Nature's Neighbors ~ Signing off for now

Due to the lack of interest and activity on this blog, we will discontinue posts for now.  If you have been following Nature's Neighbors, and would like to see it continued, please sign up to "follow" this blog and send us a message telling us you would like it active again. You can also find our page on FaceBook and follow us there if you like.
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Back Into Nature                                             Bye-bye!

Nature's Neighbors ~ Common Raven

Being one of my most beloved birds, I had trouble keeping this write-up short.  There’s just so much to admire in this wonderful creature.  So leave your old wives tales and superstitions behind to learn the truth about these black beauties, and if you get the opportunity to watch them for a while, you’ll enjoy the show.

 
Adult in N.M.                                             photo by Ann Womer

Corvus corax is the largest member of the scientific order Passeriformes (the songbirds, such as the Northern Cardinal).  At maturity, the Common Raven averages 25 inches in length and 2.6 pounds. They live about 10 to 15 years in the wild, although life spans of up to 40 years in captivity have been recorded. They usually do not breed until they are 2-4 years old and typically mate for life. Pairs stay together year round, roosting near one another at night.  Historically, they used cliffs and trees as nesting sites and still do, however, power towers, bridges, and other man-made structures are also used now. Nest sites are often re-used for many years, though nests may be reconstructed or built anew.

Common Ravens aren’t as social as crows; young, unmated birds may travel in loose flocks, but except for landfills or other food bonanzas, you will tend to see them alone or in pairs.  Ravens are confident, inquisitive birds that strut about or occasionally bound forward with light, two-footed hops that resemble skipping. In flight they are playful, buoyant and graceful, interspersing soaring, tumbling, gliding, and slow flaps, and usually vocalizing.

 
Pair in flight

This intriguing bird has done well accompanying people around the Northern Hemisphere for centuries, following their wagons, sleighs and hunting parties in hopes of a quick snack, and more recently by raiding vehicles for goodies and using our landfills and backyards to find a free meal.

 
Pair in a Colorado campground

They are believed by some to be the smartest of all birds, gaining a reputation for solving very complicated problems invented for them by the creative scientists who study them.  If adaptability is any sign of intelligence, then the Common Raven ranks as a superstar: They are found worldwide, thriving from Siberia to North Africa, and in the western hemisphere, from Alaska to Central America.  They have proven their ingenuity and survival skills by being the only species of bird found on the Christmas Bird Count in the month of December in Point Barrow Alaska, and it is one of a very few birds that are encountered by climbers up on Mt. Everest.

 
Pair in Alaska

Being omnivorous, opportunistic feeders has enabled the raven to survive in such diversity of habitat within it’s enormous range worldwide. They take food wherever they find it, and for them that can range from, carrion, reptiles, amphibians, bird eggs and young, insects, plant matter and garbage. Sometimes pairs will actively hunt together where one bird flushes out the prey and other catches it.

Some physical features and behaviors of the Common Ravens will help to keep you from confusing them with crows and the smaller Chihuahuan Raven.  Look for the Common Raven's heftier bill, shaggy throat feathers, more slender, pointed wings, and longer, wedge-shaped tail, and listen to the vocalizations.  The smaller Chihuahuan Raven found in southern and west Texas has a shorter bill, longer feathers around the bill, and less deep voice. Where these two species overlap, the Chihuahuan Raven tends to be in open areas at lower elevations and the Common Raven in more forested areas at higher elevations.

 American Crow    









Common Raven

 Unlike crows, Common Ravens also are adept at and take great pleasure in play during flight, rolling and tumbling with one another, particularly during courtship.   Another useful behavior clue is this: ravens frequently cruise along roads looking for carrion, often waiting their turn with vultures. Crows don't typically do this, so if you see a bird flying right down the middle of a road, it's probably a raven.

So remember to think about this when viewing these beautiful animals, you’re probably not the only one doing the watching, Ravens are always keen to learn new things and are being just as inquisitive as you are!

