California Wildlife

                                                   CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE OCTOBER 2024 Black Tail Buck Alameda Foothills                                                                       “The Challengers”   Black tail season is upon us. Sharing some of the male local challengers competing for females in the Alameda County foothills… My canine partner Rebel and I had a couple of close calls chasing them, but overall, gathered some close-up views of these incredible beasts. Added other photos of species commonly seen th...

                Recent Allen's hummingbird                                         CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE SEPTEMBER 2024    Barn owls at our home have finished their nesting and have left area after approximately forty-three days of living here. I believe they had a very successful fledging, though I left them alone knowing later I would know the exact results when I perform fall cleaning of the barn owl box. (I will report) This was a good residential test in my opinion of having the owls breed here in the neighborhood. Plenty of stress as the neighbors paid to have their yard cleared with chain saws, blowers, many employees with loud voices, all within about twenty feet and further from the box during early daylight hours. Many nights I had to take my pup out front for late night rest room visits. As a family, we gave them their space for...

Recent cooper's hawk surveying open field in Byron area                                                       CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE AUGUST 2024               If you build it….    It took six years or more. They used to be here high in some trees partially removed years ago. I had hope they might return if I installed a barn owl box. Close to both the edge of residential neighborhood and homes with large lots and many acres of open fields. I always thought it would one day happen. Received the box from ‘Raptors Are the Solution’ friend and spokesperson Lisa. I have said much in the past about R.A.T.S., Lisa, Allen and their great work and effort to eradicate dangerous rat poisons. They are trying to put an end to the worst anti-coagulants, and have had success, though their work continues…   Raptors ar...

                                                CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE JULY 2024                                                        "she say's she talks to angels"        Recent White tailed kite Eastern CC County             Updating wildlife pictures taken in the Bay Area. The best sky shows during the fourth of July season in my biased view, are the amazing raptors in our Bay Area. In Eastern CC County the white tail kites are a great example. I have been viewing these birds in high Eucalyptus trees where they use their beaks to tear off small branches in order to use them to build or line their nests. Sharing recent views of this activity. Hopefully, the youngsters will hang ou...

                                                         CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE JUNE 2024 Hope everyone is well, made a pass by Mt. Shasta recently and observed the lake was up near the tree line and full. What a sight to behold after two wet winters in California. That particular day I passed; it was 95 degrees. Two weeks earlier, there was a decent snow storm, and here in mid-May they were releasing water making room for the run off. More wildlife photographs from recent spring time, including two older pictures from past spring trips with dates included. Additional info in text of photographs…     Blue heron, CA Delta near Knightsen Recent springtime smiling coyote, Los Vaqueros property. Starting to see more out in the open range. There have not been as many as I have earlier pointed out. In forrested hills I have seen them commo...