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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – It’s hard to ignore them when they’re shouting their loud, rasping “shreeep!” calls at one another.

The California Scrub Jays are also colorful and pretty much ubiquitous in our region. You can find them almost anywhere from deep oak woodlands to urban settings.

Although they are jays and they are blue, they’re not “Blue Jays”. The Blue Jay is actually an entirely different species not found at all in California.

That loud distinctive “shreep!” call is usually one used to indicate aggression, and often accompanies the bird flying from one part of its territory to another, ducking for cover from predators, or displaying to a rival.

But “shreeping” isn’t the extent of their language. The jays are believed to enunciate a least 20 different kinds of calls, including a deep throated “rattling” call and a soft “coo” (usually used between courting or mating pairs), bill-clapping “pops”, and loud “shrieking.”

Like crows, they may also have distinctive dialects, so the birds know who is from their area and who is from somewhere else.

According to a study done by Teresa Iglesias at UC Davis, the cacophonous shrieking behavior – usually started by one bird and then picked up by others in the vicinity – is used in part to alert other jays in the area to close-by predators (like owls) and also use to mourn their dead.

According to Iglesias’ study, “On encountering a dead jay, prostrate on the ground, jays flew into a tree and began a series of loud, screeching calls that attracted other jays. The summoned birds perched on trees and fences around the body and joined in the calling …”

This is somewhat similar to the calling behavior ravens use to summon their troops and communicate information to one another.

In such aggregates, territorial boundaries are often briefly ignored so all of the birds can come together and communicate in relative safety in one place.

With a brain-to-body ratio likened to that of whales, dolphins and chimpanzees, scrub jays, like other corvids (including crows and ravens) are considered to be exceedingly intelligent animals.

Studies indicate that they recognize other individuals in their groups, they can tell a decoy jay from a live bird, they plan for the future by caching seeds and other foodstuffs, and they can apparently remember the specific site of hundreds of caches AND what’s in them.

Some studies also seem to indicate that the jays are aware of the rate at which their cached food decays, and eat from the more perishable ones first. It’s this seed caching behavior, in part, which makes the jays one of the keystone species in their environment: by planting and moving seeds around, they reforest the areas within their territories.

Stealing is also part of the scrub jays’ repertoire of skills. They regularly observe other birds -- and squirrels -- note where those animals hide their caches, and then willfully pilfer from them. In some instances, the jays will even chase other jays and steal the food directly from them in flight – with a lot of raucous calling punctuating the thefts.

During the spring and summer the scrub jay’s diet is comprised mainly of insects, berries, vegetables and small frogs and lizards, but they’ll also eat eggs and the hatchlings of other birds – and, of course, human garbage is also sometimes on the menu. In the winter, their favorites are cached seeds and acorns.

It’s not unusual to see breeding pairs feeding food to one another as part of their courtship display and to maintain their pair bond. Although they are monogamous when breeding, and sometimes choose the same partners year after year, they don’t necessarily mate for life.

Here in our area, we can see the scrub jays almost daily as they are regular residents that do not migrate and can live up to fifteen years in the wild. So get out there and try some observations of your own.

The jays’ propensity for rambunctious noise, their blatant assertiveness, and their inquisitive nature makes them really fun to watch.

Mary K. Hanson is a Certified California Naturalist, author and nature photographer. She will be co-teaching a naturalist course for the public through Tuleyome in early 2018. Tuleyome is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland, Calif. For more information visit www.tuleyome.org.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a number of terriers plus mixes of Labrador and retriever available for adoption this week.

The dogs offered adoption this week include mixes of Chihuahua, golden retriever, Labrador Retriever, Maltese, pit bull, Rottweiler and terrier.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Female terrier

This female terrier has a short tricolor coat.

She’s in quarantine kennel No. 1, ID No. 9381.

Male terrier

This male terrier has a short tricolor coat.

Shelter staff said he already has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 2a, ID No. 9396.

‘Rootbeer’

“Rootbeer” is a female Chihuahua mix.

She has a short black and gray coat.

She’s in kennel No. 2a, ID No. 9418.

‘Muffie’

“Muffie” is a terrier with a short black and tan coat.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 2b, ID No. 9419.

Male terrier

This male terrier has a short tricolor coat.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 2c, ID No. 9393.

Female Maltese-terrier mix

This female Maltese-terrier mix has a short brown and black coat.

She is in quarantine kennel No. 2d, ID No. 9394.

Male golden retriever

This male golden retriever has a medium-length gold coat.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in quarantine kennel No. 5, ID No. 9302.

Female terrier

This female terrier has a short tricolor coat.

She’s in quarantine kennel No. 8, ID No. 9395.

‘Bella’

“Bella” is a female Labrador Retriever-Rottweiler mix with a short black and brown coat.

She is in kennel No. 17, ID No. 9375.

Male Labrador Retriever

This male Labrador Retriever has a short black coat with white markings.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 23, ID No. 9410.

Male terrier

This male terrier has a short tricolor coat.

He is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 9398.

Female terrier

This female terrier has a short tricolor coat.

She’s in kennel No. 28a, ID No. 9399.

