Neighborhood News & More!

Yellow-bellied Racer and a Sierra Alligator Lizard in Battle!

photo by Carl Butz

It's Reptile Weather!  The daytime temperatures have been in the 70's lately, and reptiles have become very active and visible. Reptiles are cold-blooded, meaning they do not have the ability to regulate their body temperature internally and instead depend on external sources to warm or cool their bodies. They adjust their body temperature by moving to warmer or cooler areas in their environment, basking in the sun or hiding in the shade. Temperatures in the 90's are too hot for reptiles. Temps below 60 degrees are too cold for reptiles.

A friend of mine, Carl Butz, came across a Yellow-bellied Racer and a Sierra Alligator Lizard locked in battle (above photo) on his property!  His presence made them let go of each other, and go on their separate ways! How cool and unusual to see a sight like that! What a photo! WOW!!!

Sierra Alligator Lizard - Elgaria coerulea palmeri

I saw this Sierra Alligator Lizard in my neighborhood this week. It was missing its tail!  Lizards can dislocate their tails if a predator threatens them. The piece of tail will wriggle around like it is still alive for several minutes after it is dislocated! This will distract the predator and allow the lizard to escape. It will take up to 60 days for the lizard to regrow a tail. The new tail is never identical to the original, as it is almost always shorter and has a different pattern of tiny scales. Glad this lizard eluded a predator! 

The following information about Alligator Lizards is from californiaherps.com.

"Sierra Alligator Lizards have large scales, a long alligator-like snout, light-colored eyes, and a longitudinal fold on the lower sides of the body. They can be fairly large in size. Active during daylight, they are frequently seen moving on the ground, and occasionally up in bushes. Alligator lizards do not typically bask in the sun out in the open or on top of a rock like many other lizard species."

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake - Crotalus oreganus oreganus

My friend Keith came by and told me that there was a Rattlesnake in the middle of the road, if I wanted to take a photo.  So OF COURSE I walked down the road with him to see the rattler!  It was right in the sunny middle of the road, about middle sized, and definitely alive!  After I took a few photos we nudged it off the road with a very long stick. It was amazing to see how fast it moved, and how camouflaged it was among the pine needles!

Most Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes are active from dusk to dawn, looking for prey.  They eat birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, insects, and small mammals, including mice, rats, rabbits, hares, and ground squirrels.

All snakes move by using scoots, which are the large scales that are found on its underside. Each scoot, attached to a rib, slides along the ground independently of the other scales. These scoots enable the snake to propel itself forward, but it cannot move backwards very efficiently because of the way the scoots overlap each other.

The rattle had 5 segments. Rattlesnakes create a new segment on their rattle every time they shed their skin. Snakes shed their skin more than once a year when young, and less than once a year when old, so the number of segments in a rattle does not indicate their age. Additionally, segments can get broken off during a snake's lifetime.

Rattlesnake bites are seriously dangerous, although rarely fatal in humans.

Watch your step! Be careful!

Northwestern Fence Lizard (dark phase) - Common Garter Snake 

Sceloperus occidentalis occidentalis - Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi

The following information about Northwester Fence Lizards is from californiaherps.com.

"These lizards are diurnal. Active when temperatures are warm, becomes inactive during periods of extreme heat or cold, when they shelter in crevices and burrows, or under rocks, boards, tree bark, etc. Found in a wide variety of open, sunny habitats, including woodlands, grasslands, scrub, chaparral, forests, along waterways, suburban dwellings, where there are suitable basking and perching sites, including fences, walls, woodpiles, piles of rocks and rocky outcrops, dead and downed trees, wood rat nests, road berms, and open trail edges. Common and easily encountered in the right habitat. This is probably the species of lizard most often seen in the state due to its abundance in and near populated areas and its conspicuous behavior.

Males establish and defend a territory containing elevated perches where they can observe mates and potential rival males. Males defend their territory and try to attract females with head-bobbing and a push-up display that exposes the blue throat and ventral colors. Territories are ultimately defended by physical combat with other males. Courtship and copulation typically occurs from March to June. Egg laying occurs 2 - 4 weeks after copulation. Females dig small pits in loose damp soil where they lay 1 - 3 clutches of 3 - 17 eggs usually from May to July. Eggs hatch in about 60 days, usually from July to September. Young and adult lizards eat insects, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, butterflies, wasps, and ants."

Unfortunately, I found this dead Common Garter Snake (photo above right) on the highway, where it probably went to warm up.  Some critter will probably eat it, as it is a good source of protein. I have seen several live ones in our garden recently.

