Here in the Sierra we have only one venomous serpent, the Western Rattlesnake. Many unaware hikers are surprised when they encounter these slithering reptiles in the cooler climate of the higher elevations. But Western Rattlesnakes are quite common here. We don’t see them too often since we do most of our wandering by day and as the old songs tell us “the snakes crawl at night”. Like all reptiles, Western Rattlesnakes are cold blooded creatures that cool themselves by finding shade above or below ground, and warm themselves by basking in the sun or lying on sun heated asphalt,concrete or rocks. In the cold winter months they hibernate in large groups in crevices on rocky ledges. In the spring the group awakes and each goes its own way for the summer. While many snakes simply lay eggs, rattlesnakes carry their 4-25 eggs inside until they hatch and then give birth to an average of 9 or 10 live, self sufficient young, about 10 inches long. These tiny pit vipers come equipped with fangs and powerful venom along with the instinct to curl and then strike.

The baby snakes are born with a horny barb on the tip of the tail but do not get their first rattle until they shed their skin or molt for the first time. The number of rattles on a snake is not an accurate way to calculate the age of an individual because a young snake may molt up to three times in a single year, adding three rattles, and older snakes lose rattles to accidents and predation. The average adult Western Rattlesnake is 3 to 4 feet in length with a chubby body. All species of rattlesnakes found in California have rattles, a triangular head and vertical cat like pupils. Western Rattlesnakes “hear” by feeling vibrations that travel through body muscles to the jawbone and then to internal ear parts. There is no outer ear

Western Rattlesnake are carnivores that feed on mice, rats, small rabbits and occasionally a fallen baby bird or eggs. Digestion takes a lot of energy and leaves the snake in a vulnerable position since prey is swallowed whole leaving a big lump in the middle of the snake. Most rattlers lay low and out of sight for several days after eating.  Although I find Western Rattlesnakes unsettling when surprised by one, they are actually fascinating creatures.

One should NEVER attempt to handle a rattlesnake of any species. All are POISONOUS and extremely dangerous to people and their pets. Always be aware of rattling sounds when hiking or camping. The best defense is to keep distance between yourself and a rattlesnake. Chances are the snake wants to get away from you, too. Never corner a rattlesnake.  Give a way of escape for the snake and yourself. As a last resort, a stick, longer than the snake, can be used to toss it out of the path. We share our mountain home with many dangerous wild animals, so remember to be aware of your surroundings when playing in the great outdoors. Be safe out there.

facts courtesy of US Forest Service, desertusa.com

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Few animals are as regal to behold as the great American Bison, also commonly referred to as the buffalo. Standing five to six and a half feet tall at the shoulder and weighing in at up to a ton leaves these fuzzy boulders with legs unrivaled in size and power.  This largest of all land mammal once wandered the Great Plains and much of North America in herds numbering in the millions. It must have been truly amazing to have lived in that age when these bovine beasts carpeted the meadows for as far as the eye could see.

American Bison were the most important food supply for many Native American tribes. They built schedules and traditions around the migration patterns of this awesome beast. The mountains of meat from a single bison could feed many people through the harsh winter months. The giant hides provided the early Native Americans with blankets of thick brown fur and leather for building tee-pees. The bones were crafted into tools, jewelry, beads and other works of art. Nothing went to waste; even the tendons were crafted into thread for sewing clothes and moccasins. This way of life worked for both bison and Native Americans for hundreds of years.

During the 19th century however the mountainous American Bison was nearly wiped from the earth. Invading settlers hunted them to near extinction leaving just a few hundred in the wild. Today, thanks to several federally protected reserves and ranching for profit, numbers of the shaggy American Bison are constantly on the rise.

Just like cattle, female buffalo are cows and their much larger male counterparts are called bulls. Both sexes sport a pair of horns curving upward from the sides of their massive heads, but only the males grow large shoulder humps that give them more bulk for fighting. Bison cows and bulls live separately in the wild except during the summertime mating season when they all come together. During these high tension meetings, males fight for breeding rights in head ramming battles that usually end with the weaker giving up, rarely ending in injury or death. Cows give birth to a single lighter brown wobbly calf after a nine month pregnancy. All American Bison are dark brown in color during adulthood and have much thicker fur from just behind the front legs forward. This carpet like cape gives extra insulation to the vital organs and bearded face in the cold winter months when they use their huge, powerful heads to plow through the snow in search of bits of grass and other vegetation that make up their herbivorous diet. The shorter hair on the hind quarters is lighter brown and not nearly as shaggy and dense.

Although American Bison amble along grazing at a very slow pace all day, they have strong muscular legs and are capable of out running humans and jumping barbwire fences, a true force to be reckoned with. Buffalo have killed or injured four times as many visitors to Yellowstone Park as have bears. A short fur tipped tail sticking straight up is a sign of bison aggression and often means they are preparing to charge. Observing buffalo from a safe distance is easy due to their size, and that is the safest and sanest way to do so.

Facts courtesy of

nationalgeographic.com and

animal.discovery.com

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Summer on the mountain means a few of our weekends are spent cutting firewood for next winter. I always enjoy the crisp early mornings, a thermos of coffee and the smell of the sawdust. But, without fail, as soon as the day becomes warm enough to take off our sweaters, here come those pesky wood wasps or horntails as some call them. They buzz around loudly like little B52 bombers even in the woodshed at home. Oh Bother! Even though these wood eating insects don’t sting or bite people, there is something unnerving about being swarmed by any bee like bug.

