HB Trees

Since September 2020 on the last Thursday of each month, birding enthusiasts descend upon the Urban Forest. They use an application called eBird, managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, to count all birds they spy during their visit. Here’s what the eBird website says about the impact their efforts have:

“eBird plays an increasingly important and diverse role in applied science and conservation. eBird data contribute to hundreds of conservation decisions and peer-reviewed papers, thousands of student projects, and help inform research worldwide. Applications of eBird data range from research and monitoring to conservation planning, including tangible conservation actions such as site and habitat management, species management, habitat protection, and informing law and policy … we are committed to ensuring that your data will be put to the best use possible for research, conservation, and education.

“eBird data document bird distribution, abundance, habitat use, and trends. Birders enter when, where, and how they went birding, and then fill out a checklist of all the birds seen and heard during the outing.”

Boundaries of the HB Urban Forest survey are: HB Central Park Dog Park and equestrian stables to the north, Edward’s to the east, Ellis Avenue to the south and Goldenwest Street to the west. Bird reports are submitted by lead birder Lena Hayashi.

1. Number observed: 4

2. Mallard

   Number observed: 2

3. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)

   Number observed: 6

   Exotic: Naturalized

4. Eurasian Collared-Dove

   Number observed: 5

   Exotic: Naturalized

5. Mourning Dove

   Number observed: 2

6. Anna’s Hummingbird

   Number observed: 7

   

7. Allen’s Hummingbird

   Number observed: 15

8. Ring-billed Gull

   Number observed: 2

9. Double-crested Cormorant

   Number observed: 2

10. Turkey Vulture

    Number observed: 1

11. Cooper’s Hawk

    Number observed: 2

    

    

    

12. Red-shouldered Hawk

    Number observed: 1

    

    

13. Red-tailed Hawk

    Number observed: 1

14. Nuttall’s Woodpecker

    Number observed: 1

15. American Kestrel

    Number observed: 1

16. Black Phoebe

    Number observed: 3

17. Say’s Phoebe

    Number observed: 2

    

18. Cassin’s Kingbird

    Number observed: 2

19. American Crow

    Number observed: 18

20. Tree Swallow

    Number observed: 2

21. Barn Swallow

    Number observed: 1

22. Bushtit

    Number observed: 10

23. Swinhoe’s White-eye

    Number observed: 4

    Exotic: Provisional

24. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

    Number observed: 1

25. House Wren

    Number observed: 16

    

26. European Starling

    Number observed: 9

    Exotic: Naturalized

27. Northern Mockingbird

    Number observed: 1

28. Western Bluebird

    Number observed: 6

    

29. Hermit Thrush

    Number observed: 1

30. House Finch

    Number observed: 42

31. Lesser Goldfinch

    Number observed: 6

32. American Goldfinch

    Number observed: 10

    

33. White-crowned Sparrow

    Number observed: 7

34. Song Sparrow

    Number observed: 12

35. California Towhee

    Number observed: 4

    

36. Spotted Towhee

    Number observed: 2

37. Western Meadowlark

    Number observed: 21

38. Red-winged Blackbird

    Number observed: 8

39. Great-tailed Grackle

    Number observed: 1

40. Orange-crowned Warbler

    Number observed: 8

41. Common Yellowthroat

    Number observed: 5

42. Yellow-rumped Warbler

    Number observed: 18

FEBRUARY BIRD OF THE MONTH:
BALD EAGLE

Photos of local Bald Eagles captured by James Kendall. Essay by local birder and HB Trees supporter Betty Kanne.

As the national symbol of the United States, the awe inspiring adult Bald Eagle is one of the most recognized birds throughout its vast range of North America. Despite its distinctive appearance and impressive size it was nearly driven to extinction in the lower 48 states by the mid 1900’s due to the use of pesticides, particularly DDT which rendered the species incapable of successful reproduction. The passage of The Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the banning of DDT allowed for a partial rebound of the species in areas of the county that still provide soaring old-growth forests near large bodies of fresh water suitable for their nesting requirements with ready access to abundant fish, their preferred diet.