Garter Snakes often overwinter in groups of 20 or more, and mate as soon as they emerge in the spring. The young are born in August. Garter Snakes are ovoviviparous, and carry their eggs (20-50!!!) internally! The young emerge from their mother after hatching, and spend their first year preying mainly on earthworms! Adult Garter Snakes feed on frogs, toads, fish, salamanders, slugs, leeches, lizards, other snakes, and birds. Snakes don't have eyelids or ears, and communicate through movements!

Blue Dicks - Dichtelostemma capitatum

Wildflowers are popping up everywhere lately! Here are some of the ones I've seen down in our neighborhood. Enjoy!

 Paper Onion - Mountain Piperia Orchid - Milkwort Jewelflower

 Allium amplectens - Piperia transversa - Streptanthus polygaloides

The Mountain Piperia Orchid pictured above center, doesn't grow in wet meadows or bogs. Instead, it grows in shady areas of the dry forest floor. The stem is only about as thick as an uncooked spaghetti noodle! The flowers have a clove-like fragrance, which attracts moths. Last year there were lots of these tiny orchids in the forest. This year they're fairly scarce.

 Western Azalea - Mock Orange - Washington Lily 

Rhododendron occidentale - Philadelphus lewisii - Lilium washingtonianum

These three plants have super fragrant blossoms that are just heavenly. There is one large band of the Western Azaleas growing along the river in our neighborhood. It bloomed profusely for the past month, with hundreds and hundreds of flowers! The Mock Orange is currently in bloom, and it makes our whole neighborhood smell like a florist's store!  The 4'-6' tall Washinton Lilies are also in bloom in a few shady, dry areas of the forest.  I've only seen approximately 10 of them locally. Their lovely fragrance is very similar to Easter Lilies!

Brewer's Snapdragon - Showy Phlox - Interior Rose

 Antirrhinum vexillocalyculatum ssp. breweri - Phlox speciosa -

Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana

I've seen lots and lots of Spreading Phlox (Phlox diffusa) in the Lakes Basin, but this foothill variety is uncommon in our area. Unlike Spreading Phlox, Showy Phlox does not have a heavy scent. The plant is multi-branched, about 16" tall, and covered with clusters of pink and white blossoms. I've only found it growing in one spot along highway 49 on a rocky, north-facing slope. I think it is lovely!

There are lots of domestic "wild" roses growing in our area, but they are not native. The native Interior Rose pictured above is a much smaller shrub, but the fragrance of the roses is heavenly! If you find one of these little roses, make sure to inhale its fragrance!

Roundtooth Ookow - Slender Larkspur - Bridge's Triteleia

 Dichelostemma multiflorum - Delphinium gracilentum - Triteleia bridgesii

As vegetation dries out, several of the Brodiaea Family flowers bloom in profusion.  Right now Roundtooth Ookow and Bridge's Tritelia are putting on a show! They grow from starchy corms, underground storage organs consisting of a swollen stem base covered with scale leaves.

Bindweed/Smooth Western Morning Glory - Bur Reed - Jacob's Ladder

Calystegia purpurata - Sparganium emersum - Plemonium pulcherrimum

The flowers pictured above (left and center) were found in the Sierra Valley. The flower on the right was near Spring Valley in Last Chance Creek Canyon.  I had never seen any of them before! How fun! The Bindweed/Morning Glory isn't native, but the other two are.

Spotted Sandpiper (adults) and nest with eggs - Actitis macularia

There are several Spotted Sandpipers on the North Yuba River right now. They are quite unusual in their breeding and nesting habits. The females usually arrive before the males, in the Spring. The females practice polyandry and will mate with up to 3 different males, if they are available. However, some females are monogamous, and will mate with only one male. Competition between females can be quite aggressive, if the male population is low. The nests are begun by the females and finished by the males. The nests are built on the ground, in the shade of shrubs, and about 100 yards from the shore. Each mated male will have it's own nest. The males brood 3-5 eggs for 19-22 days, and protect the baby birds when they hatch. The females may help with the care of the baby birds, if they only have one mate. The young birds are born precocial, and can walk and feed themselves within hours!!! Their main food is flying and aquatic insects. They are able to fly within 18 days! Wow!

Spotted Sandpiper nest

I came across this Spotted Sandpiper nest just this week!  It was located on a boulder field along the North Yuba River.  I startled an adult Sandpiper off the nest. As it ran off, I noticed its tail feathers were all spread out. Perhaps it was shading or protecting the eggs with its feathers!  I'll go back in another week and see if the eggs have hatched!  How exciting!