Unlike other wasps, wood wasps have no “waist”, just a straight pudgy body often an inch long with a sharp pointy end, hence the name horntail.  They are the standard black and yellow in color although splashes of red are not uncommon. Males and females are similar but the females are bigger and have a long tube for laying eggs on their abdomen called an ovipositor. When the time comes to lay her 1 to 7 eggs, the female inserts this ovipositor up to 3/4 of an inch into the same kinds of dead and dying wood that we harvest for winter fuel, depositing her eggs deep inside the tree.

Horntails are very slow in their metamorphosis from the tiny egg to adult wood wasp. The eggs hatch into grub type larvae in 3 to4 weeks and then the process slows to a literal crawl. The creamy white, fat, grub larvae take 1 to 5 years to tunnel all the way through the log in which they hatched and fatten up by eating the wood that blocks the way to the other side. The larvae pupate when they get near their destination and the emerging adults eat their way out through the last layers of wood leaving exit wounds 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch in diameter. I am amazed that a bug can eat clear through a tree in just a few years. These boring machines of the insect world are particularly bothersome in post forest fire areas where there are many injured trees, so are particularly pesky to our heroic firefighters.

Live larvae can sometimes be found in commercial lumber including the boards used in building homes.  When this happens, the adult wasp will chew through dry wall, paneling or other coverings to escape to freedom. But horntails are not interested in laying eggs in thin and processed wood. They prefer a forest nursery.

Many predators including bears and many species of birds, enjoy feeding on the grubs that are high in protein. They just never eat enough to keep the whizzing wood wasps from being such a buzzing bummer for us. Oh Bother!

Facts courtesy of www.ipm.ucdavis.edu

photo from bigstockphoto.com

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American White Pelicans are very social.

Nuptial tubercles on the bill and wispy head plumage grow during breeding season.

American White Pelicans, flying in from their Pacific coastal winter home, are a sure sign that spring has sprung at Lake Almanor. In late March or early April, I begin to spot a few on the causeway just outside Chester, CA on Hwy 36. A stop to look delivers quite an entertaining crowd.

Most Pelican species do their fishing by diving deep from the air and surprising their catch, swoop and scoop, every bird for himself. American White Pelicans prefer to work as a group, coordinating on the swim, corralling  the fish with their feet and taking turns dipping their heads, or making shallow dives, to scoop up their catch. The curious yellow or orange pouch beneath the bill is a perfect flexible fishing net, holding up to 3 gallons of water that is simply drained away by tipping the head forward before swallowing any captured fish. Morning and evening are the best times to catch this interesting feeding behavior.

Our easy going neighbors have majestic wings that spread 8 to 9 feet wide.  Weighing in at 15 pounds or more, American White Pelicans are easy to spot from the shore.

Springtime means love in the bird world so the first few weeks the Pelicans are here they spend building their nests in shallow divots scratched in the ground or swimming in pairs preparing to fill them.  In June and July the four or so eggs in each nest hatch and Lake Almanor is soon filled with smokey downy chicks, fluffy and so ugly, they’re cute. In two short months the soft mottled fuzz is replaced by stark white adult feathers as well as the black secondary feathers that are only visible when those  now-huge wings are open.

September and early October bring the comedy portion of the pelican story as  the plump and freshly feathered fledglings learn to fly. They’re so awkward and clumsy that when they do finally get off the ground, it all seems by mistake. I find myself cheering them on, “You can do it Tubby…oops maybe not”. Eventually they all figure it out and head back to the coast for the winter.

Source: USDA Fish and Wildlife Services, CA Dept. of Fish & Game

photos: bigstockphoto

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One of the most bothersome bugs of summer we face here in our lush forest home is the Western Sculptured Pine Borer.  These bumpy wood boring beetles are like miniature B52 bombers buzzing loudly and dive bombing us as we split and stack next year’s fire wood. Quite possibly the largest beetle in the Sierra, this creepy bug is more than a little intimidating when it chooses people as a landing strip, kinda gives you a shiver all over. Yuck!

Western Sculptured Pine Borers have a dark brown to black hard textured shell that has a metallic shimmer in certain light.The underside is an iridescent bronze color almost like some science fiction robot beetle.  Unfortunately where there are pine trees there are pine borers. Females lay there eggs on the bark of weak and dying conifers. Upon hatching the larvae bore into the tender  layer between the bark and the wood.  The larvae are fat white grubs that tunnel about, feeding on the cambium beneath the bark for up to two years. This tunneling often results in visible piles or trails of boring dust, similar to very fine sawdust.  After a dormant pupal stage of metamorphosis the larvae  transform to their flying adult form.  Adult pine borers feed on leaves and may return to a pupal state through the cold winter months. All these factors in the life cycle of the Western Pine Borer mean they prefer to have their nurseries in the very same dead and dying trees that we harvest for fire wood.

Although we find them unpleasant, Western Pine Borers aren’t dangerous to humans beyond scaring us silly.  They are NOT poisonous and don’t sting or bite but clingy legs make them a challenge to shake off a shirt sleeve. Western Pine Borers and humans here in the Sierra even share a common success, we both do our part to rid our beautiful woods of dry, dead, diseased or downed trees and debris, reducing forest fire fuel.  Western Pine Borers however, are attracted to burn areas, due to the high number of damaged trees following a forest fire–prime larvae real estate. Clean up crews are often surrounded by swarms of the pesky pine borers shopping for new homes. We may all wish the Western Pine Boring Flying Beetle was someone else’s neighbor, but I suppose no one likes all their neighbors all the time.

entomology.ifas.ufl.edu

bugguide.net

Danny Cluck-Entomologist

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There are few creatures as interesting to watch as the beaver. These perpetual builders are second only to humans in their ability to change the landscape to suit their needs.  Much like ourselves, the busy beaver builds his home, called a lodge, of logs, stones and mud for mortar. An underwater entrance is a must, so a stream to dam up in a forested area is prime beaver real estate.

