for
the coastal
area of northern California/SF Bay Region, including Marin County)
(*** = Phenology relates to recurring, seasonal events on land and in the heavens, many of which are often predictable based on weather, climate, temperature, latitude, time, and animal/plant physiology, among other factors.)
Note : New information for this 2010 Calendar appears in green text (below) and includes:
All
Sky Watch, Eclipse, and Meteor Shower updates, below
All "green text" events, below
(i.e., Black text events were present on 2009's version, so feel free to skip them, if you already previously read them.)
However,
in some cases, black text events have additional NEW information that appears
in green text, thereby
providing you greater insights and expanded facts related to an event (see
January, for example)
(Sky Watch information for each month (BELOW) is courtesy of www.skyandtelescope.com. Moon and planet times are based on Pacific Standard Time.)
1) Moon & Planet Rise & Set Times
For The 1st of This Month (at Latitude: 38:03:38 N, Longitude: 122:32:27 W, which is Novato, CA, 20 miles north of San Francisco, CA in Marin County):
|
SPHERE |
RISES |
SETS |
|
Sun |
7:26 AM |
5:01 PM |
|
Moon |
6:27 PM |
8:16 AM |
|
Mercury |
7:43 AM |
5:35 PM |
|
Venus |
7:20 AM |
4:47 PM |
|
Mars |
7:47 PM |
9:57 AM |
|
Jupiter |
10:00 AM |
8:39 PM |
|
Saturn |
11:39 PM |
11:47 AM |
|
Uranus |
11:09 AM |
10:51 PM |
|
Neptune |
9:54 AM |
8:31 PM |
|
Pluto |
6:37 AM |
4:41 PM |
2) Planet Highlights:
For months, giant Jupiter has dominated the evening sky. But now the king of planets is slip-sliding away in the west—catch it during January before it exits stage west.
Meanwhile, Mars is starting to ascend in the east after sunset. The Red Planet reaches opposition, the point in the sky opposite the Sun, on January 27th. This year's approach of Mars to Earth isn't one of its closest, but the Red Planet is still a satisfyingly bright ginger-ale-colored beacon in the sky.
There are plenty of other winter sparklers in view as well: Betelgeuse and Rigel in Orion, Aldebaran and the Pleiades in Taurus, and Sirius and Procyon marking the Hunter's dogs.
Full Moon: JAN 29 10:18 pm
Last Quarter: JAN 07: 2:39 am
New Moon: JAN 14 11:11 pm
First Quarter: JAN 23 2:53 am
Eclipses in 2010
During the year 2010, two solar and two lunar eclipses occur as follows:
2010 Jan 15: Annular Solar Eclipse
2010 June 26: Partial Lunar Eclipse (Visible In California!)
2010 July 11: Total Solar Eclipse
2010 Dec 21: Total Lunar Eclipse (Visible In California!)
See the following Web site for details about each eclipse in 2010: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html
|
Meteor Showers in 2010
|
|||
|
Shower
|
Constellation and direction |
Morning of maximum |
Hourly rate of meteors
|
|
Quadrantid* |
Draco (NE) |
Jan. 4 |
100 |
|
Lyrid |
Lyra (E) |
Apr. 22 |
10-20 |
|
Eta Aquarid* |
Aquarius (E) |
May 6 |
20-40 |
|
Delta Aquarid* |
Aquarius (S) |
July 29 |
20 |
|
Perseid |
Perseus (NE) |
Aug. 13 |
60 |
|
Orionid* |
Orion (SE) |
Oct. 21 |
10-15 |
|
Leonid* |
Leo (E) |
Nov. 18 |
10 |
|
Geminid |
Gemini (S) |
Dec. 14 |
100 |
* Moonlight will wash out fainter meteors in these showers.
January 4: Quadrantid Meteor Shower
The good news is that the Moon won't be a factor for this year's edition of the usually dependable Quadrantids. The bad news is that the peak of this short, sharp shower occurs during daylight hours for North America on January 4th, the usual date for its maximum. But head out anyway — you should still see dozens of meteors per hour streaming from its radiant in northern Boötes.
January 15: Annular Eclipse of the Sun
This eclipse won't be visible in North America.
