Weekly Photo

Watch this Common Merganser mother navigate the creeks of the Willits Bypass Mitigation with her growing ducklings. Mergansers dive under the water for small fish and aquatic invertebrates. Look for the Merganser swimming under water at the end of the video!

Check out the variety of wildlife that frequent a popular shaded creek crossing. A mother cow elk tends to her calf and a raccoon that may have lost its tail to a predator make an appearance!

River otters possess webbed feet and are built for swimming. They can be seen here congregating in a social group, being playful and splashing into the water. This behavior helps the otters develop social bonds, learn hunting techniques, and how to mark their territories!

Watch as these Turkey Vultures congregate and share the remains of a deceased creature, sustaining the circle of life. Their meal is temporarily interrupted by a hungry Bald Eagle that has circled in on the quarry!

Elk and Deer grow a new set of antlers each spring and shed them in the winter.

Enjoy this footage of beavers going about their nightly business on the Willits Bypass Mitigation Lands. The youngsters are more playful and like to wrestle each other.

The variety of wildlife that thrive in and depend on wetland environments is remarkable. Songbirds can always rely on a source for drinking water well into the summer and the mammals are well-suited for navigating newly inundated areas during the spring.

These newly hatched baby bluebirds were discovered occupying one of the bird boxes in early April. Hopefully they make it out of the nest later this spring!

Bobcats do the majority of their hunting at night. They have large corneas in their eyes that bring in more light, allowing for excellent vision in the dark. Once prey is located, bobcats stalk within range and then make a quick pounce!

Learn more about the restoration work being conducted on the Willits Bypass Mitigation Lands. Check out this video MCRCD produced in 2020.

Wood Ducks nest in tree cavities along streams and creeks. Conservation efforts such as nest box installations in areas that lack suitable tree cavities have helped stabilize and bolster their population numbers.

Brush rabbits are a western cottontail species that do not spend too much time outside of cover. The Black-tailed jackrabbit is a hare, with stronger and longer legs it can afford to spend more time foraging in the open because its speed helps it avoid predators, although still a significant food source for hawks, eagles,…