The American Dipper...it flies, it swims, it dips!

My trip in the Sierra's ended with an amazing encounter with an American dipper (also called thewater ouzel).  It wasn't my first time seeing this funny, bobbing bird.  Quite a few years ago I encountered one on Issaquah Creek in a very secluded place along the water.  I was with my UW class at the time and had no binoculars on me but in the distance, standing on a rock, was a stunted, plump black bird.  It was peering down into the clear, rushing water and then it was gone, swimming unseen.  I had never seen a dipper before this but I knew exactly what it was, without a bird book or binoculars, just based on the bird's unique feeding habits and silhouette.

American dipper with food, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

American dippers are the only song birds in North America that can actually swim.  They have adapted to utilize a food source that most other birds can't take advantage of...macroinvertebrates in fresh water streams.  Their diet is mostly these small (and sometimes large) insect larvae, such as stoneflies and mayflies, and they also hunt for worms and sometimes small fish.  American dippers are very accurate and precise and they have to be, since what they're searching for is small and usually hiding under slimy rocks.  Flapping their wings like a penguin, they fly through the ice cold streams.  A think layer of down feathers keeps them warm like a wool sweater with an oily, waterproof jacket of durable feathers on the outside.  Since these feathers take quite a beating, given the rather harsh environment they forage in, they are shed after each summer.

Check out this fun video from National Geographic to watch a dipper diving!

American dipper video

You might be wondering how a bird could see underwater and not need nose plugs.  American dippers come equipped with built in goggles, a nictitating membrane that covers the eyes and tiny scales that clamp shut over the nostrils.  Now I wish I came equipped with those convenient features. 

When I learned about this secret nest, I was really excited to see the birds, but weary at the same time.  I am hesitant to visit birds that have nests because the presence of people can have a profound affect on nesting birds.  The parents may be spooked and not feed the young or shy away from the nest, leaving the babies without food.  A lot can go wrong, that's why it's important to keep a distance and not stay too long.  If you notice the bird is in any distress back away and leave.  This American dipper had chosen a very interesting place to build her nest (and the females are the ones that build the beautiful, dome shaped nest).  It was in an artificial waterfall that was built in a parking lot where tourists tend to stop and take pictures.

 

Behind the protection of the waterfall were 4 fluffy, gray balls huddled in a woven nest of moss and grasses.  They were silent the entire time, patiently waiting for mom to return with food.  American dippers generally build their nests behind flowing water to protect their young from predators. 

When mom arrived to the waterfall, she looked around, bobbing her entire body and with each bob, turning her head.  It is a very characteristic feature of dippers and might I add, super cute.  I only watched her return to the nest once before I left.  I didn't want to disturb the birds too much so I promptly left.  On my way out of the Sierra's, I thought I would visit the birds one more time, staying more at a distance.  I only stayed a few minutes until a family showed up to take pictures by the waterfall.  Mom hadn't arrived, hopefully she was off hunting and upon her return her nest area would be free and clear of people.  The family probably had no idea that 4 cute little puff balls were sitting quietly in their woven globe, waiting for a meal, fresh from the icy stream. 

References:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_dipper/id

http://birds.audubon.org/birds/american-dipper

http://www.nwf.org/wildlife/wildlife-library/birds/american-dipper.aspx

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_dipper

 https://watershed.ucdavis.edu/education/classes/files/062809082257-32-FLOG_Dipper.pdf

Birds of the Sierras...Encore Edition!

Hello Fellow Birders! (Or birders to be).

It's been a long time since my last post (I know, shame on me).  I recently returned to the stunning Sierras and of course saw and heard a lot of birds.  Well naturally I need to write about it and share some of my stories!  I am going to save a very special post for a bird that tugged at my heart strings, the American Dipper (coming soon!).

Sierra Valley at sunrise, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

It's been a dry year in California.  Anyone there can tell you and I witnessed the drought first hand.  Not only was the air in Sacramento filled with the campfire smell of a large brush fire that had erupted on my departure, but the birds weren't as prolific.  That doesn't mean I don't have birds to talk about and pictures to share!  I must stick with tradition and start with the bird count...here it is.

