Animals

Western Gray Squirrel

squirrel eating sunflower

The western gray squirrel was first described by George Ord in 1818 based on notes taken by Lewis and Clark at The Dalles in Wasco County, Oregon. The bad news is that in a forty-house area around my home, I am dinner central: fruit, then tomatoes then sunflowers. I have a lawn and about 50 pots perfect for squirrels to …

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Bewicks Wren

bewicks wren

If you come across a noisy, hyperactive little bird with bold white eyebrows, flicking its long tail as it hops from branch to branch, you may have spotted a Bewick’s Wren. These master vocalists belt out a string of short whistles, warbles, burrs, and trills to attract mates and defend their territory, or scold visitors with raspy calls. Bewick’s Wrens …

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House Finch

rose house finch

The male House Finch (aka Rose Finch) has a attractive red crown and throat. It is larger than the goldfinches and has a heavier beak for cracking seeds. While goldfinches prefer the small nyger seeds, the rose finch can eat sunflower seeds and other larger birdfeed.

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Monarch Butterfly

Creating a Butterfly Haven in Your Garden As the sun peeks through the morning mist, a flutter of orange and black breaks the monotony of green in your garden. It’s a monarch butterfly, embarking on its remarkable journey, and your garden is a part of this majestic creature’s story. Why Monarchs Matter Monarch butterflies are not just a symbol of …

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Lesser Goldfinch

Colorful and energetic, the lesser goldfinch is a welcome bird in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Not only does this finch have a delightful trilling song, but its propensity to eat thousands of weed seeds is appreciated by farmers and gardeners alike. Common Name: Lesser Goldfinch Scientific Name: Carduelis psaltria Appearance: Bill: Conical, pointed, dark Size: 4.5 inches long …

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Black Phoebe

Black Phoebe

The black phoebe is a common visitor in the Sunnyvale garden. It is mainly insectivorous and waits on a perch before flying out and catching its prey in the air. (Sayornis nigricans) is a passerine bird in the tyrant-flycatcher family. It breeds from southwest Oregon and California south through Central and South America. It occurs year-round throughout most of its …

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Coast Range Fence Lizard

Coast Range Western Lizard

Our Sunnyvale garden has a resident Coast Range Fence Lizard. He has been spotted near the parking strip in front, on the side yard, and in and around the back yard. Yeah, that’s only one hundred feet but to a 3-inch long lizard that is the back-40. Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii is a subspecies of the Western fence lizard. This taxon, …

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Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird

If you’ve been hearing an endless string of 10 or 15 different birds singing outside your house, you might have a Northern Mockingbird in your yard. These slender-bodied gray birds pour all their color into their personalities. They sing almost endlessly, even sometimes at night, and they flagrantly harass birds that intrude on their territories, flying slowly around them or …

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American Crow

Crows

The Crow is a very common bird in the neighborhood but rarely appears in my backyard. The most likely reason is that the crow has decided there is not enough room to evaluate threats and escape. We often see crows in the cypress trees in a neighbor’s yard. American Crows are familiar over much of the continent: large, intelligent, all-black …

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Scrub Jay

Wester Scrub Jay, Blue Jay

The type of blue jay we see in Sunnyvale are the Western Scrub Jay. Robin-sized, but large strong bill and long tail make it appear larger. Head, wings, and tail blue (conspicuous when it glides in a long, undulating flight). Their back is dull brown; underparts light gray. No crest; dusky face mask. White throat offset by incomplete blue necklace. …

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