California Quail

Three quail were spotted just around the corner yesterday.

August 6th sighting

I am still trying to identify a very small grey bird with large white splotches on its back. It had a very slim tail and a long beak, too. I sent a request to Tweeters today in hopes that this visitor could be identified. I’m sure that I’ve seen a photograph of this one before, but I cannot place it - especially since the graphics card went out on this puter this week.

Downey Woodpecker

A Downy Woodpecker just flew in along with three Northern Flickers.

Regular bath

There are two shy birds that have been frequenting my bath, lately. They have a brown and black spotted breast with a long tail and black head, back and wings. They hop from branch to branch and have been seen attempting to feed at the feeder. Yesterday one of these birds smacked the feeder and then flew down to enjoy the reward. It seems that the bird is too large to sit at the feeder. Both of these birds will take a bath in the evening after or about 5PM or later. The chickadees that regularly feed during the day did seem a bit put out that these brown/black birds were taking baths and feeding too. One chickadee shared the bath for less than a minute then flew off.

Female Northern Flicker

From eNature
description 12″ (30 cm). A large brownish woodpecker. Brown back with dark bars and spots; whitish or buff below with black spots; black crescent on breast; white rump, visible in flight. Eastern birds (”Yellow-shafted Flickers”) have red patch on nape and yellow wing linings; male has black mustache. Western birds (”Red-shafted Flickers”) lack nape patch and have salmon-pink wing linings; males have red “mustache.”

See Also BirdWeb

No mustache on my flicker makes it female. Hopped into my feeder this week! This bird is crow sized, quite large

A few Oak Facts

Oaks are known to be resistant to fire.

Oaks are known to house and sustain a wide variety of birds and wildlife. A wider variety of species of wildlife than an evergreen or other deciduous trees.

Oaks in Yelm

From Yelm Online
http://www.yelmonline.com/articles/2009/07/31/first_report/doc4a71d26a5fe88088452750.txt

Prairie Conservation Ordinance Enacted

On Tuesday, July 28, the Thurston Board of County Commissioners enacted an interim regulation that helps conserve south Puget Sound’s last remaining oak woodland habitats and native prairies. Approximately three percent of south Puget Sound’s original native prairies (estimated to be about 150,000 acres) now remain.

The interim ordinance makes the county’s definition of prairies consistent with state and federal guidelines, requires that persons seeking to develop areas that may contain prairies identify the location of prairies, and, as necessary, develop Prairie Habitat Conservation plans to reduce development impacts to prairies.

Commissioners feel prompt action is necessary to prevent further degradation to this increasingly scarce resource. Prairies used to extend throughout Thurston County from Rochester up to an area just south of Tacoma. Some of the south Puget Sound’s most valuable remaining prairies are located in Thurston County.

Prairie and oak habitats are home to endangered plants such as the golden paintbrush as well as threatened and endangered wildlife and insect species such as the Mazama pocket gopher, streaked horned lark and Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly.

These species as well as other prairie dependent species are found in only a small number of places in the world. In recent years, south Puget Sound prairies have become threatened due to development and the invasion of non-native plant species. A few of the larger prairies can be easily seen, such as the Mima Mounds and the Glacial Heritage Preserve, while others are scattered among forests, farms and houses.

For more information on the ordinance and on Thurston County prairies, contact Senior Planner Cynthia Wilson at 786-5475.