Broad-Winged Hawk

A Broad-Winged Hawk, Buteo platypterus, hunting for rabbits, mice, lizards and other small prey at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.  This particular, rather large hawk appears to be staring directly at me, or perhaps my small dog which was walking with us, deciding if we were an appropriate meal.  With some relief, I note that it decided that we were not.

The View From Idyllwild

Went for a short hike to the end of the road in one of the subdivisions in Idyllwild, California.  Here's the view!  Very peaceful with wild asters and lupine.  Worth the drive.

Looking for Perseids

Went up to Campo, California to see the Persieds.  We were two days off peak and there was nary a meteor.  Perhaps a few and a few helicopters and jets to boot.  Still, it was awesome to see all those stars!

Tuna Crabs Invade Ocean Beach

Heerman's Gulls, Larus heermannii, fighting over a Tuna crab stranded on the beach.

This pelagic red crab (Pleuroncodes planipes), also known as the tuna crab, is one of many tuna crabs washed ashore during the June 2015 El Nino event. Tuna crabs are one of the more numerous pelagic creatures populating the California current. As such, they they are a favored food of tuna, yellowtail, billfish, sea otters, whales, and sea birds. It is speculated that they wash ashore as part of a spawning event, with the larvae riding the current out into the central Pacific. As they grow larger, they descent into a deeper current with then returns them towards the coast of North and South America.

I searched for the tuna crabs that were still living, despite having been stranded on the beach, and set this little tuna crab and some of his tuna crab brothers & sisters back into the tide.  Futile?  Perhaps...

Sunset at Ocean Beach, California

Sunset at Ocean Beach, California.

Dandelion in Seed

Super large Dandelion, or something in the general family, in seed at Big Bear Lake, California.  These are particularly captivating in the late afternoon sun.

The Marine Blue Butterfly

Marine Blue Butterfly, Leptotes marina, at Big Bear Lake, California.  The caterpillars typically live off of legumes including the many native species of Lupine and, in the city, sometimes you will find them on Plumbago.

Western Blue Flag, Iris missouriensis

Western Blue Flag, Iris missouriensis, is found is moist, open, montane meadows in Southern California.  This one was in a meadow adjacent to the Timberline lodge in Big Bear, California. I wandered over to the meadow to investigate the flowers while checking into the lodge and just caught the tail end of what was probably a glorious blooming of a field full of Iris.  I could still see the seed pods the dried flowers on most of the plants and the last few still had flowers.

Boulder Bay, Bear Lake, California

Panorama of Boulder Bay, Bear Lake, California.  There's a wonderful little park with a fishing dock that I shot the picture from.  On either side, there are beautiful, large, multi-million dollar houses with boat docks and/or little private beaches.

Hang Glider over Black's Beach

Hang Glider high up above the cliffs of Black's Beach, La Jolla, California.  I really enjoyed the perspective on this one!

Ocean Beach, San Diego, California

I decided to try the new wide angle lens during a sunset at Ocean Beach California.  Here's what resulted...(note, the first one is with a zoom but #2 and #3 are with the wide angle).  Doesn't it just make you want to move to San Diego?

 The last bit of sun before the sun dipped below the waves.

The ever-present Seagulls looking for clams.

A good wide angle shot of the beach and fishing pier.

Mime with chair and stuffed dog

Mime with chair and stuffed dog, Little Italy, San Diego, California.  Do you suppose a real dog would work better?  I didn't realize he was a live person until he moved!

What's All the Stink About?

Sea Lion Pup, Zalophus californianus, La Jolla, California  The residents of those gorgeous homes and luxury condominiums and the patrons at the restaurants off the cliffs of La Jolla have been complaining about the stink caused by the sea lion and bird poop.  Notably, the birds had been there, nesting on the cliffs, for years.  However, in the last few years, the sea lions moved up onto the rocks, claiming it as a prime basking spot.  Well, sea lions and birds do what sea lions and birds do, and the rocks became a bit pungent.  The city tried spraying the rocks with bacteria to digest some of the smelly left overs; however, short of on ongoing spraying program, that was just temporary relief.  Soooo....the city opened up the fence to the cliff area, by installing a gate, for the tourists, photographers and others to walk down to take a closer look.  That seems to have cleared out most of the sea lions and, sadly, almost all of the nesting cormorants as well, greatly reducing the smell.  In fact, there were only two cormorant nests on the cliff where there used to be dozens of them.  This little sea lion pup, however, was still there posing for the camera and, gosh, isn't he cute?

Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

The Prado by night, Balboa Park, San Diego, California.  It was pretty quiet except for a few of us taking pictures and a pair of ducks gracefully swimming in the lily pond.

Flamenco Dancer

Asian Flamenco Dancer at Liberty Station in San Diego, California.

Another flamenco dancer from Flamenco Sur, this time with a fan!

Spotted Bass

Spotted Bass, Micropterus punctulatus, is native to the Mississippi River Basin and Southeastern United States where it is found in rivers and mountain streams.  This one part of a pair hungrily watching a school of mosquito fish in a small pond along the Otay River in San Diego, California.  They one of several species of bass that were introduced into Southern California for sport fishing.

Western Meadowhawk Dragonfly

Western Meadowhawk, Sympetrum occidentale, resting on a branch at Otay River Park in Chula Vista, California.  I sat next to this tiny branch and waited for him to land in front of my camera and, Voila!

Bramble Hairstreak

Bramble Hairstreak, Callorphrys perplexa, Hellhole Canyon, Escondido, California. These lovely little Southern California natives are a pearlescent green in the sun and really catch your eye. They are sometimes seen perching on the ground or on low shrubs near open pathways or other openings in the chaparral. Both the larvae/caterpillars and the adults are fond of Wild Buckwheat(Eriogonum fasciculatum).

Late Afternoon at Torrey Pines Beach

People strolling along Torrey Pines Beach in the late afternoon as the rays of the setting sun turn the cliffs orange.

Allen's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin, San Marino, California, hopping off of a perch on a large Aloe species. This cute little hummingbird is quite a singer. However, it is known for its deep-swooping courtship ritual that the males do in mid-air, creating a "verrrrip" sound as the air moves through their feathers at high speeds. It can be identified, relative to the similar tawny orange colored rufous hummingbird, by the irridescent green patch of feathers on its upper back.