After being gone for a bit, it was great to get back over and walk around the land before the next storm comes in tomorrow sometime.
I finally remembered to check out the blackberry and to find out that in fact it was the native rather than the Himalayan Blackberry.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Pond in rain
The pond is still filling up. If I dug a small trench out to the field just south of it, I bet it would drain right in and fill it all the way up. Can't imagine digging in that wet clay though.
This morning I surprised a pair of ducks...they weren't wood ducks or mallards, but what they were, I don't know.
The amount of water in that field is just staggering. I could see where the water was coming from on the West side...the neighbors have put in a culvert under their driveway, and the water was just pouring in, under the fence and right into the small ephemeral streambed. There is so much water in that rivulet now, that in some places it is beginning to braid. It is very beautiful.
This morning I surprised a pair of ducks...they weren't wood ducks or mallards, but what they were, I don't know.
The amount of water in that field is just staggering. I could see where the water was coming from on the West side...the neighbors have put in a culvert under their driveway, and the water was just pouring in, under the fence and right into the small ephemeral streambed. There is so much water in that rivulet now, that in some places it is beginning to braid. It is very beautiful.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Vernal Pool
This was the deepest of the pools after the last rain...I am pretty sure that they are vernal pools no matter what the county told my real estate agent. But I will be watching this spring to see what pops up around them and in them. It will be very interesting to monitor them. They are mostly on the east side of the property and seem to meet the requirements for a vernal pool which I found on line at the California Wetlands Information System:
"Vernal Pools are seasonally flooded depressions found on ancient soils with an impermeable layer such as hardpan, claypan or volcanic basalt."
"Vernal Pools are seasonally flooded depressions found on ancient soils with an impermeable layer such as hardpan, claypan or volcanic basalt."
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
Usually at my house, I see the California Towhee, Pipilio crissalis. They love to come right up to the slider where the cats live and tempt fate. Koko chases them but they persist. They like the worms around the compost container I think, but also peck around on the asphalt if I spill some seed while refilling the feeders.
This Spotted Towhee was in a huge thicket of blackberries that was also sheltering a huge flock of doves. The doves over on the land are numerous, but dang if I can capture them. I know where they are and still haven't had any luck. I am pretty sure that they are Mourning Doves.
I don't know if the blackberrys are native or not...but I know where to find the answer when next I go over.
This Spotted Towhee was in a huge thicket of blackberries that was also sheltering a huge flock of doves. The doves over on the land are numerous, but dang if I can capture them. I know where they are and still haven't had any luck. I am pretty sure that they are Mourning Doves.
I don't know if the blackberrys are native or not...but I know where to find the answer when next I go over.
Scientific Names...Reference Books
I am currently using these three books from my collection of field guides to ID findings over on the land and in my backyard. Any errors are probably my own!
I find that the Law's book, while specifying the Sierra Nevada, is a wonderful book, even for Lake County since it has both flora and fauna in it. And wonder illustrations, as does the Lone Pine Field Guide.
I find that the Law's book, while specifying the Sierra Nevada, is a wonderful book, even for Lake County since it has both flora and fauna in it. And wonder illustrations, as does the Lone Pine Field Guide.
Cattails Explode!
Cattail
Typha latifolia
"hot dog" of female flowers, spike of male flowers
I saw all the "fluff" first, floating up and over the edge of the steep bank...I hadn't even noticed this population of cattails until this explosion drew me over to the edge. I also found another wood duck, but he escaped my lense.
Typha latifolia
"hot dog" of female flowers, spike of male flowers
I saw all the "fluff" first, floating up and over the edge of the steep bank...I hadn't even noticed this population of cattails until this explosion drew me over to the edge. I also found another wood duck, but he escaped my lense.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
First Buttercup of the year!
Need I say more? Spring is on the way even if the calendar says it is a month away! The buttercups here at the house are in more shade and a bit behind this southern exposure spot of sheer yellow!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Pair of Woodducks
Oh JOY! I finally captured the wood ducks. So exciting. I walked the perimeter on the Copsey Creek side, and scared up several groups of woodducks and I am sure these were part of those groups...to get these, I was way up by my pond and spotted them down by the boat launch...since I was so far away, they didn't spot me or hear me.
I have more photos to post of first over there...a coot, and a buttercup! But they will have to wait until tomorrow.
I have more photos to post of first over there...a coot, and a buttercup! But they will have to wait until tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Pond On the Rise
Finally made it back over for the first time since Saturday morning. All that rain sure did some good for the pond, but a lot of the flat land looks very pond like as well. And I lost a bit more land to Copsey Creek.
I will post a photo of the road and field. If one didn't know, you would think it was a pond as well.
If this stays high until the next rain, it should be something to see by next Monday.
I will post a photo of the road and field. If one didn't know, you would think it was a pond as well.
If this stays high until the next rain, it should be something to see by next Monday.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Rivulet running to Cache Creek
Since I first started walking over on the property in late August this little water way on the west side of the property has remained dry...a little clay mud, but basically dry.