January 28-29:
Super Low Tides Show off Sea Life
Extremely low
minus tides provide the best views of sea urchins, nudibranchs, and other
elusive intertidal life. Unfortunately, the tides often occur during wee
morning hours. Lucky for us, not so this month: January 28th has a -1.3 tide at
3:14 PM, and January 29th has an even lower -1.5 tide at 3:58. If you miss
these, you'll have to wait until May 17 for a -1.2 tide... at 7:44 AM. (Low
tide times are for Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach, CA).
Gray Whale
Migration: Frequent Flyer Journeys
Giant mammals are
now gliding past our coast on their journey south from feeding grounds in the
Bering Sea to calving grounds near Baja California. Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) migrate more than
12,000 miles each year. Given they migrate close to shore, you may be able to
see them from land along the Sonoma coast, at Pt. Reyes, and in Big Sur. Watch
for the low, puffy (some call them heart-shaped) spouts produced when the
whales exhale — with Point Reyes National Seashore's lighthouse one of the best
venues to view this phenomenon.
By Sea & Shore: Elephant Seals Are Currently "Must
See" Viewing
Northern Elephant
Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) spend
most of their life in the open ocean, diving up to 5,000 feet to feed on
pelagic fish and squid. They come ashore only to mate, give birth, and molt
their old skin and hair. By January, female Northern Elephant Seals have
returned to breeding beaches to give birth. The one 75-pound pup she produces
each year gains 10 pounds a day as it nurses on her extra-rich (50% fat!) milk.
Pups typically nurse for 28 days. After the pups are weaned, females mate with
one or more of the dominant males before leaving the beaches. By mid-March all
the adults are gone, leaving the pups to fend for themselves. In the ultimate
Survivor test, the pups (now called weaners) must learn to swim and catch fish
on their own. Once they've mastered these basic skills, the pups take to the
sea, heading north to feed off the coast of Washington and British Columbia.
They won't return to land until the fall. In the Bay Area, you can see elephant
seals pups at Chimney Rock in Pt. Reyes, or on a naturalist-led tour
(reservations required) at Aňo Nuevo State Reserve.
Stinky Blooms Delight Senses
While its name sounds like an unpleasant affliction, Fetid Adder's Tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii) is actually a
lovely wildflower. January is a good time to start searching for this
diminutive lily relative along trails in redwood forests. Three small, cream
and maroon-striped sepals surround three delicate upturned petals and three
stamens. The odorous blooms fade quickly but the dramatic mottled leaves
persist for several months.
After tiny fungus gnats pollinate the flowers, the seed capsules' weight pulls the stems to the ground, giving the plant its other common name, "Slink Pod." Slugs and ants may help spread seeds. In Marin County, look for Fetid Adder's Tongue in Muir Woods National Monument, Mount Tamalpais (Blithedale Canyon, Cataract Gulch, Fish Grade), Bolinas Ridge, San Geronimo Ridge, and San Rafael Hills. On the Peninsula, it may be found in early January along Crystal Springs Trail in Huddart County Park (Woodside) and later in the month along the Hazelnut Trail in San Pedro County Park (Pacifica).
Early Wildflower Bloom: 2010 Forbs/Ephemerals
Did you know our early (September, October 2009) rains resulted in an early bloom of wildflowers throughout the Bay Area? For example, unlike some years when some populations of Milkmaids, Deadly Nightshade, and CA Poppy would initially bloom in January and beyond, their peak occur by January this year (after blooming in October/November, 2009). Where are excellent spots to enjoy their beauty and dozens of other colorful wildflowers? Check out:
1) Annadel State Park, Santa Rosa, CA, Sonoma County
2) Chimney Rock (near the Lighthouse, Outer Point, Point Reyes National Seashore), Inverness, CA, Marin Co.
3) Edgewood County Park (south of SF), off I-280 and adjacent to it, San Mateo County
4) Black Diamond Mines Regional Park (ebparks.org), near Antioch and, especially, on Somersville Road (that exits off of Highway 4), East Bay of SF Bay
Are Herring Here Yet?
