Date: 12/3/25 11:57 am From: Ken Burton via groups.io <shrikethree...> Subject: [NWCALBIRD] high kestrel numbers
Just as a point of interest, we had our highest count ever (33) of American Kestrel yesterday on the 55th run of our 27-mile Loleta-Ferndale winter raptor count (going back to December, 2007), smashing the old record of 26. Are others noticing high kestrel numbers this winter?
Date: 11/3/25 5:01 pm From: Michael H. Morris via groups.io <lilmorris2000...> Subject: Re: [NWCALBIRD] Hermit Thrush predation on salamander
Well, I remember my first childhood encounter with a Slender Salamander; at first I thought it was an earthworm. Seems only natural.Michael H. Morris
On Monday, November 3, 2025 at 03:44:16 PM PST, Ken Burton via groups.io <shrikethree...> wrote:
Yesterday in the Arcata Community Forest, Sonali Bera and I observed a HETH subduing and then flying off with a California Slender Salamander. I hadn't ever considered the possibility that Catharus thrushes would eat vertebrates, but a little research revealed that they do eat salamanders, at least occasionally and opportunistically, and one paper even suggests they actively look for them and may eat them preferentially when other foods are also offered. The salamander in our observation had autotomized its tail, which was twitching nearby; the aforementioned paper said thrushes may be inclined to eat such tails before consuming the rest of the animal.
Ken BurtonMcKinleyville
Date: 11/3/25 3:44 pm From: Ken Burton via groups.io <shrikethree...> Subject: [NWCALBIRD] Hermit Thrush predation on salamander
Yesterday in the Arcata Community Forest, Sonali Bera and I observed a HETH subduing and then flying off with a California Slender Salamander. I hadn't ever considered the possibility that *Catharus *thrushes would eat vertebrates, but a little research revealed that they do eat salamanders, at least occasionally and opportunistically, and one paper even suggests they actively look for them and may eat them preferentially when other foods are also offered. The salamander in our observation had autotomized its tail, which was twitching nearby; the aforementioned paper said thrushes may be inclined to eat such tails before consuming the rest of the animal.
