April 10 2010 - Coyote Creek Trail

We are already seeing more quail this year than we have the last few years.  A good trend.  I have been concerned that too many have been nabbed by the new neighborhood cats introduced with the latest subdivisions that have grown up near the creek.

On their nests:  the two red tailed hawk nests are still constantly inhabited.  We discovered a kite nest yesterday, with the lovely long kite tail sticking prominently out in full view:

And a kite nearby was literally screaming, which is what made us see the nest...

This nest is between the two red tailed hawk nests.

The first fairly well hidden red shouldered hawk nest is still active, but the second one that was so very out in the open is abandoned.  There is a constant traffic of vultures perusing the tops of the trees in this area.  Nests in this territory must be very well guarded or they will be lost.

On the other end of the food chain, we observed a small bird stealing twigs from the bottom of one of the red tailed hawk nests.  This shot shows that small bird ( at the bottom) having a rest in between stealing the bits of nest (red tail sticking out above):

Yesterday we saw the first western bluebird that we have ever seen at Coyote Creek.  They are of course very common around here, but we usually see them other places like Henry Coe or Calaveras Reservoir.  We are now seeing our first of season western kingbirds also, and hearing their squeaky twittering everywhere: