A Gift to the Future

Around Union Bay, mature Red-tailed Hawks generally have rufous colored tail stripes, which validate their name. 

Immature Red-tails lack this coloring as mentioned in Seattle Audubon's Birdweb. This distinction seems to be fairly reliable in our area, however, Birds of North America mentions that there are as many as 16 subspecies in the Americas. Depending on where you visit (and where the Red-tails visit) you may see a wide variety of tail, chest and body colorings. Click on All About Birds to see some of the various subspecies. Luckily, (or not) we get mostly the common colored Red-tails in Seattle.

Curiously, even with mature birds, the underside of the tail is generally lighter.

Waiting for a soaring bird to give you a peek at the topside of its tail can require patience.

Bud Anderson taught me, that another generally common identifying characteristic for a Red-tailed Hawk is its indistinct belly band. When you add in their normally dark heads, especially as compared to the chest, I think this creates the overall impression of a white bib. I imagine the bib all tucked in and the hungry hawk just waiting to eat. The same All About Birds photostream shows that the bib is not universal, but I find it generally exists on our Union Bay Red-tails. 

Another key identifier, which I learned from my friend Marcus Roening, is that at a distance a Red-tail looks like a football. It does not matter if it is sitting in a tree, on a telephone pole or on the horizontal support for a freeway light.

Last week, when I heard the distinctive sounds of American Crows harassing a predator I was lucky enough to locate this handsome bird. It quickly relocated to this position above the 520 off-ramp, near the Montlake grocery store - the one previously known as Hop-In. 

(Sadly, due to the 520 Freeway improvements, this historic store will only exist through the end the month.)

Flickering back and forth between this and the previous photo will give you an impression of the subtle triangulating movements which predatory birds use when zeroing in on a potential target.

Sometimes Red-tails will soar but often they simply sit and wait for prey to expose themselves.

They are smart, flexible predators who do not care what type of meat is on the menu. They like rats, rabbits, mice, snakes, squirrels, birds or fish. They will eat them fresh, steal from others or consume leftovers - no refrigeration required. I suspect their taste for leftovers may be part of the reason Red-tails can often be found peering down over freeways.

They love to hunt from a perch with nice open views and easy access. The grass beside our freeways provides food and shelter for several potential prey species - very similar to a field spread out below a horizontal tree branch. Red-tails readily adapt to human-altered habitat as long as it meets their needs.

Red-tails are not the only bird species that have benefited from our habitat modifications. American Crows are smaller and probably smarter. The crows respect a Red-tail as a dangerous predator and will generally attempt to drive it out of their territory.

Last spring, I watched this Red-tail get driven out of the Union Bay Natural Area. You can see from the way its head is reversed, by 180 degrees, that it was intimidated by the crow's attack.

Last month, I saw a similar situation immediately north of 520.

Again, the crows prevailed.

Last week, the crows continued their constant harassment. 

Ultimately, the Red-tail left the light post.

It moved to a nearby telephone pole before finally evacuating the area altogether.

The natural creatures we find in the city are a direct result of the habitat we create or enable. We have an abundance of crows because our yards, commercial establishments, and often our garbage, provide a surplus of food for them. By working to restore the quality of our yards (see Going Native below) and our waterways we will be giving the gift of wildlife to future generations of city dwellers.

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A special Thank You goes to retiring Council Member Larry Gossett. Mr. Gossett championed the Friends of Arboretum Creek's (FOAC) grant request, 

"Alder Creek to Arboretum Creek - 30% Design". 

With Mr. Gossett's guidance and support last week the King County Council approved the FOAC funding request. 

Thank You, to each of you who wrote letters requesting the Council's help.

This next phase of the project will provide a critical design foundation for future restoration efforts in and along Arboretum Creek. This will help, "Maximize the diversity of life in Arboretum Creek...while rekindling the love affair between Seattle and nature." (Click on the golden highlight above to learn more.)

Thank you to everyone involved, and especially, Dave Galvin. Dave has been involved, supportive and devoted to this project from the very start. He has contributed countless hours to the idea of restoring life in this urban stream. Thank You!