It takes four years for the young Bald Eagle to attain its characteristic adult appearance of a white head, white tail and starkly contrasting dark chocolate brown body. An enormous, hooked yellow bill, powerful yellow talons and piercing yellow eyes round out its fierce, commanding appearance. With a wingspan of nearly eight feet, a Bald Eagle makes an unforgettable impression. The formidable female is an impressive 25% larger than her male counterpart.

The densely populated, urban development of coastal Southern California provides a generally inhospitable habitat for a Bald Eagle. Yet to the surprised delight of Orange County observers, we have noted one or two young Bald Eagles intermittently appearing in our community over the last few winter seasons.

Although an adult breeding pair forms a solid, life-long monogamous bond, the first four to five years of life are frequently a time for solo roaming, often to great distances from the fledged nest site. The immature bird’s mottled brown body with splotches of white indicates its sub-adult status as does its penchant for wandering quite far from range. It is not unusual to see the presumably same individual return in subsequent winters, even into its full maturity. Reaching adulthood, the compelling need and challenging task of finding a mate may ultimately dictate its wandering back towards the area it was born. As rapt observers we can only speculate and remain hopeful for best outcomes for the wandering visitor on its perilous life journey.

Urban Forest Monthly Survey
January 26, 2024
42 Species, 450 Individuals

          Unexpected rain didn’t stop the six volunteers who showed up this rainy morning.  Five of us crowded into Lena’s car while Jim Currie stayed dry in his vehicle.  We were all confident the rain would stop, and it only set us back 15 minutes.  Wet and muddy, occasionally drizzly, it was dark and overcast until the last half an hour of the survey.

The surveyors were Lena Hayashi, Betty Kanne (eBird), Jim Kendall, Sharon Telford, Jim Currie, and Brian Bleeker, joining us for the first time.

It was quiet initially but as the sky brightened, the birds started calling and singing. Despite the cold and dampness, we were able to count 42 species of birds.

 It is worthy to note that four of the species were raptors; an immature Cooper’s Hawk, a mature Red-shouldered Hawk, a mature Red-tailed Hawk, and a female American Kestrel. When the Senior Center was built in 2016 on open space land, compensation for the environmental impact on raptors led to the designation of the grassland hill of the Urban Forest for raptor foraging and perching.  Spotting raptors is always a favorite not only for bird surveyors but for the public.  Many may not know the names of the raptors but because of their size and the open space habitat, they are easily seen and appreciated.  There is no doubt that the Great-horned Owls, for years notoriously known and seen by many through the windows of Huntington Central Library and from the trail below, forage on the hill at night for rodents and other prey.

Below are the species and their numbers.  Click the checklist below to enjoy photographs taken by the photographers.  Once online, you can also click the name of the bird, printed in blue, to open with more information from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology including what sounds the bird makes and its status and distribution.

Observations

1. Canada Goose

   Number observed: 5

2. Mallard

   Number observed: 25

3. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)

   Number observed: 15

   Exotic: Naturalized

   Details

   In stables

4. Eurasian Collared-Dove

   Number observed: 1

   Exotic: Naturalized

5. Mourning Dove

   Number observed: 2

6. Anna’s Hummingbird

   Number observed: 6

   

7. Allen’s Hummingbird

   Number observed: 19

8. Ring-billed Gull

   Number observed: 1

9. Western Gull

   Number observed: 1

10. Cooper’s Hawk

    Number observed: 1

    

    

11. Red-shouldered Hawk

    Number observed: 1

12. Red-tailed Hawk

13. Northern Flicker

    Number observed: 2

14. American Kestrel

    Number observed: 1

    

15. Black Phoebe

    Number observed: 6

16. Say’s Phoebe

    Number observed: 2

    