Female terrier

This female terrier has a short tricolor coat.

She’s in kennel No. 28b, ID No. 9400.

Male pit bull

This male pit bull has a short buff-colored coat.

Shelter staff said he is a lovely boy who will sit on command and give you a handshake.

He’s in kennel No. 32, ID No. 9369.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

A new study has found that the seven planets orbiting the nearby ultra-cool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 are all made mostly of rock, and some could potentially hold more water than Earth.

The planets' densities, now known much more precisely than before, suggest that some of them could have up to 5 percent of their mass in the form of water – about 250 times more than Earth's oceans.

The hotter planets closest to their parent star are likely to have dense steamy atmospheres and the more distant ones probably have icy surfaces.

In terms of size, density and the amount of radiation it receives from its star, the fourth planet out is the most similar to Earth. It seems to be the rockiest planet of the seven, and has the potential to host liquid water.

Planets around the faint red star TRAPPIST-1, just 40 light-years from Earth, were first detected by the TRAPPIST-South telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in 2016.

In the following year further observations from ground-based telescopes, including ESO’s Very Large Telescope and NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, revealed that there were no fewer than seven planets in the system, each roughly the same size as the Earth.

They are named TRAPPIST-1b,c,d,e,f,g and h, with increasing distance from the central star.

Further observations have now been made, both from telescopes on the ground, including the nearly-complete SPECULOOS facility at ESO’s Paranal Observatory, and from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and the Kepler Space Telescope.

A team of scientists led by Simon Grimm at the University of Bern in Switzerland have now applied very complex computer modelling methods to all the available data and have determined the planets’ densities with much better precision than was possible before.

Simon Grimm explains how the masses are found: "The TRAPPIST-1 planets are so close together that they interfere with each other gravitationally, so the times when they pass in front of the star shift slightly.

These shifts depend on the planets' masses, their distances and other orbital parameters. With a computer model, we simulate the planets' orbits until the calculated transits agree with the observed values, and hence derive the planetary masses."

Team member Eric Agol comments on the significance: "A goal of exoplanet studies for some time has been to probe the composition of planets that are Earth-like in size and temperature.

The discovery of TRAPPIST-1 and the capabilities of ESO’s facilities in Chile and the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope in orbit have made this possible – giving us our first glimpse of what Earth-sized exoplanets are made of!"

The measurements of the densities, when combined with models of the planets’ compositions, strongly suggest that the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets are not barren rocky worlds.

They seem to contain significant amounts of volatile material, probably water [3], amounting to up to 5 percent the planet's mass in some cases — a huge amount; by comparison the Earth has only about 0.02 percent water by mass!

"Densities, while important clues to the planets' compositions, do not say anything about habitability. However, our study is an important step forward as we continue to explore whether these planets could support life," said Brice-Olivier Demory, co-author at the University of Bern.

TRAPPIST-1b and c, the innermost planets, are likely to have rocky cores and be surrounded by atmospheres much thicker than Earth's. TRAPPIST-1d, meanwhile, is the lightest of the planets at about 30 percent the mass of Earth. Scientists are uncertain whether it has a large atmosphere, an ocean or an ice layer.

Scientists were surprised that TRAPPIST-1e is the only planet in the system slightly denser than Earth, suggesting that it may have a denser iron core and that it does not necessarily have a thick atmosphere, ocean or ice layer.

It is mysterious that TRAPPIST-1e appears to be so much rockier in its composition than the rest of the planets. In terms of size, density and the amount of radiation it receives from its star, this is the planet that is most similar to Earth.

TRAPPIST-1f, g and h are far enough from the host star that water could be frozen into ice across their surfaces. If they have thin atmospheres, they would be unlikely to contain the heavy molecules that we find on Earth, such as carbon dioxide.

"It is interesting that the densest planets are not the ones that are the closest to the star, and that the colder planets cannot harbour thick atmospheres," notes Caroline Dorn, study co-author based at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

The TRAPPIST-1 system will continue to be a focus for intense scrutiny in the future with many facilities on the ground and in space, including ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.

Astronomers are also working hard to search for further planets around faint red stars like TRAPPIST-1. As team member Michaël Gillon explains [4]: "This result highlights the huge interest of exploring nearby ultracool dwarf stars – like TRAPPIST-1 – for transiting terrestrial planets. This is exactly the goal of SPECULOOS, our new exoplanet search that is about to start operations at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile.”

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County’s newest Superior Court judge took his seat on the bench in a Friday ceremony.

Judge J. David Markham was welcomed to the bench by his fellow Super Court judges, along with several retired judges – including the man he is succeeding, Judge Richard Martin, who retired in May – and a standing-room-only gallery of friends, family and local officials.

Markham took his oath in the very same courtroom where, in January 2001, he came to work on his first case as an attorney.

Gov. Jerry Brown announced his appointment of Markham to the vacancy created by Martin’s retirement just days before Christmas, as Lake County News has reported.

Presiding Judge Andrew Blum, joined by judges Martin, Michael Lunas and Stephen Hedstrom, and Commissioner Douglas Thiele, welcomed Markham in remarks given from the bench.

