River Otters

River Otters playing in the water. This one looks has a bit of a sour look.

River otters are members of the weasel family, and live and breed in burrows close to the water's edge.

African Spoonbill

African Spoonbill, Platalea alba. The African Spoonbill is native to African and Madagascar where it lives in marshy wetlands and nests in colonies in trees.

Blue-capped Cordon-bleu

Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus cyanocephalus. Just when you thought cordon-blue was a chicken dish, out comes this adorable little blue finch. Blue is not the most common color in the natural world so this little finch, in a wonderful baby blue, is all the more special. For the record, cyano is blue and cephalus is head; so, basically, this is a blue headed Uraeginthus finch. These are native to Eastern Africa where they live on seeds and insects.

Wide Eyed Fascination

Infant touching a replica of a mammoth molar at the new elephant exhibit at the San Diego Zoo [I think that docent has the best voluneer job ever!]. Do you remember when you were still wide-eyed about the world and every day was a new adventure? When do we lose that fascination with the world and stop looking and observing? When does everything get a label and get tossed into a bin? Is it too late to see the world as a fascinating place full over endless variation and wonder? Never too late.

Newly Hatched Flamingo

Newly Hatched Carribean Flamingo, also known as the American Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber, with mother looking on. The females have been patiently sitting on huge mud nests that they scraped together with their beaks. All that work finally paid off with a new crop of hatchlings!

Aliens Invade San Diego?

Aliens Invade San Diego? ID that Alien for bragging rights. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

What did YOU do on 4th of July weekend?

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! Wishing you all a happy, fun-filled, safe 4th of July.

Tree Bark Teddy

Tree Bark Teddy. Sometimes you find really cool patterns in tree bark! This one looks like a teddy bear.

Drunk Bunny?

Drunk Bunny? Someone wrote DUI on this bunny's ear! How undignified... This was the #2 youth bunny in class at the San Diego County Fair and what a beautiful bunny it is!

Getting Your Goat!

4H Goat Competition at the Del Mar Fair. So, is the gal in back smiling at the judges or laughing at the gal in front with the medal-covered hat and the errant goat? Based on the eyes, I'm guessing she's smiling for the judges. No spite, just good, not so clean (but honest) fun.

Nothing Like a Good Scratch

Nubian goat getting his ear/neck scratched by Pierre at the Del Mar County Fairgrounds. That goat was in a state of bliss!

4H Guinea Pig Competition

A proud and determined young woman displaying her pet guinea pig in the 4H Guinea Pig competition. As I watched, I wondered if dog, cat and other non-4H shows were similar and, oddly enough, thought that this young woman, fiercely staring down her guinea pig, almost daring it to move out of its show position, reminded me of a young Sara Palin. Do you suppose that Sara started off with 4H Guinea Pig Competitions as well? Nah, probably not... I had to admit that it was one fine looking guinea pig, certainly a champion (to me at least, if nothing else for being willing to sit still wherever she placed it!).

Like Carving Butter

A man carving life-sized, human sculptures out of butter at the Del Mar/San Diego County Fair! In the old days, they used to carve lard but, hey, lard is very out these days and butter...well, less out. Besides, who ever heard of carving olive oil?

On the Beach in Florianopolis, Brazil

On a very empty white sand beach in Florianopolis, Brazil. This was taken in October so the beach was a little nippy. Needless to say, none of us were in a hurry to get into swim shorts. Still, it was nice walking along the white sand beach. You can see the little clam shells that littered the sand as well.

Florianopolis, Brazil

Florianopolis, Brazil. Truly a charming island. Quiet, friendly atmosphere and long white sand beaches. This picture is of the houses for the rich foreigners, mainly Europeans, as I was told but then it's been a while.

View from the Fjords

Trondheim, Norway. We flew over the tundra in a long, cold flight in a turbo-prop. Just when you think you're going to freeze to death, you reach the fjords and everything turns lush and green! The buildings were colorful and the people, friendly. The rooms were small but neat and there were free, make-your-own waffles (and what looked like pickled smelt) in the lobby in the morning.

Jellies

Jellyfish at the Osaka Aquarium. Jellies are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. They catch plankton and small sea creatures with their stinging tentacles as they drift/pulse through the water.

Ludo

Ludo, A sculpture by Daniel Garcia. This one is for sale for $350 ($495 in the Gallery) at the Del Mar Fairgrounds (County Fair). Looks like something right out of the fairy tales!

