This is a full day’s trip. Always a high species destination, the Valley is a great place to see wintering raptors, various waterbirds and Sandhill Cranes. We will spend a few minutes at the Pit River Falls and Canyon Vista Point, and another quick stop at Fall River Mills Cemetery, on the way to Fall River Lake. Depending on how long we spend at the lake, we will have lunch or head up to Rat Farm Road and Big Lake for lunch. Meet at Kutras Park at 7:00 am sharp to carpool. Be ready for a full day with a lunch and water. Dress for changing weather. East-county participants can join the group at either the Park and Ride at the intersection of Hwy 299 and 89 at 8 am or the Fall River Vista at 8:30 am. Rarities are possible! Contact Larry for more information at webmaster@wintuaudubon.org.
What birds of prey will surprise us at Clover Creek Preserve? Merlin or American Kestrel? Red-tailed or Red-shouldered Hawk? Northern Harrier or White-tailed Kite? Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s Hawk? Join us at the preserve on Saturday, November 11, at 7:30 am to find out which birds of prey will appear in the area. Clover Creek Preserve is a 128-acre open space in east Redding that features grasslands, blue oaks, and a 6.7 acre lake. Meet at the preserve, 3705 Shasta View Drive, at the main parking lot. We will spend about three hours walking about two miles on a paved trail. There is a port-a-potty located in the parking lot and a full restroom at the nearby Shasta Trinity Fly Fishers Club.
This is a no fee area and a very active hotspot this time of the year, especially with all the recent weather events we have had in 2023 so far. We are planning to meet at the Bass Pond Parking Lot at, 22459 Bend Ferry Rd, Red Bluff, CA 96080, at the main entrances to the Wetlands.
This half-day event should yield many varieties of waterbirds, raptors, woodpeckers, and many songbirds in this unique and open wetlands area. From the parking lot we will start with a walk on a two-mile loop through several ponds to the south side of the road. If time permits, we will take a short drive to Payne’s Creek Crossing to round out our journey.
Please contact DanBye, by text/cell 530 228 9373 or email danbye56@gmail.com for more information.
This is a full day’s trip. Always a high species destination, the Valley is a great place to see wintering raptors, various waterbirds and Sandhill Cranes. We will spend a few minutes at the Pit River Falls and Canyon Vista Point, and another quick stop at Fall River Mills Cemetery, on the way to Fall River Lake. Depending on how long we spend at the lake, we will have lunch or head up to Rat Farm Road and Big Lake for lunch. Meet at Kutras Park at 7:00 am sharp to carpool. Be ready for a full day with a lunch and water. Dress for changing weather. East-county participants can join the group at either the Park and Ride at the intersection of Hwy 299 and 89 at 8 am or the Fall River Vista at 8:30 am. Rarities are possible! Contact Larry for more information at webmaster@wintuaudubon.org.
Fall is upon us, and migration is in full swing. The cliff swallows and orioles were moving in July, with warblers and vireos on their heels. Now, as their exodus southward continues, look for birds that have nested north of us to arrive. One of our winter residents, down from nesting in mountain conifers and Canada’s boreal forest, is the sharp-shinned hawk.
Raptors are birds of prey. Among the many North American raptors–eagles, hawks, falcons, etc.–the sharp-shinned is the smallest in the group called accipiters, stealth hunters that prey mainly on birds in fairly dense woods. They are well adapted to that habitat and lifestyle. Let’s start with their eyes.
Sharp-shinned Hawk Close
Sharp-shinned hawks, or “sharpies,” have the front-facing eyes typical of vertebrate predators. That positioning creates a blind spot behind, but allows two eyes to focus forward–the binocular vision that supports depth perception and successful hunting. Relative to our eyes, the hawks have about eight times as many rods and cones, providing their innate version of HD viewing. Further, where our eyes each have one fovea, or focal point, sharpie optical nerve endings are arranged to form two foveae–a central one that can focus on a fleeing bird and a peripheral one that can help the hawk avoid crashing into branches.
Forest hunting has also helped design sharpie body form. Their short, round wings sacrifice the soaring ability of larger hawks but gain mobility and quick acceleration for sudden attacks. Their long tails serve as rudders for abrupt maneuvering through forest obstacles.
One of the sharpie’s hunting styles is to perch low and explode upon an unsuspecting sparrow that happens by. If you see this small hawk perched, you may be able to observe its yellow, pencil-thin legs and fluffy white feathers under the base of the tail. Adults have red eyes, a slate-gray cap and back, gray-barred tail, and cinnamon-red barring on the breast. Juveniles have yellow eyes and are generally mottled brown, with thick streaks on the breast.
Sharp-Shinned Hawk in Flight courtesy Tom Murray
Sharpies also hunt by cruising low through brush and trees and, with sudden acceleration, pouncing on a potential meal. If you see this, it’s hard to discern more than a dark blur rushing by.
They hide their nests below the canopy in their forest homes, and tucked against a trunk. The female incubates her handful of eggs for a month. The male brings in food for the hatchlings, and later, the female, half again larger than the male, brings in larger prey to feed the growing chicks. The young will fledge at about a month old, and must develop their coordination and skills before striking out on their own and facing their first winter.
Sharpies are often seen at windy passes and peaks during migration. Perhaps their wings, so good for forest navigation but not for distance flying, benefit from the Earth’s corridors of air.
Through the winter they have no nests to hide and are less committed to being in forests. They can be found in suburbs and will frequently visit bird feeders, providing a twist on the definition of “bird feeding,” and generally stirring a mix of dismay and intrigue in their human neighbors.
