Eagles and Ducks

On Friday I heard the low call of the Golden Eagle along Modoc Rim above us. It is a sound that many people that have seen Golden Eagles have never heard. Here is the sound from eNature; click on the "listen" button when you get there.


It usually is not so close and loud, or frequent a call as of the Bald Eagle. It considered a rare sound to many and is usually kind of muffled and may be limited to their nesting territories.


Also, on Friday I flushed a hen Mallard in the sage and Rabbitbrush near our Eagle's Nest cabin. Mallards will usually nest in dense cover on the ground, often over 100 yards from water. Predators, like fox, coyote, and raccoon often follow the edges of water so that is not a good place to hide the nest, especially for ground nesting birds. (Wood Ducks, are partly called that because they usually nest in hollows up in trees.) The same day I possibly saw ducklings of unknown species in the wetland in our north pasture. I plan to look again to see if I can verify them and determine the species.


On Saturday in our north pasture a Bald Eagle was flying low and fast over the pasture toward the river. Quick behind it came a Golden Eagle moving very fast with his wings tucked in. The speed and demonstration of power of the Golden Eagle was impressive. The Golden Eagle, evidently was chasing the Bald Eagle out of his territory. When the Bald Eagle reached the Williamson River he seemed to relax and just swooped up and landed in one of his usual perches in the big Ponderosa Pines along the river. The Golden Eagle veered off at river, evidently content that he had defended his territory. I am reminded that Golden Eagles are primarily predators of mammals, while Bald Eagles are primarily predators of aquatic species from fish to geese. Evidently both like the Belding's Ground Squirrels that are abundant in some of our pastures.

Red Crossbills & Red Breasted Sapsuckers

I have posted recently that Red Crossbills have been courting in the tops of the tall Ponderosa Pines in front of our cabin. Yesterday a pair came done to the Black Thistle feeders on our deck. So close that you could see their crossed bills without binoculars.

About the same time a beautiful Red Breasted Sapsucker landed on the corner post of our porch and began searching for insects. Again, at very close range.

The Bald Eagles continued their everyday appearances.

Beaver jungles and sniping elk.

The highlight of the past week was a trip to some of the springs and wetlands along the base of the Cascade Mountains just to our west. I went there on Friday on a tip I might find a spring-fed stream full of hungry Brook Trout. I have been searching the numerous springs there for several years but, have never found any fishing too exciting. I understand that for some of the areas the time of year can be critical; for Brook Trout I would expect the best time would be leading up to their spawning in the fall of the year.

The main area I checked was a jungle of flooded brush and beaver ponds. The spring was multi-channeled due to the diversions created by the beaver ponds. The channels flowed out into huge wetlands of bogs, emergent wetlands, and sedge meadows. It was a natural wildlife haven and many sounds of birds and amphibians could be heard. Two of the strangest sounds were the many Winnowing Snipe doing their aerial displays over the marshes and the American Bittern. See and hear them on the eNature.com website: first the American Bittern. Be sure to listen to the very strange sound they make, on the left just above the photo. Because of the strange sound it has also been called the "thunder-pumper" or "Bogbumper" or "Stake Driver". The Common Snipe (yes there really are snipe, several species around the world, but they do not glow in the dark) also makes and interesting sound which is common to large open wetlands in the spring of the year. Be sure to listen to the sound on the website too.

 A bonus was a couple of cow elk grazing far out in the wet meadows.

As it grew dark the beaver came out and started slapping their tails on the water when they sensed I was in the area.

I went fly fishing at dusk at the mouth of Spring Creek on the Williamson River. I started late and only caught one little Redband Trout which I quickly released. I also heard my first Nighthawk of the season Saturday eve. I had heard a Common Poorwill during the week through our screen windows during the night a day or two earlier.

We continue to see Bald Eagles daily; there is a mated pair hanging around especially near our Eagles Nest cabin.