 (* = First time sighting!)

A page from my journal

American Coot                                Hairy Woodpecker                 Tri-colored Blackbird
American Dipper                            Hermit Thrush                        Turkey Vulture
American Kestrel                            Horned Lark                           Warbling Vireo
American Robin                             Lazuli Bunting*                      Western Tanager
Barn Swallow                                 Marsh Wren                            Western Wood Pewee
Black-crowned Night Heron          Mountain Bluebird                  White-breasted Nuthatch
Brewer's Sparrow*                         Mountain Chickadee               Wilson's Snipe*
Chipping Sparrow*                        Nashville Warbler                    Wilson's Warbler
Clark's Nutcracker                          Northern Flicker                      Yellow-headed Blackbird
Cliff Swallow                                 Osprey                                      Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Raven                              Pied-billed Grebe                     Yellow Warbler
Dark-eyed Junco                            Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker                       Red-winged Blackbird             Total Count: 43
Evening Grosbeak                          Sandhill Crane
Great Blue Heron                           Steller's Jay
Golden-crowned Kinglet               Swainson's Thrush

I revisited a few places in the Sierras, namely Sierra Valley.  But some of the most amazing birding was right at camp.  I decided to wake up at 4:00am one morning to record all of the birds I heard since the morning chorus is so spectacular.  Here is one page of my journal (one of 3.5).  It was rather fascinating to record what birds joined the chorus and when they left.  The western wood-pewee was the first to join the chorus, which was later enhanced by what sounded like hundreds of Cassin's and Purple Finches.  It's very peaceful to sit and listen to nothing but birds for hours.

Black-crowned night heron by Kelly W

Wilson's snipe photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Back in Sierra Valley, where most of the bird action happened.  Upon arriving, we were immediately graced with the presence of a juvenile great blue heron and the loud, quorking sounds of sandhill cranes off in the distance.  One of the first sightings of the day was an American Kestrel, perched on the fence post.  As we drove the car down the gravel road, stirring up dust behind us, it flew out and landed on another post further down, on and on, until it gave up on perching and flew away over the bone dry field.  It was indeed bone dry.  The cows were grazing closer to the water sources and those water sources were merely muddy puddles, dotted with cow hoof prints.

The marshy environment opened up the viewing for different birds, such as the black-crowned night heron and wilson's snipe, which was a lifer for me!   Their very elusive nature and habit of running quickly from one brush patch to the next, made them almost impossible to photograph. I know it's not much to look at and this bird's magnificent, long, straight beak is hidden behind the reeds, but here is my only photo of the wilson's snipe.  These birds also have a hummingbird like flight display.  When they dive, their fanned tail feathers create a loud wooping sound, which can literally be heard across the valley. 

Sandhill cranes by Kelly Wohlwend

In the early morning light, a pair of sandhill cranes flew overhead, vocalizing the entire time.  Earlier I witnessed a coyote taunting a pair of sandhill cranes in the distance.  Eventually the cranes were fed up with the coyotes antics and chased it away.  Perhaps the large chunks missing in this crane's wings are a result of a coyote encounter.

Art and writing by Kelly Wohlwend

We continued on to the metal bridge where hundreds of cliff swallows nested and fed.  It was shocking the change the valley had undergone from the drought.  The white-faced ibis's were gone and the yellow-headed blackbirds were fewer.  The marsh wrens had been forced to nest close together where the water remained and we could hear their angry bickering the entire way.  The grasses were too short for bitterns to hide in in most places and they eluded us this year, as well.

Art and writing by Kelly Wohlwend

The bridge did not disappoint.  I watched the cliff swallows dancing over the muddy river below, the occasional splash of carp disturbing the surface.  A fledgling that fell out of the nest was perched precariously on a lily pad flower, the parents doing their best to feed it.  Meanwhile the sun was rising and the lack of shade and clouds was beginning to take its toll.  The temperatures were climbing well into the 80s before 9 am with a promise to hit the 90s shortly.  It was time to go. 


