Critters at our Shasta Pond

Visitors to our Mt. Shasta Pond
In order seen within animal type. Last updated October 2011.

BIRDS: Before the pond was even filled, the birds started arriving:

Fox Sparrows came in for drinks!
And a Western Fence Lizard used the manzanita branches as an escape when he fell into the pond as it was filling - you should ALWAYS provide an escape route for your critters!

This site is being constantly added to - come back soon!

Mammals

1. Human - this is how I cool down on a hot day! ;-)
2. Least Chipmunk
3. Yellow-pine Chipmunk
4. California Ground Squirrel
5. Douglas Squirrel another
6. Black-tailed deer - Bucks more bucks!
Doe - Fawn - Fawn - Fawn - More!

7. Weasel (sorry, no photo yet)

8. Black Bear - only one visit from this beauty in 2009 - it has a beautiful 'mantle' but it's been spotted on our neighbor's 'spy' cam since then!
Another bear visited us while we were eating dinner on the deck in 2011.

Birds: (We're the only water around and an arid climate - water attracts a LOT of birds!)

1. Fox Sparrow more - another
2. White-crowned Sparrow - another - immature
3. Mountain Chickadee another

4. American Goldfinch

5. Golden-crowned Sparrow - immatures
6. White-headed Woodpecker - male, another male, another male, female another female
7. Stellar's Jay - a young one!
8. Audubon's Warbler (aka Yellow-rumped Warbler) Spring male, - an albino! a pair, same pair - Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1, 2, 3, 4
9. Dark-eyed Junco, wet! collecting nesting material
10. Cassin's Finch - another - Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1, 2, 3, 4 (female)
11. Spotted Towhee - another
12. Pine Siskin - more! Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1, 2, 3 (female), 4 (female), 5 (female)
13. Red-breasted Nuthatch - another - another Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1
14. Evening Grosbeak - male - more - sometimes it 'rains' Grosbeaks! female ->
15. Hermit Warbler Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1 2, 3
16. MacGillivary's Warbler - Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard:1
17. Western Tanager - young male, younger male, wet male, female, another female
- Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1, 2
18. Red Crossbill - females Photos by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1, 2 (female)
19. Yellow Warbler another image And a gorgeous photo by visitor Doug Aguillard: 1
20. Nashville Warbler , another, more!!
21. Lazuli Bunting - like a piece of fallen sky! more, more!
22. Mountain Quail another, with chicks
23. American Robin (male) molting, female, another, and another

24. Mourning Dove (sorry no photo yet!)

25. Tree Swallow (sorry no photo yet!)

26. Western Wood Peewee (sorry no photo yet!)

27. Warbling Vireo (sorry no photo yet!)
28. Green Tailed Towhee another view, his backside with green tail! more images

29. Brown-headed Cowbird male female - we stopped putting birdfeed out to discourage them!
30. Northern Flicker another, another, another
31. Chipping Sparrow
32. Northern Pygmy Owl
33. Black-headed Grosbeak, a mature male
34. Band-tailed Pigeon

35. Cooper's Hawk (sorry no photo yet!)

36. Pine Grosbeak (sorry no photo yet!)

37. Solitary Vireo (sorry no photo yet!)
38. Orange-crowned Warbler another

39. Wilson's Warbler (sorry no photo yet!)

40. Williamson's Sapsucker - what a treat! (sorry no photo yet!)

41. Allen's Hummingbird (sorry no photo yet!)

42. Hairy Woodpecker - male - female

43. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (sorry no photo yet!)

44. Western Bluebird another

45. Empidonax flycatcher species

46. Hermit Thrush
47. Scrub Jay

48. Common Nighthawk - scoops down to get a drink in flight! (sorry no photo yet!)

49. Golden-crowned Kinglet (sorry, not much of a photo yet!)

50. Sharp-shinned Hawk

51. Purple Finch, another view, female

52. Raven (photo taken by our 'spycam')

53. Townsend's Solitare

Reptiles and Amphibians:

1. Western Fence Lizard
2. Pacific Tree/Chorus Frogs - polliwog with hind legs
3. Shasta Alligator Lizard

Insects

1. Darner Dragonfly - See other Dragonflies in separate Odonata section (below)

2. Damselfly nymph - (emerging) - See other Damselflies in separate Odonata section (below)
3. Backswimmers

4. Diving Beetles (sorry no photo yet!)

5. Yellow Jackets (sorry no photo yet!)
6. Water Striders - even on the pond when iced over

7. Potato Bug/Jerusalem Cricket (2 have drowned!) (sorry no photo yet!)
8. Day flying moth - See other Moths in separate Lepidoptera section (below)

9. California Tortoiseshell -See other Butterflies in a separate Lepidoptera section (below)

10. Water Wasp (sorry no photo yet!)