Watch for frenetic collections of gulls, scoters, cormorants, and sea lions within shallow spots of the Bay. Their presence is an indication that Pacific Herring have made their annual arrival. As early as November, yet sometimes waiting until this time of year, adult males and females seek spawning locations in shallow intertidal and subtidal waters. A single female may lay as many as 20,000 eggs in one spawn following ventral contact with submerged substrates such as eel grass. Why spawning begins is not understood, but some researchers believe the male initiates the process by release of milt (the seminal fluid of herring) that contains a pheromone that stimulates a female to begin egg laying. Egg laying appears to be collective so that an entire school may spawn in the period of a few hours, producing an egg density of up to 6,000,000 eggs per square meter.
Pop Quiz:
Which bird species is probably the earliest breeder in Marin County?
Answer: Early nesting Anna's hummingbirds may lay eggs this month or, in some cases, last month (December, 2009). More information about hummingbirds in California appears in the next account.
Note that some Anna's Hummingbirds exhibit nesting/courtship behavior by October (i.e., October, 2009). I noticed this phenomenon in my backyard's forested/open woods area this past 2009 autumn. The loud "pop" of diving males was heard regularly in our autumn landscape.
Of course, a second (and third brood) of Anna's may result from the most prolific breeders of this species. Not that any male Anna's would know about their brethren. That's because the male Anna's never bonds with his female partners. All males merely provide the "seed" by which newcomers develop in females, but they are left to fend for themselves on the nest. Males opt for quickly exiting Stage Left after impregnating their suitors. For this reason, you might say Anna's males take "Speed Dating" to a new avian level and meaning.
Anna's Hummingbirds, year-round residents in northern California (and throughout much of the state), may already be laying eggs — perhaps initiating courtship and/or nesting as early as December (!). Some early-nesting females will play hostess to two broods during the breeding season, with second clutches hatching as late as mid-August. Peak breeding and greatest nest abundance occurs in May. Amazing but true, this year's initial breeding cycle began in early November in Marin County where I live. That's when I began seeing courtship dances by male Anna's on my land. Whether the females were receptive then is another question that remains unproven.
Research studies have indicated this hummer species memorizes and learns a song in its first year of life, similar to the behavior of most songbirds. Allen's Hummingbirds, which breeds from s. California to s. Oregon, begin to migrate through the Bay Area in the final week of January after spending the winter in Baja California and Chihuahua in Mexico. Their preferred habitat is canyon woodlands, brush and highland meadows. This species breeds in the Bay Area, but by the end of July many have dispersed and/or left the Bay Area, and in mid- to late-August most of the species' population has migrated south.
Rufous Hummingbirds are seen only during migration in California, except for the extreme northern part of the state where their breeding area begins (and stretches north throughout much of Oregon, all of Washington, and into parts of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, as well as into British Columbia, Alberta and southeast Alaska). Other hummingbirds occur in California, of course, but the aforementioned three species are usually the most common ones to see in the Bay Area/Marin County. Calliope, and Costa's Hummingbird, and Black-Chinned Hummingbird are sometimes observed in the Bay Area, though the initial two of these three species is considered a "casual visitor" to Marin County (and Black-Chinned the most rare, yet still considered a "casual visitor") — with all three occasional to common casual visitors in more eastward Bay Area counties.
See above for more information about the breeding dynamics of Anna's Hummingbird in N. CA/the Bay Area.
Swallows During Winter In Northern California?
They are never a common sight, but it's possible to see the following swallow species in Marin County (and the Bay Area) during the winter in the following order, from most common to rare: Tree, Barn, and Violet-green. Our other northern California summer residents — Northern Rough-Winged, Cliff, and Bank — are considered rare to not present in January, though they may return on migration by no later than the end February during some to most years.
Purple Martin are also typically absent from our area in January and February. As for swift species, White-Throated are by far the most typical one to see, if any, from January-March. Vaux's return on migration in April, while the more uncommon to "casual visitor" swift species — Chimney and Black — are usually spotted (if at all) from May through mid-October in northern California.
