Common Merganser ~ Nature Study

Long absent from my regular postings...

Nature Study on the Run

I ran along the river trail this afternoon - my favorite course in Central Oregon for the proximity to the river and thereby the wildlife. It is also a rather hilly course and in some sections, the footing is a little tricky so it adds a bit of a challenge.

At the four mile mark, just after I had made the turn at Farewell Bend, I came across two birdwatchers observing a flock of ducks in the river. Two I recognized immediately as an assumedly mated pair of Mallards. The others I was not familiar with so I inquired and being allowed to borrow their scope, was informed the brown headed ones were Mergansers.
From our distance, there was one other duck that had a dark head and back in the same color pattern as the two pictured below. We assumed it was a different species... however, upon my return home and in my attempt to find more information about Mergansers in general, I now believe it too, is a Merganser. A large diving duck with a long thin bill, the Common Merganser is found along large lakes and rivers across the northern hemisphere. The long bill has toothy projections along its edges that help the duck hold onto its slippery fish prey. Males are boldly patterned with white sides, black back, and green head. Females are dull gray with reddish head and white chin.

They nest in tree cavities, either those made by large woodpeckers or from where a limb broke off. They will also use a nest box. Infrequently a Common Merganser might make its nest in a rock crevice, a hole in the ground, a hollow log, in an old building, or in a chimney.

The young leave their nest hole within a day or so of hatching. The mother protects the chicks, but she does not feed them. They dive to catch all of their own food. They eat mostly aquatic insects at first, but switch over to fish when they are about 12 days old.

ORN: 6.4 miles at average pace of 10:25 min mile (several large stretches of ice whereby I opted to walk as I didn't bring the Trax).

OSN: 400m warm-up; 250m w/ fins; 4 rounds of 4 x 25m IM speed work; 10 x 75m freestyle drill (50m fists/25m palm); 6 x 25m freestyle fast (w/fins); 50m cool-down = 2000m

Born to Run

Look who I met on the trail this afternoon! We both paused briefly and admired one another - at least, I admired him. I suppose he just looked at me with suspicion.
I felt rather sluggish though... the Garmin proved it upon my return. 4.5 miles at an average 9:47 min mile pace. Could've been better. Could've been worse.

Chipmunk or Squirrel? ~ Nature Study

Do you know the difference?

Both have black stripes running down their back and both can be downright brazen in their attempts to get food from hikers and picnickers.

The biggest physical difference between the two is size. A chipmunk runs about 8 inches long and weighs around 2 ounces, while a golden-mantled ground squirrel is 9 to 12 inches long and weighs between 4 and 14 ounces. The squirrel’s back is brownish gray, with one white stripe bordered by black stripes running down each side. Unlike the chipmunk, the squirrel’s stripes don’t extend up to its face. The squirrel’s name comes from the golden brown or russet mantle over its head and shoulders. Whitish fur circle the eyes.

Scientists classify the golden-mantled ground squirrel as a true ground squirrel, though it will climb trees to reach seeds. Its genus name Spermophilus is Greek for “seed loving.” Like other ground squirrels, the golden-mantle packs seeds and fruit in its cheek pouches and stores the food in burrows, puts on a thick layer of fat, and hibernates in winter. Golden-mantled ground squirrels eat their stored food in early spring, when seeds and fruit are scarce. In addition to seeds and fruit, the omnivorous ground squirrel eats fungi, forbs, insects, bird eggs, small vertebrates, and carrion.

Though the golden-mantled ground squirrel can vocalize, it remains silent most of the time. When alarmed, it chirps and squeals. Though not especially aggressive, it growls when fighting with other ground squirrels.

Though tempting, it’s not a good idea to feed these or any other wild animals; it distracts them from searching for natural foods, which they must eat in large quantities to survive. Unlike most other ground squirrels, the golden mantle is a loner. It only spends time with others of its kind as a youngster with its mother and siblings.

A funny story... Public Service Announcement: Do Not Try This At Home.

When I was little, we did a lot of camping in Central Oregon. One year, my youngest brother got it into his head that he could catch a chipmunk. My parents must have chuckled over that one because, like most boys he was very busy and was only still when he was sleeping. My parents always encouraged us, however, so my mom gave him a nearly empty potato chip bag.

Surprisingly, my brother must have sat with his legs extended out in front of him, holding the bag in his hand and resting it on the ground between his legs for over an hour! That in itself was quite an accomplishment.

There was one brave little chipmunk that followed the trail my brother had laid out to lead it to the bag. As soon as it stepped into the bag, my brother has never moved faster in his life! He scooped up the bag and closed it with one swift movement. "I got it! I got it!"

Of course we let the little thing go... but it was certainly a memorable experience.

A Shrewd Four

My sitter is back! I headed out for a run along the river trail... hoping to do about 6. Though, at the 2 mile mark, I realized I was going at marathon goal pace (8:25) so I opted to stop and do a 2x2 mile tempo run. As I rested, I thought... hmmm, wouldn't it be sweet if I could better the mile I did last week?! Can I top 6:58? I decided to give it a go... the return run included a couple of gentle downhill segments and I thought for certain this could help better my time.

