Turkey vulture - Cathartes aura meridionalis

Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura meridionalis, flying low at the San Diego Safari Park.  While they are occasionally seen in San Diego proper and all down the Baja, there seem to be a inordinately large number of them hanging out at the Safari Park.  I suspect that they are opportunistically feeding on left overs from the official zoo denizens.

Photo Safari

It was a bright sunny day and the baby animals were out in full force at the Safari Park...so what better time for a photo safari!

 Moi and one of the safer tigers

 Baby Giraffes

 Some wild black ibis hanging out in the pond

 Black rhino and calf

 Bongos in the water hole

 Baby Cheetah

 Leucistic Ellipsen Waterbuck Calf  and Mother

 Lion cub at play

 Pierre and the golden tiger

Snarly Sumatran Tiger

Coelogyne massangeana

Coelogyne massangeana, also known as Coelogyne tomentosa and Coelogyne dayana, is from the mountains of Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java.  This one is blooming outdoors in San Diego.

Laelia pumila

Laelia pumila, a first bloom from a sib cross from Brazil.

Cattleya Chocolate Drop 'Kodama' AM AOS

Cattleya Chocolate Drop 'Kodama' AM AOS, a cross of C. aurantiaca X C guttata.  An old cross that still brightens up the room.

Stanhopea panamensis

This just opened today.  It was labled as Stanhopea panamensis.  This species is native to Panama where it frequents hot, wet, lowland forests.

Silver garden spider, Argiope argentata: a Beauty with a Bit of a Bite

Silver garden spider, Argiope argentata.  I spotted this beautiful, silvery spider sparkling in the bright Summer sun.  As it turns out, they pack a bit of a bite.  For most people, the painful bite will sting and itch for about an hour.  However, the bite can be more serious for kids and the elderly.  Their range extends from the Southern U.S. down to Argentina, with a preference for hot, dry climates.

Harrison McIntosh

Clay Sphere on Wood Block by Harrison McIntosh at the American Museum of Ceramic Art's opening celebrating Harrison McIntosh's 100th birthday!

Hummingbird in Flight

Male Anna's Hummingbird in flight, making a beeline for the feeder.

Ctsm Bella Vista's Sangria X Ctsm denticulatum 'SVO'

Ctsm Bella Vista's Sangria X Ctsm denticulatum 'SVO' at Fred Clarke's greenhouse.  It's always a lot of fun seeing what's in bloom at Fred's.

Anna's Hummingbird Waiting for a Berth at the Feeder

Male Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna, waiting for a berth at the feeder.  It's been a dry, dry year (i.e., no food in the sage scrub/wild) and the hummingbirds are at the feeder in record numbers.  I just put up a second feeder to handle some of overflow.

Anna's Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna.  These lovely little birds are amazing acrobats, flying every which way at amazing speeds.  This one is darting backwards in reaction to the sound of my camera shutter opening.  They apparently have good hearing as well...

Cattleya Chloe X C Mrs Mahler 'Mem Fred Tompkins'

Cattleya Chloe X C Mrs Mahler 'Mem Fred Tompkins' is a cross I bought way back in the 80's.  It blooms on tall spikes with large heads of flowers (perhaps 8-10 flowers or so) with raspberry veining and raspberry spots.  Quite the charmer if you have the space.

Cattleya bicolor variety alba

Cattleya bicolor variety alba.  This is an albino variety of this familiar, normally red-lipped, Brazilian species, and, wow, what a beauty!

Dendrobium laevifolium

Dendrobium laevifolium, red form.  This is a native of the Southwest Pacific and New Guinea.

Sunset at Ocean Beach, California

Sunset at Ocean Beach, California.

Dendrochilum latifolium variety macranthum

Dendrochilum latifolium variety macranthum.  This is native to Luzon, Mindoro and Mindanao in the Philippines where it grows at around 1000 to 5000 feet.

Dendrochilum kopfii

Dendrochilum kopfii, is native to Mindanao, Philippines.  These grow moderately moist and warm.