Checklists specific to a Bay Area region sometimes miss indicating the aforementioned swallows are potential winter sightings. I've noticed, for example, more reports by excellent birders in recent years of over-wintering Tree and Barn in the Bay Area. To wit, in the past, many of the same birders in the Bay Area used to believe that Tree Swallow completely left the Bay Area as an autumn migrant. Now, that dynamic has changed. Instead, Tree Swallow (and, increasingly, Barn Swallow) are considered a regular non-breeding season inhabitant (in small numbers) throughout the Bay Area (e.g., Las Gallinas Wildlife Ponds, San Rafael, Marin Co.).
Hibernating Birds in Our Area?
Not exactly. But our Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii californicus) (also called the Dusky Common Poorwill as the nominate race among five subspecies in the species) does exhibit winter torpor. According to Wikipedia, the Common Poorwill is the only bird known to go into torpor for extended periods (weeks to months). Such an extended period of torpor is close to a state of hibernation, a condition not known among other birds. It was described definitively by Dr. Edmund Jaeger in 1948 based on a Poorwill he discovered hibernating in the Chuckwalla Mountains of California in 1946.
By the way, don't let this bird's name fool you. It's never "common" where we live in northern California. In Marin County, one of the best spots to see Common Poorwill is along open areas, hillsides and talus slopes on Mount Tamalpais. More typical, I hear this bird's vocalizations only and, if I'm lucky, then find it.
1) Moon & Planet Rise & Set Times
For The 1st of This Month (at Latitude: 38:03:38 N, Longitude: 122:32:27 W, which is Novato, CA, 20 miles north of San Francisco, CA in Marin County):
|
SPHERE |
RISES |
SETS |
|
Sun |
7:15 AM |
5:33 PM |
|
Moon |
9:01 PM |
8:32 AM |
|
Mercury |
5:54 AM |
3:33 PM |
|
Venus |
7:36 PM |
5:54 PM |
|
Mars |
4:50 PM |
7:28 AM |
|
Jupiter |
8:16 AM |
7:11 PM |
|
Saturn |
9:36 PM |
9:45 AM |
|
Uranus |
9:09 AM |
8:55 PM |
|
Neptune |
7:55 AM |
6:34 PM |
|
Pluto |
4:39 AM |
2:44 PM |
2) Planet Highlights:
Saturn is rising in the middle of the evening this month. Look for it 15 degrees to the lower left of the waning gibbous moon on February 1st. On the 2nd, the Moon will be about 8 degrees to the lower right of Saturn. Towards the end of the month, Venus begins to emerge in the evening sky, becoming visible in the west just after sunset. Mars remains visible. On February 25th, Mars will be six degrees above the waxing moon, forming a cosmic smile.
The asteroid 4 Vesta reaches opposition on February 17-18, shining at a magnitude 6.1. Look for it in the constellation Leo, which will rise in the east after 11 PM.
Full moon is called the Groundhog Day Moon, February 28: 8:38 am
Last Quarter: February 5 3:48 pm
New Moon: February 13 6:51 pm
First Quarter: February 21 4:42 pm
February. 12-15:
Backyard Birdwatchers Unite As Citizen Scientists:
The Annual Great Backyard Birds Count
Each February, backyard birdwatchers help scientists and bird enthusiasts learn more about bird populations across the United States by participating in The Great Backyard Bird Count, a joint project of the Cornell Lab or Ornithology and the Audubon Society. So, if you want to count your backyard birds and report your observations online, go learn more at:
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
Insects Awakening:
Ladybird Beetles Becoming Active After Winter Slumber (Dormancy)
(Source: http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/fall99projects/ladybug.htm)
Did you know that insects migrate? In May and June, one of our most familiar six-legged residents, the Convergent Ladybird Beetle (Hippodamia convergens), moves from the hot, dry valleys to the cooler climes of the High Sierra and Coast Ranges. Once in the mountains, the adult beetles bulk up in preparation for hibernation by eating pollen and nectar. When temperatures dip in the fall, the beetles follow river valleys to lower elevations (2,000-5,000 ft.), where they gather in huge numbers and take shelter for the winter under leaf litter, inside tree hollows, and in any other protected location. When the weather begins to warm up in late February and early March, tens of thousands of ladybird beetles emerge from hibernation and head back to the valleys.
