Picturing spring in Tehachapi
Picturing spring in Tehachapi
By: Jon Hammond
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Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments This is one of the most interesting times of year in Tehachapi for those of us who love to observe the natural world: wildflowers continue to bloom, birds are nesting, trees are green and leafy and animals are at their most abundant.
I simply walk outside at our old farm and the rustle of Western Fence Lizards (Bluebellies) accompanies me wherever I go as I see their dark bodies draped on boulders, buildings and fenceposts. Males perform their “push-ups” that serve both as posturing to rival suitors and to give them a better view of their surroundings.
I listen for a moment and bird song is everywhere. A pair of California quail are usually evident and you can hear the male vocalizing his “come-back-here” call. Surprise the little couple and they sputter and pit-pit-pit in alarm, though they only have to move a short distance to feel safe again.
The clear, practiced notes of male Northern Mockingbirds are almost always present, whether it’s noon or 3 a.m. These virtuoso singers adapt well to urban environments so I hear them all around town as well.
I occasionally hear people complain about the mockingbird’s night singing and I’m quietly glad that I was raised in the country by people that loved the song of mockingbirds. I am thankful that we are blessed with the beautiful and amazing song of these energetic, engaging mimics and mystified that some grumps don’t appreciate the music. Just think of all the unlovely human sounds that mockingbirds must endure…
I’m starting to hear the soft, high-pitched and sometimes frantic peeping and cheeping that songbird nestlings make when a parent has returned to the nest with food for the hungry brood. Baby songbirds have replaced the wagoneers’ old adage “The squeaky wheel gets the grease” with their own: “The loudest nestling gets the grub.”
To see if a clutch of eggs has hatched without reaching in the nest, I sometimes scratch lightly near the nest to make a subtle sound like a parent returning with food and then listen for the chorus of baby birds demanding to be the first one fed.
This is also the time when snakes are most active, though I know that many greet the presence of these reptiles with less joy than I. These cold-blooded creatures are at the mercy of the weather and must seek shelter both when it is cold (all winter) and when it is very hot (much of the summer) so now is the time when they are most active. In the past two weeks, I have seen beautiful specimens of gopher snakes, king snakes, rattlesnakes and red racers, most of them sporting shiny new skins as a result of shedding their old garments.
As predators, they are also active now because there is an abundance of unwary young animals to provide hunters with meals. A grim statistic though it may be, most animals won’t reach their first birthday and they often fall prey to predators, either feathered, furred or scaled.
This is also an ideal time to see butterflies, which are flitting about seeking nectar and laying their eggs on host plants. I saw nine species of resident butterflies just last week.
Please remember that the California Area Living Museum is accepting donations in the name of our beloved bird expert Clark Moore to establish a rehabilitation center for caring for injured or orphaned wildlife that can be released into the wild rather than permanently caged. Helping with this worthy cause is a great way to honor Clark.
Have a good week.
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