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Update:

Thank you to Dennis Paulson for forwarding this link to a concise and thoughtful review of the types of bird habitat in critical need of restoration.

https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/465203-our-nations-declining-birdlife-can-be-brought-back-heres-how

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Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!

Larry

Going Native:

Without a well-funded Environmental Protection Agency, it falls to each of us to be ever more vigilant in protecting our local environments. 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. 

Is this fruiting plant native to Union Bay?

Scroll down for the answer.

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Black Twinberry: Yes, it is a native plant. Click on the name to read more about how it can be used in your yard and then scroll to the bottom to see a list of birds that appreciate its fruit.

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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. Even more frustrating when they go to 're-sign-up', hoping that will enable them to once again start receiving the announcements, they get a message which says 'Sorry, you are already signed up.' Google has not responded to my requests for help with this issue. 

My functional workaround is to set up my own email list and each week I manually send out a new post announcement. If you are experiencing the issue and would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Thank you for your patience!

My email address is: LDHubbell@Comcast.Net

Recommended Citation

Preston, C. R. and R. D. Beane (2009). Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.52

The Challenges of Youth

As we step into summer we can see and hear young birds all around us. The calls of juvenile crows lack the crisp, occasional 'Caw' of the adults. Their young voices are considerably more gentle and soft. However, there is no mistaking their repetitive and persistent 'cAhh, cAhh, cAhh' for anything other than begging.

Even if young crows never made a sound their pink gape, at the corners of their mouths, and their abnormally pale and reflective irises would give themselves away.

Young Northern Flickers provide both visual and auditory clues as well. This one was repetitively begging with a soft and gentle version of an adult's 'Clear, Clear, Clear' call.

Visually, the clues to this bird's youth include the short, white line of its gape and the faint, almost rusty red, color of its malar stripe. Adult male Northern Flickers, in the local Red-shafted subspecies, have a much more strikingly, vibrant red color on their cheeks, which we will see in following photos.

The persistent begging of the young woodpecker attracted this adult American Crow who settled onto the light directly above the young flicker's head. 

It is interesting to note the varying lengths of the crow's outer coverts. The bird is obviously molting. The shorter and darker feathers are the new ones. The older and browner feathers show the fading effects of extensive sunlight exposure.

Immediately, the young Northern Flicker scrunched itself down, as if it was trying to become one with the wood. Under the circumstances, the effectiveness of the deception was probably minimal. 

By the way, a variation on the first photo shows the flicker also has a hint of a faint reddish 'v' on the back of its head. This red coloring will also turn bright with time. Surprisingly, this feature is inherited from the locally less common, yellow-shafted subspecies of the Northern Flicker.

Maybe, the crow decided the young woodpecker was too large and healthy to make an easy meal or maybe it was encouraged to leave by the pair of Bald Eagles who suddenly began circling and calling overhead.

Quickly, the young flicker scurried to the far end of the crossbar. No doubt he was hoping, the surrounding foliage would provide some visual protection from the sharp-eyed eagles. The flicker's apparent attachment to the crossbar made me wonder about its ability to fly. Was it stuck on the telephone pole, while alternating between begging for food and advertising itself as an easy meal?

A few days later, I came across another young flicker that clearly knew how to fly. When I first noticed the bird it was perched in a tree with what were apparently two other members of its family. It followed its father's lead and flew down to the grass in front of me.

This young bird does not have any reddish tinges on its head so we can be assured it is a female. It has already lost its light-colored gape, so you may wonder, How can we be certain of its youth?

I was convinced by the adult male, when it choose to feed the young bird. 

The process was repeated multiple times. The adult was apparently collecting small ants and then regurgitating them deep into the inner recesses of its offspring. It is scary how close the sharp tip of the young bird's bill comes to the eye of the adult.

Notice how brightly the adult's malar stripe stands out compared to the young male in the earlier photos

After a few minutes, the third flicker also flew down from the tree. The 'v' on this bird's head was significantly more obvious. The genes from the yellow-shafted subspecies are apparently surprisingly well-spread among our local Northern Flickers.