Common Merganser (female) and four ducklings - Mergus merganser

I've been looking for Common Mergansers with ducklings on the river lately, and just this week I spotted a mom with four ducklings! Yay! It is always wonderful to see nature taking its natural course!

 

The average brood size of the Common Merganser is 9-12, but they have been known to have as many as 17 ducklings! I was amazed to see the group of 16 little ducklings! Within 1-2 days after the ducklings leave their nest, they are capable of swimming, diving, and feeding on their own! The mom will stay with them for approximately 2 months, warding off predators such as minks, otters, foxes, and herons! In the Fall, they will migrate to southern California or Arizona for the winter.

Western Tanager (male-female) - Piranga ludoviciana

In the past two weeks the Western Tanagers have arrived! These unbelievably colorful birds migrate all the way from Costa Rica, to breed and raise their young here! The Western Tanager is a great example of sexual dimorphism! The males are brilliantly colored to attract the females. The females are plainly colored, and blend in with their surroundings. This camouflaged coloring is advantageous for a female sitting on a nest!

Deer Lake - 6/6/24

...& More!

My friend Diane and I hiked up to Deer Lake, around 7,000' in elevation two weeks ago!  It was wonderful to be back in the Lakes Basin!  As you can see the lake was still about 3/4 frozen, and we had to hike on large patches of snow, and wade through rushing creeks to get to it!  It was a wonderful adventure in our home away from home!

Red-breasted Sapsucker - Clark's Nutcracker - Green-tailed Towhee

 Sphyrapicus ruber - Nucifraga columbiana - Pipilo chlorurus

These are just a few of the birds we saw!

The Sierra Buttes from the Deer Lake area - 6/6/24

Carman Valley - 6/3/24

I also went to Carman Valley with my husband, and our friends Rod and Rochelle, a little more than two weeks ago.  It was a glorious, dark, overcast day. The flowers weren't as prolific as some years but it was still beautiful and peaceful!

Pied-billed Grebe - Double-crested Cormorant

Podylimbus podiceps - Phalacrocorax auritus

Here are some of the birds we saw!

Sandhill Cranes - Antigone canadensis

Spring Creek Meadow - 5/27/24

About a month ago I was treated to a tour of Spring Creek Meadow, a recent purchase of the Feather River Land Trust, northeast of Sierra Valley.  It was a lovely wet meadow with a surrounding forest, and a creek running through it.

 

 Burnt forest - Mountain Bluebird - Sialia currucoides

The surrounding forest had been burned 4 years ago. It was a patchwork of burns, with some areas barely burned while others were totally blackened and burnt. 

What's happening with the local mammals?

Are the Drummond's Anemones blooming in the Lakes Basin?

After 8 years of posting my blog, I've decided that I'm only going to post my blog twice monthly from now on. My next post will be on the weekend of July 6th. See you then!

Your questions and comments are always appreciated. Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!

Baby Birds!

American Coot and cootling - Fulica americana

Baby Birds are showing up everywhere!!! I've seen them in Sierra Valley as well as in my neighborhood! There are a wide variety of names for baby birds, such as cootlings, grebettes, ducklings etc. In general, right out of the egg, newborn birds are called "hatchlings". Except for waterfowl most hatchlings are altricial, or born in an undeveloped state, and require care and feeding by their parents. Baby birds that are raised in a nest are called "nestlings". 

However, waterfowl hatchlings are precocial and usually leave their nest, swim, and dive within a day after they hatch from an egg! These "fledglings" stay with their parents for approximately 80 days. When they are quite young, they often return to their nest to sleep at night. The parents continue feeding them for about a month, protect them from predators, and teach them how to survive!

Two weeks ago there were lots of brightly feathered baby coots, or cootlings, in the area of the Steel Bridge. I revisited these wetlands three times this week and the cootlings are still there, but their plumage has changed!  They no longer have the brilliant ruff of yellow and orange downy feathers, are no longer bald, and their beaks are not bright red anymore!  They've changed so quickly in such a short time! 

American Coots (juveniles) - Fulica americana

In another couple of weeks they will probably look like the young American Coots pictured above. 75 days after they've hatched coots are able to fly. When they are about 80 days old their parents drive them off from their natal territory! 

Pied-billed Grebe and five grebettes! - Podilymbus podiceps

On another visit to the Steel Bridge area I was delighted to see a Pied-billed Grebe with five grebettes!!! How Cool!!! Apparently these Grebes are not as precocial as other waterfowl when born. The following information about these Pied-billed Grebes is from the Cornell website https://birdsoftheworld.org/.