17. Cassin’s Kingbird

    Number observed: 1

18. Hutton’s Vireo

    Number observed: 1

19. American Crow

    Number observed: 30

20. Bushtit

    Number observed: 51

21. Swinhoe’s White-eye

    Number observed: 15

    Exotic: Provisional

22. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

    Number observed: 4

23. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

    Number observed: 3

24. Western Bluebird

    Number observed: 10

    

25. Hermit Thrush

    Number observed: 5

    

    

26. Cedar Waxwing

    Number observed: 5

27. House Sparrow

    Number observed: 6

    Exotic: Naturalized

28. House Finch

    Number observed: 63

    

29. Lesser Goldfinch

    Number observed: 10

30. American Goldfinch

    Number observed: 3

31. Fox Sparrow

    Number observed: 1

    

32. White-crowned Sparrow

    Number observed: 16

33. Song Sparrow

    Number observed: 17

    

    

34. California Towhee

    Number observed: 7

35. Spotted Towhee

    Number observed: 2

36. Western Meadowlark

    Number observed: 12

37. Red-winged Blackbird

    Number observed: 60

38. Brown-headed Cowbird

    Number observed: 1

39. Great-tailed Grackle

    Number observed: 2

40. Orange-crowned Warbler

    Number observed: 4

41. Common Yellowthroat

    Number observed: 3

42. Yellow-rumped Warbler

JANUARY BIRD OF THE MONTH:
American Crow

Photos by James Kendall; essay by Betty Kanne

The loud, distinctive CAW! CAW! CAW! of the American Crow is a familiar year-round sound echoing across our wide continent in farm, field, and urban areas. Crows are considered to be among the most intelligent of birds, with their remarkably large brains and observably clever behaviors. Their widespread abundance serves as a valid testimony to their flexibility and adaptability leading to continued success in highly diverse climates and in ever challenging, shifting situations.

Like humans, American Crows are omnivores. Crows can exploit an immense array of food opportunities including insects, spiders, snakes, caterpillars, shellfish, fruit, berries, along with carrion, garbage and even the young of other birds or rodents. Opportunistic foragers, they quickly adapt to novel food sources, cleverly leveraging their prodigious intellect to discover new forms of nutrition. They scavenge along roadsides and garbage dumps where they often shrewdly use crude tools to successfully penetrate vexing yet appealing products. An acquired affinity for Cheetos and discarded french fries numbers among their most effective urban adaptations. Additionally, they have been observed skillfully carrying hard-shelled mollusks high into the air in order to drop the shell on rocks in order to break them, thus revealing their tasty treasures.

Holding a grudge! The crow’s remarkable intelligence and has been demonstrated by an astonishing ability to recognize individual humans and to astutely associate that person with a prior good or bad experience. The crow may characterize the individual as a “friend” or “foe” and then go on to overtly communicate that opinion to other crows within their social circle. The person deemed to be a “foe” will be relentlessly vocally harassed by the whole flock. Conversely, a person considered to be a “friend” may in fact receive gifts of small shiny trinkets as a reward for their perceived kind behavior.

The common large black American Crow is readily recognizable and needs scant introduction. Yet it is worth noting that a side-by-side comparison will reveal that the adult female is generally smaller than her similarly plumaged male counterpart and that juvenile/immature first-year birds display striking blue eyes unlike brown eyed adults. As for life span, although first-year survival rate may often be less than 50%, a surviving adult may live ten years or more.

Crows are highly social creatures. They mate for life, and when not nesting, they gather in vast communal roosts on winter nights, sometimes with many thousands roosting in a single tree-filled grove. Whatever the season, the American Crow is one of the most fascinating avian species in our midst and continually surprises us with its complex social structure and captivating behaviors.

 

Thanks to Vic Leipzig and Debra Gala for organizing the count for the Urban Forest’s December count on CBC Monday, Jan 1, 2024.

Click here for the Trip Report.