Why so much movement? Aphids are the answer. Larval ladybirds are voracious carnivores, gobbling up to 50 aphids a day. Before home gardeners and farmers started artificially introducing water to the landscape, aphids were only present during the rainy season. So ladybird beetles evolved to exploit this seasonal abundance, timing their arrival in the valley and subsequent egg-laying to coincide with the early spring's aphid population explosion.
Each ladybird beetle lives for only one year. After mating and laying eggs (usually by May), the adults die, making way for the next generation.
Heads Down: Looking for Newts On The Loose
(Source: http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi-bin/amphib_query?where-genus=Taricha&where-species=torosa)
In the San Francisco Bay Area, mature California Newt (Taricha torosa) individuals begin their annual migration to breeding ponds and streams in December and continue migrating until the end of this month. Look for these intrepid amphibians on land during wet weather near deep, slow pools. The East Bay's Tilden Park and Sunol Regional Wilderness are two local Hot Spots.
In fact, Tilden's South Park Drive is such a superhighway of amphibian traffic (as they cross the road while oblivious to the approaching death march of vehicle tires) that park officials close it from November-March in order to protect newts.
The California newt embraces its amphibian activity in a fast-forward lifestyle. Seeing them amble about the landscape now is rare because for the vast majority of the year, they're underground or in burrows/logs/leaf litter, etc. Peak viewing times correspond to rainy nights, as they seek mates and lay their eggs in ponds or streams (such as Tilden's habitats).
Mission accomplished above ground, adults retreat from the water quickly after breeding, and spend the dry summer months hunkered down while aestivating (the warm weather equivalent of hibernating) away from our view. Likewise, young (larval) newts develop in water. As water supplies dwindle, larvae begin to change into adults (metamorphosis). Young newts leave the water in later summer or fall, spend the next few years on land, and return to the water to breed after reaching maturity.,
When do young mature and become adults? We don't know. Researchers who study newts in the field have not identified the age of sexual maturity: datasets vary from three to eight years.
California Newts can live for more than 20 years. This longevity is no doubt aided by their extreme toxicity. Adults, embryos and eggs contain tetrodotoxin (TTX), a strong and potentially deadly neurotoxin. Larvae, however, do not posses TTX, making them an important food source for animals such as garter snakes. To be on the safe side, say hello to these colorful newts if you find them crossing the road, but don't give them a kiss for good luck.
Wildflowers Rising To The Occasion
Watch now for more than a dozen early wildflowers opening their blossoms in a variety of habitats. Within coast live oak/California bay forests, you're likely to see ground iris, Douglas iris, milkmaids, hounds tongue, mission bells, and California buttercup.
An excellent Web site to track the bloom of spring wildflowers is compiled and maintained by writer/photographer Carol Leigh. To see reports of the latest sightings or to announce your own discoveries, visit:
http://calphoto.com/wflower.htm
Loud Waterfalls Announce The Season
Prime time viewing of the Bay Area's and northern California's ample waterfalls are a delight to the senses. What could be more invigorating and awe-inspiring than to feel the powerful force of liquid Earth bombarding the placid landscape? Looking up at the roaring display of frenetic molecules in motion within a waterfall, it's easy to lose track of time. You're simply there, and life is good. Your hypnotized gaze is proof that the best things in life are free. Some of the best locations for viewing waterfalls in our area appear in a Web site: www.marintrails.com/falls.html
A different angle is to think how loud, rushing water along your trail walk may challenge your ability to successfully converse with a trailside partner. After a few switchbacks of dialogue that include "what" and "sorry," you decide there's a better solution than yelling and screaming. You decide to surrender. A hike with the mute button "on" is not all bad. You let the anarchic accompaniment of water be your solace, a step-by-step meditation.
Loud Waterfalls, Cacophonous Creeks, And Bird Song
As an extension from the previous entry above, consider the following ecologic mystery while you're walking beside a creek that emits an incessant refrain of rushing water: Does the loud sound affect singing birds and their ability to hear each other while establishing territories and attempting to attract mates along bottomland areas? The answer is only partially understood. In early winter, the question is invalid when no singing bird species in our area have yet begun to use their voices to attract mates or defend territories.