Today with off and on showers led me over to see if the small pond had come up, and while it had, nothing was as dramatic as this. Now it must be said that as near as I can tell from the property line, the house on the other side has huge pipes that gather water from it's roof and run it right to this small rivulet.
I am wondering if there is a way I could capture it! I am surprised that these people don't capture and store it themselves as I understand that they have water issues over there.
It did make a pretty site wending it's way through this small stand of oak trees on it's way to Cache Creek.
Today with off and on showers led me over to see if the small pond had come up, and while it had, nothing was as dramatic as this. Now it must be said that as near as I can tell from the property line, the house on the other side has huge pipes that gather water from it's roof and run it right to this small rivulet.
I am wondering if there is a way I could capture it! I am surprised that these people don't capture and store it themselves as I understand that they have water issues over there.
It did make a pretty site wending it's way through this small stand of oak trees on it's way to Cache Creek.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Surprise!
I will have to start consulting my mushroom and fungi book after this rain. We will probably have a lot of different ones popping up.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Known Predators of Ardea Herdodias
Known predators...from: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ardea_herodias.html
* crows and ravens
* common raven
* eagles
* raccoons
* bears
* turkey vulture
* red-tailed hawks
My goodness, but all of these are possible for our Herons...I don't think the bears have been on the Lower Lake side of the creek in this area, but they have certainly been in the vineyard just across the creek!
* crows and ravens
* common raven
* eagles
* raccoons
* bears
* turkey vulture
* red-tailed hawks
My goodness, but all of these are possible for our Herons...I don't think the bears have been on the Lower Lake side of the creek in this area, but they have certainly been in the vineyard just across the creek!
Another Walk, Another Heron
Food Habits of Ardea herodias from: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ardea_herodias.html
Great blue herons fish in both the night and the day, with most of their activity occurring around dawn and dusk. Herons use their long legs to wade in shallow water and their sharp "spearlike" bills to catch their food. Great blue herons' diet consists of mainly fish, but also includes frogs, salamanders, lizards, snakes, birds, small mammals, shrimps, crabs, crayfish , dragonflies, grasshoppers, and many other aquatic insects. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Herons have been known to choke on prey that is too large. (Ferguson, 1998)
My Heron was back in the field again today...he is so tall that he really stand out once you know what to look for. Today he let me get quite a bit closer before flying across the field, very low, to land on the west side. According to the article quoted above, they so their fishing early and late in the day, so I am not really sure what this fellow is up to out in the field, but I am guessing little frogs though I haven't seen or heard any.
Great blue herons fish in both the night and the day, with most of their activity occurring around dawn and dusk. Herons use their long legs to wade in shallow water and their sharp "spearlike" bills to catch their food. Great blue herons' diet consists of mainly fish, but also includes frogs, salamanders, lizards, snakes, birds, small mammals, shrimps, crabs, crayfish , dragonflies, grasshoppers, and many other aquatic insects. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Herons have been known to choke on prey that is too large. (Ferguson, 1998)
My Heron was back in the field again today...he is so tall that he really stand out once you know what to look for. Today he let me get quite a bit closer before flying across the field, very low, to land on the west side. According to the article quoted above, they so their fishing early and late in the day, so I am not really sure what this fellow is up to out in the field, but I am guessing little frogs though I haven't seen or heard any.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Great Blue Heron Hunting
Today I walked around on the land and the heron was there again...hunting in the grass, nowhere near the water. I was a little lucky to be able to sneak around the pond under cover of the oaks, and finally got a photo. The pic I missed was when a rabbit I startled ran out to the road and directly at the heron. The heron waited a long time and then flew straight up in the air, giant wings outspread...rabbit detoured around him and kept on running! And I missed a great show...I think I might investigate a new camera.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Filling in old septic hole, a shovel at a time
Last week, while wandering about the land, I noticed that someone had jumped down on the cement septic tank and removed one of the very heavy lids exposing a dark, black hole.
I finally managed to get the dang thing back in place enough so that nothing could fall in, and resolved to do something about it.
This week Stuart and I took our shovels over and began to fill it in...at least enough so that no one would probably be inclined to dig it up again.
Stuart, being way brave and not scared of dark black holes, looked into the tank before fitting the concrete lid tightly back in place...he said it appeared empty. He had worried that someone had hidden something in it. Brrrr, my imagination had conjured up a wild assortment of possiblities.
Now we have to get the entire mountain down on top of it, but Stuart thinks we need a tractor with a blade of bucket to do the job. My old hernia tells me the same!
I finally managed to get the dang thing back in place enough so that nothing could fall in, and resolved to do something about it.
This week Stuart and I took our shovels over and began to fill it in...at least enough so that no one would probably be inclined to dig it up again.
Stuart, being way brave and not scared of dark black holes, looked into the tank before fitting the concrete lid tightly back in place...he said it appeared empty. He had worried that someone had hidden something in it. Brrrr, my imagination had conjured up a wild assortment of possiblities.
Now we have to get the entire mountain down on top of it, but Stuart thinks we need a tractor with a blade of bucket to do the job. My old hernia tells me the same!
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