A Warmer Clime

In the last blog I told you that we went to Florida during the first half of October. Besides family, we were able to do some traveling around to some of my favorite sites and explore some new ones. I will share a little of the experiences here.

First of all, how do you like the above picture? It is a close-up of a Sandhill Crane. I am not sure whether it is a male or female, they are not sexually dimorphic like most birds. However, I was able to get rather close, although not a close as my telephoto lens makes it look:

 As you can see through the window, they stand several feet tall, and you would not want to get very close to that bill. They eat mostly small vertebrates like rodents, snakes, lizards, and amphibians, as well as invertebrates like crayfish, earthworms, grubs, and larger insects. Officially, the Greater Sandhill Crane has a length of 44” and a wingspan of 77”. They can be seen over the western ¾ of the continent, at least flying over during migration, and less often in the east. However, the central part of the Floridian peninsula has a non-migratory population. It is very used to people. Besides seeing them from the patio windows of a long-time friend, I saw them on the golf course that winds its way through the housing complex where a cousin lives. With such cooperative birds I just had to sneak, well stroll, around the corner and get some pictures.

Greater Sandhill Cranes are common where we live east of the Cascades in Oregon, even nesting in the common wetlands and meadows. However, they are not quite so tame as in Florida. When the large flocks break up in the spring the pairs will stake out large territories. Their rattling calls are very loud and can be heard well over a mile. They will raise their chicks (which are called “colts”) in the grassy areas where there is abundant food.

There is also a Lesser Sandhill Crane that is about a third smaller. It nests further north, even onto the islands in the Arctic Ocean. Many places in central Canada have Sandhills that are gradations of size in between the two extremes indicated by the subspecies names.

Returning from on-the-go!

My wife, Suzanne, and I have been on the go doing fall and winter prep, plus a couple weeks in Florida for a wedding and R&R (I'll try to post some photos from the trip later.) Things have finally slowed down a lot but we still have some things to do for winter... like splitting wood today.

So, we're just letting you know we are back (again!). Here are a few observations from Thursday, 11/15/2015: I heard Golden Eagle on the mountain above us this morning; we are now seeing diving ducks on the Williamson River in front of our cabin (as is common on this rarely freezing river all winter long) such as Buffleheads & Common Goldeneyes; I accidentally spooked a very muscular looking 3x3 Mule Deer buck on the property this morning (and a visitor saw another, smaller buck as they came back our plus mile-long lane).

Hoping to be back on the blog soon, Marshal

Happy Family

 On Monday the above “inter-specific” event occurred at the Lonesome Duck Ranch. We had both the common California Quail and rarer Mountain Quail feeding at the bird feeder between our cabin and the Williamson River. There was a Western Grey Squirrel there and they were all getting along quite well (at the time).

The two species of quail are normally centered in two different types of habitat, efficiently dividing up and specializing in certain of the variety of habitats found in our surrounding creation. They overlap in some places on the edges of their habitats (places) and niches (jobs). The Mountain Quail, as its name describes, is a quail of the western mountains, especially those with dense brushy vegetation and good seasonal precipitation, including snow. The California Quail is sometimes called the “valley quail” since it mostly lives in the valleys and lower, drier areas of the western mountains of the U.S.

I had discussed the quail in a blog earlier this year; the California Quail is a regular here every year. The Mountain Quail is much less common, but this year they discovered our lush irrigated yards and the bird feeders. They have been visiting us up to 3 times per day since their discovery of our yard. The California Quail usually visit us around once per day, especially in winter. However, until now, I could not verify that they ever came to the feeders at the same time; it seems they are in competition (biological) enough that they would take turns. You might observe that the Mt. Quail are the 4 to the left, while the California Quail are the 4 to the right; however, I did see them mix it up a little more while I was watching them.

The Western Grey Squirrel seemed to be content, and they ignored each other.

The squirrels are not always so content, especially with each other.  Last Sunday, 10/7/2012, there were 3 species of squirrels in the yard. At least 12 individuals (hard to count!) were Western Grey Squirrels (larger than the Eastern Grey Squirrel, about as big as the Fox Squirrel that is common east of the Rockies), 2 California Ground Squirrels, and 2 Douglas Squirrels (the little pine squirrel of the West). We have lots of the little Yellow Pine Chipmunks too. The Grey Squirrels are often chasing each other, sometimes for fun, for fight, for other. They will occasionally chase the birds too, but in a frisky manner. The birds seem to know this and return almost immediately. The Western Greys don’t get along with the Douglas Squirrels, which, though smaller are much more aggressive and often win by chasing back the Greys.

