The First Step

Sometimes, taking the first step is the hardest. 

By the way, if you stick with the story we will get back to the young raccoons.

Near the end of April, these Canada Goose goslings were still shaped more like the eggs they hatched out of than their parents. There was little to indicate they would one day have long necks, black and white heads, and large grayish-brown bodies.

Suddenly, I heard the angry caws of American Crows somewhere behind me. They were not close enough to be upset by me, so there had to be something else triggering their displeasure. 

I have learned to always pay attention to the crows. They dislike any type of predator that might harm them or their young. Many times the predators they find are stalking prey, half-hidden in the foliage and clearly wishing the crows were somewhere else. I left the goslings behind and went to investigate. One never knows what photographic opportunities might occur.

While we are on the subject of American Crows, this is a good time to talk about how they behave - especially in June. This photo was taken in June 2019. It is a particularly challenging time for many creatures as parents are struggling to feed and protect their new and inept offspring. 

At first glance, the crow in the photo above appears to be perfectly normal.

A closer look shows a couple of interesting details. This bird's iris is blue, not brown, and at the "corner" of the mouth, you can see the pink flesh of the gape. This is a young bird fairly fresh out of the nest.

As a comparison, this adult bird has a brown iris and the gape is totally black.

The fact that young crows are just beginning to explore the world in June is worth noting. Especially, if you spend time around Union Bay, in the Natural Area, any of our local parks, or even your own yard. In June, the adults are likely to be feeding and defending young. They can be particularly aggressive (or maybe we should say defensive) this time of year. 

In any case, if you hear a crow calling loudly and with increasing frequency, I would suggest you pay attention. If you are getting close to its young, in the nest or not, it may take a swipe at the back of your head to drive you away. From the crow's perspective, "When negotiations fail - take action". I have seen them do the exact same thing to Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Common Ravens, Barred Owls, and even Coyotes and Raccoons.

Your best defense is to pay attention to the crow, change direction, and walk away. 

Personally, I like to keep an eye on the crow while doing so. I suspect they are less likely to attack if you are looking at them. With the other creatures I have seen them harass, their attacks consistently come from behind and above, and usually when the target is not looking.

When I moved away from the shore, turning my back on the goslings, I noticed the crows seemed to be harassing the top of a broken-off Cottonwood tree. With a closer look, I saw a hint of gray fur and ultimately an adult raccoon moved enough that I could photograph the top of its head.

In the Spring, everyone is looking for a safe protected place to bring their offspring into the world. I took a few photos, made a mental note, and walked away.

While taking photos for last week's post, called "Ducklings are Delightful", I noticed the mother raccoon descending from the same site and caught a brief glimpse of her young. I was intrigued and wondered what would happen next. The following day I returned to find out.

In total, I believe I saw parts of three different kits in the nest.

Although, I am not sure if I ever caught all of them in the same photo. There seemed to be little striped tails and banded faces pointing every which way.

My best description of the young in the nest was, "squirrelly".

Raccoon "hands" seem amazingly human-like.

Common knowledge has it that raccoons wash their food before they eat it. However, I have read that raccoons are actually just highly motivated to feel everything with their hands, that water improves their sense of touch. They can often be seen searching for food (mostly mussels I assume) under logs along the shore. 

This photo is from earlier in the year along the edge of Union Bay.

All the movement from the kits and their external focus, e.g. looking out of the nest, made me wonder if it was time for them to venture out.

Maybe the mother thought so too. She picked up one of the kits by the scruff of the neck.

However, she only moved it enough to set it on the base of the limb that protruded toward the camera. Each time she did so, the kit would scurry back to the nest. 

This process was repeated over and over and each time the young raccoon quickly abandoned the branch.

The mother looked around and apparently debated her options before deciding on a new course of action.

This time when she grabbed the kit by the back of the neck, she began slowly and carefully backing her way out of the nest site and down the trunk.