Sharp front teeth that never stop growing and strong jaws enable the beaver to gnaw down a tree three feet in diameter in just a few hours. An adult beaver will cut down about 200 trees a year. A mated pair can easily have the stream blocked with fallen trees and a pond forming  in a single night, laying the foundation for the dam and filling their new home’s protective moat. They continue to build the dome shaped lodge with twigs and branches, filling in the cracks with mud and rocks carried in their fronts paws while lumbering along on hind legs and using their thick, flat, hairless tail for balance. Those amazing tails also aid in swimming and are used to make a loud SLAP on the water as an alarm when the beavers feel threatened.  After sounding the alarm for the rest of the family, all retreat to the safety of the lodge interior . Simply designed, this safe haven is just two small rooms. The first is like a mud porch for shedding water and shaking off their oily waterproof coat before going into the drier main living room that is shared by all members of the colony.

Colonies are made of family units that include a male and female that are mated for life and their young. Baby beavers stay with Mom and Dad for two years and find a mate of their own after that. A mated pair will have a litter of one to four kits every spring and the yearlings act as babysitters and teachers to their little brothers and sisters.

All beavers must be taught to peel back the bark from the  aspens, willows and cottonwood trees to get at the tender cambium between the rough bark and the hard wood that makes up a large portion of the herbivorous beaver diet. Water lily tubers, clover, apples and berries are a few other seasonal favorites of these largest of North American rodents. Not only do the crafty beavers build a warm and safe home for the winter, they also stash a rich cache of green branches in the cold waters of their pond beneath the lodge. This inventive refrigerator keeps the colony fat and happy through the winter.

Although colonies reuse the same lodges year after year it isn’t uncommon to find them abandoned during  months of plenty. The colony will often build a temporary second lodge near a favorite summer feeding area. Beavers are territorial but won’t defend the summer camp as fiercely as they will the main winter residence. When the first frosts come, the family will wander home and take care of the necessary repairs to the lodge including a fresh coat of mud on the roof that dries hard as cement when it cures in the cold of the late autumn season. Predators like, wolves, mountain lion and wolverines are challenged to dig through this carefully installed armor.

Beavers definitely have the forest building business all wrapped up. Late evening and moonlit nights are the best time to watch to these fuzzy engineers in action. Next time you are hiking in the forest near the streams in our beautiful Sierra Nevada home,try to locate a beaver pond with a lodge and go back at night and wait. If you are very still and stay low and quiet, the gentle but skittish marvels of nature will waddle about their business . Never get too close or try to touch them. Gentle or not, beavers are still wild animals. Keep your distance and enjoy nature’s busy builder.

Facts courtesy of  www.beaversww.org

nationalgeographic.com and discovery.com

photo from bigstockphotos.com

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One of my favorite creatures to watch in the woods is the second largest of all rodents, the North American Porcupine. They can be very dangerous when they feel threatened and must never be approached but are quite interesting to observe from afar.

I have been intrigued by the pudgy prickly porcupine since I was a teen. A group of friends and I were on a winter hike and we spotted one gnawing the bark off of the aspen branch it was perched on midway up the tree. One of the boys in our group hit it on the cheek with a small snowball. We all felt terrible for laughing when it wiped the snow from its face with a quick angry swipe from its tiny front paws. I swear it gave us all a crusty look before turning its back on us like a pouting child. I was amazed by the character and personality of this little animal.

North American Porcupines are most active at night but can be seen occasionally during the day snacking in the trees or waddling around the forest floor in search of the leaves, twigs and green plants that make up their purely vegetarian diet. Porcupines don’t move quickly on their fat stubby legs but predators are hard pressed to make a meal of this weapon toting rodent. The long yellowish guard hairs on the front half of the porcupine give it a cuddly terrier look. But 30,000 black tipped, ivory colored, hollow quills on the back half definitely mean business when the wolves, coyotes and mountain lions come calling. Contrary to urban legend, North American Porcupines do not shoot the quills into the attacker. Instead, they cover their face with their forelegs and turn their rump toward the aggressor. When the foolish predator closes in, the porcupine lashes out its tail, stabbing with the barbed quills, deeply embedding them in the paws or face of the enemy. Many of the predators die as a result of these encounters.

North American Porcupines mate in the fall and after seven months have one, and sometimes two, soft quilled babies. The tiny quills harden about an hour after birth, giving these adorable spiky infants a defense system for life. Keeping with the independent Porcupine style, our tiny woodland friends forage on their own, already wearing down their beaver like front teeth that never stop growing. Mother porcupines continue to nurse and nurture until the baby quietly waddles away to its own solitary life at around six months.

I am fascinated by these shy tubby pin cushions of the forest. If you are lucky enough to catch sight of the North American Porcupine in your neck of the woods, quietly watch from a distance and enjoy.

Facts courtesy of nhptv.org and desertusa.com

photo from bigstockphoto.com

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Tamera Jewell of Auburn, Ca rescued this adorable Ringtail after she was knocked from her nest by dogs. Tamera attempted to return little Ringtail Rose to the nest but the mother rejected her. Rose was bottle fed and has been hand raised by Tamera so is friendly with her. It is never recommended to try to keep a wild animal as a pet but hats off to Tamera for saving this elusive nocturnal creature.

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Springtime finds the usually solitary bobcat seeking a mate. Males and females spend just a few days together after which the female seeks a secluded den to rear the adorable, puffball kittens on her own. Don’t let her knee high size and big kitty charm fool you, a mother bobcat will ferociously defend her den site and kittens. She may have up to six kittens in late spring and may have a second litter in September in years of good weather and abundant prey. Never approach a bobcat. At double the height and weight of an average house cat, this cousin of the larger, silvery Lynx is a very wild animal and formidable opponent when cornered or threatened.

