Natural History Journal

On the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, the forests around 4,000 feet in elevation are excellent places to enjoy a wide variety of birds and other wildlife.  The mid-montane coniferous forests of this "lower conifer zone," as it is known, occur at elevations just above the oak woodlands and chaparral of the foothills, and just below the upper conifer zone.  Here, at this meeting place of plant communities, pockets of black oak and bigleaf maple mixed in among stands of ponderosa pines and other conifers add to the abundant species diversity.  Cooler, north-facing slopes hold stands of white fir, while live oak thrives in warmer, drier microclimates on south-facing slopes.  Sugar pine are common at this elevation as well, along with incense cedar and Douglas fir.   And, most importantly for birders, this zone of abundance offers an enticing mix of bird species from both lower and higher elevations. Trail from Twain Harte to Lyon's Reservoir In the Centra...

For your daily dose of adorable, and to liven up the dreary days of winter, have a look at this family of Pygmy Nuthatches I encountered last July while birding on the coast near Carmel! Juvenile Pygmy Nuthatch in a Monterey Cypress Tipping the tiny scales at about one-third of an ounce (or around nine grams, the equivalent weight of nine paperclips), Pygmy Nuthatches are the smallest of the four North American species of nuthatch.  Though small, these little mites of the pines make their presence known as they call to each other with an incessant series of high-pitched piping notes that has been likened to a rubber ducky being squeezed.  Often, this sound pelting down from the treetops is the first indication that these active little birds are in the area. Juvenile Pygmy Nuthatch, begging for food. Juvenile Pygmy Nuthatch, awaiting its meal delivery. Pygmy Nuthatches do everything together: they breed cooperatively, with relatives helping a mated pair raise its brood of up t...

Winter is the season for raptors in California's Great Central Valley, as a number of species move south in latitude and down slope from the Sierra Nevada mountains to spend the coldest months in the Valley's mild climate.  On a really good day birding across the Valley's wetland and grassland habitats, it is possible to encounter an astounding FIFTEEN species of diurnal raptors (also known as birds of prey.)  And that's not even including at least an additional FIVE species of nocturnal raptors: the owls! The Valley's diverse mosaic of habitats, which includes wetland, grassland, farmland, oak woodland, riparian forests, and even suburban neighborhoods provides an abundance of specialized niches and prey to support this wide array of species.   Around open bodies of water, look for Osprey and Bald Eagles .   On open grasslands, keep an eye on the sky for Golden Eagles , Prairie Falcons , Rough-legged Hawks and Ferruginous Hawks .   While also...

Last summer, Eric and I spent a couple of weeks exploring the Rocky Mountains, from Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park, north into Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.  While we dealt with quite a bit of rain and cold weather during our mid-June visit, the birds were abundant and beautiful!   Be sure to check out these posts about Colorado's Pawnee National Grassland and Montana's prairies as well! Below are a few of my favorite bird photos from the trip. Mountain Bluebird, male, looking his best in the morning sunlight. (West Thumb, Yellowstone NP) The same Mountain Bluebird, fending off a Tree Swallow who was competing with him for a nest cavity! The offending Tree Swallow, looking rather sure of himself, don't you think? Lincoln's Sparrow, singing away.  One of my favorite sparrows!  (Sprague Lake, Rocky Mountain NP)  American Robin, carrying food to its young.  Check out the prettily-patterned undertail coverts on this bird! (Cub Lake...

What began seven or eight years ago as an innocent enough attempt to learn the birds in my neighborhood and nearby habitats has rapidly ballooned into an all-out, fully-fledged quest to see as many of these incredible feathered creatures as possible.  There is no denying it now: I have well and truly become an unapologetic  birder .     And as such, I've also begun dipping my toes into the thrilling pursuit known as "chasing," that is, traveling away from my local patch to seek out previously reported rare birds.  As a general rule, I only chase the rarities that show up within a couple hours' drive of home, but these are my own personal parameters: serious chasers would never let silly things like time, distance or money come between them and a mega rarity! Chasing rarities is not something I do very often, however, and generally only indulge in the pursuit when I'm pretty sure that I will be unlikely to see that species any other way.  Two years ago,...

It's no secret that I love nature, in all of its incredible, intricate detail.  And it's also no secret that I believe the natural world around us was designed and created by our wise and loving God, for the ultimate purpose of drawing humanity to himself and revealing his divine nature to us through his marvelous handiwork. His glory is on display everywhere we look, from the starry night sky above, to the rocks beneath our feet; from the sheer magnitude of the ocean depths to the complexity of infinitesimally small cells and atoms.  Throughout the entire mind-blowingly amazing universe he has made for us, his great power and goodness are on display for all to experience. I'm reminded of one of my favorite hymns, "How Great Thou Art," which begins with the lyrics: "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the works thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed..." The picture pa...

Another winter storm, another head cold, and another week's packed schedule means... more time spent window birding!  It's been a weird winter for me bird-wise, with rain and subsequent floods preventing access to a couple of my favorite local birding spots, and a bevy of other obligations to keep me from venturing afield very often.  But, the birds in the yard have been particularly good this winter, as Oak Titmice , Lincoln's Sparrows , Bushtits and Purple Finches have been more common and numerous than in past years.   In other parts of the country, particularly the Northeast, the Winter Finch Forecast  is a big deal for birders, who eagerly await annual predictions regarding a handful of nomadic species whose movements depend on the success of cone and berry crops.  (Will this year be a good year for redpolls?  What about crossbills?  Or Pine Grosbeaks?  Check the Winter Finch Forecast to find out!) Here in Central California, we can onl...

After exploring the salt marshes and rocky coasts of Maine's southern and mid-coast regions, we headed north.  Way north.   Before this final stretch, catch up on the whole series of through New England! Part I: New York Part II: Connecticut Part III: Massachusetts: Fort Hill Part IV: Massachusetts: Race Point Part V: Massachusetts: Plum Island Part VI: Maine's Saltmarshes Part VII: Maine's Rocky Islands & Coast Part VIII: Maine's North Woods Boreal forests beckoned at Baxter State Park, so after several days of exploring gorgeous Mount Desert Island and visiting famed Acadia National Park, we followed highway 95 north from Bangor - north into the woods.   Black-throated Green Warbler One of my birding goals for our June trip to New England was to see as many species of warblers as I could.  Small, agile and active, the New World warblers (also called parulids) are a diverse group of largely insectivorous songbirds in the family Parulidae.  Falli...