Nearby Nature

These Birds Aren’t Shy

Two handfuls of steller’s jays visited this morning.  They seemed like the quarterbacks of the bird world – handsome, hearty and very secure with themselves.  They also were quite noisy and not remotely shy, and checked out my place on their own terms.

Our visitors made themselves comfortable on the deck railing, roof line and nearby trees.  First we noticed two jays sitting on the railing for a pretty long time.  Then we “tuned in” and spotted three more tails sticking out from the roof-line.  A couple more were actively flying, landing and taking off around a nearby pine tree.

With plenty of windows, we felt lucky these visitors didn’t start attacking their own reflections – which they mistake for other birds.  According to Bay Nature, these birds may get rather feisty during mating season but not today.

Then we decided to get closer, and walked onto the deck.  The bold jays on the deck railing weren’t spooked and stuck around.  Maybe they were waiting for some morsels, which weren’t forthcoming from this stingy human!

Apparently these steller’s jays were stopping to catch their breaths, before departing for greener digs.  After 15 minutes or so, their visit was over and they took off to parts unknown.

Protecting Us, Pruning Trees

After today, we should be emerging from the winter rains.  We are all waterlogged, especially the poor trees.  All week long, there have been trucks cleaning up around Montclair Village.

Normally we drive right by, but came across two of the big trucks with buckets this morning.  It seemed like a good enough reason to check things out and record the tree-related maneuvers underway.

Two bucket workers were busy clearing canopy above some nearby power lines.  Since this area already experienced a toppled tree and power outage recently, the “men in trees” were taking smart preventative actions.

For a while, we were entertained by watching the men aloft and on terra firma.  In the bucket, they were buzzing away at the branches and letting them crash below.  At street level, they were making sure the coast was clear (of vehicles).

The scene wasn’t extraordinary in the Oakland Hills, but your faithful Montclair blogger has become a tree-obsessed creature.

The Rains And Floods Report

Today’s official rains and floods report is…no disasters yet.

However we traveled due east today, and discovered the Caldecott Tunnel traffic was backed up.  One of the three bores closed by midday, due to flooding problems.  Caltrans workers are still fixing things, and expect to re-open the third bore by tomorrow’s commute.

Back in Oakland, the Public Works department experienced a tsunami of calls today.  They decided to issue a release, which says we need to chill out a little bit.

A heavier than usual call volume has been received by the Public Works Call Center, and while no major issues have been encountered so far, some neighborhoods have experienced flooding and  tree damage which crews are responding to.  There have been no reports of mudslides or trees blocking streets, however Public Works is keeping a close eye on the continuing storm movements and the accompanying winds.

Remember the biggest storm round is forecast for tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed.  If you do experience storm-related damage, then make sure to call Oakland’s Public Works Call Center at (510) 615-5566.

Another Day, Another Tree Fall

All those old evergreens are wrecking havoc, crashing and falling without warning.  Another one bit the dust this Sunday on Pinehaven Road, and our eyewitness said it was near the “left hook” on the road.  We also confirmed that tree detritus had been mostly cleared, by midday Monday.

Fortunately, no homes or people were damaged this time.

However the collateral damage was another power outage in the hills, with neighbors off-grid from around 8:00 am yesterday through 3:00 am this morning.  We know it rattles everyone to lose their electrical juice, and it feels particularly awful during chillier winter days and nights.

In addition, one neighbor tipped us about some flooding nearby.  We’re trying to understand what happened there, and whether any water-main damage is related to the downed tree.  There’s zero confirmation yet.

Anyway, another day does mean another tree fall.  That’s one of the risks of Montclair living, especially as trees planted 80-plus years ago reach their senior years.

A Typical Oakland Hills Painting

While walking today, we noticed a pretty winter scene due to the light and downed tree.  The sun was literally shimmering across the greenery, and it was absolutely gorgeous there.

We wish the intensity could be captured perfectly, but wanted to share this lesser-grade version.  With camera-phone at the ready, it’s always worth a valiant attempt!

In this case, a sad-looking tree and a little brush transformed into a misty Oakland Hills painting.  Have you captured any special views lately?  Please pass them along, and we’ll share them here.