Nature's Neighbors ~ Eastern Blacknecked Garter Snake

This beautiful snake is diurnal, or active during the day, but it is also very shy, so if you catch a glimpse of one, feel privileged.  In Texas, Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus is restricted to the Edwards Plateau of the Hill Country, and for good reason. These snakes prefer fairly dry, rocky habitat near a steady water supply, which they are not very picky about.  Water from a sprinkler, pet water bowl or birdbath will suffice as a water supply, as long as it’s constant and they can drink a bit every few days. Habitat with limestone boulders and rock piles, are ideal places for this species. Besides Texas, they are also found in New Mexico, Arizona, and much of Mexico (except along the arid gulf coast lowlands).

Juvenile

 

 Blacknecks typically feed near a water source. This is because their preferred food is amphibians. Cliff chirping frogs, and gulf coast toads are their prey of choice. In non-drought years in the summer, there are many young toads in the leaf litter that probably provide plenty of nutritious food.  Slimy salamanders play some part in their diets as well as they have been documented feeding on slimy salamanders with apparent relish.  Last on the list of choice food items is fish. In a case where amphibians are not as abundant as normal, they will hunt small fish.

Predators include coral snakes, roadrunners, raccoons, opossums, foxes, ravens, crows, and  birds of prey.  Humans impact garter snake habitat by development and by the spillage or dumping of toxic chemicals. Development has not greatly impacted the eastern blackneck due to their preference of rocky hillsides and cliffs, and hopefully the populations in inaccessible areas will be unaffected by development for years to come, but chemical pollution is another story. Since the amphibian prey that this species rely on are often poisoned by human chemical dumps (i.e.: fertilizer and pesticide runoff, oil, gas, etc.), the garter population is doubtless affected as well, either directly by lack of prey, or indirectly, by absorbing toxins from eating them.

Adult

 This is a very beautiful and non-venomous species of snake that is just living it’s life and steering clear of humans, so you should leave them unmolested and enjoy them! 

Nature's Neighbors ~ Texas Persimmon

During this enduring, exceptional statewide drought, we will feature a Texas native that so far, has needed no watering help to survive.

Texas Persimmon or Diospyros texana is one of our state’s premier small trees. The bark of mature specimens peels away to reveal shades of gray, white and pink on the trunk underneath, rivaling the beauty of the Texas Madrone.  

 

 It is extremely drought-tolerant and disease-resistant, it’s leaves are of low preference to white-tailed deer and in landscaping it is ideal for small spaces in full sun.  It grows best in shallow, rocky limestone soils, and in the Edwards Plateau it can make heavy thickets which serve as cover for wildlife.  North of the Rio Grande Valley where winters are cold, it is usually deciduous.

Flowers appear in March and April and are arranged singly or in small clusters among the new leaves, male and female on separate plants. The fruits, borne on female trees are fleshy, round and up to 1 inch in diameter.  From late July into September they turn black and soft,  ripening sweet and edible with a flavor some liken to prunes. The fruit pulp produces an indelible black stain and is still used as a dye.

 

Several characteristics enable Texas persimmon to survive in semiarid environments.  The broad upwardly inclined leaves and smooth bark with low water retention serve to funnel rainwater down the stems.  Like most drought tolerant plants Texas persimmon grows slowly, it reaches only two to three and a half feet in height after five years. Normally 10-15 feet tall at maturity, it can reach 35 feet in the southern parts of its range.   

Appearance can vary widely depending on whether the plant has been pruned or left to grow naturally, which is multi-trunked and shrubby with a round shape.

 Wildlife use Texas persimmon for food, shelter, and cover.  Coyote, raccoon, ringtail, foxes, deer, peccary and other mammals and birds eat the fruit, and it is a larval host to the Gray hairstreak and Henrys Elfin butterfly.

We heartily encourage switching your landscaping to natives planted in the ground that are able to withstand going without water for longer periods of time than the typical moisture dependent plants and trees that nurseries sell.  Planting Texas persimmon is one way to start! 

Nature's Neighbors~Summer Hiatus

Thanks to all of you who have been sharing fun facts about the natural world around us.  We will be taking a break for the summer, and will be back with new and interesting neighbors in September!  
See you then!

Nature's Neighbors ~ Ringtail

A Ringtail is a carnivore resembling a small fox with a long flattened tail that is banded with 14 to 16 alternating black and white rings and a black tip.  They have five toes on each foot that are armed with sharp, curved, non-retractable claws.  They are nocturnal, very timid, and rarely seen, and as adults these mammals lead solitary lives, generally coming together only to mate.