Blum said Markham has the experience, intelligence and patience to do the job well, and said he had no doubt Markham would be an excellent addition to the bench.

“But Dave, remember the old phrase, ‘Be careful what you ask for,’” Blum said with a smile, as Markham sat at the defense table.

Blum and his colleagues would emphasize the demanding nature of the job, which is around the clock and every day of the week, and the countless – and challenging – decisions ahead that Markham will make that will impact people’s lives from birth to death.

“As one of four judges on the bench, you will have a major impact on the lives of the citizens of this county,” Blum said.

Resources are stretched thin and the caseloads are large, with Blum noting that two cases are already waiting for Markham’s attention.

However, Blum added, “It’s gratifying to do a challenging job and to do it well.”

Judge Lunas passed along to Markham a framed quote by Judge Learned Hand that is part of a tradition started by the late Judge John Golden. Written in calligraphy by Golden’s wife, Gail, the quote discusses the challenges and rewards of being a judge. It’s always given to the newest judge at their swearing in.

Lunas, who has held onto it for five years, said he’s reread the quote often, and told Markham he believed that Judge Hand overestimated how hard the job is and underestimated how good it is.

The retired judges in attendance also offered their congratulations and a word or two of advice.

Richard Freeborn urged Markham to emphasize order in his courtroom, and said the way to do that is to respect everyone, which he said will result in respect from others.

David Herrick had two key words for Markham – the first, patience, and the second, perseverance.

Robert Crone, who was sworn in as judge 34 years ago this week, wasn’t in attendance, but his remarks and good wishes were communicated to Markham. Crone had also administered Markham’s attorney’s oath to him when he began practicing law.

Hedstrom humorously recalled Markham’s pen-spilling skills – which he compared to a pistol-spinning scene in the movie “Tombstone” – before paying tribute to Markham’s skills as an attorney and his ethics.

He said he’s known Markham’s father, Jeff – a retired sheriff’s chief deputy who was in the courtroom for the event – for decades, and recalled how proud Jeff Markham has been of his son’s ethics and work, which Hedstrom also lauded in welcoming the newest judge.

Martin said he was very happy to have had Markham in his courtroom in the past, noting he is a good attorney with a good work ethic, who worked hard on every case.

Best of all, Martin said, Markham possesses the “judicial demeanor” necessary to demonstrate fairness in the work of a judge.

Martin said he believes Markham joins a good bench the members of which work well together.

He also pointed out that the fast-changing nature of society and technology – including computers, genetics and artificial intelligence – likely will bring Markham cases that have issues no one has ever heard before.

“You’ll have challenges that probably none of us have imagined,” Martin said.

Lunas guaranteed he would have days where, after up to 180 cases, Markham would go home and be too tired to eat. At the same time, however, Lunas told him he would still think such days were great, and would look forward to the next, with every day different.

He promised Markham that his door would always be open to him to offer help and counsel.

Judge Blum then came down from the bench to administer the oath of office to Markham. Afterward, Jeff Markham stepped forward and helped his son into his new judicial robe before giving him a hug.

David Markham then joined the rest of the judges on the bench while Martin joined the retired judges near the jury box.

Markham recalled making his first appearance in the same courtroom in January 2001.

“I’m humbled and honored to receive this appointment, and although I worked hard for it, I certainly didn’t do this on my own,” he said, thanking those who had supported him and giving credit to his parents for their support, love and encouragement.

He said Lake County has been a great place to live and work, and a place that has given him a great deal.

Markham said he has big shoes to fill in succeeding Martin, who is himself a great example of the judicial temperament, defined as exhibiting compassion, decisiveness, open-mindedness, sensitivity, courtesy, patience, freedom from bias and commitment to equal justice.

He called Martin a role model. “I only hope that I can fill the role of judge half as well as he has during his career.”

Markham promised to work hard, adding, “This will be how I give back to Lake County, a county that has given me so much.”

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A wind advisory has been issued for Lake County and other parts of Northern California in response to a forecast of gusty winds on Saturday.

The National Weather Service said the wind advisory will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

The agency said a wind advisory means that sustained winds of 25 miles per hour or higher or
gusts to 40 miles per hour or higher are expected.

The advisory said a weak weather system was anticipated to drop through the Pacific Northwest and into the Great Basin Friday night and Saturday morning, with breezy north winds developing behind the system.

The specific Lake County forecast calls for winds of up to 15 miles per hour during the day, up to more than 20 miles per hour at night, with gusts of up to 30 miles per hour Saturday night.

Winds will taper off to the single digits on Sunday, according to the forecast.

Conditions this weekend and into early next week are forecast to be clear and sunny, with daytime highs in the low 60s and nighttime lows in the high 30s.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A 3.2-magnitude earthquake rattled the south county on Friday evening.

The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 5:39 p.m. one mile north northwest of The Geysers, just inside northern Sonoma County, five miles west southwest of Cobb and seven miles west northwest of Cobb, at a depth of just over two miles.

The survey received 11 shake reports from areas including Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Middletown in Lake County, as well as Geyserville and San Rafael.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.