DECEMBER BIRD OF THE MONTH:
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Photos by James Kendall; essay by Betty Kanne

A tiny, feisty acrobat is suddenly perceived briskly moving through the dense leafy bushes. At just 4 inches, this active gray insect-hunter appears to be mostly tail that is cocked, fanned and flashed sporadically. This spirited bird’s subdued gray-blue tones are accentuated by a distinctive white eye-ring, snow-white tail edges flashing excitedly in order to startle unwitting insect prey concealed amidst dark leaves and tangled branches. A dagger-thin pointed bill is ideally suited for snatching erratically darting insects frantically seeking to escape its perilous pursuit.

Sporadic vocalizations characterized by thin, wheezy, nasal, scratchy notes pulse through the leafy brush. More often heard than seen, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher thus announces its return from its northern breeding grounds to spend the winter in our verdant parks, brushy hillsides and stream-side thickets. A successful winter will find the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher well fed, fully fueled for its spring migration north to raise yet another family.

It was a great year!

We will not be surveying in December as it will be done during the Coastal Christmas Bird Count on Monday, January 1, 2024. Our surveys will resume in February.

NOVEMBER BIRD OF THE MONTH:
Northern Flicker

Northern Flickers photographs by James Kendall; essay by Betty Kanne.

Urban Forest Monthly Survey
November 2023
40 Species, 390 Individuals

          Lena Hayashi, Betty Kanne (eBirder), Dave and Sharon Telford, Jim Kendall, Jim Currie, and Kari Duffield came out this morning.  It was Kari’s first time at the Urban Forest though she has helped with other local surveys. It was a cold but calm morning to start with temperatures ranging from the high 50s to mid-60 degrees.  The sun did come out during the last hour.

          Though it was very quiet in the morning, we did manage to see 40 different species.

We had a Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, a Cooper’s Hawk, and an American Kestrel.  The Western Meadowlarks are back along with the Say’s Phoebes.  Unfortunately, we did not spot the Sage Thrasher that was recently seen, nor the Bald Eagle.

We did enjoy seeing and hearing 20 American Goldfinches that outnumbered the Lesser Goldfinches this morning.

Enjoy the list below and click on the website at the end of the list to see our photos and additional photos and information from the Cornell Lab.

NOVEMBER BIRD OF THE MONTH:
Northern Flicker

Northern Flickers photographs by James Kendall; essay by Betty Kanne.

Astonishing!! That loud, repetitively piercing wicka-wicka-wicka call directs us to a large, distinctive forest bird showing dark breast polka-dots, an improbable black bib and a long, stiff, spikey tail veritably dripping in red! That “take-no-prisoners” dynamic upstart has most certainly returned!

Astonishing! is not a hyperbolic description but rather a quite sober appraisal of a truly magnificent woodpecker (yes, a woodpecker!) that abandons us each Spring to fly to its northern breeding grounds but then thankfully, most dutifully returns to overwinter in our own parks and backyards during our coldest and wettest months. Notably, the Northern Flicker is one of the few woodpecker species that migrates, making its fall return a highly anticipated event.

Roger Tory Peterson is credited as being the father of contemporary birding with the explosive publication in 1934 of the first practical, modern Bird Field Guide for the average citizen just walking through the woods. Bird-watching, or as we say today, Birding, was thus born. Hundreds of years of “shoot them, describe them, and then name them after yourself or a friend” had effectively ended.

As an eleven year old boy in 1920 wandering the vast, soon to be felled, old-growth forests of a bucolic northeastern New York, he chanced upon a large, “most wonderous bird”, that first appeared drab, frail and injured but at his concerned, tentative touch suddenly exploded colorfully forth to his most astonished wonder! A Northern Flicker!!

In that moment, young Roger Tory Peterson was utterly transformed. The artist, illustrator, author, and conservationist embraced the Northern Flicker as being his Spark Bird. It changed his life and served to change the direction of history.

OCTOBER BIRD OF THE MONTH: Townsend’s Warbler Townsend’s Warblers photographed by James Kendall; essay by Betty Kanne.