Yuba Pass was another amazing bird spot.  This year the white-headed woodpecker had already left the nest but I did revisit the same stump as last year.  I was delighted to see and hear my first lazuli buntings!  A beautiful blue and white bird with an orange stripe across the chest.  Unfortunately I couldn't get a decent photo, or any photo at all for that matter.  But as I stood in the meadow, surrounded by small firs and pines and a patch of willows, I watched the birds dance overhead, singing. 

After a while I gave up on trying to get any bird photos, but I did manage to capture my first chipping sparrow!  The photo is a bit blurry since the bird was really far away, but this male is displaying its stunning burnt red cap and white eyebrow stripe.

Chipping Sparrow

There was another bird acting strangely as I watched it follow an adult robin around.  I first saw it up in a fir tree on a dead branch and snapped a picture, confused.  After a while, as I watched it not leave this robin's side, I was given a clue to its identity. I am still slightly perplexed by the heavily notched tail, but this appears to be a juvenile cowbird.  These birds as adults lay their eggs in the nests of birds from another species, forcing that bird to raise their young.  The robin in the photo is likely this birds adopted parent since it wouldn't leave her (assuming its a female robin) side. 

My trip to the Sierras this year was different than last year.  I love birds and every time a bird flew by or sang I had to stop and listen and try to get my camera or binoculars out.  But the drought had really affected the birding this year and I had made it my goal to enhance my journaling skills and try to draw birds more effectively.  I think I achieved that goal and I can't wait to return  to one of my favorite places on earth!

Until next time remember to keep your eyes on the sky! (And if my journaling has inspired you...a book and pen in your hand!)

Avian Keratin Disorder...A Flicker's Tale

Photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Tip #12: Never Stop Learning!  When you see something you don't know the answer to, look it up!

Photo by Kelly Wohlwend

It's been a while since I've written a post but with a brand new job and having recently moved back to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, I have had less time to write.  But a new post is long overdue and I find this topic fascinating (and I hope you do too!).  When my mom first saw this bird in our backyard I was still down in California.  She tried to describe it to me over the phone and being someone who is rather familiar with my NW birds, I was stumped.  It looked like a woodpecker but had a bill like a curlew is the description I got.  "I've never seen anything like it," she said.  I was intrigued!  Was this a new bird in our backyard that has never visited before?!  We did live near the lake but why would a shorebird venture into our grassy backyard?  I had to see it and of course try to get its picture!  Fortunately, when I moved back a month or so later, the bird was still gracing our backyard (and our suet feeder) with its unusual presence.  When I saw it for the first time the words that first came to mind were, "wow, I've never seen anything like it!" 

This Northern Flicker affectionately became known as "Mr. Bill."  (This Northern Flicker is actually a girl.  Notice the lack of red on the face.  The Northern Flicker pictured below with a normal beak is a male).  Despite the gender, the name stuck but I'll go ahead and refer to her as Mrs. Bill for consistency's sake.  I noticed that Mrs. Bill had no trouble getting into our suet feeder.  In fact, the elongated bill worked to her advantage.  She was able to easily poke her bill through the bars and pluck out large, fatty morsels.  Normally, Northern Flickers are foraging for food (mostly small invertebrates) on the ground, so an overly long beak may not cause as big of a problem for a flicker as it may for a Pileated Woodpecker, which relies on drumming holes in dead trees for food.  It would be interesting to see how this flicker would manage drilling a hole a tree with such a long, curved beak.  Needless to say, I have never seen anything like this in all my years of birding, so I made sure to get some pictures and then went on the internet.  It turns out this is rather common and even more common in certain areas of the country (more on this later).