Rabbits,birds, mice, chipmunks and squirrels are this fierce predators primary prey, but large male bobcats will hunt deer and some livestock larger than themselves with surprising success. Preferring stealth to the chase, bobcats are experts at the surprise pounce and swift kill. While confrontations between individuals are rare, nightly patrols of their chosen, marked territory are constantly carried out to fend off rivals or claim breeding rights. Daytime is spent resting in the cave, log or other hide-a-ways that bobcats call home. Early morning and dusk present the best opportunity to spot this evasive, spunky feline. I for one will keep hiking and exploring, hoping for a chance to get a peek at America’s shadow stalker.

Facts from:

wikipedia.com, nationalgeographic.com and dfg.ca.gov

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Turkey Vultures are strange as birds go. Their appearance is quite odd with a small, bald, red head that looks somehow misplaced upon a large brownish black feathered body. A diet of road kill, dead fish washed ashore and other carrion make them a bit creepy as well, but even nature needs a housekeeper. A keen sense of smell is outside the box in the bird world but Turkey Vultures never claimed to fit in and are happy to sniff out their next meal. Dinner provides the majority of moisture in the vulture diet. Our weird winged neighbor rarely drinks water. Turkey Vultures cannot sweat and can often be seen roosting on a rock or in a shady tree with wings spread open letting the breeze cool their plump bodies. This intimidating stance is called the “horaltic pose” and gives the misunderstood scavenger an air of fierceness undeserved.

Also, unlike other birds, these regular stars of spooky movies have no song to sing. Turkey Vultures don’t squawk or whistle or chirp. An occasional hiss or grunt like noise, when threatened, is the extent of Turkey Vulture vocabulary. Masters of surfing the breeze, these silent aviators can be seen circling above for hours, rocking side to side and scarcely flapping a wing. The silvery flight feathers on the wings underside catch the light and camouflage the birds from below. With a wingspan up to 6 feet, Turkey Vultures seem big and scary but they are actually quite shy and don’t care for confrontation. They rarely hunt. Like an on-call janitor, these bizarre birds just wait for traffic or nature to make a mess and then make their living cleaning it up. I suppose that all that cleaning during the day leaves the Turkey Vulture little motivation for keeping a spiffy home. These nerdy birds raise their annual brood of one to three dark grey-faced, white down covered chicks in logs, caves, cliff hollows or just in the rocks on the ground but never build a nest. An unusual and unique creature for sure. Turkey Vultures march to the beat of a different drum and just seem to refuse to conform to the habits considered “normal” among birds. Next time you see one, take a minute to watch nature’s little rebel. They’re icky but they’re interesting.

Facts courtesy of desertusa.com and vulturesociety.homestead.com

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Northern Flying Squirrels are nocturnal, quietly gliding from tree to tree under the starry skies, while we are tucked in bed. They don’t actually fly but ride the breeze like a hang glider with the aid of a fur lined membrane that extends the length of their body, from wrists to ankles.

Big dark eyes, long whiskers and a fuzzy cinnamon coat make this elusive forest dweller the most adorable in the neighborhood. This species is dependent upon old growth, closed canopy coniferous forest. Northern Flying Squirrels live in cozy nests lined with plants called lichens inside cubby holes in larger living or dead trees(snags), usually in close proximity to a creek or stream. Occasionally they inhabit woodpecker holes and remodeled, abandoned bird nests and will also build outside leaf nests called dreys. Slumber parties are the norm with nests occupied by several snoozing squirrels.

Sniffing out truffles (a strong-smelling underground fungus that resembles an irregular, rough-skinned potato) brings our tree dwelling friends to the ground to scamper around each night. They are more vulnerable to predators on the ground, but who can resist the scrumptious truffle which is also considered a culinary delicacy in countries such as France. Fruits, nuts, eggs, hatchlings and insects round out a balanced diet for these crafty tree hoppers.

Breeding takes place in March and babies are born around 40 days later. Mothers build a private nest and care for their one to six babies alone until they are weened in about 80 days. Males and females are ready for families of their own at one year.

Northern Flying Squirrels are found in all national forests of the Sierra Nevada’s. So, next time you are out there camping under giant trees, spend some time in the late evening, laid back by the fire, gazing into the treetops. Maybe you will be lucky and catch a glimpse of this stealthy, silent glider.

Sources: nrm.dfg.ca.gov and wikipedia.com

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The American Badger is one of North America’s most vicious mammals. A short and wide, stocky build makes it very hard for predators to tip them over and their thick loose hide allows them to turn back on the enemy and bite, growl and claw their way to freedom. They are known to run off the biggest and meanest of predators including wolves and bears. The Coyote however has been observed hunting along side this cantankerous carnivore. American Badgers feed primarily on burrowing rodents such as prairie dogs. They are speedy diggers, chasing their prey through its underground home. The crafty Coyote simply waits at the back door and snatches up the one that got away. Hunting together benefits both Badger and Coyote although they will fight should one feel cornered or threatened by the other. American Badgers dig several burrows called setts throughout their home range and return to them frequently to see if anyone else has moved in; the new tenants are the Badgers next easy meal. These cranky but cute members of the weasel family also eat eggs, carrion, insects and birds.

Mating for the mighty American Badger occurs in late summer or early fall but the fertilized eggs don’t begin to grow until January or February. One to five cubs are born in March or April and will be weaned and on their own by late August. Females may breed in the first mating season after they are born and have a litter of their own as young as seven or eight months old. Males usually don’t breed until they are one year old.

