the wild, travel hundreds of miles annually in migration, and stay with the same mate the whole time! WOW!!!

Storm Clouds

Damp Earth Art

We had unseasonably warm days into the 70's this week along with intermittent wind!  It was very disconcerting.  The lack of rain is increasingly worrisome.  There's a 40% chance of rain this coming Monday night!  My fingers are crossed that this may open the "storm door" and more storms will come.  Please join me in my continuing hope for precipitation!  Perhaps our collective efforts may help it happen.  I'm going to keep posting rain inspired writings, art, etc. on my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com.  Any submissions would be greatly appreciated.

What's happening up at Yuba Pass?

Is anything blooming?

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!

Lower Elevation Hikes

South Yuba River

The Buttermilk Bend Trail

Last Thursday, we went for a hike down in the South Yuba River State Park. It is a beautiful oak woodlands with the South Yuba River on one side and the combined forks of the North and Middle Yuba Rivers on the other. Because it is at a much lower elevation (567') than where I live (2,674'), most of the birds and plants are different!  To our delight there was green grass covering the slopes, warm sun, and even a few wildflowers!

Oak Titmouse(adult) - California Scrub Jay (adult) - Western Bluebird(female)

Baeolophus inornatus - Aphelocoma californica - Sialia mexicana

I've never seen an Oak Titmouse in our neighborhood. Apparently they live year-round in the oak woodlands of California's coast, central valley, and foothills. We spotted this one because it was loudly calling from a leafless tree!  It turns out that their songs and calls are the "voice and soul of the oak woodlands".  The male Oak Titmouse has as up to 12 distinct songs, but usually 3 to 4, in its repertoire.  An Oak Titmouse mates for life.  During breeding season the male feeds and serenades its mate!  The also defend their territory (up to 6 acres) with songs and calls exchanged between males!  Their diet consists of insects, acorns, oak catkins, fruit and seeds.  They usually live in the same location year round, unless forced out by fire or development by man. 

California Scrub Jays usually live in brushy areas and oak woodlands, from the coast to the foothills of California. They are highly dependent on oaks and acorns. Acorns are their main food during fall and winter. One Jay will bury up to 5,000 acorns in small holes in the ground during the months of fall! These acorns will all eventually be dug up and consumed in the following seasons! Like other members of the corvid family, Scrub Jays are quite intelligent and have excellent memories. Some studies have shown that they not only remember the past (e.g. where they buried the acorns) but also think forward to the future (e.g. They will move their buried acorns if they think another bird saw them being buried, in anticipation of them possibly being stolen!) They will also eat insects, other nuts & seeds, ticks off of deer, as well as bird eggs and nestlings when available!

We saw several Western Bluebirds while we were there. In the summer Western Bluebirds are primarily insectivores. In winter they eat fruits and berries, such as juniper, poison oak, wild grapes, and elderberry. They also particularly love to eat mistletoe berries, and will sometimes sleep overnight in a clump of mistletoe to defend their find! They like to live on the edge of open areas, such as meadows or burned areas. They are short-distance migrants, and generally move down slope in winter. Males have brilliant plumage, and females are dully colored in comparison. 

(left) Common Manroot - Marah fabacae 

(right) Blue Dicks - Canyon Nemophila - Common Fiddleneck

Dichelostemma capitatum - Nemophila heterophylla - Amsinckia menziesii

We saw a handful of each of these flowers!  An early surprise for us!  We'll be coming back in another month or so, when the slopes will be carpeted in wildflowers!

 The North Yuba River below Bullard's Bar Dam

Yuba Rim Trail

We also went for a hike on the Yuba Rim Trail in the foothills.  After 2.35 miles, this trail ends at dramatic overlook of the North Yuba and Middle Yuba Rivers, below Bullard's Bar Reservoir.  The Yellow Pine/Black Oak/ Madrone forest that the trail travels through is usually quite dry, even in the winter.  Unfortunately it is also an overgrown tangle of non-native Himalayan Blackberries, Chaparral Honeysuckle, and Scotch Broom.  Also, unique to this dry area are thousands of dry pine needles hanging off of every shrub and tree!  Additionally, the Bear River Land Trust has just done a lot of clearing of fallen trees, and there are LOTS of burn piles everywhere.  Visually, it isn't my favorite hike, as it has been so impacted by humans, but the view from the overlook is stunning!

American Robin (adult) - White-leaf Manzanita - Anna's Hummingbird (male) 

Turdus migratorius - Arctostaphylos viscida - Calypte Anna

At the beginning of the trail there were LOTS of American Robins feasting on Toyon berries!  Toyon berries form in June or July, but don't ripen until December! When they are green they contain cyano-glucosides in their pulp. When a bird tries to eat a green berry, cyanide gas is released and deters the bird! The unripened berries are also full of bitter tannins that discourage foragers! Over time the cyanide compounds gradually move into the seeds and the tannins diminish. In December, when the berries are bright red, they aren't bitter and the pulp no longer contains cyanide compounds! Approximately 20+ species of birds eat Toyon berries during winter! In addition to Robins, you might see Western Bluebirds,  Band-tailed Pigeons, Cedar Waxwings, Hermit Thrushes, and Varied Thrushes feeding on them! Foxes, Brush Rabbits, Black Bears, and Coyotes also feed on the ripened berries!

At the end of the trail, the White-leaf Manzanita was blooming and two Anna's Hummingbirds and lots of honey bees were feasting on the nectar!  Just lovely!  We also watched Ravens playing and chasing each other in the sky as we ate our lunch at the overlook.  It was a lovely winter day to be outside with friends!

Belted Kingfisher (female) - Megaceryle alcyon

Local Pond Update

I'm happy to report that the local pond life is as usual for this time of year.  The Belted Kingfishers are presiding over the ponds, one at each pond, the Hooded Merganser female now has a male partner, and the Buffleheads are busy diving and feeding in the Joubert's Diggins ponds!  I haven't been down to the pond with the Wood Ducks yet, but will report on them soon!

Windblown Hooded Merganser (female) - Lophodytes cucullatus

Hooded Mergansers (male - female) - Lophodytes cucullatus

Buffleheads (female - male) - Bucephala albeola

Hoar Frost

Damp Earth Art

Once again we had more sunny days in the 50's, cold nights in the 20's, and some very WINDY days! The lack of rain is increasingly worrisome, and none is in the forecast for next week. Please join me in my continuing hope for precipitation! Perhaps our collective efforts may help it happen. I'm going to keep posting rain inspired writings, art, etc. on my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com. Any submissions would be greatly appreciated.

What's happening up at Yuba Pass?

What's happening on the river?

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!