This is called Avian Keratin Disorder.  I will summarize a description by audubon.org here (all my sources are listed below).  It is a disorder that results in the elongation of keratin in the beak of adult birds and is more common in the top bill than the bottom but can appear in both (Audubon.org 2014).  This deformity may be the result of environmental pollutants and can also affect a birds claws and feathers (Audubon.org 2014).  Two pollutants listed by Audubon were organochlorines found in the Great Lakes region and selenium, found in California from agricultural runoff (Audubon.org 2014).

Courtesy of the USGS (found in link listed in Resources Cited)

One study looked at Avian Keratin Disorder in Black-capped Chickadees in Alaska and found that birds with this disorder had accelerated keratin production (Hemert et al 2012).  (Black-capped Chickadee with Avian Kertain Disorder pictured to the right.  Photo from the USGS and can be found in the link listed below).  More specifically, it is the outer keratin layer of the beak called the rhamphotheca (Hemert et al 2012).  Chickadee's were also more affected than other species and had just over a 50% mortality rate from this disease (Hemert et al 2012).  It was also stated in Hemert et al 2012 and Hemert and Handel 2010 that the exact cause of this disorder is relatively unknown but it appears to be most common in the Pacific Northwest (Hemert and Handel 2010).  This disease has also been recorded in other species, such as crows, nuthatches and magpies in Alaska (Audubon.org 2014).  In a similar study by Hemert and Handel in 2010, they looked at the rates of beak deformities in Northwestern Crows in Alaska and found that rates were as high as 16% give or take 5% and escalated to almost 40% in certain areas in Alaska (Hemert and Handel 2010). Colleen Handel with the USGS stated that these deformities are 10 times greater than what is expected in wild bird populations (USGS 2010). 

These two studies are summarized well in a few different places, including the Huffington Post (cited below) and the USGS (cited below).  News of this also made it into the Anchorage Daily News (cited below).  In my research I didn't see Northern Flickers listed as a commonly affected species.  I'm still wondering if I can/should report this siting to Audubon or even the USGS.

Northern Flicker (male) with normal beak

Hopefully we can start to understand some of the causes of this disease and if it is the result of a human generated problem, find a solution!


Resources Cited:

Audubon.org: http://birds.audubon.org/faq/what-would-cause-deformed-beak 4 January 2014.

Hemert, Caroline Van; Handel, Colleen M and O'Hara, Todd M.  "Evidence of Accelerated Beak Growth Associated with Avian Keratin Disorder in Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atrcapillus)."  Journal of Wildlife Diseases.  48(3):686-94, July 2012.  A full publication of this article can be found at: http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/pdf/10.7589/0090-3558-48.3.686


Hemert, Caroline Van and Handel, Colleen M.  "Beak Deformities in Northwest Crows: Evidence of  Multispecies Epizootic."  The Auk.  127(4): 746-751, 2010. 
http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/landbirds/beak_deformity/pdfs/Auk_VanHemert_crow_beak_deformities.pdf

Huffington Post:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/09/bird-beak-deformities-avian-keratin-disorder-_n_780809.html 4 January 2014.

U.S. Geological Survey. "Deformed Beaks May Signal A Greater Environmental Problem." 8 November 2010.  http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2633&from=rss_home#.UshqXrSUO3o  Visited: 4 January 2014. 

Anchorage Daily News. "More Deformed Beaks Seen On Birds In Alaska, Northwest." Written by Dan Joling.  http://www.adn.com/2010/11/08/1543506/scientists-see-higher-incidence.html  Visited 4 January 2014.

Pinnacles National Park...From Condors to Canyon Wrens

Pinnacles National Park, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

I went to Pinnacles hoping to see a California Condor and of course to experience a unique national park in the middle of California.  The temperature was well into the 90s so a stroll/crawl/climb through a cool cave sounded like a refreshing idea.

We went on the Moses Spring - Rim Trail loop hike.  This hike is a little over 2 miles with a moderate amount of elevation gain and a modest amount of stairs as you travel through the Bear Gulch Caves.  I was there in August, which meant the Bear Gulch Caves were only partially open to protect the bats.