The 2 Douglas Squirrels are probably a mated pair, and are not much interested in the bird feeders. They have staked out the Ponderosa Pines and Western Junipers around the cabin. They are constantly cutting pine cones and, this time of year, storing the whole cones in a pile somewhere for winter. Their winter cache is probably under our deck. They will sometimes chew their way into buildings.   :> }  They have also been eating a lot of the ripe berries on the Juniper trees this time of year (the berries that are used to flavor gin). Neither they nor the Western Grey Squirrel are hibernators; although they will hole up for a few days at a time during winter storms.

Here’s a photo of the Douglas Squirrel from http://www.enature.com/

The California Ground Squirrel is different, although it looks most like the Western Grey Squirrel. It really does live in the ground and is quite a burrower. Some call it the “grey digger.” They can actually do damage to buildings, etc., by digging under the foundations. It is also a true hibernator, known for staying asleep in its burrow for several months non-stop. They can climb too, quite well, but they rarely climb much, especially higher than 10 or 15 feet.

Here’s a good photo from Krippled Warrior blog...

(http://krippledwarrior.blogspot.com/2010/03/wild-life-in-my-california-backyard.html)

Finally, we still have Varied Thrushes here in small numbers, about half dozen, in yard next to the Williamson River. A few evenings ago I tried to track down an owl call that I have been hearing. It’s one of the really small owls, i.e., a Northern Saw-whet Owl or a Northern Pygmy-Owl.

A new species for the Lonesome Duck Ranch.

Yesterday, a new observation was made on the Lonesome Duck Ranch.  It was a Merlin; the first one seen here since we came here seven seasons ago. It flew from a low roost and swung across the north pasture as I was showing a group of the owner's friends some of the birds and other sights of the ranch.

The Merlin is the next to smallest falcon in the U.S. It was formerly called the Pigeon Hawk. However, it is a true falcon and is known for flying fast and straight. They are predators of other birds, catching them by diving and/or overtaking their victims by great speed, usually in more open areas. They are not common and often give you only a fleeting glimpse. And thus, I did not get any pictures of it.

Snipe were also seen with owner’s group yesterday. It was a flock of about 10 Common Snipe, formerly called Wilson's Snipe. They were in the same place as reported in my catch-up summary a few days ago- 8/26/2012: “Wilson's Snipe seen in wetland in north pasture on Sunday. Yes there really are snipe, and there is a hunting season (in the daytime, with shotguns!!). I saw a pair of them about a week later…and Muskrats foraging in the tules.”

People have a lot of fun joshing other people about going on “Snipe hunts” for the “legendary” creature that glows in the dark and can be captured late at night with a paper bag. This, however, was the real thing.

And, we did see muskrats again.

Since I did not get any pictures of the Merlin (or the Common Snipe) I am including pictures of a bird seen many times at the Lonesome Duck late this summer and this fall:

9/4/2012 and ff …: “Deadly tag” - at least 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks and Steller’s Jays have been harassing each other in the yard. I found a headless Pine Siskin on the 4th and since then the remains of a Mourning Dove, an unidentified sparrow, and several jays. That’s nature too! The hawks are very impressive too.

First is an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk feeding on an immature Mourning Dove on the river side of our cabin on September 11. It did not seem to “play tag” so much:

Sharp-shinned Hawks are small but deadly bird predators but have a much different mode of operation than the Merlin. They are experts of ambush and the chase. They are equipped with relatively stubby wings and long tails designed for quick bursts of speed and the ability to make sharp turns as they chase their avian prey through the trees and branches.

Here’s an immature Sharp-shin that was “playing chase” back and forth with the Steller’s Jays at our cabin this morning:

 

There was another observer beside myself:

 

It is a Western Grey Squirrel.  The squirrels just ignored the Sharp-shinned Hawks most of the time; even when they darted at the squirrels and hovered over them. Their size looks somewhat similar to the hawk's but the squirrels greatly outweigh the diminutive hawks, and, squirrels are quite “tough” (perhaps from all the tree climbing).

The Psychedelic Robin!

