Lawrence’s Goldfinch

by Dave Hanks

This goldfinch is colored differently from what you would expect from a member of the goldfinch group. Nevertheless it is attractive, and a species that we feel is important to have in our files. It is also a species that one would have to visit Southern California to see – and then it would require some luck to find.

Just north of Bakersfield is a valley – a valley at a much higher elevation than Bakersfield. It is the Lake Isabella/Kern River Valley. Many species of birds are there during the April/May spring migration. If you keep going up the Kern River road, which is on the west side of the valley, you will get into the mountains and forest campgrounds. Further up is the Sequoia National Park. On the east side of the valley is a bird research station. The station feeds birds and has nesting houses which House Wrens and Western bluebirds utilize. Many other species come to their feeding stations. A major reason that we went to this valley was to see Red-Breasted Sapsuckers and LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCH. We thought the goldfinch would be at the bird seed – but no, they did not do what we expected them to do. They were there, but not at the feed. My wife saw them close up (without a camera), but they seemed to avoid me. Discouraged, we moved to a campground on the west side. There they were sitting calmly in a tree – just asking for their pictures to be taken.

Look for a small 4 to 5 inch gray bird with a black face, yellow breast, yellow lower back and rump, black wings with yellow bars, and a short forked tail.

This bird breeds in the woodlands of California and the Baja. Its nests are usually single but sometimes in colonies over 10 or more. While the female builds the nest, the male just follows her and sings. It’s amusing that many women would say: “That’s just like a man”. While the female is on the nest, the males will form small flocks and leave the rest up to her. This uncommon, small finch is highly erratic in its movements from year to year – which makes it difficult to study.

There he is – finally!

The California Mole: Underground Burrower

by Dave Hanks

Climbing up a trail in Folsom Park, in the San Jose, California foothills, I noticed a most unusual creature. It was small and lay flat upon the ground.It had huge claws for its size, which seemed to protrude at a crazy angle. It was stub-tailed, had a rod-like pointed-nosed, and eyes that were hidden. It was a California Mole.

In the children’s story “Wind in the Willows”, the Mole was a cutely depicted character who abandoned the spring cleaning of his undergroundhome to experience the freedom of a new life by a river. Though this character was loveable, real Moles are not generally liked. This is because they burrow and create mounds in people’s lawns and flower beds. They are powerful digging machines with strong limbs for moving soil. Large lungs and a special circulatory system allow them to live underground in poor oxygen conditions.

Moles spend most of their life below ground, except when juveniles need to disperse in order to find a home of their own. Their diet is mostly earthworms and insects. They cannot survive more than a few hours without feeding. If earth worms are abundant, they will stockpile them by biting of their heads, twisting them into a knot, and pushing them into a soil cavity. If the worms are not eaten, they will re-grow their heads and burrow to freeedom. Moles will also eat small amounts of vegetation – especially grasses.

Sometimes they are blamed for creating the mounds that are actually made by Pocket Gophers. If the mound problem is not great, simply rake away the mounds wherever they’re formed, and there is less chance that weeds will supplant the grass in that spot. Serious Mole problems would require a trapping procedure.

If you can stand living with them, they do play an important ecological role. They aerate and mix the soil layers, along with eating large quantities of insects.

Crossing my path on a quest for new digs

The California Mole: Underground Burrower

Climbing up a trail in Folsom Park, in the San Jose, California foothills, I noticed a most unusual creature. It was small and lay flat upon the ground.It had huge claws for its size, which seemed to protrude at a crazy angle. It was stub-tailed, had a rod-like pointed-nosed, and eyes that were hidden. It was a California Mole.

In the children’s story “Wind in the Willows”, the Mole was a cutely depicted character who abandoned the spring cleaning of his undergroundhome to experience the freedom of a new life by a river. Though this character was loveable, real Moles are not generally liked. This is because they burrow and create mounds in people’s lawns and flower beds. They are powerful digging machines with strong limbs for moving soil. Large lungs and a special circulatory system allow them to live underground in poor oxygen conditions.

Moles spend most of their life below ground, except when juveniles need to disperse in order to find a home of their own. Their diet is mostly earthworms and insects. They cannot survive more than a few hours without feeding. If earth worms are abundant, they will stockpile them by biting of their heads, twisting them into a knot, and pushing them into a soil cavity. If the worms are not eaten, they will re-grow their heads and burrow to freeedom. Moles will also eat small amounts of vegetation – especially grasses.

Sometimes they are blamed for creating the mounds that are actually made by Pocket Gophers. If the mound problem is not great, simply rake away the mounds wherever they’re formed, and there is less chance that weeds will supplant the grass in that spot. Serious Mole problems would require a trapping procedure.