The kit was clearly struggling to hold onto the tree. Whether this was an attempt to stay in the nest or just natural fear of dangling from your mother's mouth while fifty feet in the air I cannot say.

Did you notice the second kit peering out of the nest and apparently wondering what is going on? Sometimes, younger siblings can learn a lot by just observing.

For the mother, this reverse access to the world was not trouble-free. It helps to be able to see where you are going.

The small branches they encountered not only slowed her progress they provided the kit with something easier to grab than the bark of the tree.

The mother's determination did not waver. 

Despite the obstacles, she used her weight and strength to slowly pull the kit over and around the branches.

The downhill expedition continued.

Finally, the mother neared some small branches that were only 6 to 8 feet from the ground.

At this point, she carefully inspected the kit. It seemed as if she was making sure it had a good hold on the tree before she let go.

She then moved off a short distance into the foliage. I wondered if the kit would scurry back up the tree. 

Clearly, the kit could hear the mother making a chittering call. It seemed obvious she was trying to teach the kit to follow her, but the kit simply sat. Finally, the mother came back up the branch, picked it up, and moved off into the brush. I expect the lessons continued.

For several months, maybe as long as a year, the kits will need to stay close to their mother while learning how to find food and avoid danger. Ultimately, they will head out on their own. In the meantime, learning to follow your mother is just the first step.

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city and Black Birders are welcome!

Larry

Going Native:

Each of us, who breathe the air and drink the local water, needs to watch and protect our local environment. Native plants and trees encourage the largest diversity of lifeforms because of their long intertwined history with our local environment and native creatures. I have been told that even the microbes in the soil are native to each local landscape. I hope we can inspire ourselves, our neighbors, and local businesses to respect native flora and to support native wildlife at every opportunity. I have learned that our most logical approach to native trees and plants (in order of priority) should be to:

1) Learn and leave established native flora undisturbed.

2) Remove invasive species and then wait to see if native plants begin to grow without assistance. (If natives plants start on their own, then these plants or trees are likely the most appropriate flora for the habitat.)

3) Scatter seeds from nearby native plants in a similar habitat.

4) If you feel you must add a new plant then select a native plant while considering how the plant fits with the specific habitat and understanding the plant's logical place in the normal succession of native plants.

My intention in my weekly post is to include at least one photo each week and visually challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms. 

(By the way, my friend Tom Brown pointed out that the application named 'Wildflower Search' is extremely helpful. Click on the highlighted link to see for yourself.

Also, Jane Lundin has created a small package, with a lot of critical information that looks quite handy, and light, for backpacking in the mountains in Springtime. It is titled, Mountain Wildflowers of Washington.)

Another idea that integrates perfectly with living in harmony with nature is the concept of Forest Gardening. Apparently, Native Americans collected and nurtured dense multi-layered gardens of native herbs, plants, shrubs, and trees that produced food and herbal medicines. Even after 150 years of no maintenance, the gardens are essentially intact and the diversity of life remains significantly higher than in the surrounding forests. Click Here to learn more.

During the next month, you may notice this species of birds feeding on the nuts of this type of bush or tree. What is the species of both the bird and the shrub? Are they native to Union Bay?

Scroll down for the answer.

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Steller's Jays.Cyanocitta stelleri, are native to the PNW. By the way, they are apparently experiencing an influx of competition in Seattle from Western (or California) Scrub-jays.

A California Scrub-jay for comparison.

Beaked Hazelnut or California Hazelnut is also native to the PNW and Union Bay.

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The Email Challenge:

Over the years, I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements - regarding my posts. Google never responded to my requests for help with this issue. Now, in 2021, the service is being discontinued.

In response, I have set up my own email list. With each post, I will manually send out an announcement. If you would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Something like:

                Larry, I want to see more of nature. Please add me to your personal email list. 

Thank you for your patience and interest!

My email address is: LDHubbell@Comcast.Net

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