Warm weather brings heightened animal activity
Warm weather brings heightened animal activity
By: Jon Hammond
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Posted by editor Mon Jul 3, 2006 09:49:03 PDT
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1 response 0 comments I have been taking even more photos than usual lately because this is one of the most active times of the year for wildlife in the Tehachapi area.
The offspring of birds and mammals are leaving their nests and burrows, and youngsters of all kinds are in evidence. I have seen three coyotes in the past week in different places, and none of them were full-grown. All three were juveniles born earlier this year and now on their own, hoping to beat the odds and survive.
This is because most young animals, whether they have fur, feather or scales, will not reach their first birthday. Predators, starvation, harsh weather and other hazards will prevent most of this year’s offspring from surviving long enough to be alive at this time next year. It is a sobering thought, but an important biological truth.
Some of the pairs of nesting California Quail at our place have begun to appear with their charming little babies, and the last several days have seen a pair of vigilant parents shepherding seven little quail through the rabbitbrush and to and from water sources.
The Nüwa (Kawaiisu) Indian word for California quail is tarrr, with the “r” sound rolled at the end to mimic the whirring wingbeats of quail as they make one of their characteristic explosive but short bursts of flight.
Nüwa basketmakers sometimes used the distinctive comma-shaped top-knot feathers of male California quail to ornament the rims of their finest baskets.
Our recent warm (and sometimes hot) weather has contributed to an abundance of reptile activity in the area. Reptiles in the Tehachapi area are most active between April and September, with May, June and July as the peak months for Tehachapi-area snakes and lizards.
Our place is home to over a hundred Western Fence Lizards, often known as blue-bellies, which are the most widespread and common reptiles in the Tehachapi area. I enjoy their daily antics as they charge vertically on the walls of old wooden barns and outbuildings, basking on rocks in the morning to warm up and chasing after insects.
The Fence Lizard males also protect their territories against incursions by other males, and their vigorous displays and posturing are comical. The photo sequence on this page shows what happened on Tuesday when a smaller male crossed into the territory of a patrolling alpha male. Though the smaller lizard tried to look larger by hunching up his back, the bigger one wasn't fooled and they grappled for several moments before the intruder fled for the peace of a nearby locust tree.
These battles amount to bickering between neighbors and I’ve never seen an injury result. The greatest threat is that in concentrating on their rivals, the lizards forget to be cautious about predators and they can be snapped up by shrikes, roadrunners, kestrels, snakes or other creatures from a bluebelly’s nightmare.
I’ve also included a photo of a Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum), which is probably the fastest snake in North America. Like the racers to which it is closely related, coachwhips have large eyes and hunt during the day using their superior eyesight.
Unlike racers, coachwhips are aggressively defensive and will frequently strike if captured or handled, though they have tiny teeth and can’t inflict much of a wound. Coachwhips eat bird eggs in addition to crickets, grasshoppers, lizards and small rodents, and are often found up in shrubs and trees — this one was in a creosote bush near Oak Creek Canyon.
So keep alert, be observant, and you’ll see wild animals. And lead a more interesting life.
Have a good week.
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