From the fence top, the young male flew down to join the adult. The red on this bird is nearly a bright as the malar stripe on the adult behind it. None the less, I am assuming it was a juvenile bird because of the way it followed after the adult.

Curiously, the adult male did not exhibit a 'v' on the back of his head. However, the young male, which I am assuming to be his offspring, does have the 'v'. If my assumptions are correct then I am left to wonder, How did this genetic code get passed along? Could the adult male pass on a recessive gene that is expressed in its offspring? Could the mother pass on a male gene that is not displayed in females? or If neither of these are possible, Does the situation imply that the genetic father might have been different than the male who apparently fed and helped raise this younger male?

Ultimately, the young male watched the adult go on about its way without sharing. The adult seemed to be saying, 'Its time for you to find your own'. The adult's behavior seemed to reinforce the belief that this was a young male nearing maturity.

After the Eagles moved on, I returned to check on the young Northern Flicker hiding on the crossbar. He was sitting pretty, and quiet, still fairly well hidden back in the foliage. Survival is a curiously difficult challenge for the young. They want to call out to their parents, to encourage being fed, but they don't want to attract too much predatory attention. They don't want to expose their lack of flight skills but at the same time, they need to be practicing flying. Flying allows them to stay close to an adult which not only optimizes the efficiency of the parental gravy train but it also provides the youth with repetitive examples of an adult's predatory awareness plus they also learn how and where to find food.

Achieving maturity requires a delicate balance between a healthy appetite, learning new skills and adequate caution. The harsh truth is only those who successfully navigate the path between these competing demands will be able to pass on their genetic inheritance. Once again, I am amazed by the similarity of the challenges faced by all life on earth.          

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!

Larry

Going Native:

Without a well-funded Environmental Protection Agency, it falls to each of us to be ever more vigilant in protecting our local environments. 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. My hope is that 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.

Are the butterfly and flower native or not?

Scroll down for the answer.

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Western Tiger Swallowtail: The butterfly is native. Surprisingly, the most common plant that I have seen this specie utilizing lately is the invasive Himalayan Blackberry, as shown in the photo. Click on the red highlighted link (and then scroll down) to learn how to identify this invasive blackberry as opposed to the native blackberries which we want to retain and encourage.

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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. Even more frustrating when they go to 're-sign-up', hoping that will enable them to once again start receiving the announcements, they get a message which says 'Sorry, you are already signed up.' Google has not responded to my requests for help with this issue. 

My functional workaround is to set up my own email list and each week I manually send out a new post announcement. If you are experiencing the issue and would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Thank you for your patience!

My email address is LDHubbell@comcast.net

A Curious Corvid

The intelligence of an American Crow allows it to find food in an amazing variety of ways. One of the most surprising for me happens in late Spring after the Sticklebacks have returned to Union Bay to spawn and die. Crows can be seen gliding down to the surface of the water and picking up the floating bodies of the small fish.

This week provided another American Crow surprise. While walking along the gravel road, north of the Montlake Cut, I glanced up just in time to avoid flushing a crow. The black bird was intensely focused on something in the middle of the road. 

Looking more closely I noticed a small snake. The snake's little red tongue was frantically tasting the air. Its body was coiled and tense. The undersized serpent studiously stared at the crow, obviously aware of every move. Given the size difference, I expected the crow would grab the snake by the tail, snap it like a whip and fly off with a fresh lunch.

In a surprisingly slow manner, the crow simply crept closer. Clearly, its curiosity was tempered by something - uncertainty, fear or possibly well-informed respect for the tiny snake.  

Later, a family friend explained that garter snakes have tiny needle-like teeth which can pierce the skin. Also, multiple websites state that garter snakes are now known to have a mild venom, which was a surprise to me. Apparently, their venom is fairly harmless to humans. Even so, 'snaketype.com' recommends having a doctor take look if you are ever bitten by a garter snake. I was also surprised to learn that garter snakes can eject a foul-smelling musk, which is used to discourage potential predators.