American Badgers are most active at night but there is no mistaking one if you see it. They’re relatively long, thick coat is a grizzled grey to reddish brown color on the body, with a white throat, buff colored underside, dark brown to black feet, and black and white markings on the face. Their muzzle is black, with two black stripes extending from the nose over the eyes and blending to grey on the back. A white dorsal stripe extends from the nose, along the top of the head and over the back. In northern badgers, this stripe extends only to the shoulders, but in southern badgers it extends all the way to the rump.

Badgers are active year round throughout most of the state. In winter, home range is smaller than at other times.Never approach the wandering waddlers. They are grouchy, aggressive and dangerous. Keep your distance!

sources: California Department of Fish and Game, wikipedia.com

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Calliope hummingbird Photo Courtesy DFG by Michelle Woodruff

photo courtesy Dept. of Fish and Game, Idaho ( photo by Michelle Woodruff )

Spring will soon be upon us. Our feathered friends that winter elsewhere take a long journey back to the Sierra. The smallest of these migrants is the Calliope Hummingbird. The Calliope prefers high mountains, and has been seen as high as 11,000 feet. Weighing in at a mere 1 ounce and measuring only 3.25 inches from bill tip to tail tip it is also the smallest bird in all of North America. Inconspicuous is the name of the survival game for tiny Calliope. They winter in South Central Mexico and individuals begin arriving in Southern California in early March.
Males maintain a territory in which multiple females will nest and take sole responsibility for raising the young. Females construct nests usually in pine or other coniferous tree, but sometimes in apple, or alder, usually with the nest tucked under an overhanging branch to reduce exposure to the elements. The nest is often built on the base of an old pine cone and looks like a pine cone when complete. Nests may be used more than once. Calliopes consume floral nectar from flowers of many different colors, as well as small insects that may be captured in flight.
Hummingbirds are incredibly aerobatic and able to hover, fly backwards and upside down. Rotating the wings in a figure eight pattern instead of flapping is the secret that gives them these helicopter like abilities. The great speeds at which they make the rotations create that deep humming sound from which hummingbirds get their name.
During the cold nights and early mornings of the higher elevations Calliope Hummingbirds enter a state of brief hibernation called tupor. This allows them to drop their own body temperature to match their surroundings and also to slow reduce their speedy heart rate from 80 beats per minute down to 50. They cannot fly while in tupor. Without this unique ability hummingbirds would have to feed constantly to generate enough energy to keep those itty bitty hearts beating.
Calliope Hummingbirds are incoming! . I am amazed by the strength and tenacity of this beautiful, irridescent mini migrant. It’s time to fill the feeders and see how many will visit your porch this year.

Facts courtesy of: wikipedia.com, home.olemiss.edu, mschole.com

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When we think of frogs we tend to think of warm summer nights and the sound of their croaking song. The Sierra Nevada Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog however prefers the cooler glaciated ponds and elevations above 6000 feet. This high mountain hopper makes it home in wet meadows and pine forests from Southern Plumas County to Southern Tulare County.

Eggs are laid just after the ice clears in clusters of 200-300. They remain in the larvae stage through their first and sometimes their second winter. Adults and tadpoles also spend the winter underwater so require ponds and lakes deep enough not to freeze solid. Warmer days find our froggie friends dining on beetles, ants, bees and wasps. Open shore lines sloping to shallows a few inches deep is the favorite hangout of the croaking chorus. The tadpoles also use the shallows as a place to gather heat. Singing and swimming in the shallows seems and excellent way to spend a summer afternoon to me.

Sierra Nevada Mountain Yellow-Legged Frogs are considered endangered so please never try to capture or handle these special mountain neighbors. Snap a photo if you can and feel free to share it with us at mountainvalleyliving.com
photo courtesy of www.werc.usgs.gov

sierraforestlegacy.org

ice.ucdavis.edu

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Full grown Ringtail Cats measure between 24 and 32 inches total length and weigh 2 to 3 pounds. Shy and solitary, they prefer to go it alone except during mating season. Mating occurs during spring and two to four cubs are born after about 45 days. Males feed their mate during her pregnancy then head back to hills until next spring. Ringtail cubs are born hairless and blind but they grow up fast. These speedy learners are able to hunt on their own at 4 months and can have a litter of their own by 10 months. Ringtail Cats live about 7 years in the wild but those raised in captivity can live up to 14 years. Fasinating little critters, I would enjoy a chance to see one.

Some facts curtesy of wikipedia.com and desertusa.com

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Not long after the first frost, the woodchuck disappears into its burrow where it gradually slows its body processes almost to the point of death. Its heart rate, normally about 100 beats per minute, drops to 15 or lower. Its body temperature plummets from 98.6 degrees to about 40 degrees. Respiration may slow to one breath every six minutes. During the weeks that follow, the woodchuck may awaken from this living rigor mortis once or twice, even walk about in mild weather, before returning to hibernate until spring.

Groundhogs have long, banded guard hairs, which are grayish in color and tipped with brown or a dull red. These cover a dense, woolly undercoat. Many groundhogs have a distinct patch of white fur around the nose. They have a powerful set of jaws with two chisel-shaped incisors that never stop growing. They have small eyes and ears located near the top of their broad, flat head. Their build is powerful, and they have short legs with sturdy claws built for burrowing. Their tail is dark and bushy. Most groundhogs grow no larger than 21 inches, nor weigh any heavier than 12 pounds.

Despite their heavy-bodied appearance, groundhogs are accomplished swimmers and climbers, and climb trees to escape predators or survey their surroundings. They prefer to retreat to their burrows when threatened; if the burrow is invaded, the groundhog tenaciously defends itself with its two large incisors and front claws. Groundhogs are generally territorial among their own species, and may skirmish to establish dominance. Outside their burrow, individuals are alert when not actively feeding. It is common to see one or more nearly-motionless individuals standing erect on their hind feet watching for danger. When alarmed, they use a high-pitched whistle to warn the rest of the colony, hence the nickname whistle pig.