But conditions soon change when February arrives. In particular, now's the time to ponder whether Orange-Crowned Warbler males (that may begin arriving in late February in our area) are negatively impacted by the cacophonous presence of water? Does the noisy environs affect their ability to successfully complete their appointed season's life cycle? And what about Oak Titmouse, Bewick's Wren, and Hutton's Vireo — all of which are often singing in February and beyond within or nearby in upland areas within earshot of noisy bottomlands? Do all of these bird species have to wait until March and April and beyond to attract a mate that can finally better hear them? Or do they simply abandon a percussive bottomland area for more quiet nesting areas elsewhere that offer similar habitat conditions? The answer is a qualified "yes." At least one streamside study has shown birds upland and more removed from loud streams have an easier time hearing the companion birds with which they share the same habitat. The article suggests upland birds more successfully find mates and complete their breeding cycle with newborns fledgling from nests.
This month and next, watch for red sea urchins (a four-inch echinoderm) during low tides along rocky stretches of the northern California coast. Spawning occurs now through March, and their populations appear to be flourishing due in part to the increasing absence of predators (such as sea otters) in parts of the ranges where both these critters live.
Early returning birds that you may now begin seeing again include several swallow species (beyond populations that did not leave for the winter) such as Tree Swallow, followed by Violet-Green (mid-February), Cliff (mid-February), and Barn and Northern Rough-Winged (late February). Purple Martin will also arrive by April and nest in the area. Bank Swallow is rare to locally extinct in much of the Bay Area.
One of the most common birds you can see in the winter landscape now is the diminutive and frenetic Ruby-Crowned Kinglet. Enjoy them while they're here. They'll soon be gone. By the end of April, most have left for breeding grounds in the foothills/Sierras and latitudes farther north, and all vacate the Bay Area during the breeding season.
Meanwhile, populations of the look-alike Golden-Crowned Kinglet are also present in the Bay Area during this time, and some will remain to breed here (e.g., western Marin County). One major telltale field mark clue is the absence of feather coloring in the crown of most Ruby-Crowneds, while all Golden-Crowned, both male and female, exhibit yellow in the crown (with the male adding a golden central median stripe on the crown).
Their feeding behavior is also often an easy way to tell them apart from a distance. One study suggests Ruby-Crowneds forage within the upper thirds of trees more frequently and that individuals typically hover while they feed in a tree's interior portions. On the other hand, Golden-Crowned populations often use a gleaning behavior to find food resources at the tips of branches (Kathleen E. Franzreb, Foraging Habits of Ruby-Crowned and Golden-Crowned Kinglets in an Arizona Montane Forest,
Kathleen E. Franzreb. 139-145, 1984; A. Keast and S. Saunders, Ecomorphology of the North American Ruby-crowned (Regulus calendula) and Golden-crowned (R. satrapa) Kinglets. Auk 108: 880–888, 1991)
Seeing an owl during the day in open country? If so, you may be observing the Short-Eared Owl, which wears a dark facial disk that emphasizes its yellow eyes. Short-eard Owl is rarely seen in Marin County, but individuals are sometimes spotted in isolated portions along Tomales Bay or in distant trails and raised embankments accessible from the Las Gallinas Ponds in San Rafael.
Other day-flying, or diurnal, owl species to look for include the Burrowing, Long-Eared and Barn Owl. Which is the most common owl species in our area? The answer is the Great Horned Owl, a species that is more common in urban-suburban areas than people realize. Even the slightest sliver of natural surroundings may attract this species that has evidently adapted well to living within and near developed areas.
The Burrowing Owl is rare and usually only seen in open areas during the non-breeding season. Long-Eared are also rare and perhaps best found in dense growths of vegetation such as riparian corridors. Barn Owl nests throughout the area, both in human structures or in trees such as oaks.