Dogs Having Fun

Dogs having fun at Fiesta Island, San Diego, California. I swear that water was cold but the dogs didn't even flinch. In fact, they were all having a great time!

Fiesta Island has a leash-free dog area where the dogs can romp around and play with each other. There has been discussion about the City turning it into a city beach for swimmers instead. For the moment, however, it remains one of the last big patches of sand where dogs can run free in the City.

Messing Around With Effects

I've been waiting for the Trichocereus to bloom. As with the rest of my cacti, I get gorgeous flowers for a couple of days, once of year. (What's with that anyhow?) Anyhow, it has these big, fat, colorful buds that just keep you in suspense. But then, who wants to look at buds? So, here they are with a little bit of electronic dunking.

At The Snake Charmer's

Portable Python@Snake Charmer's. This guy hands me the snake and says he'll take my picture. He takes my picture and then says he's not taking the snake back until I tip him. Hah, how's that for motivation to find a big tip?

Lively Social Commentary

This painting really caught my eye at the Del Mar Fair. Shown is an excerpt from "Freedom of Expression," a watercolor by Jim Bates. I was attracted to the vibrant use of color and the wry social commentary. If you enjoy it please note that it is for sale for $2400 by the painter. You can see more of Jim's excellent watercolors at his web site. Most are a bit more formal while this one was very playful!

Taste the Fun!

A shot of the Entrance to the Del Mar Fair (dedicated to Martin!). It says, "Taste the Fun!" They are serving up all sorts of goodies including cotton candy, churros, deep fried Twinkies, deep fried snickers, sno-cones and popcorn! Nobody stays skinny at the fair! Bring back memories? You could hear the animals in the animal pavilion and there were plant displays, art and pottery displays and much more. There was a little something for everyone (except maybe for people on a diet!). As for the mouse up on the sign, hopefully he is part of the audience rather than part of the fare.

Awk...Silly Use of Hawaiian on TV...

Okay, so this Carl's ad has been bugging me. I speak a little Hawaiian and it was just enough to be irritating not knowing the exact translation of what they were saying so I looked it up.

Hala-kahiki on your moa u translates into pineapple on your chicken. Moa is chicken. U is the possessive (hence, "your" chicken). So they literally translated their chicken sandwich with pineapple.

Hala-kahiki means pineapple although I suspect it derives from the more literal translation, Foreign Hala, since the leaves on a pineapple look like the leaves of the Hala Tree, especially a young one before it branches out and pineapple was imported into Hawaii from South America. Just more conjecture of course. Anyhow, mystery solved in the case of the corny Carl's ad.

It all made me feel pretty silly when I realized it was an ad for a chicken sandwich with grilled pineapple (duh!). The answer was right in front of my face. Oh well. My excuse: I'd never heard anyone call a pineapple a Hala-kahiki in Hawaii, ever. The rest of it, I figured out pretty quick.

Disclaimer: the above conjecture is not intended to provide any endorsement for Carl's or their advertising. This was, for me, just an academic exercise.

...Or Maybe They're All Favorites?!

Epiphyllum hookeri. This little jungle cacti or Epiphyllum blooms at night (shown here with a little bit of dew). The flowers last less than a day but are awesome, spectacular things! Wish you could see them in person.

Cactus Favorites

Echinocereus rigidissimus var. rubispinus. One of my all time favorites for dramatic colored flowers and equally awesome red and white spines, this tiny Echinocereus is blooming on the back patio. It's in full sun and seems to love it, with three more buds on the way! I bought this as an unnamed, unbloomed cactus seedling from a really cool cactus shop in town, Exotic Gardens, and it has not disappointed me one bit.

White, Sparkling Angels in a Flower!

Podangis dactylocerus. One of a myriad of African spurred orchids, typically pollinated by moths. They are white so the pollinators can find them at night! Shown here is a close-up of one of the swarm of 1 cm flowers that covered this plant. These little flowers have a sparkling texture like diamond dust!

Rossioglossum grande

Rossioglossum grande, an orchid found in Guatemala, Belize and Mexico, where it grows in deciduous cloud forests from 4000-8000 feet.

Horney Devil

Four-horned Devil, Del Mar Art Show at the Del Mar Fair, Del Mar, California.

