Earthwatcher

Its spring and male birds are displaying their most beautiful plumage and serenading with their most beautiful calls. To me, none is more beautiful than the Red-winged Blackbird. I’ve included a link to a video which I am sharing, not because I want you to see it but because I want you listen to it. It is from my favorite spring nesting spot because of the song of these birds. Link to Red-winged Blackbird video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrPd4_T3yPg

Here are a few songbirds that I photographed over the past couple of months.

I think these might be Bushtit nests but am not sure. Can anyone confirm? Thanks

Over the last few weeks, some raptors allowed me to photograph them. So, today I thought I would share them with you.

This picture is interesting. If you look at the lower left of the adult's head, you can see the profile of an eaglet. Also, on the rim of the nest is the remains of a snake they are eating.

I am featuring one of my favorite little birds, the American Bushtit (Psaltriparus Minimus). At about 4 inches long and weighing in at about 0.2 Ounces, these energetic little birds are fun to watch. They are, however, a challenge to photograph; they never sit still. They perch for a few seconds looking for insects or spiders then are off to the next branch. I guess if I were snack size, I probably would not stay in one place very long either. These birds are found in the m...ountainous areas of the western US and Mexico. But we also see them year-round in the Sacramento area. We have the Pacific sub-group in our area. There is also an Interior or Black-eared variety in other areas; according to Sibley[1] , they are more common in Texas and Mexico. I’ve never seen one. As you are walking, look for them. Small flocks will move from tree to tree while foraging. While on the tree, they flit from branch to branch at a frenetic pace making them fun to watch. The male has a black eye while the female has a yellow eye. If anyone would like a copy of any picture in my library for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you. Information gleaned from Cornell Labs, All About Birds[2] and Wikipedia[3]. [1] The Sibley Guide to Birds, Second Edition. Copyright 2014 by David Allen Sibley. [2] Bushtit Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology [3] American bushtit - Wikipedia

I recently visited Mather Lake Regional Park, a county park in the Sacramento Area, where I received a wonderful surprise. A North American Beaver allowed me to photograph it. Beavers are mostly nocturnal or crepuscular, out in the dawn or dusk hours. So, I was surprised to see this one in daylight.

We visited the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area in Davis, CA. Like many of the wildlife refuges in the Sacramento Valley, it is agricultural land where rice is grown. The fields are flooded over the winter to help decompose the stubble before planting the next spring. Waterfowl and shorebirds migrate to these wetlands to feed over the winter. Here are a few examples.

I thought it would be appropriate to share springtime love in the bird community.

Happy Valentines Day; Hooded Mergansers Couple

The Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) is a common gull throughout North America. During breeding season, they live in Canada and far Northern United States while in non-breeding season they live along the coastal regions of the United States. Here in California’s central valley, we see them during the Salmon and Steelhead run where they migrate to feed on the plentiful supply of fish carcasses. I had the privilege of photographing a small flock of them along the American River a few weeks ago.

I spoke with a friend, who is a birding expert, about seeing Pine Siskins (Carduelis pinus) at our feeder. In that context, he introduced me to term irruption. In general terms, an irruption is a sudden, violent invasion. In ecological terms, an irruption is a sudden sharp increase in the relative numbers of a natural population usually associated with favorable alteration of the environment( ). I.e.: there isn't enough food at home, so they go somewhere else to find some.... Pine Siskins spend most of their time in Canada and in the mountains of the Western US. But every other year, they irrupt, erratically, in places throughout the rest of the US., apparently driven by the availability of conifer seeds in their normal range.( ) So, I feel lucky that our feeder has been chosen as one of their alternate food sources this year. Red-breasted Nuthatches, Red Crossbills, Evening Grosbeak, and Bohemian Waxwings also exhibit irruptive behavior. 1. Irruption | Definition of Irruption by Merriam-Webster (merriam-webster.com) 2. Pine Siskin Range Map, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day