Epiphyllum Aquarius

Epiphyllum Aquarius. I bought this a few years back but it is blooming for the first time! It's nice in a more delicate manner than its bolder, brighter colored bretheren.

The Epiphyllum Parade

Epiphyllum Ming Gold. Another awesome grower. This plant is positively huge growing in an extra big porclain pot. This is a little more coppery-orange than Cadet shown earlier.

Epiphyllum Cadet

Epiphyllum Cadet; Easy growing, floriferous jungle cactus. One of the best!

New Fish for the Aquarium

Spring cleaning for the aquarium and two new Angelfish (Pterophyllum). Angelfish are cichlids native to the Amazonian basin. The genus Pterophyllum has three species; however, the ones in captivity are likely hybrids based early confusion between the species and on decades of selective breeding.

Dahlia

Dahlias are in full season and what a sight to see!

Squirrel Gen 3

Baby California ground squirrels, Otospermophilus beecheyi. This is the third generation growing up in the back yard. They typically get bigger, get territorial and then move off to new turf.

The Amazing Adventures of Scrub Jay...

Adventures of the Western Jay (aka Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma californica). Western Jays are omnivorous, eating most anything from acorns to seeds to bird eggs and baby birds. This one is poking at a sparrow's nest trying to get a little snack while the mother sparrow stands helpless off to the side chirping madly at it.

California Quail

California Quail, Callipepla californica, dashing through the back yard with its mate (not shown). They eat miscellaneous seeds (including acorns!) and spring leaves.

Epiphyllum King of Yellows

Epiphyllum King of Yellows. Just like clockwork. It was May 2, 2010, the last time I snapped a photo of this same Epiphyllum! Not quite a calendar substitute but still, none too shabby!

Basking in the Sun

Basking in the sun on a nice, soft armchair. Food, sun and cushy armchairs...what more can you ask for?

Hooded Oriole

Male Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus, from the pair that nests in the back yard under the banana tree leaves. Spring is here...

Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura, lounging on my railing. They're noisy, they're messy...but they are admittedly kind of cute.

Finals Are Almost Final

I'm down to the last class (tomorrow) in the last year of law school. It's kind of sad to see everybody go but it is also a relief to be finishing things up. Meanwhile, the weather has warmed up again, just in time to taunt you from outside the classroom windows. Oh wait, we were in the basement, weren't we? At least the long walk from the parking garage to class was just a bit cheerier.

Puffed Out to Stay Warm...

Western Scrub Jay, Aphelecoma californica, puffed out to stay warm in a cool coastal breeze.

Taro

Taro, Colocasia species, on a rainy day at the Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens.

Up Close

Close-up of the Daisies at USD. Easy to grow, always in bloom and a riot of colors! What more could you ask for?

Spring Daisies at USD

Spring Daisies at USD

The Immaculata

Peace and silence at the Immaculata Church at USD on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. Note palm fronds. This was a long exposure as the church was dark at the time.

Immaculata Church

Virgin Mary Statue above the entrance to the Immaculata Church at USD. Alas she had a broken thumb which just seemed so unseemly that I edited in a new thumb in for her.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias, sunning on the rocks in Mission Bay. He was keeping a keen eye on me but otherwise did not budge an inch.

Tiptoe through the Daisies

Crown daisies (Chrysanthemum coronarium) in bloom along the Mission River.

Tree-Face

Just for fun!

Carl Durant's Big Debut

Carl Durant and his band debut their new album, Last Place, at LeStat's last night.

U4BA (get it?!)

Euphorbia characias(?) blooming in the back yard. Note that the female part of the flower in the center is separated from the male parts of the flower on stalks (sorry, still in closed bud). This is likely to discourage self-pollination.

California Pond Turtle

California Pond Turtle (or Northern Pond Turtle), Actinemys marmorata marmorata. Found from San Francisco north through British Columbia. They survive Summer dry spells by estivating in the mud (like hibernating but during the Summer...).

Starfish on the Prowl

Starfish cruising among a colony of mussels.

Masdevallia ignea

Masdevallia ignea. These glowing little orchids are from the Columbian rainforest at around 10,000 ft. They tend to grow on the cool side and need good water.

Five Spot

Five Spot, Nemophila, blooming in the back yard. This native wildflower grows well in partly shaded areas after the Winter rains.