Urban Forest Monthly Survey
October, 2023
37 Species, 387 Individuals

Lena Hayashi, Betty Kanne (eBirder), Dave and Sharon Telford, Jim Kendall, Nancy Kappelmann, Brenda Sabin, and Deborah Brin came out this morning.  We welcomed back Brenda Sabin and were delighted to have Deborah Brin join us for the first time. It was a beautiful sunny, calm, and clear day with temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to 70 degrees.

          We saw 7 more species than last month. Returning today for the winter was one Hermit’s Thrush, heard and seen, and four Ruby-crowned Kinglets. The White-crowned Sparrows are singing everywhere, especially along Phil and Robin’s creek area. Make sure to look and listen to these beautiful sparrows throughout the winter. Their breasts are plain grayish-tan and the adults have black and white stripes on the head while the stripes on the immatures are brown and tan. The Yellow-rumped Warblers, our most plentiful winter warbler can be heard calling, “chwit,” throughout the forest, but be on the lookout for the Townsend’s Warbler, our other wintering warbler.  It can be found with the Yellow-rumps, Bushtits, and Swinhoe’s White-eye flocks. A new species to our three years of surveying the Urban Forest was spotted by Jim Kendall within the corral of trees at the top of the hill.  It was a beautiful Red-breasted Sapsucker daggetti, the expected subspecies for our area.  Make sure you click the eBird list to see the wonderful photos!

SEPTEMBER BIRD OF THE MONTH:
Black Phoebe

Photos by James Kendall. Essay by Betty Kanne

The Black Phoebe is a favorite resident songster in our parks, yards and nature corridors wherever a water source is present.The sharp whistled call of the Black Phoebe is a very typical sound along creeks and ponds throughout the southwest. They abundantly sing out their name, phoe-be, phoe-be!, boldly declaring their vibrant presence.

Solitary feeders, they are “wait-and-sally” flycatchers, usually waiting on low perches for an insect to come into view and then flying out, grabbing it and returning to the same perch. There, it will wait, watch, and pump its tail.

Observers will notice that it catches insects in mid-air, or may hover while picking them from foliage or sometimes from water’s surface. They feed on a wide variety of insects including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, wild bees, wasps, flies, moths, caterpillars. Indigestible parts of insects are coughed up as pellets.

The dapper appearance and stately stance of this distinctive flycatcher make a lasting impression upon the observer. It has mostly black-appearing, dark sooty-gray upperparts and a white belly ending at the upper breast with an inverted ‘V’ surrounded by a dark sooty-colored throat area. Black Phoebes have a very large, squarish head that frequently shows a peak, like many other flycatchers. Adult males and females look alike. Juveniles have reddish-brown edges on feathers on their backs, most conspicuously on the edges of the wing coverts. Both parents actively feed their fledgling chicks and juveniles until maturity.

Black Phoebes are generally non-migratory, permanent residents in our community. The Black Phoebe is territorial, monogamous and pairing may last for up to five years. Their joyful calling, striking beauty and persistent insect suppression capabilities make them a valued year-round presence in the Urban Forest.

AUGUST BIRD OF THE MONTH: Yellow Warbler Photos by James Kendall; Bird of the Month essays by Betty Kanne

Warblers are generally recognized as the tiny, flashing, colorful jewels of the forest. They are typically few in number and often artfully conceal themselves until the male decides to dramatically reveal his presence in vibrant song. Each species of warbler has a unique, memorable song that signals his arrival, his presence, and his intention. The distinctive, repeated, whistled-note song of the Yellow Warbler is often remembered with the mnemonic “sweet, sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet!”.

The Yellow Warbler’s bright, sunny coloring along with its sparkling song are a delight to the eye and music to the ear as locally breeding, as well as migrating, Yellow Warblers make their presence known in the Urban Forest.

