More hen breeding occurring at Cache Creek Nature Preserve – Every day Democrat

Swainson’s hawks have been one in all eight hen species that researchers on the Cache Creek Nature Preserve discovered had breeding yr in 2023. (Peri Hoke/Courtesy)

Despite the excessive summer season temperatures that claimed dozens of chicks on the Cache Creek Nature Preserve, 2023 has been yr for breeding birds.

Among the 12 species of birds recurrently monitored on the Preserve, in keeping with a brand new examine by biologist Felicia Wang, eight of the 12 species of birds that “are great indicators of the health of riparian habitats in California’s Central Valley” have been doing effectively.

These hen surveys are carried out throughout the nesting season on the Preserve, from mid-April to the tip of May. The excessive temperatures hit the area starting in July and went into August, inflicting quite a lot of nestlings to die inside containers the place temperatures climbed to over 100 levels for days on finish.

“Survey teams” took particular discover of the presence, abundance and breeding of the 12 species and located that the Ash-throated Flycatcher, Black-headed Grosbeak, Common Yellowthroat, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Yellow Warbler and Swainson’s Hawk have been doing effectively. The different species which didn’t have a strong breeding season have been the Lazuli Bunting, Least Bell’s Vireo, Yellow-breasted Chat and Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Overall, in keeping with Wang’s examine, there have been 22 confirmed breeding species within the 2023 nesting season, “the largest confirmed number in the Conservancy’s records!” she said.

The nest field monitoring program information reveals that extra eggs have been laid and extra fledglings left the containers in 2023.

The birds that use these containers are Wood Ducks and cavity-nesting songbirds like Tree Swallow, Western Bluebird, and Ash-throated Flycatcher.

The “Tree Swallow, by far, was our most popular nest box occupant. The wildlife game cameras allowed staff to record baby chicks from more skittish birds like California Quail and Wild Turkey.”

While summertime warmth deaths have been excessive amongst chicks within the hen containers, who couldn’t escape the 100-plus diploma days, “All in all, 2023 was a good year for breeding at the Cache Creek Nature Preserve,” Wang reported. “This may be due to the plentiful water in the creek and wetlands this year.”

The new Yolo County ordinance prohibiting Off-Highway Vehicles within the creek mattress in all probability additionally performed a task,” she said as a result of there was so much much less trash than in earlier years, which may additionally imply so much fewer folks, which might put much less stress on nesting birds.

In her examine, Wang famous the “species richness” trusted the place the counts have been being finished within the 130-acre Preserve.

This yr, eight depend stations, located no less than 200 meters aside, have been established within the riparian habitats and corridors of the Nature Preserve.

“Counting stations” larger values might be seen as “hotspots” whereas stations with decrease values might be thought of for added environmental enhancement.

While there have been no vital variations between stations, although, particularly in variety of species, there have been barely decrease counts of abundance within the southern stations. These stations are nearer to the creek and are thriving with dense foliage, so no enhancements are wanted.

“The dense foliage means surveyors had to rely on bird sounds to make their counts; a more difficult way to confirm numbers,” Wang said. “Also, many of the types of birds at those stations are more elusive and do not call if they sense danger. Examples are Wilson’s Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler and Swainson’s Thrush.”

Biologists on the Conservancy have finished a couple of hen depend surveys over the years. The first survey was soak up 1999, the yr the Nature Preserve was established. Since then, a survey was carried out in 2011 after which final yr in 2022.

Avian Point Count Surveys are probably the most environment friendly and efficient methods to gauge the success of restoration efforts on the Cache Creek Nature Preserve, Wang said.