Pileated Woodpecker

I’ve heard and seen the pileated woodpecker at the arboretum throughout the winter. Both the male and female have red crests. The red on the male includes the forecrown and he has a red mustache mark. It is a crow-sized bird. Its length is 15.8-19.3 in (40-49 cm).

It has a varied diet, but its primary food is carpenter ants. It will make deep holes in trees to get to the tunnels of these ants or woodboring beetles and termites. A woodpecker’s tongue is part of a fascinating system of small bones and muscles that wrap around the back and top of the skull all the way around to its forehead. This allows it to extend its tongue in search of prey.

In What It’s Like to Be a Bird, David Sibley writes, “The long tongue has a barbed and sticky tip, and tiny muscles that allow the bird to bend the tip of the tongue in any direction, so it can follow twisting tunnels, trap prey against walls, and pry insects and larvae out of their hiding places deep inside a tree.”

Click the link to All About Birds to listen to their calls:
Pileated Woodpecker Sounds

Downy Woodpecker

Downy’s are spirited birds that are fun to watch as they energetically move through the landscape. This little bird has bold black and white markings, and the male has a red patch on the back of its head. Despite its pronounced field marks, I usually hear one before I see it. I’ll hear tapping sounds as it explores for insects and larvae inside the wood and under the bark of small, tree limbs. I also frequently hear it make a call note which Peterson describes as “a flat pick, not as sharp as the Hairy’s peek!” (It can be tricky to distinguish these sounds.) I have been seeing downy woodpeckers throughout the arboretum all winter. I am looking forward to hopefully finding a nest this spring.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

As I was walking along the edge of the meadow beside the White Oak Pavilion in the late afternoon, it appeared as if something fell out of a tree. Suddenly a bird launched off the ground, and a flock of juncos burst out of the grass in a frenzy. I took a few steps into the woods to look behind some incense cedars. Just inside the forest feathers were flying everywhere as this immature sharp-shinned began plucking a junco on a nearby branch before eating it.

According to All About Birds by The Cornell Lab, “Songbirds make up about 90 percent of the Sharp-shinned Hawk’s diet. Birds the size of American Robins or smaller (especially warblers, sparrows, and thrushes) are the most frequent prey; bigger birds are at less risk, though they’re not completely safe. Studies report quail, shorebirds, doves, swifts, woodpeckers, and even falcons as prey.”

Hazel & Fern

There are a pair of rabbits that hang out in this little thicket next to the river. They forage along the edge, seldom venturing more than a few feet away from cover. I was walking along the trail the other day and came upon them foraging. Their instinct is to stay stone-still. I took a couple quick photos as they stood absolutely motionless. I decided to keep walking so they could hop into the bushes where they feel safe and can relax. I looked back after a few steps and one had already disappeared. The other one waited until I was probably fifty feet away before it moved into the bushes. They have large eyes and ears that are acutely tuned into the sights and sounds in their environment. There are many predators out at the arboretum, so they need to be aware. Whenever I see them, it reminds me to check in with my surroundings - listening to the river, feeling the wind, watching for birds, smelling the earthly scents in the air and tasting the yummy snacks from my pack.

Cleavers

Cleavers are an interesting plant. The leaves grow in whorls around the stem giving it a whimsical personality. It is covered with little bristles on its leaves, stalk and seeds. The stem is weak, so the bristles are good at clinging on to plants for support as it grows. It also means it will stick to pants, socks, shoes and surely the fur of animals, which enables it to spread its seeds around.

I found a small patch growing at the base of tree along the riverbank trail. I also discovered some growing out of an old bird nest. I wonder if the bird used some of the plant in its nest or if the plant clambered its way up there and deposited some seeds.

Snowberry Buds

This small shrub can be found throughout the arboretum. It grows as a scramble of small twigs that is both dense and airy at the same time. Its branches are a light gray-brown that are adorned with tiny, red buds that are easily overlooked. Some of the buds are starting to swell, and small leaves are beginning to emerge. Our open wintery landscape will soon be filled in with the green of spring.

Male Anna's Hummingbird

This male Anna’s hummingbird has chosen a territory to defend. He is usually perched at the top of a small tree watching over the area. Quite a few times I have seen him diving at a song sparrow that flew into the blackberry thicket in his area. As I was walking by the other day, he was perched on a blackberry cane at about eye level. As I stopped to take a photo, he flashed his iridescent gorget and crown. I think I was interrupting the beginning of a much needed and probably well earned nap. A moment later, he closed his eyes and rested for a few minutes. Defending your territory is hard work, so I quietly moved on so he could conserve his energy.

Great Horned Owl

Two great horned owls have been hooting regularly in the late afternoon and early evening. After listening to them one evening, I decided to walk up the trail to see if I could find one. I found one sitting on a branch next to the trunk in a Douglas-fir tree. It was preening its feathers and resting. I watched it for a minute then quietly kept walking.

On the website All About Birds by The Cornell Lab, it says, “Mated pairs are monogamous and defend their territories with vigorous hooting, especially in the winter before egg-laying and in the fall when their young leave the area.” Maybe this is the reason for the recent hooting.

Indian Plum Blooms

“I found I could say things with colors and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.”
- Georgia O'Keeffe

Mixed Flocks

A mixed flock of birds were moving along the pond lily trail. There were chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, brown creepers, golden-crowned kinglets, ruby-crowned kinglets and one other species. The other species had a similar look and flight pattern to a ruby-crowned, but it was a little bigger. It captured an insect, and I was able to get a couple of photos as it paused to eat it. It was a Hutton’s Vireo.

There are subtle differences between the two. The ruby-crowned kinglet has a thinner bill. It also has black bar below its lower, white wing bar, and the Hutton’s vireo doesn’t. In addition, I feel the ruby-crowned kinglet seems to have slightly more zip as it flits between branches.

I’ll be interested to see if the Hutton’s Vireo sticks around the arboretum during the breeding season. I found an interesting article by Kenn Kaufman online where he states: “Hutton's Vireo is a permanent resident to the extent that some individuals occur in all parts of the breeding range throughout the year. However, there is a substantial amount of wandering during the nonbreeding seasons.1”

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Hutton’s Vireo

1. Kenn Kaufman, “Field Identification of Hutton's Vireo,” Continental Birdlife, Volume I, Number 3, June 1979: 62-66.
https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/ContBird_Vol1_No3_02.pdf

White-breasted Nuthatch

A nuthatch has the interesting behavior of moving headfirst down a tree as it forages. It will often pause and tilt its head back to have a glance at its surroundings. It’s constantly on the move as it searches for insects, insect larvae and spiders. Sometimes I see them wedge part of an acorn in the bark of a tree to hold it while they break off pieces to eat. I also see them stash seeds, like Douglas-fir, in bark crevices.

In David Sibley’s book What It Is Like to Be a Bird he says this about how nuthatches move around a tree:
”They do not use their tail for a brace when climbing—just their two feet clinging with sharp claws. The hind toe is particularly important for clinging, and it’s relatively large and strong. Usually they position one foot above the other so that the lower foot acts as a brace while the upper foot clings to the bark.”

This is a fun bird to watch and get to know.

Eastern Fox Squirrel

I noticed something falling from a tree. I looked up to find this squirrel busily opening the samaras of a bigleaf maple and eating the seeds. I was amazed at its ability to balance on such a small branch as it ate. It sat there so effortlessly, even though apparently it was only gripping the limb with its toes. Its tail was an integral part of the high-wire act. At this moment, it tucked its tail forward to act as a counterbalance. For awhile I continued to watch its arboreal performance as it climbed around and fearlessly navigated its way throughout the tree. It was at home up there.

I opened the end of one of the wings to examine its contents. The seed had a thin, brown skin that encased what appeared to be a bundle of tender, green leaves.

Red-flowering Currant

It was a cold, winter’s day. The evening sun broke through the cloudy sky. Its rays set aflame the buds of the red-flowering currant — a torch lighting the way for spring.

Dark-eyed Junco

There are small flocks of juncos moving around the arboretum. I often see them foraging out at the barn. There is a low growing plant on the road that produces an abundance of seeds that the juncos enjoy eating. If someone or a dog gets too close they will often fly up to the beam under the edge of the roof to monitor the situation.

Juncos have a behavior of flashing their tails when they fly. Their outer, white tail feathers are a burst of light as they quickly flit through the air.

For me, juncos are a warm-hearted, peaceful little bird. They can be fairly tolerant of my presence if I am quiet, move slowly, or sit still. I am looking forward to hearing their gentle, trilling song in the spring.