I was truly surprised at the amazing birding at Pinnacles on a hot summer day. 
(* represents first time sightings)

Pinnacles Bird Count:

Acorn woodpecker*            Pacific-slope Flycatcher   
Bewick's wren                     Scrub jay
California quail                   Spotted towhee
California towhee                Stellar's jay
Canyon wren*                     Turkey vulture
Chickadee (vocal only)       Western tanager
Dark-eyed junco                 White-breasted nuthatch*
Hairy woodpecker              White-throated swift*
Nuttall's woodpecker*        Wild turkey
                                                Wrentit

Acorn woodpecker by Kelly Wohlwend

One of the first birds we saw was the acorn woodpecker.  They are described as a "gregarious" bird, which means social, and they were very active around the parking lot at the Bear Gulch Caves trail head area.  I saw the evidence of their hard acorn cache work in a large snag by the restrooms.  Hundreds and hundreds of perfectly drilled out round holes dotted the entire trunk.  Most of the time an acorn woodpecker was hanging out on this snag checking on its precious stash (see photo to the left).  Most of these acorns are from coast live oak trees, native to California.

The males and females look very similar.  The males have a larger red crest on their heads.  They are definitely unusual birds that sport a clownish face and pale eyes.  We spotted more of them at the picnic area that we walked through on our way to the main trailhead for the Moses Spring - Rim Trail loop.  This picnic area was one of the best places for birds on my journey!

You're probably wondering...did I see a California condor?  Unfortunately...I did not.  The condors of Pinnacles are free flying birds, which pretty much means they do what they want, when they want and where they want.  The best place to see them is the High Peaks but the trail to get there is long, very strenuous and I wasn't tempted in 90 degree weather despite my love of birds.  It is a great reason to return to Pinnacles!

After traveling through the coast live oaks, surrounded by flycatchers, juncos and chickadees we entered the Bear Gulch Caves.  Don't expect to find many birds in here...but bats!  We didn't see the bats because they are huddled up in the closed areas but it was definitely fun to navigate the cold, dark caves.

Moses Spring Reservoir, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Canyon wren, photo by Mike Forsman

At the end of the trail you are rewarded with a beautiful reservoir.  There was a great breeze up here and the relative seclusion of this area makes it rather peaceful.  I was elated when I saw a tiny bird climbing on a vertical rock face lined with water marks.  Its long, striped, burnt umber tail was glowing under the sun.  I immediately knew it was a canyon wren, even though I had never seen the bird before in the wild.  The color of the bird and the tail are very distinctive field marks.  I checked my field guide and was ecstatic to have seen such an elusive bird.  Canyon wrens are commonly seen around water and graze for insects on rock faces.   It ducked into a pipe and disappeared out the other end.  From that moment on I was on a mission to get a picture of the bird.  I just barely missed a photo of it at the reservoir.


Before I left I noticed birds flying over my head.  They were larger than swallows and had a white throat and white patches on their back that comes down their sides.  Similar to a tree swallow that has white rumps, the white-throated swift has white hips but the white throat is distinctive.  As soon as they appeared, they were gone.

On the way down the Rim Trail I saw a wrentit and female western tanager but what I was seeking was the canyon wren.  At the base of the trail I heard a very loud bird song.  I had listened to the song of the canyon wren on my birding by ear CD many times but I have never heard it in person.  I was hoping the sweet descending warbler like song I was listening to was the canyon wren.  I took a detour on my way back and went up the same trail I was on before.  I heard the bird sing down in the canyon and then I saw it!  It disappeared before I could grab my camera.  Hoping it would return I got my camera ready and I waited...about five minutes later it appeared.  I fumbled with my camera and before I could get the camera to my eye and the cap off the bird was gone.  I was never able to get a photo...so I plan to draw a picture...stay tuned. 