Commonly, but incorrectly called Ring-tailed Cat and Miner’s Cat , they are not felines at all, but are members of the Procyonidae family along with raccoons and coatimundis.  They are distributed statewide, but are uncommon in the upper panhandle, the lower Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Plains of southern Texas.  They weigh from 1-2 pounds and are two feet in length (including the tail) and in the wild they will live around 6-9 years.

Ringtail mate in the spring. The gestation period is 45–50 days, during which the male will provide food for the female. There will be on average, 2-4 cubs in a litter, and by the age of four months they are hunting for themselves and are indistinguishable from adults except for their smaller size.  Being omnivorous, they will eat just about anything if it’s the right size. Depending on season, their food choices are fruit, insects, arachnids, lizards, snakes, small mammals, as well as birds and bird eggs.  Ringtail predators include, but are not limited to, Great horned owls, bobcats, and coyotes.

Ringtail are excellent climbers capable of ascending vertical walls, trees, rocky cliffs and even cacti. They have excellent eyesight as well as hearing, both helpful adaptations for a nocturnal animal.  Ringtail live in a variety of habitats within their range, but they have a decided preference for rocky areas such as stone walls and piles, canyon walls, and talus slopes. They can rotate their hind feet 180 degrees, giving them a good grip for descending those same structures.  They occur less commonly in woodland areas where they live in hollow trees and logs, and they are also known to live in buildings. Being such good  climbers, they have little difficulty in searching out and denning in well-protected crevices, crannies, and hollows.  The Ringtail prefers to live in habitats associated with water.

Proving itself an effective mouser, miners and early settlers once kept Ringtail as pets to keep their cabins free of vermin; hence, the incorrect common names mentioned above.  Often a small box with a hole was provided and placed near a heat source as a dark, warm place for the animal to sleep during the day, not to come out until after dark to rid the cabin of mice.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Spotted Gar

 The Spotted gar or Lepisosteus oculatus, is one of three gar species native to Texas. These are fresh water fish that are long and cylindrical with elongated mouths and can grow to a length of up to 3 feet and weigh up to 8 pounds.  Their long, snout-like mouth is lined with strong, sharp teeth, and their body is covered with thick, diamond-shaped scales. Spotted gar may be distinguished from other Texas gar species by the dark roundish spots on the top of the body, head and fins.   They have an extensive range and can be found from central Texas east into western Florida then north through the Mississippi River drainage into Illinois, the lower Ohio River, and the Lake Erie drainage.

Gar are often seen basking just below the surface of the water in calm, weedy areas.  They move casually but deliberately, and when hunting they are stalkers, slowly following behind prey until they rapidly strike from the side. Fry feed primarily on insect larvae and tiny crustaceans, but fish appear on the diet of young gar very early. Prey is swallowed headfirst. Spotted gar are eaten by larger fish, alligators, herons, cottonmouth snakes and occasionally, humans.

This fish requires clear vegetated water, but unfortunately habitats such as this are rapidly disappearing in its range.  Disturbance of and encroachment on waterways and lakes negatively impact this species.  They do have a specialized swim bladder which allows them to gulp air at the waters surface and live in the poorly oxygenated back waters of Texas' streams, swamps and lakes.  They also sometimes enter brackish (saltier) waters along the Gulf Coast, but do not live there.

The long-lived gar has a life span of up to 18 years. They spawn from April to May in shallow water with low flow and heavy vegetation. The roe (or egg mass) is highly toxic to humans, animals, and birds.  The number of eggs varies greatly, but upwards to 20,000 adhesive eggs are attached to aquatic plants. Fry hatch after 10 to 14 days and have specialized pads on their upper jaws that allow them to adhere to vegetation. They remain attached to plants until they are about ¾ of an inch long. The pad is lost when the last of the yolk sac is absorbed.

A large gar can eat a lot of fish, including catfish, causing them to compete with some anglers. Because of that competition and because many people incorrectly think gar are difficult to clean, they are sometimes called a "trash" fish.  This term is not warranted when you consider that spotted gar were here long before the fishermen, and like all native species, have an important role to play in their ecosystem and the food chain.