Call it what you will, woodchuck, groundhog or whistle pig, this fat and funny fuzz ball is our February friend, helping us all hang in there through winter. What do you say Phil? Will Spring hope eternal or do we still have 6 weeks?

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A wild free-roaming horse or burro, as defined by Federal law, is an unbranded, unclaimed, free-roaming horse or burro found on Western public range lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Wild horses and burros are descendants of animals released by or escaped from Spanish explorers, ranchers, miners, U.S. Cavalry, or Native Americans. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 gave the Department of the Interior’s BLM and the Department of Agriculture’s USFS the authority to manage, protect, and control wild horses and burros on the nation’s public range lands to ensure healthy herds and healthy range lands.

Horses For Adoption, Burros too!
FROM OVERGROWING POPULATION OF WILD HORSES

Opportunities Still Exist to See Horses in the Wild
Over 30 years ago, I was graced with the privilege of seeing a herd of wild horses run on the plain below me in the Gerlach area. We turned off our dirt bikes and sat to watch in wonder. It was an experience I will not soon forget. Long, flowing manes bounced in the whisking of more than a dozen stout horses, big and small, in a variety of colors. It reminds me of a plaque I once saw, amended slightly and expanded upon for this vast area of beauty and adventure: “If we’re lucky enough to live where we live, we are lucky enough.” The experience, almost magical and seemingly mystical, drew me to another cliche, this time from a song, “I will ride them someday.” (Rolling Stones: Wild Horses, During the same year that wild horses finally gained federal protection: Released June, 1971)
When I saw those horses, it had been just more than a decade since the institution of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and it was not uncommon to see such a scene in the wild deserts of California and Nevada. The good news is there are places where you can still behold such a vision. One pretty sure bet for seeing wild horses is the Buckhorn Back Country Highway, according to Jeff Fontana, of the USDA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Public Affairs. He took me on a tour through the wild horse facility in Litchfield, CA near Susanville, where hundreds of horses are available for adoption and viewing. The Buckhorn Back Country Byway is a good dirt road, accessible in good weather out in the high desert area between Ravendale and Nevada. Fontana says you have a really good chance of viewing horses there and if you stop by their Eagle Lake District office on Riverside Drive in Susanville, they can offer you a map, or you can call them at 530 257-0456 for directions.
There is also a herd which can be seen along Highway 395 just north of Ravendale. Looking off to the west with binoculars, you may find them. Binoculars are always good for viewing wild horses. according to Fontana, as they are wary animals.
Before the Wild Horse and Burro act of 1971, wild horses were gathered up commercially and sold off to glue factories. That was until one little gal got involved known as ‘Wild Horse Annie.’ Velma Johnson (her real name) was tired of seeing such a magnificent breed of animals being poorly treated and ultimately slaughtered, she worked hard for decades to see the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act become a reality in 1971. She was recently inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
Adopting Horses or Burros of Your Own
Governed by the USDA Bureau of Land Management, over 230,000 horses and burros have been adopted out since 1971. The problem today is the lack of adopters as opposed to the growing population of horses they capture on public lands. According to a recent release by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) a report correctly depicts the difficult situation that the BLM finds itself in with regard to maintaining unadopted or unsold animals in holding facilities. While the GAO report notes that the BLM has made “significant progress” toward setting and meeting the appropriate management level (AML) of wild horse and burro herds that roam BLM-managed rangelands in 10 Western states, the report shows these costs are spiraling out of control, accounting for three-fourths of the Bureau’s wild horse and burro budget of $37 million. A large increase in adoptions is needed.
After the adoption process including one year of caring for the animal, complete title is issued to the adopter and animals can be sold. Fontana told me a story of a family who adopted a horse for a child who then competed with the horse for many years. The family ended up selling the animal for $10,000. The wild mustangs are excellent competitors in endurance rides. The horses are also known for being exceptionally strong and loyal. “People love these horses”, Fontana said. It is also just seems quite impressive that these mighty beasts are direct descendants of Calvary horses and other carriers through history’s wild west adventures. Perhaps you are a candidate for adopting a wild horse or burro.
Every wild horse or burro is different. They come in all shapes and sizes, and each animal has its own personality. They are of no particular breed, although some exhibit characteristics associated with certain breeds. As far as records go, their breed will always be labeled as Mustangs. A typical wild Mustang stands about 13 to 15 hands high (52- 60 inches) and weighs about 700 to 1,000 pounds. Wild burros average 11 hands high (44 inches) and weigh about 500 pounds. Because the BLM only recently removed them from public lands, wild horses and burros put up for adoption are not accustomed to people. As an adopter, your challenge will be to develop a trusting relationship with your wild horse or burro.
It may not be as difficult as you think. There are horse trainers out there who can help adopters and horses transition, and there are volunteers across the state who act as mentors for adopters. There is a competition in which participants are given only _____ days to
To adopt a wild horse or burro, you must:

* be at least 18 years of age (Parents or guardians may adopt a wild horse or burro and allow younger family members to care for the animal.);
* have no prior conviction for inhumane treatment of animals or for violations of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act;
* demonstrate that you have adequate feed, water, and facilities to provide humane care for the number of animals requested; and,
* show that you can provide a home for the adopted animal in the United States.