White-breasted nuthatch, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Slightly defeated I decided to return to the picnic area to do some more birding before heading home.  I was overwhelmed with acorn woodpeckers, flycatchers, bewick's wrens and stellar's jays.  I saw two new bird sightings here...a white-breasted nuthatch and a female nuttall's woodpecker.  Trying to walk as quietly as I could on crunchy leaves I followed birds all over the picnic area trying to get their picture.  The nuthatch was particularly difficult because of its size and enthusiastic movements.  Nuthatches are very unique for being the only bird that can walk down a tree face first.

Nuttall's woodpecker, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

As it turned out acorn woodpeckers weren't the only woodpeckers enjoying the area...a couple nuttall's woodpeckers were making their way up a nearby tree.  I couldn't get a good picture of its face but the large black patch on the back of the neck between the white of the head and above the white bars is a good field mark for nuttall's woodpecker. 

As I made my way to the car I spent a few last moments watching the comical acorn woodpeckers as they rotated their acorns, chattered to each other and gracefully glided from tree to tree.

I kept my eyes on the sky for a condor but one never made an appearance.  For such a large bird it's amazing they can be so elusive.  But don't worry...one day I will add the California condor to my list!

Pinnacles National Park photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Birds of the Sierras - Part 3 South Lake Tahoe

Baldwin Beach, South Lake Tahoe, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

It was hard to leave the Sierras.  I wanted to spend as much time there as I possibly could, so after my class was over I decided to stop by Lake Tahoe and just relax.  I figured I'd end up birding and journaling...

Taylor Creek Visitor Center, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Mount Tallac, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

I wanted to get away from the crowds, which can be tough around Lake Tahoe, especially if you stay in the immediate vicinity of the Lake.  But I found an amazing visitor center called the Taylor Creek Visitor Center.  I had never been here before so I was eager to explore.  If you get there early enough (before 10am) there aren't too many people. 

Forster's Tern, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

I walked down the short trail, "Lake of the Sky Trail" and wound up on the beach.  On my short, solitary journey I saw white birds flying in the sky to my left over the marsh.  I took a look at the information sign and got really excited when I found out they were Forster's Terns.  Terns are beautiful birds and it was a species I had never seen before.  I was eager to get closer.  Another beautiful sight along the way is Mount Tallac, which was still covered in fingers of white snow.

I got to the beach and was pleased to see it was rather empty, as beaches go.  That didn't last but an hour so I took advantage of the peace and quiet and did some journaling.  The entire time the terns were chirping and vocalizing their loud, sharp tern sounds so I couldn't ignore them any longer.  I grabbed my camera, found a shaded spot by a bush, sat and waited for one to come by, which didn't take long.  They were fishing over the stagnant marsh below, which as I learned from a young girl and her grandparents as they walked by, was teaming with tadpoles.

The terns had amazing behavior.  They flocked but individuals would break from the flock and kite, which is a hovering in flight technique.  As they hovered, they pointed their head downward searching for a snack.  I really enjoyed watching them.  I got lost in their acrobats, so much so, I didn't notice the beach filling up with people and off leash barking dogs.  I knew I had to go soon but first I got some pictures. 

Just before I left something amazing happened.  I noticed out of the corner of my eye one of the most amazing birds in the sky fly in front of Mount Tallac...a bald eagle.  It soared high at first, headed toward the marsh where the terns were and then it turned and dove.  The terns erupted in a frenzy.  I caught glimpses, my mouth wide open in awe, as the eagle glided only feet above the ground, meandering around large shrubs.  Terns were chasing it and screaming loud, ear shattering sounds to ward off the eagle.  The bald eagle turned and disappeared into the trees.  Moments later it left the trees, flew over the marsh, a blackbird hot on its tail, and perched in a pine along the trail I just walked down.  (Bald eagle photos by Kelly Wohlwend).  I quickly picked up my things and walked back up the trail, hoping to get a better view.  As I approached the eagle I noticed I was really close.  I could touch the tree it was perched in.  Unfortunately, the pine obstructed my view too much for a decent photo.

