We've been having very hot weather over the last two weeks. The days have been in the 100°+ temperature range, with the nights in the 70's! Most afternoons, I head to the river to cool off, never knowing what I might find there! I feel SO lucky to have the North Yuba River five minutes from our home!
Luckily a few days were overcast during the recent heat spell, and we got a reprieve from the heat! One morning there was an astounding show of light and clouds that was incredibly beautiful! This morning it was 50° on our back porch and the temperature at noon was 89°! Yay!!! Hopefully we'll stay a little cooler than the last couple of weeks, during the upcoming hot weather!
North Yuba River with willows, White Alders & Indian Rhubarb plants
Salix sp. - Alnus rhombifolia - Darmera peltata
The North Yuba River
The headwaters of the North Yuba River are up by Yuba Pass. It travels approximately 20+ miles downhill before it reaches our neighborhood. In its descent from the pass, the river travels over river rocks, wraps around boulders, and falls into bedrock pools that are often lined with the giant leaves of Indian Rhubarb plants. In most areas willows and alders also line the river banks. The river water is a beautiful clear glass-green sometimes shallow and sometimes quite deep, that supports a variety of wildlife. In the summer, waterfowl, songbirds, herons, kingfishers, and raptors can be seen in the river corridor. Aquatic insects, reptiles, amphibians, and trout live here year round. If you are lucky you might also see a Northern River Otter or American Mink in the river, or a Black Bear or Deer crossing it!
North Yuba River - 7/15/24
Wikipedia states: "The North Yuba River (also called the North Fork Yuba River) is the main tributary of the Yuba River in northern California in the United States. The river is about 61 miles (98 km) long and drains from the Sierra Nevada westwards towards the foothills between the mountains and the Sacramento Valley.
It rises on the Sierra Crest about 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Sierraville. The river flows west through meadows, then south into a gorge, turning west again, followed by California State Route 49. The river's four major tributaries, the Downie River, Goodyears Creek, Canyon Creek and Slate Creek, enter from the right before the river abruptly turns south at the New Bullards Bar Reservoir, formed by the New Bullards Bar Dam. The dam is situated right above the river's mouth; just after the North Yuba leaves the dam it empties into the Middle Yuba River and forms the Yuba River."
Stonefly Adult and nymphs - Plecoptera sp.
Pictured above are an adult Stonefly (top) and Stonefly nymph exoskeletons (bottom). Stonefly nymphs will live underwater for 1 to 4 years, depending on the species. They prefer running rivers and streams, not lakes and ponds. They feed on algae, detritus, and plant materials under water. When their nymphal stages end, the nymphs will crawl out of the water onto rocks, their exoskeletons will dry out and crack open, the adult will pull itself out of the exoskeleton, pump up its wings, dry out, and fly away! As adults they feed on nectar, as well as algae and lichens. The adults usually live for about a month, just long enough to mate and lay eggs!
Small Water Strider - Rainbow Trout "Fry"
Gerris incognitus - Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus
Water Striders can "walk on water" because they have fine water-repellent hairs on the underside of the tarsi (legs), that makes it possible for them to walk on the water's surface. As reported in National Geographic, "Water strider legs are covered in thousands of microscopic hairs scored with tiny groves. These grooves trap air, increasing water resistance of the waters striders' legs and overall buoyancy of the insect.”
The water strider has 3 pairs of legs. The front legs are short and allow the strider to quickly grab live or dead insects on the water's surface. The middle legs act as paddles. The back legs are longer and provide additional power, steerage, and braking. The buoyancy and paddling legs allows striders to be fast. As stated in National Geographic, "striders are capable of speeds of a hundred body lengths per second. To match them, a 6-foot-tall person would have to swim at over 400 miles an hour.” Amazing! Also, many species of Water Striders have wings, which they use to fly to a new wet area, once their area dries up!
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I found a few trout "fry" in the shallow, slow waters along the river's edge.
Fish start as eggs which hatch into larvae. The larvae are not able to feed themselves, and carry a yolk-sac in their bellies which provides their nutrition. At this stage they are called "alevins". When they have developed to the point where they can feed themselves (mainly zooplankton), the fish are called "fry". When they develop scales and working fins they are called "fingerlings". This juvenile fingerling stage lasts until the fish is fully grown, sexually mature, and interacting with other adult fish.
It sounds like the most common fish in the North Yuba River are Coastal Rainbow Trout, which are native to California, but have been planted locally. There are also non-native German Brown Trout, that swim up to spawn from Bullard's Bar Reservoir. Occasionally you might also find a non-native Brook Trout that has flowed out from a higher elevation lake, during the high water of Spring.
River Otter scat containing Signal Crayfish parts
River Otter eating a trout - Sacramento Sucker Fish (?)
