Western Gull

Posted on June 21, 2024 by tspuckler

While visiting California, I saw several examples of this conspicuous bird in different counties. The Western Gull is the only gull nesting along most of the Pacific Coast from Washington to Baja.

This is a large (24 to 27 inches), stocky bird with a stout bill. Adults have rather dark gray upperparts and bright pink legs. Both sexes have the same type of plumage, but the male is larger than the female.

Western Gulls are found mostly near the coast and also found regularly offshore. They are not typically found far inland. Many types of habitats are used, including estuaries, beaches, fields, garbage dumps, and city waterfronts.

Like most gulls, the Western Gull is an opportunistic feeder, capturing its own prey, scavenging trash, or stealing food from seals and other gulls. Sometimes they even steal milk from mother seals while they’re asleep.

These birds nest in colonies on islands, offshore rocks, and abandoned piers. Their colonies are often located near nesting seabirds or Sea Lions. Western Gulls build their nests on the ground, and the pair often starts as many as three nests, and then chooses one to finish and use.

Like many other gull species, they drop hard-shelled items from the air to break them on hard surfaces. They are also often seen following fishing boats and feeding on scraps thrown overboard by fish cleaners. The intelligence and resourcefulness of Western Gulls is rather impressive.

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Ornate Tiger Moth

Posted on June 14, 2024 by tspuckler

While exploring California, I encountered this insect that is commonly found in late Spring and early Summer. It is a medium-sized (about 1 inch) moth. Its forewings appear black, typically with a net-like pattern of extensive yellowish or rosy off-white transverse lines and thinner pale veins.

The Ornate Tiger Moth’s habitats include coastal grasslands adjacent to the ocean, coastal rainforests, low elevation grasslands west of the Cascades, oak woodlands, mixed hardwood-conifer forests in the mountains, and Ponderosa Pine forests at middle elevations.

Its caterpillar looks like a typical “wooly worm” and like other types of Tiger Moth larva, it is a feeding generalist that consumes a wide variety of vegetation. The bright warning coloration displayed by Tiger Moths is associated with distastefulness, thus protecting it from predation.

The antennae of the Ornate Tiger Moths have an interesting toothed pattern. They normally perch with their wings held roof-like over their bodies. These insects are nocturnal as adults and may be attracted to lights at night. There are about 11,000 species of Tiger Moths in the world, residing in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Although moths are stereotypically drab, most Tiger Moths are quite colorful and attractive and this one is no exception. A British airplane serving in the Royal Air Force in the 1930s took its name from this species.

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Monterey Pine

Posted on June 7, 2024 by tspuckler

While looking for reptiles and amphibians in the Golden State, I came across a small stand of these fine trees. This stately pine starts as an upright tree with a pyramidal shape; with age, it will develop a broad rounded crown that flattens at the top. When growing on a windy site with ocean influence, it develops a picturesque spreading growth habit that is asymmetrical and often with multiple trunks.

Under ideal conditions, it can grow to a height of over 100 feet with a branch spread of over 60 feet and a trunk diameter of over 4 feet. Again, under ideal conditions – and if it escapes a lethal attack from insects and diseases – it can live up to 150 years; however, its normal life span here is relatively short for a conifer, only 80 to 100 years.

Its needles are one of its most distinguishing features. The needles (3- to 6-inches long) occur at the ends of branches in dense clusters of 3 needles per cluster. These clusters persist on the tree for up to 3 years, before turning brown and dropping off. The needles also have a distinctive fresh fragrance when brushed or crushed.

This pine is adapted to cope with stand-killing fire disturbances. Its cones are serotinous, that is, they remain closed until opened by the heat of a forest fire; the abundant seeds are then discharged to regenerate on the burned forest floor. The cones may also burst open in hot weather.

The bark is thick and rather rough, with deep vertical fissures. It is a light gray brown when young; as it ages, it turns dark gray to black, with reddish brown within the fissures.

Although Monterey Pine is extensively cultivated around the world for lumber, the version of the tree used in the lumber industry is vastly different from the native tree. In its natural state, Monterey Pine is a rare and endangered tree; it is twisted, knotty and full of sap/resin and not suitable for lumber.

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Whimbrel

Posted on May 31, 2024 by tspuckler

While walking along the California Coast, I spotted this large shorebird with a long body, long neck and small head. It had a distinctive long, downward curved bill and a striped head. It is found in mudflats, beaches, and coastal marshes.

Whimbrels probe with their long bills into mudflats or wet sand for invertebrates such as crabs; they walk slowly through areas where water is very shallow. Flocks moving in migration, or between roosting and feeding areas and vocalize often.