Angel's Trumpet

Angel's Trumpet, Brugmansia, Walter Anderson Nursery, San Diego, California. These are native mostly to Columbia, Ecuador and Peru and bloom with large pendant, trumpet-shaped flowers on a mid-sized shrub. They are toxic/inedible but make delightful ornamental shrubs. Note: "The plants are sometimes ingested for recreational or shamanic intoxication as the plant contains the tropane alkaloids scopolamine and atropine; however because the potency of the toxic compounds in the plant is variable, the degree of intoxication is unpredictable and can be fatal (See Wikipedia)."

The Lowly Salt Marsh/Mud Snail

Cerithidea californica, California Salt Marsh or Mud Snail, San Diego, California. This snail is common on muddy tidal flats and intertiday zones. They feed largely on algae and detritus. It is under pressure in some areas from introduced habitat competitors such as Ilyanassa obsoleta in the San Francisco Bay area. I had seen it around for some time in various locales around the county and snapped this photo to look it up with.

Who's Fishing in All that Eel Grass?

Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, in flight over the Mission River. This little egret was flying by on Sunday as I walked along the Mission River. These are much smaller than the great egrets, only reaching about 20-27 inches in height and are identifiable by their black beak, yellow feet and yellow loral spot just before the eye.

Just So Much Duck Food...

Eel Grass, Mission River Preserve, San Diego, California. Eel grass is a favorite food for the migratory Brandt geese and many of the ducks (pintails for instance). Clearly, the eel grass is none the worse for the wear, considering that hundreds of ducks have been chowing down on it all Winter long! I snapped this picture to show the huge expanse of deep green eel grass but it really doesn't do it justice. Ironically, you have to get up on the overpass to see it since the water reflection pretty much hides it if you're looking in at a lower angle. It's a wonderful habitat for all sorts of bass, minows, crabs, clams and invertebrates and provides food for the flourishing water bird community there.

Hummingbirds Out Back

Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna in the back yard tending to the bird of paradise. I suspect that heliconia and bird of paradise are both polinated by humminbirds in the wild. Doesn't that blue landing pad look taylor made for a hummingbird. Better yet, the hummingbird exposes the pollen and nectary when it lands.

Spiny Candle?

Echinocereus species. Yeah, I wait all year for my Echinocereus to bloom and I get two flowers that last about 3 days each...(grumble, grumble). Still, the flowers are a dramatic sight and overall, the suspense is fun! Just be careful about taking vacations away from home during cacti blooming season! They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Just for fun, I looked up the Latin. Echino means spiny and cereus refers to candle. I guess they are shaped like the candles of old and they definitely are painfully (if also artfully) spiny!

In Bloom in the Wayward Garden

Cattleya warneri variety semi-alba in bloom and decorating the kitchen. The orchids are starting to bloom as they come out of their Winter torpor. Overall, a fun time of year. The nicest thing about Cattleyas is their wonderful perfume-like fragrances. Too bad they seldom carry these in the supermarket. However, if you must have one, most decent growers and nurseries have at least a few for sale.

"Interteractive" Session at the Zoo

"Interactive" session at the San Diego Zoo with, in this case, the Polar Bear! They have added interactive sessions at various animal enclosures at the zoo. For the polar bears this mean an opening in the glass covered by a metal mesh where the zoo keeper could feed the polar bear while the audience watched. It was pretty fun actually (if a little intimidating). The bear really liked romaine lettuce (of all things!). He also enjoyed carrots and sweet potatos...

How Did You Spend Your Memorial Day?

These guys were out fishing. I snapped this picture partly because of that odd contraption (bilge pump maybe?) pumping water out of the boat into the channel. I've never seen anything like it. If it really was a bilge pump, I tend to doubt the safety of hanging out in a rusty old boat with a sizeable leak (based on the amount of water being pumped). On the other hand, maybe it was something more novel such as fish scented water to attract hungy fish to their lines... No idea.

I, of course, was taking pictures of birds in the preserve and working in the yard. Mom was off putting flowers on graves back home. Meanwhile, based on how packed the beaches were, a large part of San Diego was on the water enjoying the sun!

Great Egret in Flight

Great Egret in breeding plumage, Ardea alba, Mission River Preserve. I never tire of looking at these stunningly beautiful birds. I particularly liked how the sun shone through the wings. When they are breeding, the straight plumes on the back of the egret extend down past the tail (you can see them streaming out back of the bird here).

