Nest Searching

I was off work a little early today to pick the kids up from school, so I used the extra daylight hours to do one of my favorite things – nest searching.

Sounds easy right? Wrong! Nest searching requires a lot of time and even more patience. When birds are protecting eggs and nestlings they can be incredibly cautious and stealthy. If they get a notion that they are being watched travelling to or from the nest they will change their route to approach from another direction, stay away for extended periods of time or try to lead the voyeur away from their dwelling.

There are various ways to search for nest: some intrusive and some more benign. The more intrusive methods are typically conducted for serious biological research, where the searcher must assess the number of nesting birds in a given area, these can include such things as chain-dragging (!?) or systematically walking with a sweeping stick and flushing the birds from their nest (both methods for use in areas of tall grass nesting birds). Less intrusive, much more time consuming but also more rewarding are searching by behavioral observation. This method requires extended periods of observation, watching adult birds for clues that they have a nest nearby. Clues that can tip an observer off to the presence of a nest include: 1. Alarm ‘chipping’ (a series of distressed chip notes), 2. Flushing when the observer is within 5 meters and flying only a short distance. 3. Nest material, food or fecal sacs (tiny bundles containing excrement) being carried. 4. Male and female birds remaining in close association with one another. 5. Distraction displays. 6. Repeated flights to the same spot and 7. The ‘begging’ vocalizations of nestlings.

It was that ‘begging’ sound that caught my ear this afternoon as I patiently watched a large, dense patch of Manzanita. I was hoping to prove that the Nashville warbler that has been singing from this spot for the past month-and-a-half has a nest nearby. While I did find my Nashville, still singing regularly from a variety of perches, I could neither find an associated female or reliably detect any of the other expected ‘telltales’. But what was immediately obvious was the incessant ‘tikking’ of a group of small birds moving erratically from bush to bush.

My first thought was bushtits – the sound was reminiscent of their stuttering vocalizations. But mixed in was a partial song, a short but sweet trill that sounded like orange-crowned warbler. Before long I was able to focus briefly on an adult orange-crowned. The bird seemed to be accompanied by a swarm of frenetic activity. In short order I found the source of the sound and movement, as a fledgling orange-crowned warbler fluttered it’s stubby wings in an insistent gesture meaning “feed me”! Two to three others chased the parent bird from bush to bush, demanding to be fed.

Overhead, a small shadow bounded from across the road into a hole at the top of a slender, long dead black oak. Another flurry of begging sounds came from the hole and moments later the shadow, actually an adult red-breasted nuthatch, reappeared at the entrance to the cavity and bounded off to get more food.

These are the reasons that I so enjoy nest searching. Sure it’s time consuming, but the rewards of observing birds during this exciting time are well worth the investment.

photo by Joseph Higbee http://www.pbase.com/jvhigbee/g_juveniles

Big and Green

Our goal last Sunday was to find and record as many Butte County bird species as we could in 24 hours using only human power; a completely non-motorized ’Green’ Big Day. In the end there were still more birds to see, but there was a shortage of energy left to find them! We began just after midnight about 2 miles above Jonesville, playing owl tapes to deaf ears. After 4 hours of sleep we roused at 4:55 to try for owls again but the sky was already quite light and flocks of evening grosbeaks were vocalizing loudly. Flycatchers, warblers and woodpeckers joined the dawn chorus and by 6:30 a.m. we had already tallied over 35 species.

From Jonesville we mounted up and rode the 12 mostly downhill miles to Highway 32, finding an additional dozen montane species along the way. At the intersection of Hwy 32 and the road to Butte Meadows we stopped briefly to shed some clothing (which we hid in the crotch of a tree to be retrieved later) and snack. Suddenly Liam called out “Dad! Do you hear that WINTER WREN”? I cocked my head and could barely make out a long, tittering song. “Maybe” I replied. A hundred yards away, across the highway, over an embankment and down into an overgrown creek we found the singer, stubby tail cocked, ‘teed-up’ in the blackberry brambles and singing his heart out. Not an easy bird to find in Butte County - we were thrilled to add him to our growing list, and high-fived each other briefly before resuming our trek.

The next 35 downslope miles to Chico, including a stop in Forest Ranch, took approximately two hours and added almost 40 additional species. Once on the valley floor we turned south and immediately found our target Rock Wren and Horned Lark but failed to locate the single remaining Lewis’ woodpecker that had been along Potter Road just a week earlier. We then headed up Butte Creek Canyon to the Preserve to add some riparian birds to our list.

At the Butte Creek Ecological Preserve, while standing on a narrow point of land with the creek on one side and a 4 foot drop into a blackberry tangle on the right I spied a Spotted Sandpiper downstream and, turning to shout the news to Liam slid off the point and into the berries, relying on my teammate to pull me out…this being my second fall of the day!

