A Coast Larkspur (Delphinium decorum) to help usher in spring!
The Vernal Equinox occurs on 19 March 2024 at 8:06 p.m. PDT.
With occasional notes from elsewhere
A Coast Larkspur (Delphinium decorum) to help usher in spring!
The Vernal Equinox occurs on 19 March 2024 at 8:06 p.m. PDT.
Well, I wasn't sure we'd see the juvenile Anna's Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) again, but we were in the area this afternoon and started to hear the begging call. Eric was able to locate one of the fledglings as mom flew in for a feeding (above). The juveniles have been out of the nest for 4-5 days now, but apparently the mother keeps feeding them for 1-2 weeks after they leave the nest.
I watched the fledgling for a little while. Fun to see the juvenile probing some leaves/buds while sitting on a branch. I had been wondering how they start to feed on flowers and this view provided a clue:
A couple of photos to help celebrate St. Patrick's Day!
Above, a Sierran Treefrog (Pseudacris sierra) framed by Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) leaves.
Below, Coast Rockcress (Arabis blepharophylla) and clover (Trifolium sp.) leaves:
Wow, hard to believe, but air temperatures reached ~75°F (~24°C) on Bodega Head today. And yesterday they were only ~5° lower than that.
There have been lots of California Tortoiseshells (Nymphalis californica) flying by. Here's one on Claytonia perfoliata. It was probing the surface of the leaf with its proboscis, but I'm not sure if it was after moisture or salt?
Okay, one more hummingbird post! Eric was in Davis all week, so when he arrived in Cotati tonight we went by to check on the Anna's Hummingbird family. No juveniles in the nest, but we found one in a tree not too far away.
Eventually we heard the mother hummingbird calling in the area, and then to my surprise, the juvenile starting calling, too. I hadn't heard a juvenile hummingbird call before, so it was a fun moment for me (and check out the video below!).
The call note is somewhat faint and very high pitched, so it might be hard to hear. If needed, you can try using headphones, and turning up the volume of your speakers. Watch for the juvenile opening its bill and listen for the call notes at ~2 seconds, 7 seconds, and 20 seconds. (There are some background sounds — dogs barking, kids playing, a bat hitting a ball, etc.)
[If you are reading this in an e-mail and can't see the video player below, click on the title of the post to go to the NHBH website.]
I'm doubtful that we'll see the juveniles again, but this was a fun final hurrah!
Well, I was on the fence about checking the hummingbird nest tonight. I was running a little late, and I thought perhaps they'd still be in the nest tomorrow. But then I thought...what if they aren't? So I swung down to check on them after work.
When I first approached, I could see one juvenile in the nest...but only one. I tried to scan different branches in the vicinity of the nest to see if I could find the second juvenile, but I wasn't having much luck. Then I heard mom calling and she flew in to the nest:
It feels like these little hummingbirds are getting very close to fledging, so I checked on them after work tonight (12 March 2024). They were ready for supper, just like me!