Some migrating Whimbrels make a nonstop overwater flight of 2,500 miles from southern Canada or New England to South America. One bird in particular, named Hope, was captured on the coast of Virginia in 2009 and fitted with a satellite transmitter. Over the next three years, researchers tracked for her more than 50,000 miles traveling back and forth between her breeding areas for five seasons.

In many regions, the primary winter food of the Whimbrel is Fiddler Crab. The curve of the Whimbrel’s bill nicely matches the shape of Fiddler Crab burrows. The bird reaches into the crab’s burrow, extracts the crab, washes it (if it is muddy), and sometimes breaks off the claws and legs before swallowing it.

Whimbrels tend to concentrate in flocks at a few favored spots in migration, so that the observer sees either many of them or very small numbers. Belonging to the genus Numenius, the given scientific name for this bird means “new moon” in Greek, a reference to the bird’s bill shape, which resembles a crescent moon.

Seeing this elegant, intricately patterned shorebird added another example to my list of cool creatures that I encountered while visiting the Golden State.

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Earwig

Posted on May 24, 2024 by tspuckler

I came across one of these interesting insects while hiking in Santa Cruz, California. I occasionally find them in my home state of Ohio as well. In fact, lately they seem to be hanging out in the storage section built into the seats of our plastic deck chairs.

Earwigs have characteristic cerci, a pair of forcep-like pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folded underneath short, rarely used forewings, hence the scientific order name, Dermaptrea, which translates to “skin wings.”

Adults can use the cerci in defense, twisting the abdomen forward over the head or sideways to engage an enemy, often another Earwig. The pronounced cerci are the most distinctive feature of Earwigs; in the male the cerci are strongly curved whereas in the female they curve only slightly.

These insects are small (about 1/2 an inch long) and mostly nocturnal. They often hide in small, moist crevices during the day, and are active at night, feeding on a wide variety of insects and plants. They tend to be more common in the southern and southwestern parts of the United States.

Earwigs can also be found throughout the Americas and Eurasia. The Common Earwig was introduced into North America in 1907 from Europe; it was first observed in North America at Seattle, Washington in 1907. It spread quickly, and was reported in Oregon in 1909, British Columbia in 1919, and California in 1923. It reached Rhode Island in 1911, New York in 1912, and most other provinces and northern states in the 1930s and 1940s.

Earwigs are among the few non-social insect species that show maternal care. The mother pays close attention to the needs of her eggs, giving them warmth and protection. She dutifully defends the eggs from predators, not leaving them even to eat, unless the clutch goes bad. She also continuously cleans the eggs to protect them from fungi.

Earwigs are mistakenly thought to enter the ears of sleeping persons and burrow into their brains. This is an urban myth that has no basis in fact. In reality, these menacing-looking insects are totally harmless.

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Oregon Ensatina

Posted on May 17, 2024 by tspuckler

This is my second species of Ensatina that I’ve found while herping California. It tends to be darker in color than the Yellow-eyed Ensatina, which was the first species of this fine salamander that I had come across while looking for reptiles and amphibians.

Ensatinas live in humid forests, woodlands and other areas with woody debris. They hide under logs, bark piles at the base of snags, stumps and even woodpiles in residential areas for cover from weather and protection from predators.

They reach a total length of three to five inches, and can be identified primarily by the structure of the tail – it is narrower at the base and looks like it has a constriction band. They also seen to have very “expressive” faces.

The Oregon Ensatina belongs to a large family know as Lungless Salamanders, because they do not have lungs; instead, they absorb oxygen directly through their skin. They must remain moist at all times so that oxygen and carbon dioxide can diffuse through the skin.

This species is fully terrestrial and the eggs are deposited under logs, in rotting stumps or in other moist environments on the forest floor. Individuals overwinter below the frost line in talus slopes, mammal burrows, root hollows or other underground cavities.

Ensatinas are most active during wet weather and forage on the forest floor for insects, spiders, worms and other arthropods. When threatened, individuals excrete poison from glands on the top of the tail and arch their tail toward the threat. If captured they may autotomize (drop) their tail, which creates a diversion while the salamander escapes.

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California Lilac

Posted on May 10, 2024 by tspuckler

While hiking in Marin County, California, I noticed these hard-to-miss plants. Not a true Lilac, but rather a member of the Buckthorn Family, it is one of the most fragrant and colorful native shrubs on the West Coast.

Native Americans have long used California Lilac blossoms for soap. When rubbed between your hands with water, the blossom lathers. And even more surprising, it has a nice wintergreen aroma.

California Lilac supports local wildlife by serving as an important food source for deer. Its seeds are food for quail. And its flowers are a source of nectar for birds, butterflies and bees. Wild Lilac is also a host plant for the California Tortoiseshell butterfly.