Our next destination was the Chico Oxidation Ponds perhaps 7 miles away. We stopped into a couple of convenience stores along the way to supplement our meager supplies as energy levels began to fall, but a sighting of a leucistic Blue Grosbeak across the street from 3620 River Road buoyed us, as did Eurasian collared-dove, Yellow-billed Magpie and a number of new finds at the ponds.

From the Oxidation ponds our next goal was the Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. The winding trip down River Road and Seven Mile Lane was a grind but the diagnostic "fitz-bew" of a Willow flycatcher in the willows just north of the refuge provided a short jolt of energy, as did breeding plumaged Wilson’s Phalarope and a tardy Snow Goose mixed with a flock of honkers.
At Llano Seco the standing water of just a week ago had evaporated from one of the south ponds at the unit and so had the black-bellied plovers and black terns of just seven days ago.

At 6 p.m., with the final stop on our hoped for itinerary 10 miles away and strong headwind blowing, we decided to call it a day. Adding up our list from a bench with a view of mountains and valley we were thrilled with the final totals: 13.5 hours of birding, 3 miles by foot, 72 miles on bikes, 125 species.

Candles and Alligators

My daughter Alita and I were the first to arrive Saturday morning to begin setting out chairs and decorations for the annual Candles in the Canyon dinner at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve. Candles is the Reserve’s primary public fund-raising opportunity for projects that benefit wildlife research, needed equipment purchases, youth education programs and student research projects. It is a popular‘alfresco event, well attended by a who’s who of area V.I.P.’s.

After running out of chores Alita climbed a vintage fig tree near the transformed corral where participants would dine later in the evening. Calling me away from decorating tables, Alita directed me to get my camera ready and cautiously walk toward an old fence post under the tree. There, enjoying the warming weather from a hidden vantage point was a beautiful foot long alligator lizard.

Alligator lizards are common in the foothills right now, emerging from their winter torpor to warm their blood in the spring sunshine, I’ve probably seen 4 of them in the past week.
Our local representative of the group Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata is the California Alligator Lizard, which can be found from sea level to 5,000 feet, and from the Mexican border to our border with Oregon and beyond. Up to 12” in total length E. multicarinata multicarinata ranges in color from brown to gray with yellow tones and yellow eyes. A keel-scaled lizard (each scale with a central ridge), it has a fold of skin along each side that allows it’s body to expand or retract to accommodate a big meal or egg production.

One of the most unique features of alligator lizards (and a number of other lizards) is their detachable tails. A terrific defense ploy, the lizards have the ability to ‘release’ half of their tail when threatened. Once detached the tail writhes enticingly for up to 5 minutes, inviting would be predators to ignore the lizard end and attack the tail end. The tail eventually grows back though never to it’s original full glory.


The opportunity to observe this alligator lizard, as well as numerous bird, insect, flower and mammal species, is precisely the reason that this special Reserve is celebrated and supported by so many in our community.

Verbena Fields...of Lupine.

I was asked to assist the City of Chico in surveying their newest city park for avian species, naturally I said yes…I don’t know who was happier! Dan Efseaff, the town’s Park and Natural Resource Manager emailed me a list of ‘points’ specific locations that will be used consistently to watch and listen for birds, as well as an approved ‘protocol’ a list of standards for documenting species detected.

I visited the site the afternoon before my count…WOW! The last time a I’d seen the place it was an expansive gray plain of gravel with pockets of scraggly trees. In the interim it has been transformed into a vibrant field of wildflowers, with small groves of oaks, grassy swales and patches of newly planted native trees and shrubs. Interpretive signs explained the transformation.

Unlike many urban or suburban parks that feature acres of sod surrounding a playground or ball-field, Verbena Fields Park is more of a playground for wildlife. After decades of gravel mining eliminated most all of the native topography and vegetation, the City purchased the property and worked diligently to create a more natural and wildlife-friendly landscape, that included removing a large gravel berm along the creek, creating two ‘bioswales’ to leach pollution from suburban runoff, and removing and recycling concrete and other scrap materials littering the site. The portion of the park bordering seasonal Sandy Gulch was terraced and planted with willows and cottonwoods to provide better habitat for migrating salmon. The whole of the park was seeded with native grasses and forbs. The most unique aspect of the restoration project is the effort made to honor the native Mechoopda indians by reintroducing plants that were once used by the tribe (actually 23 separate villages) for basket weaving and medicinal purposes. An Interpretive Garden and Gathering Circle has been provided so that present day Mechoopda can engage in and teach their traditional principles and practices.

