BEAR BUMP!

As you may have noticed, the country is bursting with wildlife. Almost every day I see something beautiful and worth mentioning. One of my most memorable stories is a little short but certainly worth retelling…

About five years ago, the nursery was still in the construction phase, I was hanging out at my brothers house down the way. My father came down the hill on the rhino (a beefed out golf cart) and stopped to pick me up. We were heading down the hill to have dinner with my brother and some friends. We went out the gate, around the corner and had only gotten about…100ft or so down the road when I looked up the hill on my right directly behind my bro’s house and there was a black bear charging down the hill at us. Before I even had time to think he was upon us. He turned just as he reached us and actually bumped into the side of the rhino! My thigh brushed his fur and if I’d had the mind to reach out I would have touched him. He was as long, and almost as wide, as the rhino itself.

My dad hadn’t even noticed the bear was there before he was gone back up the hill again. The entire experience couldn’t have been more then 20 seconds but it’s something I’ll remember forever. Definitely a story to share with the grandkids someday.

I wanted to give you guys at home a little more information about the Wild California Black Bear. I found both of these sites very useful and interesting, I hope you feel the same.

http://sagehen.ucnrs.org/Documents/visitors/wildlife/bear.pdf

http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/mammals/ursu-ame.html

~ Stephanie

Our Yearly Visitors: Red Tail Hawks

 

An alert red tail hawk perched on top of a stump.

Our land expands beyond the barn in all directions.   The walk on the road from the hothouse to the olive orchard is about a quarter mile.  But if you decide to take a walk on the wildside, you can cut through the woods below.  There are no trails, only one way across a 15ft gully, and it’s about the same distance but it’s a much prettier walk (and really what fun is taking the road anyway?)

One day I was heading that direction and as I was just getting to the edge of the orchard I heard a noise above me.   It was a sudden, loud scream!  I wasn’t worried because I knew it wasn’t human (and therefore also not a mountain lion, because they sound very human).   As I glanced up I couldn’t see anything at first.   Then I spotted them.  Two Red Tail Hawks were in the trees over my head.   They were flying back and forth, screaming at each other.   Swooping and twirling around each other.   It was a beautiful dance to behold.  As I watched I noticed they didn’t particularly care for one another, and that’s when I realized they both had to be males and a female had to be near by.

I searched the surrounding area, and sure enough, about 10ft away up another tree was the pretty girl.   She was sitting on a branch very calm.   Whenever the males got near  she would shift a little, occasionally screaming at them.  I stood and watched the mating dance for a little while and then moved on.

Every year since the female has returned to breed in the same area.  It’s possible the same males come back as well but since the hawk population is steadily growing, it’s also possible she has many admirers.  We say, the more the merrier!  Especially near our orchards.   Hawks are wonderful vermin control along with being a beautiful addition to our amazing home.

Stephanie ~ 3/2/09

 

Further Reading:

http://www.desertusa.com/aug96/du_hawk.html

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-tailed_Hawk_dtl.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-tailed_Hawk