It's spring blossoms!

Early meadow rue blooming in the courtyard!

New crows arrive!

Our new crows are here!

We know one of them to be a Fish Crow. Listen to their unique call. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/fish_crow/sounds

We think the other one is an American Crow and we would be thrilled to have one of each! It’s difficult to tell the two apart until you hear each distinctive call. Some people are not even aware that there are 2 kinds of crows in our area.

Fish Crows look a lot like the American Crows most of us know and are tough to identify until you learn their distinctive nasal call.. You might see them around bodies of water, usually in flocks and sometimes with American Crows. They are supreme generalists, eating just about anything they can find. Fish Crows have recently expanded their range inland and northward.

Many years ago, we had a wild Fish Crow that would come visit our captive American Crow and they would share food between the fence line!

Barn Owl dies from eating a poisoned rat

Barn Owl dies from eating a poisoned rat As a fluffy owlet, the Barn Owl had been banded by a Hungry Owl Project and WildCare (California wildlife rehab center) volunteer in 2005. Eight years later, WildCare's Wildlife Hospital admitted the bird, and identified her by the federal band around her leg as a nestling we'd met before. This owl had survived well beyond the average lifespan of a Barn Owl, and she had successfully maintained a territory in San Rafael, less than ten miles from where she had hatched as an owlet. But when she was admitted to the Wildlife Hospital in October of last year, this owl was dead on arrival. We sent tissue samples for testing, and, when we received the final toxicology report, the evidence was unequivocal: This Barn Owl died of rat poisoning.

Fluffy cuteness!

This is what a baby Great Horned Owl looks like this time of year!

A perfect nook for reflecting

I love this spot on our property!

A feather-filled morning

Good morning from the Sandhill Cranes!

What can you hear at Reflection Riding?

I took a walk on the property the other day and had a delightful time listening to all our resident animals and sounds.

As I started my walk right outside the Visitors’ Center, I immediately heard the rattle call of a crow. I love this call, it always makes me smile. Listen here!

Almost immediately after the rattle call, I heard our wild resident Barred Owl calling from his normal location near the Paddlers’ Perch. Listen Here! 

Very rarely, our captive Barred Owl will answer him. While all that was going on, I heard the chorus frogs from the seasonal bog in the Wanderland. There are many of them and they are loud! Listen Here!

As I rounded the lower pond, I heard the familiar splash of pond slider turtles as they slide into the pond from their sunning positions when they heard me approach.

The sound of the Wanderland chorus frogs began to lessen and I began to hear another group of them coming from a wet area near Lower Creek Road.

As these chorus frogs began to fade out, I heard many different song bird calls and a gentle wind blowing in the trees. As I made my way off the gravel road and into the forest,  I heard my feet crunching on the fallen leaves that lined my forest path.

I heard a distant train clacking on the tracks as a I came near the upper bamboo forest. The bamboo makes a beautifully, dainty noise as the wind blows through it.

We’ve seen and heard several Red Shoulder hawks on the property recently and I was graced with their call as my walk took me closer to the Visitor’s Center. Listen Here!

As I came near the Humphrey’s House, I heard a screen door slam closed. As I came near the upper road, I heard the lock on the upper gate open and looked up to see a familiar face driving in.

I am always visually delighted on my walks on our magnificent property, but this time my walk became an audible delight!

Protecting our birds of prey!

We think we’ve had some wild birds of prey possibly harassing some of our captive birds of prey. Check out our deterrents!