Brown Creeper

This gentle, little bird quietly moves around on the trunks and larger limbs of trees with furrowed bark. It will often “creep” up a tree searching crevices and carpets of moss with its slender, slightly curved bill. Once it climbs up into the middle or top part of the tree, it will often fly back down near the base of a different or the same tree. I also see it fly only part of the way down the tree or out onto a larger limb. As it flies back down, I will often hear it give a twittering call. Sometimes I will see it do a slight shuffle motion when it is on a thick mat of moss. I wonder if it is possibly trying to stir up insects or if it is simply trying to get its footing. Their diet mostly includes insects, insect larvae, spiders and spider eggs.

The brown creeper has exceptional camouflage. The top half of its body has a beautiful, mottled pattern that resembles dappled sunlight. The Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America says the brown creeper is “like a piece of bark come alive.” It has stiff tail feathers that it uses to brace itself as it forages, similar to woodpeckers.

Their subtle vocalizations are bright and pleasant. Click the link to All About Birds by the Cornell Lab to listen:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Creeper/sounds

Plants Sprouting

The weather this winter has been mild, and as the amount of sunlight increases each day, plants are already deciding to emerge. These fresh, vibrant sprouts are a welcome winter sight, and I hope that they are hardy enough to endure the cold temperatures still to come this season.

Douglas-fir seeds

This Douglas-fir tree laden with cones was a frenzy of activity yesterday. Black-capped chickadees, chestnut-backed chickadees, pine siskins and red-breasted nuthatches were busily harvesting the seeds in the warmth of the late afternoon sun. The chickadees and nuthatches seemed more interested in stashing the seeds, while the pine siskins were eating them.

It is interesting to note how long the seeds stay in the cones once they are mature. It seems like the tree is holding onto to them as a food resource for animals for the winter. Likewise, as the birds were foraging, many of the seeds were dislodged and were whirling through the air to the ground. It’s as if the birds were sowing seeds for future generations. The woody cones are well designed to protect the seeds from the weather. I investigated some seeds that fell to the ground, and they were in excellent condition.

Voles

The south meadow of Mt Pisgah is a network of well-worn paths connecting entrances leading to small burrows. This is the work of voles and they are active during the day and night. During the summer at dusk, I would watch the meadow come alive. As I stood on the road, I would see this little brown animal quickly dash in and out. They only leave the safety of their burrow for a few seconds. Sometimes I saw a dozen or more at once. I’m hoping to capture a photo of one this summer. Their small tubular scat is seen along their trails, especially near the burrow entrance.

While looking around this sea of holes and pathways, I came across many slugs and a rough-skinned newt. I also noticed small, perfectly round holes around many of the burrow entryways that were maybe made by worms. Additionally, I see American kestrels, great-horned owls, coyote scat and snakes all around this meadow. This grassy field is a fascinating and thriving world!

Varied Thrush

I was slowly walking along the pond lily trail when I saw a couple of varied thrushes foraging on the ground. I watched them move along the edge of the trail foraging through the leaves. They are usually quiet and very aware of their surroundings. I heard someone coming from the opposite direction and one of them popped up onto this fallen tree to look around. I was able to capture a couple of photos before it flew away.

I don’t see this bird very often in my birdwatching excursions, so it is always exciting to see one. In my experience, varied thrushes show up at Mt. Pisgah in the winter, especially during stormy weather. I imagine that they come down to lower elevations to ride out the inclement conditions.

For me, the varied thrush is an iconic bird of the Pacific Northwest. The male is so elegant with its bold markings and coloration — a black breast-band across its orange body, an orange eye stripe, orange wing bars and a blue-gray back. I love to hear its song resonate through the forest in the early morning.

Incense-cedar Pollen

As I was walking around today, I noticed the ground scattered with small, amber cones under the incense-cedar. I lightly poked a group of them on the tree, and a wispy curtain of fine dust floated into the air. The male cones of the incense-cedar tree are starting to release their pollen! It is interesting that certain trees will pollinate in the wintertime.

The female cones will develop from the ends of the previous year’s growth. At the moment, I was unable to determine from where they might spring forth.

Note: The cones are 4 - 7 mm, which is only around a quarter of an inch long.