1) Moon & Planet Rise & Set Times
For The 1st of This Month (at Latitude: 38:03:38 N, Longitude: 122:32:27 W, which is Novato, CA, 20 miles north of San Francisco, CA in Marin County):
|
SPHERE |
RISES |
SETS |
|
Sun |
6:42 AM |
6:04 PM |
|
Moon |
7:48 PM |
6:57 AM |
|
Mercury |
6:25 AM |
5:07 PM |
|
Venus |
7:17 AM |
6:59 PM |
|
Mars |
2:22 PM |
5:10 AM |
|
Jupiter |
6:43 AM |
5:54 PM |
|
Saturn |
7:38 PM |
7:51 AM |
|
Uranus |
7:23 AM |
7:12 PM |
|
Neptune |
6:08 AM |
4:49 PM |
|
Pluto |
2:52 AM |
12:57 PM |
2) Planet Highlights:
This is Saturn�s month, as the Ringed World makes its closest approach to Earth this year on the night of the 22nd. At magnitude 0.5, Saturn is the brightest object in the east, rising at sunset and staying out all night. That makes it brighter than all but four of the night�s stars. But it looks dimmer than might be expected in part because you�re seeing its rings nearly edgewise. Mars, well up at dusk and still quite bright, again loses half of its light even as it continues to outshine every star except Sirius. Venus returns during the last week of the month, quite low in the western sky after sunset, joined by Mercury just below it. Spring arrives with the vernal equinox on March 20 at 11:32 AM (PST).
Full Moon is called the Sap Moon, Crow Moon or Lenten Moon: MAR 30 8:38 am
Last Quarter: MAR 7 7:42 am
New Moon: MAR 15 1:01 pm
First Quarter: MAR 23 3:00
am
March 14, 2:00 AM:
Daylight
Savings Time starts. Set clocks ahead one hour. (SPRING FORWARD)
March 20: Spring Equinox (Spring begins 11:32 PST)
{Set clocks ahead one hour on the night of March 20 ("SPRING FORWARD")}
Premiere Showing:
Harbor Seal Pups Spotted On Shore
In
California, March marks the beginning of pupping season for Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina). Females gather on shore
in rookeries and give birth to a single 30-pound pup, which can swim shortly
after birth.
Mothers
may leave their pups alone on the rocks for briefly while they hunt for fish,
squid and other seafood. Each year, well-intentioned, but misinformed people
pick up or otherwise interfere with an "orphaned" seal. In turn, the
pup (that waits patiently while its mother forages for their food before she
returns) gets separated, then unknowingly absconded by an oblivious person.
Look for
Harbor Seal rookeries in Bolinas Lagoon (Marin Co.) and Fitzgerald Marine
Reserve (San Mateo Co.). Don't approach too closely to the seals (especially if
you are walking a dog) as you may disrupt their nursing or resting schedules.
Native Bees Prowling for Pollen (And
Nectar)
Quick:
what do you picture when you hear the word "Bee"? You probably think
of Apis mellifera, the European
Honeybee. But California has more than 1,500 species of its own native bees.
Their sizes and colors are as varied as the plants on which they feed.
Native bees have evolved to hatch or come out of hibernation when their preferred food source is available. In spring, metallic green or blue bees in the genus Osmia and black bees of the genus Adrena appear in time to exploit early blooming flowers such as the California Poppy. Native bumblebees (genus Bombus) also make their debut early in the season—and you see them now as the largest bumblebees hovering close to the ground.
As the seasons change, so do the bee species and their preferred pollen and nectar plants. Wish to help native bees thrive? One way is to plant a variety of their favored flowering plants in your garden.
Professor
Gordon Frankie and his students at the University of California --Berkeley have
created a wonderful website filled with information about urban bee gardens: http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/index.html
Seasonal Vernal Pools Shelter Vulnerable
Species
Weeks
and weeks of rain. Then months and months of dry, sunny weather. That's
California's Mediterranean climate.
More
exact, during the rainy season (typically November through March), where rain
collects in grassland depressions (where impermeable layers of hardpan,
claypan, or volcanic basalt occur) vernal pools form (i.e., temporary ponds).
They may dry up and refill several times each rainy season.
Turns
out the borders of these vernal pools host impressive colorful expressions of
diverse wildflowers. In so doing, you'll see rainbow-like concentric circles of
vernal pool endemic wildflowers grow on the outer edges of pools. In turn, as
water slowly evaporates as spring progresses, other flower species bloom as
spring proceeds in relation to slowly-waning soil moisture.