You must provide a minimum of 400 square feet (20 feet x 20 feet) for each animal adopted. Until fence broken, adult horses need to be maintained in an enclosure at least 6 feet high; burros in an enclosure at least 4.5 feet high; and horses less than 18 moths old in an enclosure at least 5 feet high. You should not release an ungentled animal into a large open area, such as a pasture, since you may not be able to recapture the animal for training or to provide veterinary care. However, once the animal is gentled, you may release it into a pasture or similar area. You will be required to meet specifications for the construction of corrals and shelters, etc.
How do I adopt a wild horse or burro?
If you meet the adoption qualifications requirements, you can complete an online Internet Adoption Application or you can fill one out and mail or take it to the nearest facility. The minimum or base adoption fee for each wild horse or burro is $125.
The cost of caring for a wild horse or burro is comparable to caring for a domestic horse or burro. Depending on local costs and conditions, this can exceed $1,000 per year. You are responsible for all costs associated with the care of your animal. If you adopt a mare, there is a very good chance that she is pregnant, so you may have the additional expense of caring for a foal. Though the adoption fee may seem minimal, you should also consider the following costs when calculating your wild horse/burro budget:

* Stall/Corral Rental Shoeing
* Veterinarian Worming
* Vaccinations Medicine
* Insecticides Salt/Supplements
* Feed Grooming Supplies
* Tack

BLM wild horse corrals on Highway 395 just North of Litchfield is about 21 miles from Susanville. They are open to the public Monday through Friday from 7:45 – 4:30. During the summer, hours are 6:30 – 3:30. For information about tours or horse adoption call (530) 254-6575 or (800) 545-4256.

For more information got to http://www.blm.gov and search wild horses.

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By Melissa Wynn

The fisher, also known as a North American marten, is a dark brownish member of the weasel family. Some individuals have a cream colored patch on the chest and the legs and tail are always black. Their long slender body is optimum for hunting in tree hollows and ground burrows. All 4 paws have 5 toes with semi-retractable claws that make tree climbing a breeze for these agile hunters. Fishers are the largest of the marten family ranging in size from 4 to 9 pounds with males being nearly twice the size of females. But don’t let the small size fool you, fuzzy and cute as they may be, this a vicious predator. Just ask your local porcupine.

Fisher are one of few predators that have mastered the technique of hunting the prickly porcupine with its armor of spikes. Speed and sheer determination help the fisher execute the kill. They first attack head on, going for the vulnerable face where the porcupine has no quills. The porcupine in turn spins around to point its spines at the fisher. The fisher then jumps directly over its prey, forcing the porcupine to keep turning to protect its vulnerable head. A dozen or more such maneuvers suffice to exhaust and confuse the porcupine into a stupor in which it can no longer protect itself. Then, by repeatedly biting and scratching at the porcupine’s face, the fisher causes it to bleed to death. The fisher eats the porcupine by flipping the dead animal over and starting with its unprotected belly. Fisher also eat mice, squirrels, shrews and ground nesting birds like grouse and quail. A hunter of opportunity, they will also rob nests of their eggs.

Who would have guessed that these fearless balls of fur hold the title porcupine predator? Pretty cool. You learn something new every day.

Facts courtesy of Wikipedia

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California black bear cubs are typically born in early February while the sow is hibernating. The newborn cubs weigh less than a pound at birth and continue developing while suckling. They emerge with the sow from their dens in April or May at five to seven pounds. According to Bob Stafford, a Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologist who has worked with bears for almost 20 years, wild female bears in California reproduce when they are 4 ½ years old and generally breed every other year, producing around two cubs per litter.

One of the remarkable adaptations that black bears exhibit is that of “delayed implantation.” In this case, an adult female will carry a fertilized egg in her womb for many months. The egg is ready to attach itself to the uterine wall and begin developing into a fetus, but it does not do so until the female’s body gives some unknown signal.

This adaptation allows bears to time the birth of their cubs so they are not born too early or too late. It also gives the mother a way out if food is scarce. If she has not accumulated enough fat by the time she settles into her den to hibernate, the egg will spontaneously abort. This interesting phenomenon appears to be a natural mechanism that bears have developed so they can avoid producing young when environmental conditions are not favorable.

California black bears typically mate in June and July and their reproductive success is related to the abundance of high quality summer and fall foods. Although black bears are opportunists and utilize a wide variety of plant and animal foods, their simple stomachs are inefficient at extracting nutrients from plant matter. They require berries, acorns and other highly digestible plant foods to provide them with sufficient nutrition to meet their reproductive requirements.

Once a black bear begins hibernating, it can doze for many months with a body temperature of 88 degrees or higher. They can go on slumbering because their warm pelts, lower tendency to lose heat and large body mass allow them to better retain body heat. This, in turn, enables them to cut their metabolic rate in half. Black bears keep their heads and torsos warm enough during hibernation so that they can wake if disturbed, although they require a few minutes to awaken.

During hibernation, black bears live off their own fat; their cholesterol levels are more than twice what they are in summer (more than twice as high as most people). But bears show no signs of hardening of the arteries or the formation of cholesterol gallstones. Research has shown that hibernating bears generate a form of bile acid that, when administered to people, dissolves gallstones, eliminating the need for surgery.

Weight loss during hibernation is extreme. Male black bears will typically drop between 15 and 30 percent of their body weight, while reproductive sows can lose up to 40 percent. Despite this grave weight loss, more than 90 percent of black bears survive the winter.

Bears appear to maintain their muscle mass and tone during the three-to four-month hibernation period. Even though they are meeting all their energy requirements by metabolizing fats, they do not lose muscle in the process. They seem to be able to use urea (a nitrogen rich waste product in the blood) to make new protein. For humans, unlocking this biochemical mystery would greatly assist with dieting and long term fasting to lose weight.

Another fascinating physiological adaptation that bears possess is the ability to avoid bone loss and actually rebuild bones during hibernation. Bears regenerate and repair bones by a mysterious mechanism that researchers hope may someday help give us a cure for degenerative arthritis and other bone diseases. Additionally, the means by which bears maintain muscle and bone mass during extended periods of inactivity may hold the keys to better treatment of people with long term incapacitation, and even space travel.