I started to really struggle. I was parched. I hadn't thought to bring along water. 3/10 of a mile to go and it was all I could do to continue running. I finally hit the lap button and realized that the humidity, my running hiatus, and the 2 fast-paced previous miles really had done a number. 7:38. It is amazing how quickly one can lose endurance & fitness when you take time off.

Somewhere along the way, I had discovered a tiny shrew along the road that had perished by some unknown cause. I made it a point to bring it home with me to share with the kiddos. Impromptu nature study... tied in perfectly with our current focus on vertebrate animals. They were delighted with my discovery. As I was carrying the little fellow with me, I essentially jogged/walked the last mile for cool-down.

4 miles in all. Getting my running legs under me again. Will take time.

Dalmation Toadflax ~ Nature Study

Along my run this morning, I observed a large Dalmation Toadflax plant was growing along the river trail. I thereby stopped briefly and pulled out all the shoots that I could see.

Dalmation Toadflax was introduced as an ornamental plant from the Mediterranean in the late 1800’s. It escaped cultivation and is now considered one of the most wanted invasive weeds in Oregon.

Flowers are similar to that of a snapdragon and large plants produce nearly 1/2 million seeds. Dalmation Toadflax loves arid rangelands, pastures, railways and waste areas and is primarily a weed of the Inter-Mountain West and California.

As I run the trail each week, I will continue to be alert for Toadflax and other invasives. I encourage you to do the same. Pull the invasive weeds that you encounter in your area. We can make a difference by not allowing invasive weeds from getting a stronghold in new areas.

ORN: 10 miles at 9:27 min/mile average pace

Invasive Species ~ Thursday Thirteen #19

13 Non-native Invasive Species

In anticipation of the state-wide Let's Pull Together campaign, I thought I would list a number of invasive species that are contributing to the demise of our natural resources and costing billions of dollars to control.

1. Scotch Broom - Introduced to the Pacific Northwest by early settlers as an ornamental, it forms dense stands which crowd out native species and destroy wildlife habitat. Scotch Broom has plenty of help from people to move it to new sites. Its seed is a regular hitchhiker on vehicle tires, heavy equipment, and in infested gravel. Seedpods split suddenly at maturity and eject the seeds. Also, it is reported that ants aggressively collect the seed of Scotch broom, assisting in dispersal. Birds also assist with spread, but how well the seeds survive digestion varies with the species of bird.

2. Purple Loosestrife - An invasive wetland plant that is beautiful, but dangerous. Imported in the 1800s for ornamental and medicinal uses, Purple Loosestrife poses a serious threat to wetlands because of its prolific reproduction. Unfortunately, it is still sold as an ornamental plant in many states. Purple Loosestrife has gained a strong foothold in many North American wetlands, rivers and lakes, including many in Oregon.

3. Quagga & Zebra Mussels - One of the nastiest invaders, it isn't yet found in Oregon but it's arrival is feared by biologists. An adult female zebra mussel is one of the most reproductive organisms in the world. It may produce between 30,000 and 1 million eggs per year. These mollusks disrupt ecosystems, killing the local species primarily by out-competing them for food, damaging harbors, boats, and power plants. Water treatment plants were initially hit hardest because the water intakes brought the microscopic free-swimming larvae directly into the facilities. The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that economic losses and control efforts cost the United States about $5 billion each year.

4. Gypsy Moths - Introduced by an entomologist in Massachussets in the late 1860s. Oregon biologists are also concerned about Asian moths which have also been discovered traveling on ships and arriving at our ports. Eradication measures across Oregon have been successful in preventing the Gypsy Moth from developing a strong-hold in the state. They are 'hitchhikers' and the females lay their eggs on most anything (cars, lawn art, etc.) and are thereby transported to other areas unknowingly.

5. Himalayan Blackberry - Brought to Oregon in the late 1800s for the state's booming berry business. Although it didn't catch on as a berry crop, it has had lasting effects on our landscape and economy costing the state tens of millions of dollars a year. They are aggressive and dominate, excluding desirable plants and native animals. The difficulty in removing the significant root reserves, contributes to the reproductive success of this invasive blackberry.

6. English Ivy - Brought to Oregon to decorate gardens and hanging baskets. As ivy climbs a tree it chokes out the host and contributes to the loss of biodiversity.

7. Nutria - Brought to the United States in the 1800s for the fur market. They were introduced to Oregon in the 1930s just before the market crashed. Nutria are prolific feeders (eating the rushes, sedges, and bullrushes that filter the wetland water) and avid burrowers (contributing to erosion).

8. Oriental Weatherfish & Banded Killifish - Many introduced species are the result of illegally dumped aquarium fish. Both species can impact native species by direct predation or competition for food sources.

9. Feral Pigs - Feral Pigs carry diseases that spread to wildlife and domestic animals, destroy native plants, and damage agricultural crops.

10. Bullfrogs - Eating anything that moves and that will fit into their mouth, bullfrogs are voracious predators. Introduced into Oregon as a sport and food source in the early 20th century, they have been here so long, many people don't realize they are invasive.

