September High Desert Bird-of-the-Month:

Northern Red-Shafted Flicker Woodpecker                  

Northern Flickers are large, brown woodpeckers with handsome black-scalloped plumage that live year-round in Nevada.  Their brown plumage is richly p atterned with black spots, bars, and crescents.  The red-shafted (western) and yellow-shafted (eastern) forms of Northern Flickers were once classified as different species.  Red-shafted or yellow-shafted refers to the color of the undersides of wing and tail feathers. The two forms hybridize extensively in the area between their two ranges.  It is not unusual at all to see a hybrid here, sometimes with yellow wing and tail feathers and the red mustache; or red-shafted with red nape crescent instead of red mustache.

 

Carmel's Backyard Birding Blog

Weather and Wildlife - Preparing for Coming Months

Even with the several weeks of unusual afternoon thunder showers Reno saw in late July into August, the west is still in a state of drought. There continues to be a shortage of wildlife food and water sources across the Northern NV area. As wildlife competes for these scarce resources, this could potentially mean more visitors to your feeders than normal. Earlier this spring when I first set up our feeders and birdbaths, I was lucky to see a few assorted finches, sparrows and jays at any given time. Now, beginning after dawn, it is a complete feeding frenzy! All our original feeder birds continue to show along with the dove, quail, chipmunks, squirrels all vying for the free food. Based on recent reports this could potentially be another tough year if our predicted winter is a severe one. Therefore, I would encourage Reno residents to consider creating backyard habitats with food, water and shelter sources. Not only is it a great way to enjoy local birds and wildlife, but by feeding and watering you can help sustain our local populations through the coming months.

Click here to read the rest of Carmel's blog & more. 

September Nature Happenings

* Aspen leaves begin to change to a beautiful shade of gold which dot the mountainsides.
* Without question, September is our most settled and beautiful month, with North American weather systems taking a breather to offer glorious warm days and cool nights as we settle into autumn's arrival.
* Bird populations are transitioning in preparation for winter - some birds move out, some birds come back and some become nomadic in their search for food, water and shelter.
* American Goldfinches molt into a dull, nondescript color, even changing the color of the beak from orange to black.
* Jays become nomadic and revisit yards in search of food which they can store through burial. Peanuts in the shell are their favorite.

* Western Meadowlarks migrate.
* Mule Deer are shedding the velvet from their antlers.
* Asters are the last plants to bloom.
* Fall hawk migration begins.
* Monarch Butterfly migration peaks.
* Bats are busy feeding, building fat for hibernation and migration.
* Blackbird (grackles, cowbirds and redwings) flocks can number in the thousands.
* Shorebird migration ends.
* Fall migration peaks for warblers and others.
* Bucks and bulls polishing their antlers; look for deer and elk rubs.
* Autumn colors begin - Sumac, dogwood and Virginia Creeper.
* Most hummingbirds depart by the end of month.
* Robins begin to join together in large flocks.
* Bears are feeding in preparation for hibernation.
* Switch feeders to high-fat, winter foods.

Lahanton Audubon Society   

Meetings:

Monthly Meetings are held every fourth Tuesday, August through May, 6:30 p.m. (social) 7:00 p.m. - meeting begins. Monthly meetings are held at the Moana Nursery Landscape and Design Center, 1100 West Moana Lane, in Reno. Moana Nursery is on the southwest corner of Lakeside Drive and West Moana Lane; the Landscape and Design Center is a separate building, located on the west side of the parking lot (not in the nursery shop itself). We look forward to seeing you there!   

Field Trips:

• Saturday, September 13, 2014 - Fall Migration at Spooner Lake (Lake Tahoe east shore)  
• Saturday, September 13, 2014 - Swan Lake/Lemmon Valley Marsh, North Reno  
• Saturday, September 20, 2014 - Oxbow Park, Reno  
• Sunday, October 12, 2014 - Taylor Creek, South Lake Tahoe 
• Saturday, November 1, 2014 - Damonte Ranch Wetlands, Reno 

For information on the Lahontan Audubon Society, click here.

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Animal Ark

On the Wind Cheetah Run

CLOSED EARLY

September 21

Out of Africa