Vernal pool wildflowers have descriptive names: Meadow Foam. Wooly Marbles, Button Celery, Butter and Eggs, to name just five. Joining them, invertebrates in impressive numbers occur in vernal pools. They provide food for birds, lizards, and other animals. These fragile habitats provide home to vulnerable, threatened, and endangered animals including the California Tiger Salamander, the Western Spadefoot Toad, and several species of fairy shrimp.
Habitat loss is one of the biggest threats to native species, and vernal pools are themselves threatened by development. Today, only 13% of California's vernal pools remain. Most of the best-preserved pools are privately owned by conservation organizations or land trusts.
In Northern California, both Jepson Prairie Preserve in Solano County and Mather Field in Sacramento County offer guided tours of their vernal pools in spring. For more information, visit www.vernalpools.org
Baby Time
Which animals give birth this month? A large variety. Watch for baby Western Tree Squirrels, Opossum, and Raccoons. We don't usually get lucky enough to see newborn mammals because the mother or both parents typically hide their young from any potential predators. But you can sometimes see Western Tree Squirrel mothers transferring their babies from one tree "nest" to another or spot a family of Raccoons at night in your backyard (perhaps easier while using an infrared light bulb to cast a glow that the raccoons ignore but is bright enough for your own viewing pleasure).
For
another related example of seeing the rare sight
of babies in the wild, see the entry above about Harbor Seals.
Western Tree Squirrel: Newborns All Around
Even urban areas with sparse tree growth may host Western Tree Squirrel
populations. Now's
an ideal time to see males competing for the attention of females. Two to five
young are born this month where females have retreated to tree cavities. By
June, the newborns are active (though not yet full grown, so you can tell them
apart from adults).
During most breeding seasons, you can expect this month to feature a variety of migrating birds returning to coastal northern California in good numbers, including the House Wren, Warbling Vireo, Wilson's Warbler, Pacific-Sloped Flycatcher and Cliff Swallow.
Do you wish to see rare, accidental or early bird migrants in northern California? Call the "Bird Box" to find out at 415/681-7422. You may also record your own bird sighting reports at the same phone number.
Now's the time to watch for the appearance of various butterflies and moths. One of the most appealing is the Silkmoth (Saturnia mendocino), which wears a striking black-rimmed eyespot on each wing. Look for them most commonly in coastal and mountain chaparral.
Going to the California mountains this time of year? Be on the lookout for several species of birds: Williamson's Sapsucker (a woodpecker that feeds on the sap of lodgepole pine during the summer but eats more insects in the winter), Black-backed Woodpecker, Mountain Chickadee (that eats larvae of the lodgepole needleminer during the winter), Pine Grosbeak (less common in winter up high), Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Red Crossbill (also less common). The latter two species are year-round residents in Marin County, but they are never common to see, and are often detected initially by a birder's ear tuned to the landscape.
Some winter resident birds in the Bay Area and northern California begin to leave now for breeding areas elsewhere, including species such as American Pipit and Cedar Waxwing.
Which true hibernating mammals are getting closer to "waking up" from their long winter's sleep? In foothill and mountainous areas of northern California, yellowbelly marmot, least chipmunk, California ground squirrel, and western jumping mice all hibernate. Some of these species may spend seven to eight months in a torpid state, though not all ground squirrel populations hibernate and many individuals in our area remain above ground or are active by January.
Migrating birds whose return to northern California typically occurs in higher numbers now (and into the first two weeks of April) include MacGillivray's Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, Yellow Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Lazuli Bunting, and Swainson's Thrush. Excellent guides to birding in our area include "Birder's Guide to Northern California" (Lolo and Jim Westrich, Gulf Publishing Co., 1991) and "Birding Northern Calfornia," John Kemper, A Falcon Guide, Globe Pequot Press, 2001). You may also wish to find guided birding walks that are pre-scheduled on local Audubon chapter web sites that are accessed through www.audubon.org
(Click on the home page's button titled "states and chapters" to access any local California Audubon chapter among the dozens listed.)