11. European Beach Grass - Originally planted as a dune stabilizer along Oregon's beaches, European beachgrass is an aggressive colonizer of beach areas that forms a dense mat of grass and rhizomes, unlike any of the native dunemat species. The beachgrass captures sand, decreasing natural sand movement, and causing the dunes to increase in height. As the dunes increase in height and the normal ocean breeze diminishes behind the dunes, a new microclimate develops that is no longer suitable for dunemat species. Succession ensues toward more inland native coastal vegetation types and colonization by other exotic plant species, until the integrity of the entire native dunemat ecosystem is threatened.

Areas heavily infested with beachgrass are unsuitable as habitat for nesting snowy plovers. These marine birds require areas of open sand or low, native dunemat vegetation for nesting. The snowy plover is a federally listed, threatened species. Areas infested with beachgrass are also unsuitable as habitat for three sensitive plant species: beach layia (Layia carnosa) [also federally listed as endangered], Wolf's evening primrose (Oenothera wolfii) and pink sand verbena (Abronia umbellata ssp.brevifolia).

12. European Starlings - The nation-wide distribution of Starling are the descendants of about 100 birds introduced to New York's Central Park in 1890 by a society desiring to introduce all of the birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. Flocks of these birds destroy crops and eat cattle feed, costing agricultural farmers $800 million dollars yearly in preventative measures and damage control.

13. Western Pine Bark Beetle - These small beetles aggressively attack and kill Ponderosa Pine trees and other conifers of all ages and vigor, including apparently healthy trees. Group killing of trees is common in dense, overstocked stands of pure, even-aged, young sawtimber but also occurs among dense clumps of pine in stagnating mixed-conifer stands. One million or more trees containing more than 1 billion board feet of timber may be killed each year during an outbreak. Such extensive tree killing may deplete timber supplies, adversely affect levels and distributions of stocking, disrupt management planning and operations, and increase forest fire danger by adding to available fuels. Click here for images.

I encourage you to become familiar with the invasive animals and plants in your area and to do your part to prevent further distribution.

For more information, click upon the following link.

Invasive Species of Oregon



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

The Rufous-sided Towhee ~ Nature Study

As I was running on the coast this weekend, I followed a familiar route around E. Lakes. The course involves numerous undulating hills and despite the roller-coaster motion, one can enjoy scenic vistas of the lake and surrounding sand-dunes (though much of the dunes have now been destroyed to build subdivisions). I observed many familiar trees and shrubs. The rhododendrons were in abundant bloom.

I have chosen to showcase the Rufous-sided Towhee, however, because in our homeschool, song-birds are the focus of our nature study and I'm learning to identify them along side the kiddos.

The western variant of this widely distributed species was once called the spotted towhee because of the numerous white spots on its back. Open woods with brushy undergrowth provide cover for the towhee as it feeds among dead leaves, scratching the ground with both feet at once. Nuts, seeds and fruits make up most of its diet. It also eats some insects.

This towhee locates its bulky nest on the ground or low in a dense bush, no more than 5 feet above the ground. The nest is fashioned by the female with plant material and lined with fine grasses. She lays 3-4 grayish eggs that hatch in about 12 days. They typically raise 2 broods each season. Following the nesting season, they will move slightly south for winter or to the western lowlands.

The Western Tanager ~ Nature Study

A medium-sized tanager with a brilliant red head, bright yellow body and black back, wings, and tail. Wings have two bars: upper yellow, lower white. Female is olive-green above and yellow below with wing bars similar to male.

Breeds from southern Alaska southward and winters in the tropics. Preferred habitats include open coniferous forests.

The red pigment in the face of the Western Tanager is not produced by the bird but is acquired through their diet of insects that themselves acquire it from plants.

The Western Tanager was first recorded on the Lewis and Clark expedition (1803-1806).

The individual I observed today flew across the trail in front of me near the intake of the irrigation canal along the D.River Trail. He came to perch in a bow of a Ponderosa Pine.

ORN: 7.25 miles at 9:07 mile pace

The Red-winged Blackbird ~ Nature Study

Welcome to the newest feature to my running blog... Nature Study on the Run. Thank you to Kara, for the inspiration. :D

When the kiddos and I were out with the jogger yesterday, we ran down along the river to one of the parks they enjoy. As we approached the play structures, we spotted a pair of Red-winged Blackbirds. One of the most abundant birds in North America, they are found in wetlands and agricultural areas across the continent. The male (shown here) can hide the brilliant red shoulders or show them off in a dazzling display. The female looks strikingly different than the male and could almost be mistaken for a large dark sparrow.

They feed upon insects, seeds, and grain. Probing in vegetation for insects, spreading the bill to look in plants and under objects. In doing so, it also gleans seeds from ground.

Interesting Fact: The Red-winged Blackbird is a highly polygynous species, with one male having up to 15 different females making nests in his territory. In some populations 90% of territorial males have more than one female. But, from one quarter to up to half of the young in "his" nests do not belong to the territorial male. Instead they have been sired by neighboring males.