So how about those birds? The recently restored area was actually quite rich in both resident and migratory species. Cedar waxwings foraged in large groups of a dozen or more in the tall cottonwoods outside of the periphery of the site, while American crows could be observed carrying food to nestlings. A pair of Mallards loafed in the remaining pools of water in disappearing Sandy Gulch while a red-shouldered hawk perched vigilantly in a snag overhead. Maturing oaks held summering wabling vireo, Wilson’s warbler, western tanager and Bullock’s oriole.

Who needs swings and a slide when one can delight in observing native creatures in a playground of their own?

Young Prince

One of my favorite lunch-time walks is along old Humboldt Road between Bruce Road and it’s meeting with Highway 32. The scenery and the wildlife change with the season; the brown grass of early winter full of newly arrived sparrows and the blossoming shrubs of spring alive with warblers and buntings. The lengthening days and the warming soil of May also bring out the earth-bound wildlife; small mammals, amphibians and reptiles, obliging one to look down as well as up every once in awhile.

So it was as I neared the end of my hour walk. I’d been preoccupied looking for rufous-crowned sparrows – unsuccessfully, when I was surprised by a striking black and white line on the ground in front of me. Snapping out of my daze I focused on a petite, glossy young California King Snake just two feet away. I grabbed my camera as he made for the taller grass but decided it would be better to take his picture ‘in the hand’ rather than risk losing him in the weeds. He was a gentle and cooperative captive as I snapped a few pictures and then released him farther from the road.

The California King Snake Lampropeltis getula californiae is one of our more conspicuous non-venomous snakes, found in most of the state except the northwest coast and high mountains. While adults can grow to 48 inches hatchlings are only about 12 inches long, meaning that the individual I found today is newly hatched. Cal. Kings are constrictors: they kill their prey by squeezing and suffocating it, and their greatest claim-to-fame is that of ‘rattlesnake hunter’ as they are immune to rattlesnake venom and will gladly consume them along with other snakes, lizards, frogs, birds and rodents.

Snakes are extremely vulnerable to development, humans, roads and cars as well as natural predators like red-tailed hawks. Hopefully the handsome young prince I held this morning will grow to become a King someday.

See, I Know This (Ceanothus) The California Lilac

Have we just been too busy to notice or did miles of beautiful creamy white, sky blue and lavender blossoms appear overnight? A blustery gray and wet drive to Chico this morning was framed by a near continuous border of gently swaying clouds of puffy ceanothus blooms. Apparently the unusually moist spring has provided ideal conditions for this showy flowering shrub that for most of the year is an unassuming leafy green bush.

There are over 50 species of Ceanothus, the majority of them found in California, from sea-level to 9000’. Although their blossoms come in many shapes and colors, from ground-hugging small purple balls to head high pendulous white tear-drops, their unique leaf structure of three parallel veins unites them. Besides their visual beauty Ceanothus is one of our most fragrant flowers.

More than just a pretty face California Lilac has many medicinal and functional uses. Native Americans used the plant for treating cysts and tumors, as an herbal tea and for weaving baskets.

Why so many Ceanothus, blooming so profusely this spring? Part of the answer may be wildfires that have plagued our local foothills in recent years – many Ceanothus seeds only germinate in response to wildland fires.

Feathered King of the Forest

Liam and I were out early this morning, letting mom sleep in on her special day. We drove upslope beyond the Butte Meadows area of Butte County until snow blocked the road a mile or so above Jonesville. The area was exceptionally birdy with numerous singing hermit warblers, fox sparrows, evening grosbeaks, Townsend's solitaires, Hammond's flycatchers, white-headed woodpeckers and a possible pileated woodpecker. Mountain quail, the most secretive of the quail clan, were both heard and seen.

About a mile back downslope at the Jonesville Snowmobile Park we had a calling northern goshawk flying overhead for an extended look. My 'hip-shot' call was peregrine falcon - Liam gently corrected me and we were able to check out various fieldmarks of this magnificent predator.

If there is an avian ‘king’ (or queen) of the north American woods it is surely our northern goshawk. Known for their ferocity, especially when defending their nest, these brawny accipiters are named for their ability to bring down prey as large as a goose – the ‘gos’ in goshawk. Goshawks dominate the air-space of forests in north America, Europe and Asia, and have been prized for centuries by falconers who hunt them “off the fist”. While they are normally stealthy and reclusive, we were fortunate see ours during spring nesting season when they are busy building nests, feeding young and vocalizing loudly. By the size of this individual our guess was that this was the larger and heavier female.

While one mom had a rare chance to sleep-in, this mom was likely out hunting up food for some hungry nestlings.