"Behaviorally more like altricial species. Can leave nest soon after hatching; but chicks are carried on adult's back and brooded extensively during first week after hatching. Chicks move from nest bowl to adult's back <1 h after hatching, while still wet or after drying. Climb onto back of adult beside or over adult's tail. Young are brooded on back under adult's wings on platform or water; brooding ceases after 3 wk. Parent forms pocket for chick by holding wings tightly to its body, spreading secondaries, and lifting scapulars. By end of week 1, spend about 50% of the time sleeping, in posture similar to that of adult. Time spent in water gradually increases from 10 min/d in week 1 to day and night by week 4. By day 28, young feed themselves small food items. Nest use stops between days 24 and 42 Young are independent 25–62 d after hatching.

Pied-billed Grebe and a young fuzzy grebette! - Podilymbus podiceps

First swimming posture is very low in water; hold wings and feet straight out to sides until day 5. Use feet alternately, rapidly, in horizontal plane. Dive feebly from few hours after hatching if chased, regularly by day 8. About day 10, escape reaction changes from climbing onto adult or nest to diving. Diving, including crash-diving, is instinctive by week 4.

On days 8–10, chicks start chasing live fishes and insects; make first successful catches between days 10 and 12; steadily improve after that. They feed them selves independently by 28 days. Lose interest in food after dusk on days 32–34."

I lucked out one day and watched these two young Pied-billed Grebes getting help from their parent, while they were trying to swallow some kind of aquatic critter. I'm not sure what they were eating. It was something with a forked tail, maybe a shrimp, or a fish? Did you notice that the first grebette to have the critter isn't the one that swallowed it? Watch it again, you'll see!!

Cornell states, "Fish offered by adult is swallowed head-or tail-first during first week, often dropped. By second week, chick is capable of turning fish, swallowing it headfirst."

So maybe these two grebettes were approximately two weeks old! They were SO fun to watch!

Sandhill Crane on nest - Antigone canadensis

I have great news about the lone Sandhill Crane on a nest that I've been watching! My friend Rod observed them about a week after I had seen them, and all the water was gone out of the pond! The grasses had grown super tall, and there were TWO Sandhill Cranes on the nest with a tiny baby Sandhill Crane, or "colt"!!! WOW!!!

Sandhill Cranes on nest with baby - Antigone canadensis 

photo by Rod Bondurant

You can see the "colt" to the left of the beak of the Crane that is bending down! I have never seen a young crane ever. This photo is by Rod Bondurant, a good friend of mine! He didn't realize the little crane was there until he got home and looked at this picture on the computer! What a surprise!!!

Sandhill Cranes - Antigone canadensis

I have since been back to the now dry pond, and the pair of Sandhill Cranes is still there. I haven't seen any young cranes, but the grasses are dense and tall! Sandhill Cranes mate for life and ususally raise to "colts" a year.  The following information about Sandhill Cranes is from the Cornell website https://birdsoftheworld.org/. 

"Both parents feed young and generally keep them separated, perhaps to reduce sibling aggression, but perhaps also to minimize the likelihood that one predator could get both chicks. During the first 10 d or so after hatching chicks are mainly fed bill-to-bill by parents. Food items too large for a chick to take whole (particularly animal items) may be broken by a parent and fed in pieces. Young become more self-feeding after half grown. Food items may be dropped at the feet of young by adults leading them to feeding opportunities. Food begging by young continues sporadically until independence, although occasionally parents will offer food to the chick, even without begging

Perhaps because chicks are aggressive toward each other, when 2 chicks hatch, each is tended separately by one adult. Typically, but not universally, within 24 h of hatching the adult female leaves with the first hatchling, and the adult male leaves with the second. For the first 10-14 d after hatching, the area used by a pair with young is restricted to within ca. 200 m of the nest. Range increases daily, and by fledging may encompass the total nesting territory. Fledging usually occurs at 7 weeks. Juveniles generally remain with the parents for 9-10 months, from nesting through fall migration, wintering and the first spring migration."

Cliff Swallow (fledgling - adult) - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Hundreds of Cliff Swallows nest every year at the Steel Bridge. They build their nests out of mud on the underside of the bridge. Just this past week we lucked out and saw a Cliff Swallow fledgling!

It takes approximately two weeks for the male and female to construct a nest out of 9,000 to 12,000 mud pellets. The breeding pair will start sleeping in the mud housing, as soon as it is partially finished. Inside the mud housing, they create a nest made of dry grasses and feathers. Females will lay 1-6 eggs, and brood them for 10-19 days. Swallows will also lay eggs and/or transfer their eggs into neighboring swallow nests. The young are altricial when hatched, and are cared for by their parents for 20-26 days.