Pacifastucus leniusculus - Lontra canadensis - Catostomus occidentalis (?)
I didn't see a River Otter when I was on the river these past few weeks, but there was plenty of signs that they had been there. On the river rocks I found left overs from several Signal Crayfish meals, as well as a dead Sacramento Sucker Fish. These were probably left by a River Otter. The Sacramento Sucker Fish had a few bite marks and was several days old. I haven't seen any Sucker Fish in the river for years! I was surprised to find this discarded one! Sucker Fish are bottom feeders and eat algae, small invertebrates, and plant matter.
Columbian Black-tailed Deer (Doe with fawns) - Black Bear
Odocoileus hemionus columbianus - Ursus americanus
Although I haven't seen any bear or deer in the river this year, it may still happen! It's always a surprise sighting!
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
Just this week as I was driving across our bridge, an Osprey flew overhead with a fish in its talons!!! I didn't get a photo but it was great to see! I hadn't seen an Osprey on the river yet this summer! The photo above I took several years ago in our neighborhood!
Their are many classifications (or subgroups) of raptors, such as accipiters, buteos, falcons, eagles, harriers, kites, ospreys, and owls. Ospreys are the only bird in their classification! They are unique among raptors in their hunting method of diving feet-first into water to capture fish. They are usually successful in 1 out of every 4 dives. No other raptors use this method of hunting. They also have small barbs on the pads of their feet to help grab slippery fish. After they have caught a fish and are back in the air, they maneuver the fish to face forward, using the fish’s streamlining to reduce aerodynamic drag. They then carry the captured fish to an elevated and prominent perch to be eaten. 99% of their diet is fish. They are large birds with a wingspan of 63", a length of 23", and a weight of 3.5lbs!!!
Common Mergansers - Mergus merganser
Common Mergansers - Mergus merganser
When the ducklings are little, they sometimes jump up on their mother's back and go for a ride!
Common Mergansers - Mergus merganser
One morning I watched the five little ducklings pictured above jump up out of the river and settle down on the rocks, while their mother kept watch in the river!
Common Merganser ducklings - Mergus merganser
I was amazed at how camouflaged these little ducklings were
on the river rocks!
Spotted Sandpipers - Actitis macularia
Spotted Sandpipers search the shoreline for insects to eat. Adult Stoneflies are one of the many insects they consume! I came across this nest about a month ago and there were initially four eggs in it. Now there are none. Either they all hatched or they got eaten. I have been looking for juvenile Sandpipers in the same area, but haven't seen any yet. The adults that I see are always calling alarm calls when I show up, so maybe the young are hiding from me. These beautiful birds are spotted like their eggs! They are the only shorebirds that live up in the Sierras! I've even seen them up in the Lakes Basin!
Canada Geese - Branta canadensis
Out of the four goslings I saw on the river this spring, only one remains. The other three must have been preyed on by Gray foxes or Mountain Lions. I'm glad one of them survived! It will stay with its parents until next spring!
Howard Meadow - 7/15/24
Three Lakes Basin Meadows!
We went up to Howard Meadow once again this week. I just can seem to stay away! It is in TOTAL BLOOM with thousands of Corn Lilies, groundsel, yampah, and many other flowers! So, so beautiful!
Corn Lily - Veratrum californicum
These beautiful Corn Lilies can grow up to 7' tall! This is the second year in a row that they have been in full bloom in Howard Meadow. In previous years the leaves and stems of the Corn Lily would grow, but no flowers would appear! How lucky we are to see such beauty!
Un-named Meadow - 7/15/24
There's a wet meadow that borders the Lakes Basin Campground. Right now it is still quite wet out in the meadow. The only flowers I saw there were the Marsh Cinquefoils pictured below, and a few Elephant Heads.
Marsh Cinquefoil - Comarum palustre
This is the only area where I've ever seen these unusual Marsh Cinquefoils!
There's a smallish Aspen Grove that borders part of this wet meadow, and it is in FULL BLOOM right now! Groundsel, Monk's Hood, and Leopard Lilies abound in this meadowed grove! Visit it soon if you can!
Un-named Meadow - 7/15/24
The Lakes Basin has lots and lots of meadows. This one is off the first half-mile of the Forest Service 09 Road. It is a dryish meadow that is bursting with White Brodiaea, Bolander's Yampah, and Oregon Checker Mallow.
Bolander's Yampah - Oregon Checker Mallow - White Brodiaea
Perideridia bolanderi -Sidalcea oregana -Triteleia hyacinthina
It's a giant, lacy, white field of flowers with pink highlights!
Another beautiful sight to see!
On August 3rd, I'll tell you all about this wooly stuff!
What's happening in the Lakes Basin?
Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more.
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 August 3rd. See you then!
Your questions and comments are always appreciated. Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!
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