If you can stand living with them, they do play an important ecological role. They aerate and mix the soil layers, along with eating large quantities of insects.

Crossing my path on a quest for new digs

Seal or Sea Lion

by Dave Hanks

The seal acts in circus performances are not done by true seals at all. They are done by sea lions. Sea lions have an extra joint in their forelimbs which allows them to sit up and walk on all fours. True seals can’t do that and so are unable to do the required tricks.

Sea lions are pinnipeds and closely related to fur seals. Both have external ears flaps. Sea lions can swim up to 25 mph and are quite fast on land. Sea lions make a roaring noise (hence their name) and will bark and honk. Their range extends from the sub-arctic to tropical waters in both the northern and southern hemispheres of the Pacific Ocean.

The California Sea Lion lives in the cool waters off the coast of western North America. This species has short, thick, brown to buff-colored fur over a thick layer of blubber. Males (bulls) have a thick furry mane around their neck and are darker and much larger than the females – 850 pounds to 250 pounds. It is an intelligent and social mammal that will congregate in large groups on land (colonies or rookeries) and in smaller groups at sea (rafts). Though, they are color blind, they have keen eye sight and a good sense of hearing. Whiskers aid in their sense of touch.

Seals and Sea Lions are carnivores that feed on fish, squid, crabs, clams, and lobsters. They can crush shells with their back teeth, but they don’t chew their food. They swallow large chunks of it whole.This predator is also preyed upon by Orcas (killer whales) and sharks.

When you find yourself along the west coast, you will hear lots of noise emanating from piers or platforms that extend out into the bays. On investigation you will find groups of pinnipeds tightly ensconced together in the space available.

Pinnipeds: The Epitome of Sociability

Elephant Seals: Monsters on the Beach

As you come south on highway 1 along the ocean just north of San Simeon, California you can hear considerable noise coming from the beach. A large parking lot allows a stop to witness an impressive show. The beach is literally covered with NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS. It is a species that frequents northern Pacific coasts. Another species, the Southern species is found below the equator. There are as many as 15,000 that make their land base in this general area.

This huge sea mammal spends 8 to 10 months a year at sea. They can dive up to 5000 feet and stay under an extraordinary 2 hours. They migrate thousands of miles twice a year to their land base to breed and to molt. The growth of new skin (molting) requires them to be on land for about a month. New skin growth involves blood flow outside of their blubber. If sea water is at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, then the seal would be susceptible to the cold. This beaching is called a “haul-out”. There are no females around and so there is no fighting. The males “haul-out” in August, and females in May or June – both are there in January. May is the best month to see a maximum number of seals at the San Simeon site, as there are usually about 4000 individuals on the beach. During this quiet month of fasting, there is a lot of sleeping. Apnea (cessation of breathing) is common during this time and can last from a few minutes to a half hour.

Early winter is the birthing and mating month. Females need some space around them and their pups, and they defend it vigorously. Pups are crying now and the bulls are continually fighting to protect their harems from sneaker males, which hang out along the periphery, watching for a chance to rush in to try to mate. It is believed that only about one percent of the males get to breed during their life. No wonder there is constant fighting! Elephant Seals live, on the average, about 23 years, reaching maturity at 4 to 5 years.

I can attest that these immense bulls are to be taken seriously – having been chased by one on the Oregon coast a few years back.

 

A battle-scarred old warrior

“Flocks Flee”

Large groups are a security adaptation. Many eyes and ears insures that at least one individual will sense a danger. When that individual reacts, the whole flock will respond as one, and they’re gone. Many individuals are nice to select the best picture from, but a single is much less likely to “bolt” from the scene. This is especially true in autumn when birds are collecting for migration.

California Quail are apt to flee at anytime of the year. This is because several broods will combine after hatching to form large coveys. A covey may contain anywhere from 10 to 200 individuals. These birds seem to always forage in groups. When one gets “spooked”, away go all the quail. Even sitting in a blind, the slightest movement or sound will cause the whole group to flee the area. They feed on the ground, but roost in trees for protection when at rest. They will also call from a perch on a tree or post, especially in the early morning or at dusk.

Plant roughage makes up a large part of their diet and protozoans in their intestines help in the digestion process. Chicks acquire these micro-organisms by pecking at adult feces. This bird has a very characteristic topknot. It appears to be one feather but is actually a cluster of six. The species can be found in grasslands (if a lot of brush is present), foothills, woodlands, and canyons.

We were most surprised to find them in our yard one morning. They started coming under some bird feeders that were just outside our front window, hence, photos followed.

(California’s State Bird Symbol)

Kern Valley House Wren (California)

KERN VALLEY
House Wren (California)
Nest in cavities & the male will make several nests to hopefully attract females. (April)