Even though it was getting later in the day and more people were piling into the Taylor Creek area, I decided to go on the other short hike through the marsh.  The trail is called "Rainbow Trail" and it is a relatively flat, paved trail that is easy to walk.  The birds were great, too, given the time of day and number of people.  There is a neat underwater viewing area where you can see the fish underwater (left).  I  felt like I was in a zoo or aquarium. 

(Common merganser photos by Kelly Wohlwend and sketch by Kelly Wohlwend)
After leaving the underwater world, I continued
down the looped trail.  I came to a bridge and saw the beaver dams I heard about but no beaver.  Instead I saw a common merganser female with some babies off in the distance.  It was adorable!  Baby ducks are always a welcome sight.  I kept walking, hoping to get a closer look.  A small, dirt path was available to the left that gave you a closer look at the river so I walked through and onto the cobbles.  I walked with anticipation along the river's edge and kept looking for the merganser.  Then I spotted her, hiding on the bank, her babies cuddled up at her side in the shade of the willows (left).  I sat down, not wanting to disturb her (I was also a good distance away as not to scare her away).  After getting some pictures I did a quick sketch (right).  Eventually, she ventured out from her protected hovel and started casually swimming on the water at the edge of the opposite bank.  I put down my sketch and started taking pictures.  She took a moment's refuge in a bundle of sticks, accessed the situation and then waded back onto the water, her babies hot on her tail.  She passed in front of me, keeping me at a safe distance from her small, vulnerable and incredibly puffy and cute six ducklings and swam on.  After she had moved on to a larger swimming area in the stream and away from people, I watched her babies plunk into the water from mom's back, dive under and then reappear a short distance away.  Mom flapped her wings and hopped up onto a log, her babies quickly followed.  Safe and sound, mom and babies rested in the sun, their eyes slowly closing.

Photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Photo by Kelly Wohlwend

This concludes our journey through the Sierras!  It was an amazing experience that I will never forget and the birds were incredible.  I highly recommend a trip through this beautiful place and remember to keep your eyes on the sky!

Birds of the Sierras - Part 2: Sierra Valley

Sierra Valley early in the morning, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Yellow-headed blackbird, photo by Kelly W

The Sierra Valley was one of the most amazing places for birds that we visited during our nature journaling course with Jack Laws.  Sierra Valley is at 4,850 feet in elevation and can be reached by traveling east along Hwy 49, north along 89 or east on 70.  It's a huge valley...you can't miss it!  If you travel into the heart of the valley most of the roads are compact dirt and be careful where you park because farm equipment use these roads often.

We got to the Valley really early to catch the morning birds, around 7:00am.  Some of the first birds we saw were yellow-headed (left) and red-winged blackbirds (mostly the bicolored form, which means the red patch on the wing is only red and not red and yellow/orange.)  I wasn't seeing many tri-colored blackbirds or my vision is just that bad...but other people were saying they were out there (these blackbirds have red and white covert feathers on the wings).

The loud, croaky, scratchy call of yellow-headed blackbirds were the lead singers in the Valley that morning mixed with the "concureee" of the red-winged blackbirds.  Some other birds were able to get their say, such as a noisy marsh wren, irritated we were near the nest, American coots and their featherless, red-faced, weird but cute babies and sandhill cranes in the distance. 

American coots, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Being in a nature journaling class, I naturally picked up my pencils and began sketching...after I got the bird shots I wanted, of course!  Species, after species, I was adding birds to my life list.  Seeing the white-faced ibis flying in the sky with its shallow wing beats and vocalizing its strange squawk/quack as I call it, was a life first for me!  Later, I watched them quarrel in the tall grass, hopping up into the air, flapping their wings lightly and landing pretty much in the same spot.  It was definitely humorous watching the birds appear and then disappear as they hopped into the air.

Marsh wren nest, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

After we got our fill of blackbirds, cute (maybe?) baby coots, a screaming marsh wren and barn swallows, we moved deeper into the valley...