Once spring rolls around and the black bear sow and her cubs emerge from their dens, the cubs follow their mother around and learn from everything she does, including how and where to find food and what is dangerous and to be avoided. Unruly cubs are often disciplined by their mother’s growling, grunting and she even swats cubs who have not responded to her vocalizations. Some cubs remain with the sow for up to two years before they become independent and drift away.

For more fascinating information on California black bears, please check out DFG’s Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/bear/biology.html.
Contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov

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Facts courtesy of California Dept. of Fish and Game

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Osprey, The Fishing Falcon

By Melissa Wynn

Photos By Ben Graham

We are so lucky to live where the air is fresh and the nearby wildlife is abundant. I often enjoy a trip to Walker Lake to watch the Osprey fish for their dinner. The Osprey is known as the fishing falcon because 99% of their diet is fresh fish. These majestic predators hunt in flight, gliding and flapping 30-120 feet above the water. Once the fish is spotted, the Osprey will hover briefly and then dive toward the water surface. Just before impact, the skilled hunter swings it’s legs forward and bends it’s wings back, plunging feet first into the water. The Osprey flaps his wings in an almost horizontal direction to lift itself and the fish back into the air. This is a breathtaking sight, for sure.

Osprey build large, bulky nests near water and in spots which are hard for ground predators to reach. Both sexes participate in the building and upkeep of the nest which the same pair use year after year. Once a nest has been established, the male will begin to feed the female. He will feed her until the young fledge or the nest fails. Occasionally a male will have two mates and nests if they are close enough together for him to defend both nests.

Osprey lay two to four eggs over a period of several days, each a day or two apart. Both parents incubate the eggs. They hatch after about 40 days. The earliest laid eggs hatch first and those chicks are therefore bigger and have the best chance to survive until adulthood. Chicks trade their baby down for feathers at about 2 weeks old. These amazing raptor babies are 70-80% the size of their parents at one month old. They then begin to hunt on their own but return to the nest to be fed by their parents for up to 8 weeks more.

The Osprey is a large and stout bird with a wingspan of up to 5 1/2 feet. A bright white underbelly, dark brown back and mottled brown necklace help to identify the fishing falcon along with it’s black beak and blue gray feet. Unlike many birds species whose males appear flashier, both sexes of Osprey look the same. The younger birds are different only in their eyes. Their iris is reddish orange instead of the intense yellow it will become in adulthood.

Walker Lake, just outside Westwood, California, is my favorite spot to watch these fantastic acrobats do their fishing. On a map, you will find it as Mountain Meadows Reservoir though locals usually refer to it as Walker Lake. There are several established nest sites so each evening or early morning in spring and summer is nearly sure to payoff with the sighting of a catch.

Bird-watching at Walker Lake By Jan Cox was a feature in our September edition. Back issues may be seen on line at www.mountainvalleyliving@gmail.com.

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Walker Lake, Westwood, CA

By Jan Cox

Mountain Meadows Reservoir, also named Walker Lake, just outside of Westwood, is a playground not only for birds, but for those who love to watch them. Let me tell you about one summer day when we did just that.

The day was pleasantly warm, with the deep blue sky common to the mountains. My friend, Linda, was new to this area. She had never experienced this lake, so it was with great anticipation that we slipped the canoe into the clear water at the boat ramp and silently paddled around the corner to our left. We were primed for adventure.

As we rounded the bend, we looked across a small expanse of water toward an arm of land projecting into the lake. Swimming along the rush-lined bank was a flock of large, white birds. Their bills were long and very thick. They swam smoothly and silently. As we watched, these pelicans took off—not as a flock but two by two as if being given instructions from the tower of an airport. Lifting their large bodies into the air, they joined up and circled overhead in graceful flight.

We paddled closer to where the pelicans had been and then stopped quickly. There on the shore, partially hidden by the reeds stood another large bird, bluish in color with long legs. Well camouflaged, the Great Blue Heron intently watched the water. Then swift as an arrow, it shot its long neck forward into the lake and rose again with a frog dangling from its bill. As we silently watched, the frog was jostled into position and swallowed down the long outstretched neck. We paddled away, leaving the heron to its lunch.

What a day this was turning out to be. We then decided to go across to the south side of the lake hoping to view the eagles which nested in that general area. As we neared the shoreline, we saw what looked like a prehistoric bird with a long incurved bill walking along eating where the water lapped onto the sandy shore. Aware that there was a flock of White-faced Ibises at the lake at this time, I knew that we were seeing this uncommon bird for ourselves. We came as close to it as we could and drifted with the ibis as it continued along the shore, only its feet making a sound as they splashed at the water’s edge.

Just then we looked up to see a large doe on the bank wade out into the water. Perhaps she was curious about us or maybe just washing away some deer flies. Nevertheless, we didn’t wait around to find out and paddled for the boat-ramp, very contented with our day on the lake.

As we returned, a shadow suddenly moved across the canoe and we instinctively looked up. Not only was there a beautiful bald eagle making its way to a nearby tree but this one was followed by another. We watched as they landed in a tall pine and surveyed their surroundings. When we could finally take our eyes off the eagles, my friend said, “I have been alive for fifty some years and this is the first time I have ever seen a bald eagle, let alone two!”

With that, our day on Mountain Meadows Reservoir was complete and would now become a special memory of this beautiful place in Lassen County.

To get to Mountain Meadows Reservoir, take highway 147 between Clear Creek and Westwood. From Clear Creek, follow one of two dirt roads on the right, staying to the left until you reach the dam. A walk across the bridge over the dam is invigorating in itself.

Contact, Nearby lodging, etc: Westwood Chamber of Commerce 530 256-2456

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