So, did anyone figure out what I might be referring to as a psychedelic robin? Well here it is:

It's a Varied Thrush. Around here they are normally high in the moist coniferous forests of the Cascade Mountains about 15 miles west of us. I took the picture on September 23 in the yard of our cabin. That's the only day we saw it. They usually show up when there is some kind of weather change, especially heavy winter snow storms. Then they can seem to show up everywhere in the valleys, indicating how many there may be high in the mountain forests. Normally, they are not easy to find being in areas of few year-round human habitations. When they drop down to lawns and other civilized areas they do resemble, including behavior, the related American Robin. Both are large thrushes, showing the heavy spotting of the breast of most common thrushes only when they are immature. Here's another view:

By the way, the weather has been a little strange. We had some short dips but the warm, summery weather is hanging on with mostly sunny skies and temps in the upper 70's. It may break the 80's several of the upcoming 4 days or so. Migration is in full swing and some of the leaves are starting to show their fall colors. On the average, this week is when the first snowfall of the season occurs at Crater Lake National Park, twenty miles up the road from here. No snow showing in the 10-day forecast.

Remember the Mountain Quail of earlier this week? I dug out one of my photos of the much more common California Quail. It's a winter shot in the snow of both a male and female. Take a look at the plume on the top of the head for an obvious difference from the Mountain Quail. The male California Quail also has a black bib on its throat vs. the chestnut bib of the male and female Mountain Quail.

The Robin Hood Quail (and Psychedelic Robin)!

Things are slowing down at the Lonesome Duck Ranch so I am trying to get back into the swing of blogging. The Psychedelic Robin is part of a tease and I hope to inform you about that within a few days. Can you guess what it is about? The rest of the tease is the critter above and following:

It's a rather “rare bird” for us, coming regularly to our cabin this year. It is the Mountain Quail. Do not confuse it with the much, much more common California Quail, sometimes called valley quail. The Mountain Quail does live in mountainous country, especially if there is lots of brush. It is the largest quail of six native species in the U.S. Can you tell why I call it the “Robin Hood Quail?” It's that long plume that sticks back from the top of its head like Robin Hood’s feather in his hat. The California Quail has a head plume that droops forward in a comma shape.  Until this year we only saw the Mountain Quail briefly about once a year; and that was usually at the very base of the mountain on the east side of the ranch. This year they discovered our irrigated lawns with their White Clover, and(!) the bird feeders. They have been showing up now for well over a month, sometimes several times per day. It is a large covey of at least two families, with young of different ages, numbering over a dozen birds. The close-up of the bird's head was taken while he was preening on our picnic table, outside the window about eight feet away!

It has been a busy year and I have not had time to keep up. I managed to work in a trip to Hawaii and then Russia which really put a pinch on time; more about those trips later (maybe when the snow piles up). I kept a crude log of other events so here are some of the nature happenings. I hope to expound on them some too, as fall and winter continue, AND, include some photos:

9/20/2012: I saw an American Dipper, i.e., a Water Ouzel, while I was trout fishing in a rocky canyon of the North Fork of the Sprague River.

9/19/2012: A Band-tailed Pigeon was between our cabin and the Williamson River. They are large, native Pigeons from the forests of the wet (west) side of the mountains. We only see them here about once every other year. They are bigger than the introduced Rock Dove, the common pigeon of cities and farms.

9/17-24/2012: A late season female Wood Duck has come to our bird feeders along the Williamson River most mornings. The Mountain Quail are still visiting us too.

9/6/2012: Juncos have descended from the mountains around us in preparation for fall and winter.

9/4/2012 and ff thru 9/24/2012: Deadly tag - at least 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks and Steller’s Jays have been harassing each other in the yard. I found a headless Pine Siskin on the 4^th and since then the remains of a Mourning Dove, an unidentified sparrow, and several jays. That’s nature too! The hawks are very impressive too.

8/26/2012: Wilson's Snipe seen in wetland in north pasture on Sunday. Yes there really are snipe, and there is a hunting season (in the daytime, with shotguns!!). I saw a pair of them about a week later…and Muskrats foraging in the tules.

8/25/2012: Colorful trout and 2 Bench-leg deer bucks (Mule Deer x Blacktail hybrid) caught and seen, respectfully on east slopes of Mountain Lakes Wilderness area. Hoping to post a picture of the trout later.

8/23/2012: Lots of the first Greater White-fronted Geese of the season as well as a Swainson’s Hawk, Greater Yellowlegs, and another shorebird seen as indications of migration seen while leading a nature tour in the Upper Basin.