(EDITOR’S NOTE: Bruce from 2016.)
Out here on Long’s Achers, the wildlife is abundant. To the South, the presence of the city is in fast approach. More homes are slated to be built. To the West, are still remains of partial rural living. “Homes with horses,“ I call it. To the North there is a 300 plus acre parcel owned by one of the areas first pioneer families. A large 100 year old farm house with adjacent barns to match, sits between valley oaks that are the same age. To the East, what used to be a very small railroad town, has taken forty years to become a booming metropolis. Unfathomable traffic jams, every where you go!
Ever since the drought began to be overwhelming to us humans, I’ve noticed how it has changed the wildlife around Long’s Achers. The most noticeable are the deer. From 1968 up until last year. There has never been a deer in sight of the house. Last year I started to spot them on the property across the street. One or two would be strolling along, then disappear into the trees. Right into an area that I often hear the multitude of voices that a coyote can produce. And I do, from time to time, hear the magnificent chorus of many a coyote at night.
This year a small heard of deer have taken up residency under some trees growing over my neighbor’s old horse paddock. Every morning, while it is still dark, I spot them out in the field having an early morning snack of dry grass. They are very fond of another neighbor’s three acre strawberry farm. Strawberries must taste better than roses? While still in the darkness, with just barely a hint of light peaking over the sierras, silently and stealthy, an owl wisps by headed toward the creek and nesting area up in the old oaks. Other birds have already started chattering about what they plan to do with their day. What music!
One of my other favorites, are the jack rabbits. Any time of day they are out. Last month while I was doing some disking, I came upon two small baby jack rabbits. I always keep my eyes open because I don’t like finding remnants of them on the property. I stopped the tractor, got off, then started chasing them towards a wood pile for safety. One of them absolutely refused to go toward the wood pile. So I trapped ‘em under some dry grass and scooped ‘em up with my leather gloves. You know that vibrating battery bunny? That’s exactly how they are in real life. This baby bunny wasn’t much bigger than the palm of my hand. I was looking to see if there was a switch to turn him off. This little bunny was vibrating some much, just holding on was a challenge in itself. I set ‘em down next to the wood pile and not one more notion of movement occurred. Not until I walked away and was out of sight.
In the upper canopy of the large valley oaks, across the street, is a nest with a pair of red-tail hawks. They pick out their mates for life. Over the years I have witnessed many young red-tail hawks flying with their parents. One day the large male was circling upward on a thermal current. Rose so high in the sky, I could barely see the hawk. Just to mention, this red-tail hawk seems to be the size of a VW micro bus. Really, he is one of the largest birds I have ever seen. He is huge! Anyway, he is way up there in the sky. And in two blinks of the eye, this hawk had tucked his wings right close, next to his sides. At a forty-five degree angle, in a split second, this hawk was down to less than a hundred feet off of the ground. Swooped up sharply, landing on the top of the oak tree just as softly as possible. I am certain that anything else trying to perform this would experience “high speed wobble” and fall apart before reaching the ground. Watching this red-tail hawk was a very exciting experience.
Along with the four-legged skunk, raccoon, squirrel, coyote, deer and lizards. There are two-legged foul every where from wild turkey, turkey vultures, ducks, geese, doves, pigeons, flickers, quail, pheasant, finches and mocking birds. I have to mention the “no legs” king snakes that seem to appear in the drive-way just under the gate. They really like warming up on the asphalt drive-way entrance. There are many more critters and tales to tell about them.
So no matter where you live. Look up, look all around you, you may see nature at it’s finest hour. If you see something special, let me know. I’d like to hear about the wild life!
Thanks for listening
Bruce Long