In retrospect, I wonder if the little brown spot on the righthand side of the bird's bill might have been a bit of the snake's musk.

The crow was clearly curious and quite tense. I wonder if snakes and crows experience adrenaline, like humans. The focus and intensity sure looked familiar. I suspect it felt similar to when I met a mother bear and her cub, while alone in the woods.

A moment later, the snake struck. The crow leaped back. For the first time, I realized one of the benefits of having legs which bend backward. The reverse bend, as compared to humans, appears to make it easier to leap away from danger, without turning to run. This enabled the crow to avoid the strike while also staying perfectly focused on the threat.

When the crow circled counter-clockwise, the snake took another shot.

Almost immediately, the snake was coiled up and ready to defend itself, again.

The crow moved a few feet away and even turned its back on the snake. Maybe, the crow was hoping the snake would disappear while it was not looking. I certainly expected it to quickly slither away.

Instead, the snake simply watched and waited

Soon, curiosity got the best of the crow and it circled around for another look.

Once again, the snake struck and the crow leaped back.

The snake recoiled and flicked the air with its little red tongue as if to say, 'I'm ready, take your best shot, big guy.' 

Hesitantly, the crow crept closer.

This time, as the crow circled to the south it apparently opened up an escape route. The snake began wiggling away to the north.

With the crow in close pursuit, I thought for sure the snake's tail would be irresistible.  Of course, this is the same end of the snake which may have sprayed the crow with musk.

I was surprised by how easily the snake attempted to navigate the nearly vertical surface when it reached the curb without being detained.

A moment later, the snake lost its traction. It fell back - landing directly in front of the crow. The crow was now perfectly positioned to strike. The little snake was almost literally between a rock and a hard place. 

Surprisingly, the crow lifted its wings and stepped back, apparently, fearing the snake would attack it. Later, someone suggested that crows may have an innate fear of snakes, just like humans. At the very least, this crow had a healthy respect. 

The snake seized the moment and leaped vertically again. The crow edged closer.

But, this time, the snake made it all the way up and over the curb. As the crow watched, the snake silently slithered away. Belatedly, the crow made a half-hearted attempt to search through the foliage, but the snake was safely hidden somewhere beneath the bushes and the brush.

Afterward, the crow wiped its beak on the curb and attempted to clean its face with its foot. This seemed to reinforce the idea that the snake may have sprayed the crow with its foul-smelling musk.

Update: There is some debate about how the musk exits the snake's body, e.g. spray vs exude or excrete. I cannot say positively, since I have not see it happen.

Thank You to Eric, Gary and Richard. Each of whom wrote in to confirm that garter snakes do not spray their musk. Apparently, they excrete it. Richard even provided a link to a scientific study of garter snake musk. You can read his perspective and see the link in the Comments section below.

Finally, just before flying away, the crow turned and glanced in my direction. The closing of its inner eyelids gave it a bit of an evil look.

I am left to wonder about the crow's hesitation. Was the smell of the musk what made the crow unwilling to attack? Are garter snakes actually dangerous to crows? If so, Do the crows understand the potential danger? or Do crows simply fear and respect all snakes? One thing is for certain, this crow was intelligent enough to be both curious and careful. 

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!

Larry

Going Native:

Without a well-funded Environmental Protection Agency, it falls to each of us to be ever more vigilant in protecting our local environments. 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. My hope is that 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.

Is this a native or non-native plant?

Scroll down for the answer.

***************

Orange Trumpet Honeysuckle: Surprisingly, this is both a native plant and a garden favorite.

***************

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. Even more frustrating when they go to 're-sign-up', hoping that will enable them to once again start receiving the announcements, they get a message which says 'Sorry, you are already signed up.' Google has not responded to my requests for help with this issue. 

My functional workaround is to set up my own email list and each week I manually send out a new post announcement. If you are experiencing the issue and would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Thank you for your patience!

My email address is LDHubbell@comcast.net