The male Yellow Warbler is noted for its vibrant yellow plumage with fine chestnut breast streaks. Females and immatures are a much drabber yellow but the beady black eye and stout bill help to confirm the species identification.

Yellow Warblers thrive in a riparian habitat where nearby bubbling streams and waterways are edged with willows, sycamores and other deciduous trees providing abundant insects and nutritious caterpillars to feast upon as they flit nervously through the thicket offering snatched glimpses of dazzling yellow feathers.

The female builds a small round nest in the leafy tree tops for her small clutch of eggs. Unfortunately that nest is often surreptitiously targeted by the female Brown-headed Cowbird, a nest parasite, who will secretly, quickly lay her own egg in that nest to be incubated, hatched and fed unwittingly by the Yellow Warbler parents alongside their own smaller, more vulnerable chicks. The nest parasitism of the Brown-headed Cowbird, along with a dramatic loss of suitable nesting habitat has led to significant population declines of Yellow Warblers.

We value the role of the Yellow Warbler in keeping crop destroying insect and caterpillar populations in check just as we welcome their striking beauty and vibrant song in our parks and forests. Watch and listen attentively for this beguiling songster as you stroll through the towering trees of the Urban Forest.

Urban Forest Monthly Survey
August 31, 2023
31 species, 271 individuals observed

Lena Hayashi, Betty Kanne (eBirder), Dave and Sharon Telford, Jim Kendall, and Jim Currie were the surveyors.  We began at 7:30 AM. It was a humid, initially overcast day in the mid-70s. The species count continues to be low this month now that breeding season is over, and most birds stop singing and molt their feathers.  The year-round residents are still here, just quiet and hiding.

We did enjoy a noisy family of Hooded Orioles that come here to breed but will be migrating south soon.  Also, we were all glad to see an American Kestrel as we were finishing our survey.  He perched on the sign reading, “Environmentally Sensitive Area DO NOT ENTER Stay on Trail.”  He is hunting and many ground-feeding birds are the reasons why!

Don’t forget to click the link to view the photos on the eBird list below to see the AMKE. HOOR photos, and many more!

A highly anticipated harbinger of spring is the March/April arrival of the male Hooded Oriole, with its brilliant golden-yellow plumage and its noisy whistles and staccato chatter. The vibrant yellow hood with striking black mask has earned this slender member of the blackbird family its well deserved name.

The male is soon followed by receptive females in drabber olive-yellow plumage, providing effective camouflage as she artfully weaves her elaborate, pendulous nest carefully sewn beneath palm tree fronds, swaying 20-30 feet in the air. There, the female will incubate 3-4 eggs, followed by both parents diligently feeding the small clutch of begging hatchlings for two weeks before successfully fledging.

The Hooded Oriole feeds on a large variety insects, flower nectar, and ripe fruit. The sleek, colorful 8” bird regularly visits hummingbird feeders, acrobatically hanging upside down to drink the sweet nectar. It will also eagerly feast on a cut orange half heaped with grape jelly if provided near backyard feeders, making the Hooded Oriole a perennial neighborhood favorite that will be sorely missed when September’s shorter days remind the migrant to return to coastal Baja Mexico and Central America where it will spend its winter months.

Observations

It was a cold, overcast morning at the Urban Forest.  Temperatures never rose past the mid 50’s with the slight chilling breeze.  Surveyors were: Lena Hayashi, Betty Kanne (eBirder), Debra Gala, Dave and Sharon Telford, and Jim Currie. Birds were quiet and few except the House Finches, adults and juveniles, flocking together.

It was a great accomplishment to mow acres of invasive mustard from the fields.  Kudos to the workers!  Hoping fall planting will include some native plants, especially the California sagebrush in some of the areas to provide habitat for the endangered California Gnatcatcher.

MAY BIRD OF THE MONTH:
Song Sparrow

Bird of the Month essays are written by Betty Kanne with photos by James Kendall.