Yellow-headed Black bird (fledgling - adult) - Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

There were lots of male and female Yellow-headed Blackbirds in the area of the Steel Bridge this week. There were also lots and lots of Yellow-headed Blackbird fledglings calling and calling to be fed! I just couldn't get a photo of one of the fledglings, as they were deep in the tules and my camera always focused on the tules not the fledgling. But we did see them fly across the road from one patch of tules to another. I did manage, however, to get the above photo of a female Yellow-headed Blackbird with its beak filled with bugs for its offspring! WOW! It was so alive with all the different bird calls in that area!  Just wonderful!

The following information about Yellow-headed Blackbirds is from the Cornell website https://birdsoftheworld.org/. 

"Young beg for food soon after hatching. They are fed from 1 d old and continue to be fed until they develop flight skills. Generally all young leave the nest at about the same time. It is not unusual, however, for some to leave before others, particularly if hatched on different days. Young leave nest after 9–12 d, but departures as early as 7 d and as late as 14 d have been noted. When young are ready to leave the nest, they perch on the rim of the nest and jump into surrounding vegetation if approached. Parents continue to feed young for several days after they leave the nest."

Sierra Valley - 6/3/24

On our last trip to Sierra Valley the sky was filled with dark-gray clouds, the temps were cooler, and the light was gorgeous!  It was amazingly beautiful!

Porterellas - Porterella carnulosa

We came across a huge patch of Porterella flowers that created a lovely foreground for Mt. Beckwourth! I hope to be back soon, in this beautiful valley filled with life! 

North Yuba River - 5/16/24

Back in my neighborhood, the North Yuba River is wide and high from the melting snow! Flowers are blooming and fledglings are showing up!

Canada Geese & Goslings - Branta canadensis

To my delight I came across some Canada Goose goslings this week!  There were two families with two goslings each! One pair of goslings was much bigger than the other pair! Last year I didn't see any goslings, beacause the snow stayed so long and the river was high, fast, and cold.

Canada Geese & Goslings - Branta canadensis

The following information about Canada Geese is from the Cornell website https://birdsoftheworld.org/. 

"Canada Geese mate for life, and have 2-8 goslings. Precocial; goslings fully covered with down. Leave nest within 24 h, by which time they are able to walk, swim, feed, and dive. Parents do not actively provide goslings with food; both parents lead brood to feeding areas variable distances from nest site; goslings feed voraciously. Young fledge 6–7 weeks after hatching. Young leave breeding areas with parents; offspring remain with parents throughout first year."

American Dipper - Cinclus mexicanus

I've been writing about these American Dippers for two months now!  On 5/6/24, after they had built their second nest, I saw the adults flying in and out of the nest.  Obviously feeding their nestlings!

American Dipper - Cinclus mexicanus

I went back on 5/15/24 and there were THREE NESTLINGS in the nest, and the adults were feeding them! Yay! How exciting! I went back on 5/25/24 and there was no sign of the young or the adults. The young must have fledged! Yahoo!

Brewer's Blackbird with bugs in its beak (male) - Steller's Jay (fledgling) 

Euphagus cyanocephalus - Cyanocita stellerii

Upriver there are some Brewer's Blackbirds nesting in the alders.  I haven't been able to locate their nests, but I've seen the adults with bugs in their beaks, ready to feed their young! I'll keep looking and will let you know if I locate their nests!

I was also delighted to come across a fledgling Steller's Jay this week! It was hopping along the edge of our garden near the road.  So I carefully picked it up and put it on the ground, in the shade, away from the road, and near the calling mother! Sure hope it madeit!

American Robin - Turdus migratorius

Just this week I came across an American Robin sitting on an old Robin nest!  A few days later, it was sitting on the same nest, but it had been enlarged quite a bit!  I just looked at the nest again today, and the Robin is still there!  I'll keep you posted on any further changes at this nest site.

Salmon Lake -  5/24/24 - photo by Nancy Henson

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

What's blooming?

GREAT NEWS!!! The Lakes Basin Book is now in print!!!  We are having a Book Release/Art Show in Downieville this coming Sunday, on June 9th, at 1:00 PM, in the North Yuba Hall, Downieville. The books will be on sale for $30 (no tax), and appetizers and drinks will be served.  Join us in a celebration of the Lakes Basin if you can make it! I will be FUN! The show will also be open to the public through the following Sunday, June 16th, from Noon to 3:00 PM. 

After 8 years of posting my blog, I've decided that I'm only going to post my blog twice monthly from now on. My next post will be on the weekend of June 22nd. See you then!

Your questions and comments are always appreciated. Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!