Bird trivia. How do you tell a great egret from a snowy egret? Of course, a great egret is much bigger at around 38 inches in height versus 20-27 inches for a snowy egret. However, in a photo without a size reference, you can easily tell by the color of the beak and feet. Great egrets have yellow beaks and black feet. Snowy egrets have black beaks and yellow feet (and fluffy plumes on the head for mature birds).

Royalty

Royal Tern, Sterna maxima, San Diego, California. Royal terns on the hunt for fish. They glide up and down the surf zone, diving from the heights to catch small fish which they carry back for their young.

The Last Thing Some Fish See...

California Brown Pelican scanning for food! Shot overhead with a Tamron 500mm zoom. Indeed, these are not small birds!

Lizards Snuggle Too!

Caiman Lizard, Dracaena guianensis, Amazon Basin. These hefty little lizards are snail eaters!

Flourescent Epiphyllum!

Epiphyllum hybrid blooming in my back yard. This photo was taken at night (yes, a little creepy in the back yard in the dark) with a flash. However, if you take photos at night with a flash, you will never need a black velvet background.

Iolani Place Etched Glass

Etched glass in relief off the front doors of Iolani Palace, Honolulu, Hawaii. Iolani Palace is not a grand castle but perhaps, on the order of a decent mansion of the time. This is where the Kings and Queens of Hawaii kept court. The etched glass harks back to a more innocent time, a time of hula and of trust and naivete. It saddened me a little, looking at this etched glass for it speaks to the innocence of days of old, an innocence that has long since been lost. While Hawaii has gained much by becoming a part of America, there is also undeniably much of the culture and ambiance of the islands that is forever lost. Change is like the wind upon the mountain peaks, forever eroding the landscape and leaving little trace of what once was.

Toothy Smile

Female Gharial, Gavialis gangeticus, Critically endangered. Now is that a toothy smile or what? That's enough to keep me out of the water!

In case you haven't guessed from the name (think Ganges), Gharials come from India. This is one of three crocodile species found in India, the others being the Mugger crocodile and the Saltwater crocodile (all equally scary looking...). Their reduced weight, bone structure and musculature versus other crocodile species allows increases speed (but reduced strength), an adaptation to their diet of small fish (I'm still not going in the water with them...). The Gharial's ancestors parted from the main line of crocodiles (morphology, etc.) in the Cretaceous. They are supposedly not maneaters (although they have been found with jewelry in their stomachs!).

One of My Favorite (Local) Ducks

Cinnamon Teal, Anas Cyanoptera, Mission River, San Diego, California. Not a big duck but makes up in color what it lacks in size! Truly a little charmer. In San Diego, I typically see them in pairs as opposed to Ruddy Ducks (for instance) which are quite social.

Mandarin Duck

Mandarin Duck, Aix galericulata. Mandarin ducks are closely related to the American Wood Duck but are from Asia. In China and Korea, Mandarin Ducks (yuan yang) symbolize marital fidelity and bliss. Like wood ducks, they nest in holes/boles in trees near water.

A Father's Love

Father and son watching a diver clean the shark tank, Waikiki Aquarium. Being a kid's not all that bad eh?

Rare Yellow Form of Monkey Flower

The Monkey Flower is in bloom. Normally they are red or orange but this one is a rare shade of yellow!

Cover Your Eyes if You Don't Like Creepy Crawlies!

Giant South American Cave Roach, Blaberus giganteus. Saw these at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and they are, true to their name, quite large. This one was perhaps 3 inches long. How's that for a creepy crawly. Luckily, they only live in caves in South America (so far anyhow).

According to the Giant Cave Cockroach page (yes they have their own web page), "This cockroach is the largest species in it's genus, and is one of the largest species of cockroaches known to man! The Giant Cave Cockroach is closely related to the cockroaches living in the Carboniferous coal forests 200 million years ago. They have been common lab animals since the 1950's."

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoa, feeding on bugs in the lush Spring foliage near the Mission River, San Diego, California. Ever wonder how many birds receive those odd sounding names? You guessed it, it's often based on the sound of their call. The Godwit has a call that sounds like kerwhit!..or alternately, godwit! Similarly, the Curlew (another long beaked shorebird) has a call that sounds like curleeeeeeuuu... It's weird seeing bird calls spelled out (complements of the Peterson's Guide) but, ironically, when I say it out loud, it does indeed remind me of the real thing. Who would have ever thought...