This plant can often be found growing in poor, rocky soil and flourishing in drought stricken areas. They are drought and cold tolerant, and prefer dry soil in full sun to achieve the best blooms. Their extensive root systems allow them to anchor in dry, rocky slopes.

Belonging to the genus Ceanothus, California Lilacs, have around 50 to 60 species. Their waxy, small leaves help them endure Northern California’s dry summers.

Another feature of California Lilac is its nitrogen-fixing ability. Most members of this genus have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots that help to nitrify the soil, thereby reducing the need for fertilization but also enables them to survive wildfires. It is considered a pioneer plant because it’s among the first to grow back after a wildfire.

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Pacific Littleneck Clam

Posted on May 3, 2024 by tspuckler

While tidepooling in Central California, I found this clam. It is native to the Pacific Ocean from Baja California, Mexico to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The Pacific Littleneck Clam has a chalky shell that ranges from round- to oval-shaped and is a maximum of 3 inches long. Its shell is very heavy, and this species is sometimes called the “Rock Cockle” because of its strong radiating ridges.

This species is fast-growing and is often harvested in the wild by hand for cooking in chowder. On a wider scale, it is a popular edible clam which is commercially fished in some areas.

Pacific Littleneck Clams are poor diggers that not burrow vertically, due to their short siphons and feet. Thus, individuals remain close to surface of the substrate where they easily burrow horizontally. Since it is a relatively slow digger, it is not found in areas with unstable sand.

In 1885, this species was introduced to the East Coast of North America. The clams were brought from Oregon and Washington and planted near Woods Hole, Massachusetts, but they did not survive and were never found in the surrounding area.

The Pacific Littleneck Clam is also known as the Littleneck Clam, Common Pacific Littleneck, Rock Cockle, Hardshell Clam, Tomales Bay Cockle, Rock Clam, and Ribbed Carpet Shell.

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Cabezon

Posted on April 27, 2024 by tspuckler

While tidepooling on the California coast, we caught this cool fish that I had never seen before. It is the only known member of its genus. The name “Cabezon” comes from Spanish meaning “large head,” which is a main identifying feature for this species.

This is a scaleless fish with a broad bony support extending from the eye across the cheek just under the skin. It can grow up to 3 feet in length and weigh over 24 pounds, but on average they weigh 4 pounds and are less than two feet long.

This species ranges in color, with varying shades of brown, red, or green, with lots of darker mottling to help with camouflage. Females are usually greenish while males are more reddish.

Cabezon are found in the northeast Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Baja California. They feed on crustaceans, mollusks, fish and fish eggs – though they are indiscriminate and eat whatever will fit in their mouths. They are ambush predators that patiently wait for passing by prey, then lunge to engulf their prey with their large mouth.

Adults spawn on rocky outcrops in shallow water and males guard the eggs until they hatch. After hatching, the offspring settle at intertidal pools then move to reefs and kelp forests. Cabezons tend to live near coastlines with rocky, sandy, and muddy, hard bottoms.

Cabezon is prized as a recreational game fish.

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Marine Hermit Crab

Posted on April 19, 2024 by tspuckler

Often when I look in a tidepool I see nothing of interest. By if I stare into the water long enough, I’ll start to see small creatures reveal themselves by their movements. Most of these inhabitants are well-camoflauged and only their activities give them away. A great example of this is the Marine Hermit Crab.

There are over 500 species of hermit crabs around the world, and they’ve evolved a unique body shape to fit into their shell homes. Unlike free-living crabs, their abdomens aren’t covered in a hard exoskeleton but rather a thin, soft one; their abdomens are also twisted to fit the spiral cavity of the snail shells in which they make their homes. Some species live mostly on land, while others rarely leave the water.

Like all crabs, the Marine Hermit Crab is a decapod — it has five pairs of legs, including a pair of claws. It uses its claws for defense and food shredding as well as eating. The second and third pairs of legs help the crab walk, and the last two pairs hold the crab in its shell.

Hermit Crabs are pretty easygoing about what they eat. In fact, they’ll dine on just about anything they can find in the water that surrounds them – including small fish, invertebrates such as worms, plankton and any food particles that happen to be floating by.

Hermit Crabs don’t kill the snails in whose shells they make their homes. They’re actually able to smell dead or dying snails, which can lead them to a potential shell. But competition for such shells can be fierce. They may fight to the death in pursuit of a shell. And, as they grow, they must seek out new shells in which to live.

Contrary to their name, hermit crabs live very social lives. They live in big groups, travel together and even meet up to search for food and shells.

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Tim Spuckler's Blog

Reptile Ramblings and More

Western Gull

Ornate Tiger Moth

Monterey Pine

Whimbrel

Earwig

Oregon Ensatina

California Lilac

Pacific Littleneck Clam

Cabezon

Marine Hermit Crab