The Song Sparrow is a much beloved year-round resident in the Urban Forest and adjacent verdant patches. They are readily seen as they walk or hop on the ground and flit or hop through branches, grasses, and flowering plants. Song Sparrows stay low and forage secretively, but males boldly hop up to exposed perches, including limbs of small trees, to sing. And it is in song that this diminutive bird truly stands out.

In fact, the Song Sparrow species derives its very name from its colorful repertoire of songs. The male’s vibrant song consists of a combination of repeated notes, quickly passing isolated notes, and trills. The songs are very crisp, clear and precise, making them easily distinguishable by human ears.

The male’s persistent songs, six to eight per minute at dawn in spring are associated with the maintenance of territory and the attraction of a mate. Because males and females look essentially alike, it is in their divergent behaviors that we perceive the marked differences.

The mated pair selectively searches for nest sites together. Suitable nest sites are usually hidden in grasses or weeds, sometimes placed on the ground and occasionally as high as twelve feet, quite often near a water source. Not afraid of human habitation, Song Sparrows sometimes nest close to houses, often hidden in dense flower beds and shrubs.

Song Sparrows eat many insects and other invertebrates in the summer, as well as seeds and fruits all year round. The lush and varied growth within the Urban Forest provides a bountiful habitat, ideal for the continual foraging and annual breeding needs of this most welcome sprightly songster.

Urban Forest Monthly Survey
April 27, 2023
54 species, 464 individuals observed

After being blown and rained out in February and March, April turned out to be a grand day to bird the Urban Forest.  Though it was overcast and cold, seven of us enjoyed counting more species than ever before.  A record number of 54 species!

Spring has sprung and we took our time to enjoy not only the birds but also the beautiful gardens and the lush vegetation and enormous growth the rains have provided throughout the forest.  All the personal care and effort the volunteers put into this area do not go unnoticed!  More habitat is taking over the spaces where only wild mustard used to grow.  Hopefully, the fields dominated by the invasive Black Mustard can be plowed down before they set seed, to control its explosive regrowth next year.  Single-species stands may look lovely at first sight but such expanses growing up to 6’ tall “produces allelopathic chemicals that prevent germination of native plants. The spread of black mustard can increase the frequency of fires in chaparral and coastal sage scrub, changing these habitats to annual grassland.” (quoted from www.cal-ipc.org under Brassica nigra).

Thanks to all my surveyor friends, especially Josh and Pema, who with their enthusiasm, acute hearing and eyesight, and knowledge of plants and animals, make surveys more productive and enjoyable for all. – Lena

APRIL BIRD OF THE MONTH:
House Wren

Keep your eyes and ears open as you experience spring in the Urban Forest. A House Wren will most willingly serenade you if you slow down and just listen.

A springtime stroll through the Urban Forest delights the senses with the overwhelming beauty of vibrantly colored wildflowers and sweetly scented blossoming trees and bushes. Yet, for many, it is the auditory delight of birdsong surging at dawn, continuing through to dusk that most assails our senses engendering curiosity as to which birds are singing and what messages their sweet, varied songs and calls convey.

The diminutive House Wren stands out for its sheer vocal prowess and dynamic energy. The small, inconspicuously plumaged House Wren might otherwise be difficult to notice as it flits through the dense foliage were it not for its loud, fast, jumbled musical song. The hyperactive male House Wren may perch openly and energetically sing its effervescent, bubbling songs ten times a minute to impress, attract and retain a mate throughout the spring breeding cycle. Pairs of House Wrens successfully breed throughout the park utilizing natural tree crevices and man-made nest boxes. 

The House Wren is shy, but notoriously curious, spontaneously popping up in the open, holding its checkered tail straight up, cocking its head questioningly. 

Keep your eyes…and ears open as you experience spring in the Urban Forest. A House Wren will most willingly serenade you if you slow down and just listen. 

Observations

1. Mallard

   Number observed: 7

2. Mourning Dove

   Number observed: 3

   

© Lena Hayashi Macaulay Library