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 insects are feeding on the blooming plants?
What else is blooming?
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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