Stanhopea impressa

Stanhopea impressa. These are from Columbia and Ecuador at 1000-6000 ft.

University of San Diego Sunset

University of San Diego Sunset. One small benefit of working during the day and going to school at night is the occasional, gorgeous sunset.

Phalaenopsis Haur Jin Fancy

Phalaenopsis Haur Jin Fancy enterred at the San Diego County Orchid Society Show.

Carrots

Carrots in two colors at the farmer's market at USD. These were grown by Phil Noble at Sage Mountain Farm.

Springtime in the Back Yard

Leucospermum (Protea family) blooming in the back yard. While it would be inaccurate to say that the back yard is "awash" in flowers, there are a lot of fun things blooming. The Leucospermum have been in bloom for a week or two now and the hummingbirds have been busily pollinating them. The seeds will actually germinate as well although I haven't actually raised any up past seedling stage.

Glochids

Opuntia microdasys (bunny ears), closeup of glochids. These are really nasty if you brush up against them but, from afar, are fairly attractive. This one is growing in the back yard. For you non-cacti growers, Opuntia is the genus that includes prickly pears. Glochids are, as you can see, little tufts of spines in the areoles of the cactus pad.

Pleurothallis gargantua

Pleurothallis gargantua. This is one of the largest species in the pleurothallis alliance, capable of growing several feet tall. They are native to the cloud forests of Ecuador where they grow at around 4000-7000 feet.

Ascocentrum miniatum

Ascocentrum. This was labeled as miniatum but it is perhaps garayi ...or Sagarik Gold). This well grown little Ascocenda is native to Southeast Asia where it grows in deciduous forests.

Here's Looking at You...

Secretary Bird warily watching itself in the glass.

Koala Cameo

A Koala cameo. 9 times out of 10, the koalas are napping when I come by their exhibit. This time, however, he was up and chowing down eucalyptus leaves like a locus on the warpath. The weirdest thing is that he looks vaguely familiar. Do animals ever remind you of people?

Duck Attack

A territorial display between two ducks. The one being chased is a wood duck. The chaser is possibly a greater scaup. The scaup managed to bite the wood duck on the wing at some point before the wood duck escaped.

Foaming at the Mouth?

Bactrian camel, Camelus bactrianus, female. Why do camels foam at the mouth? Reduced appetite and foaming at the mouth is a sign of estrus! There is nothing wrong with Mrs. camel, she's just in heat. Note, there are only about 1000 wild Bactrian camels left, mostly inhabiting the Gobi desert.

Panda-monium

Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, eating bamboo. It gives new meaning to toothpicks doesn't it? Apparently, pandas have to eat around 40-80 lbs of bamboo a day, partly because of bamboo's low nutritional value.

Pictures from the Homeland...

Surfing Sunset Beach in the Winter when the waves are real big...

Duck of the Week

The Mandarin Duck, Aix galericulata, is native to Eastern Russia, China and Japan and is related to the American Wood Duck.

Passing Peacock

Just your passing peacock...

Wooly Bear

Wooly Bear Caterpillar floating down the stream. This is the larvae of a moth in the family Arctiidae, possibly a tiger moth. They were all over the hiking trails and even in the water were they probably fell from overhanging foliage. It's Springtime in Southern California!

Ficus villosa

Ficus villosa, Borneo. Those hairs...keep this little Ficus from being eaten by browsing animals.

Dendrobium obtusisepalum 'Diamond Orchids' AM/AOS

Dendrobium obtusisepalum 'Diamond Orchids' AM/AOS. This was one of the recent awards at the San Marino Judging Center for the American Orchid Society. Dendrobium obtusisepalum is a shade-loving, native to New Guinea where it grows on small shrubs and on trees at about 2500 ft.

Just for the Color

Some pictures are all color and light!

Aloe After the Rain

Aloe species blooming after the rain. Most Aloe bloom only once a year, but when they bloom, they put on quite a show! Luckily for them, the leaves are also amazingly attractive in all sorts of geometries and patterns.

Pacific Mistletoe

Pacific Mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum; also known as oak mistletoe and Western mistletoe. These have berries right now. While these are toxic to humans, many birds eat them, excreting the sticky, pulpy seeds on trees that they roost on, thereby spreading the mistletoe.