Cliff swallow nest, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Cliff swallow, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

We moved to a bridge where we had breakfast and an earful of chirping cliff swallows, which had claimed the bridge as their home base.  Fortunately, we were not disturbing the birds at all, they merely kept close to the bridge as they fed.  Swallows are incredibly frustrating to photograph.  They rarely land and when they're in the air they swoop and turn rapidly and it's nearly impossible to follow them with a zoomed in camera lens.  And when they do land, they stay perched for only moments before they return to the wing.  I did manage to get a few swallow shots.  Maybe the heat of the day was forcing them to land more often.

American bittern, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Sample from my nature journal

One of the most memorable experiences in the Valley was my interaction with an American bittern.  It was the first time I had ever seen one and it is a delightfully strange bird.  It blended in so well with the reeds that were as tall as the bird that it was really hard to spot and even when I had my sights on it, it disappeared really easy, back into the grass.

Sandhill cranes, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Then its hunger brought it out to the slough that ran along the edge of the road, teaming with vegetation and I guess bullfrog tadpoles, after watching the bittern hunt for a while.  I learned a lot from watching the bittern for almost an hour.  It has some strange, almost eerie, hunting techniques.  Like a heron it stalks its prey, moving its feet so slowly and with such care in water that it doesn't even create a ripple.  When it has its sights on a prey item, it extends its neck to almost grotesque lengths, lowers its head close to the surface of the water, wobbles its neck while keeping its head perfectly still and then it strikes.  I watched it swallow a slimy, wiggly tadpole, the large lump moving quickly down its throat.  The bittern gorged itself on multiple tadpoles and even a small fish or two paying little attention to the 15 or so people watching it, mesmerized by it.

Sample from my nature journal at the ranch

As we left the Sierra Valley a few of us were treated to sandhill cranes only feet from the road.  Over the last few hours we had listed to their extremely loud and beautiful "whooping" call.  They travel in pairs throughout the valley and spotting them is always a treat.  Their dark, red heads are very distinctive and their movements are fluid and very heron like.





 

Our next spot in the Sierra Valley was Maddalena Ranch, which is normally a lush, freshwater marsh in early summer.  However, the Sierras were experiencing one of their driest seasons on record...so very little water was there.  The communal red canoe sat dry docked and unused.  No ducks or waterfowl were using the area, lacking precious water to wade, drink and feed from so the area was rather desolate.  Only the wind kept us company at first...until I saw the elusive sage thrasher!  (More to come on this bird in a bit).  We were also greeted by a savannah sparrow, which serenaded us for a short time and a female northern harrier kiting for prey over the valley.  Without the typical bird distraction I took the time to sketch (right).  I have recently been experimenting with using ink pens during my sketching (after first using my non-photo blue pencil as a baseline).  I love the way the pen brings out the colored pencil.

Sage thrasher, photo by Kelly Wohlwend

Photo by Kelly Wohlwend

After some sketching we were ready to head out.  The sage thrasher had been making multiple appearances along the fence posts so a fellow birder and I hunkered down in the sage brush.  My nostrils were immediately overpowered by the potent smell of sage.  I had to take a second to breathe before I could even focus on using my camera.  After settling down in the sand and among the sage, quickly getting used to the smell, we waited.  We watched the thrasher tease us by hopping up on a post very far away, waiting, looking and then flying back down into the sage only to reappear one post closer (literally).  It moved post by post, closer and closer to our hiding spot.  I'm sure it saw us and knew we were there.  This sage thrasher had an inquisitive nature to it.  Once it got nearly close enough for photos it would fly back into the sage only to appear to our right just at a distance a photo wasn't going to turn out to our liking.  I couldn't help but smile and wait with baited anticipation for the thrasher to land on the perfect fence post right in front of us.  Sure enough, after about 15 minutes of waiting the thrasher took center stage.

It was definitely a thrilling stake out!  The thrasher was beautiful, I got some great shots and to top it off I smelled really good afterwards!

Thank you for continuing on with me on this journey as we explore the birds of the Sierras.  Next time we will be looking at some of the amazing birds of South Lake Tahoe!  Including...cute baby common mergansers!  Stay tuned!