Natural History Journal

Tucked away in the southeastern corner of California is an ecosystem like no other: the vast Mojave Desert. While it may not look like much to passing motorists, the arid Mojave Desert is brimming with wildlife.  Birds, mammals, reptiles, insects: It's all here, thriving against the odds in an undeniably harsh environment.  Cold winters bring snow flurries to high elevations as temperatures drop well below freezing, and summer highs can soar to more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit, baking the desert pavement.  The wind is fierce and rainfall is minimal all year, a scant three to nine inches annually.   Clearly, living conditions are tough. Yet despite the odds, here in these wide open spaces lives a very special suite of characters, all perfectly designed to make the most of life in this inhospitable place.   This is the wildlife of the Mojave Desert. Last week, we spent a couple of days exploring Mojave National Preserve, enjoying lovely desert scenery an...

Spring is upon us, and for most birders and naturalists in North America that means one very special thing: Nesting season has arrived!  Wildflowers are blooming, trees are leafing out and mammals are raising young as well, making this one of the most exciting and beautiful seasons for nature study. And if there is one nature find that brings delight to young and old alike, it is the discovery of a bird nest! Bird nests are endlessly fascinating creations, varying widely in size, shape, style, placement and construction materials.  Some birds weave elaborate structures, while others build very little in the way of a nest at all.  Coming across nests while exploring nature is one of the most rewarding discoveries, and it is an immense privilege to watch the progress of a nest, from its construction, to egg-laying and incubation, all the way through to the hatching and fledging of young. Great-horned Owl on a stick nest.    Great-horned Owls don't build their...

You've heard about our state bird, the California Quail . You know about our state flower, the California Poppy , and perhaps you're aware that we have not one but two state trees, the Coast Redwood and Giant Sequoia.  Maybe you even know that our state rock, Serpentine, is green (not gold - that's the state mineral) and that our state mammal, the Grizzly Bear, has been extinct in California since the 1920's.   But have you heard about California's state amphibian?? Meet the California Red-legged Frog ( Rana draytonii ). California Red-legged Frog, Pinnacles National Park Once common in California, red-legged frogs are now listed as federally threatened. California Red-legged Frogs are the largest frog native to the western U.S., coming in at up to five inches long.  Apparently, many were eaten by miners during the Gold Rush, and this is the species immortalized by Mark Twain in his "Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" (possibly).   Today, ...

As a group, mammals are surprisingly diverse.  While all mammals breathe air, have fur or hair, and give birth to live young, they vary significantly in their habitats and modes of transportation.  While most walk or hop while moving about on land, some fly and others swim, some spending most or all of their lives in water!  While some of these aquatic mammals spend a good deal of time on land at the water's edge, like seals and sea lions, other mammals, such as whales and dolphins, never leave the marine environment they were exquisitely designed to inhabit. With 840 miles of coastline (ranking third in the nation behind Alaska and Florida), it is perhaps not surprising that marine mammals make up a significant portion of California's wildlife. Let's explore the variety of mammals that may be seen along California's beautiful coast and within its offshore waters. Sea Otter, Elkhorn Slough Sea Otters, the most aquatic members of the weasel family, only rarely come asho...