Odd buggers hanging out in the desert, being all pretty
Comes to my feeder multiple times every morning for chicken food. (Exact coordinates hidden for privacy. Neighbors aren’t happy with all the traffic)
Two plants next to each other. To be expected, surrounded by Q. Kelloggii & Q. Wizlizeni. Location is approximate, added after the fact
At the request of the East African Rarities Committee, this record has been submitted and CONFIRMED as an Orental Honey-Buzzard, a major rarity for the area.
On Astragalus trichopodus.
Although photos not clear, definitely saw the short “bobbed” tail.
Collected from Ceanothus verrucosus on 4/11/2021.
Observation from original sighting on host plant:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73583630
Collected gall from Ceanothus verrucosus on 4/11/21.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73583630
Gall cut open to find larvae inside on 4/21/21 and placed in container with a cup of soil.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74768171
7 midges emerged today.
What a difference a day makes... Buck struck on Mission Gorge Rd. in MTRP, hauled to a remote area of the park for natural decomposition. One day later a ribcage, neck and skull remained.
Owl in distress. Observed in grasslands on the ground walking and some hopping. It paused, bowed and swung head back & forth and beak was opening & closing. Effects of poisoning? Sad to see this.
Come on, I had to. The great @gcwarbler (who is a salmon and/or trout) with his friends. Excellent night for mothing. This was one of four sheets.
Seen on Fr. Serra Trail. Location approximate. Image taken with DSLR camera without GPS feature.
Nest with four eggs in umbrella over table in San Diego Zoo.
On my serviceberry. Body is 1/2” long. Inactive. Updated with next instar and previous exoskeleton. Remained small while it remained for observation, body no larger than ¾”.
The red-winged blackbird is on the rump of the red-tailed hawk. The video is more interesting. See it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBTkP9fyxfE
ate mandarin orange tree leaves last Sept, 2019, pupated 10/19, and just emerged 6/20.
Large mushrooms poked up out of the snow in Cuyamaca Mountains near manzanitas
Toyon heavily-browsed from ground height to 4-5 feet above ground in a secluded area of the park. Toyon in more heavily-used parts of the park do not show such patterns. The number of plants utilized by mule deer is impressive: https://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/wildlife/ca_muleDeer_hab_guidelines.pdf
the coin in the last images measures 26mm in diameter.
Cooper's Hawk with a nest nearby gets serious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH0SQumMGJ4
Stills taken from a trail camera 4 second video. Very prominent whiskers, back is slightly swayed. Gait is cat-like. Not a bobcat (has tail and longer torso), not a coyote. I think it's a mountain lion.
4 second video can be seen at:
https://youtu.be/IAvChRobG54
Not sure if this is correct. Leaves don’t seem to match all that well. Should have gotten better photos.
Scattered cluster near Quercus agrifolia on side of trail. Cup-2-2.5 cm diameter.
We spotted the ewe with a collar and tags on both ears first when driving towards Borrego Spring on Montezuma Valley Rd. Then to our delight, another ewe and two lambs showed up too. The lambs were very curious and playful which made them really fun to watch. They were certainly not shy showing off their marvelous sure footing when chasing each other up and down the steep cliff!