Natural History Journal

As confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Stanislaus County continue to double every eight days , it has earned the distinction of becoming the county with the third-highest rate of transmission in the state.  Orders to stay home and avoid all unnecessary travel remain firmly in place.  Locals seem to be interpreting this in quite a few different ways, especially those of us accustomed to making regular trips out into the wild lands in search of birds and blooms.  But for the time being, Eric and I choose to err on the side of caution, take ourselves off the roads and away from public restrooms and gas stations, and quite literally stay home and within walking distance of home. Thus restricted, I'd like to take you along with me on a little evening urban birding walk through the university campus in my town.  (Note the presence of a man-made object in every photo!  ...And that these photos were all taken in the fading light of evening, which doesn't agree with my came...

This month, in my series of 12 Monthly Tips to Up Your Birding Game, my original plan was to talk about how we can improve our skills as birders by learning to bird by ear.  But with orders to "stay at home" firmly in place, I've had a change of plans.  Because, if we can't get out to see the birds, surely the next best thing is to bring the birds to us! Even in normal times (to which I'm sure we will return before long), making our yards attractive to birds and other wildlife ought to be a high priority for any nature-enthusiast or environmentally-conscious homeowner. My entire town, and by default my yard, is sorely lacking in "good" bird habitat.  We have no wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, riparian areas or other natural birdy areas within walking/biking/quick driving distance.  But here in the Central Valley, we live in the path of the Pacific Flyway, an ancient migratory pathway, on land that was once a mosaic of grassland, wetland and oak sava...

Across the country, spring migration is ramping up as brilliantly colored neotropical migrants, like warblers, tanagers and grosbeaks, begin arriving in our temperate latitudes after having spent the colder months in the balmy and insect-rich tropics.  One of three Black-headed Grosbeaks that paid a visit to my backyard today! And this has been an exciting day in the neighborhood indeed!  Even from my own Central Valley backyard, I have been privileged enough to spot a small handful of brilliant migrants already, including a couple of Rufous Hummingbirds, a Bullock's Oriole, a Nashville Warbler (this morning) and, this afternoon, no less than three Black-headed Grosbeaks (two males and one female). Keep an eye out for extra-brilliant birds passing through in the next few weeks, even if you are only birding in your own backyard!  Yellow Warblers, Blue Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings and Western Tanagers should all be arriving soon! And, while you're stuck saf...

Talk about a plain old "ordinary" bird! The Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ) may very well be the most common, abundant and widespread duck on earth, and for most non-birders, this bird is synonymous with the word "duck." Mallards are found on calm, shallow bodies of freshwater across North American, Europe and Asia.  They are the ancestor of many, if not most domestic ducks (except for those descended from the very different-looking  Muscovy ).  Some wild Mallards even seem to domesticate themselves by taking advantage of handouts at city parks and ponds.  These are birds that just about everyone knows!  But there's more to these Mallards than a penchant for stale bread.  Read on to learn more than you ever wanted to about this common park duck. Mallards are dabbling ducks, part of a larger group of waterfowl that includes the teals, wigeons, Gadwalls, Northern Pintails and Northern Shovelers, all members of the  Anas  genus.  Dabblin...

It is no great secret that, as a naturalist, I deeply enjoy traveling to beautiful wilderness destinations in search of birds, nature, and adventure.  Any other year, this would be the season for spring break trips, hiking adventures, spring migration, the beginning of camping season and devising summer travel plans.  But not this year. A Mourning Dove perched on feeders in my backyard With a global pandemic on our hands, this spring is shaping up quite differently from what any of us ever imagined.  Since my county has implemented a "stay at home" order, with strict guidelines banning any non-essential travel, my birding efforts for the foreseeable future will be restricted to my backyard, and a few green spaces within walking distance. Driving out to the river or local wildlife refuges, even within the county, falls under the category of non-essential travel and is prohibited.  This is hard for me, especially at the most beautiful and enticing time of year...