Chat: A Bird True to it’s Name

I met with local ear-birder Mike Skram and natural sound recordist Greg Weddig this morning to look for a bird species named in part for it’s ‘talkative’ ways: the Yellow-breasted Chat. After finding five individuals of this species who apparently only wanted to ‘crow and go’ we finally located a pair of very assertive males who really wanted to ‘chat’ and we were serenaded for 15 minutes.

Yellow-breasted Chat is a unique bird in many ways. Often referred to as “the sound of the rainforest” chats perform an amazingly varied repertoire of whistles, clucks, chortles and squawks that remind many of the diverse sounds of the tropical jungle, which just happens to be where these birds travel from to get here. Chats migrate from as far south as the Darien region of the Panamanian Isthmus and consistently arrive in northern California sometime within the last two weeks of April. Once here the males perform ‘moth-like’ display flights as they establish and then patrol a large breeding territory. Once pairs form the males become much less boisterous and the soft spoken female almost never ventures from the low, dense brush where they build their nest. Chats are nearly as visually vibrant as their songs are rich, with a bright yellow breast and dark-gray mask with white ‘goggles’.

Habitat restoration, and the removal of non-native scotch broom and Himalayan blackberry at the Butte Creek Ecological Preserve prompted resident bird bander Dawn Garcia to seek baseline information on the number of breeders of this species at this location. Busy with a seasonal position surveying birds in the Redding area, Dawn asked Mike Skram and I to assist by conducting a census of Chats defending territories. We both jumped at the chance to search for these entertaining and attractive birds.

Greg Weddig, a seasoned specialist in recording natural sound-scapes was interested in trying out his parabolic dish for targeting individual bird songs. I invited him to join us and he was not disappointed. After attempting to record a number of evasive chats the dueling pair provided some sensational recordings which we hope to incorporate into a pilot radio program.

Upon her return, Dawn will be pleased to learn that we had what we believe to be seven distinct Yellow-breasted Chat territories along the mile stretch of creek within the preserve.

Springtime…Brought to you by Audubon California

Over the last two days my fellow Audubon California board members and myself were shown some of the phenomenal work that the organization has been performing on behalf of birds in northern California.

First stop was the Davis Ranch in Colusa. This 5,000 acre rice and row crop operation adjacent to the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge has been in a farming family for more than 100 years. Previous unenlightened generations of ranchers were proud that “not a single tree grew between the river and western boundary of the ranch”. In collaboration with Audubon a new generation of Davis Ranch farmers see the benefits of sharing the land with nature. Audubon Staffers showed us ‘Riparian corridors’ where swaths of native shrubs and trees are being planted along formerly denuded canals. Narrow rice checks are being widened to provide ‘loafing areas’ for ducks and shorebirds. And miles of ‘edge’ are being allowed to grow feral to encourage repatriation of native species.

Forty-five minutes to the south near Winters we were shown another set of projects that are benefitting upland habitat. The borders of dry creek-beds, overgrazed for decades, are being seeded with native grasses, shrubs and trees like willows and cottonwoods. Nest boxes have been installed to encourage nesting by tree swallows, western bluebirds and American Kestrels. Recently barren fields gave us great looks at white-tailed kites and loggerhead shrikes.

The trip concluded with a BBQ dinner at Audubon’s recently acquired Bobcat Ranch – a 6800 acre jewel of savannah blue oak woodlands in the western coast range, where a small army of staff and volunteers is learning more ways to repair and restore native habitat not only for the benefit of birds, but for the enjoyment of humans in perpetuity.

Half-dollar Sized Home

While visiting a friend yesterday I was excited when she said “you should see the hummingbird nest right outside of my bathroom window”. Needless to say I went right out to have a look.

If I hadn’t known it was there I might have completely overlooked it. On the thin, bare branch of a young ornamental tree a cryptic colored cup sat just above my head level. With a gentle pull of the springy limb I was able to bring it to eye level for a look at the single white egg. Returning the branch to its place I moved twenty feet away and watched the female Anna’s Hummingbird return to her small architectural masterpiece.

Many hummingbirds use spider silk to bind their nest materials together, and it is a treat to watch them go from shrub to shrub collecting the silken threads. Anna’s Hummingbird uses plant down as the primary component of the dwelling and once the structure is completed the exterior is camouflaged with lichens, while the interior is lined with feather down.

This is one of the first active nests I’ve seen this year, typical of Anna’s, a resident bird species which tries to have it’s nesting well underway before migrant hummingbirds like Black-chinned, and Rufous Hummingbird arrive. First perhaps, but probably last as well as she can raise as many as three broods in a nesting season that can last through the end of summer.