And just as there are no bad birds, there are no bad birders. Birding is enjoying birds. That's it. Some people say I am a decent birder and some people would say good. Some tell me they are bad birders. However, it all depends on how you measure the judgement you impose. Yes I have gotten better at identifying some birds, but there is always more to learn. My mother, who recently moved in with my husband and me, is now taking up birding. She tells me she is a bad birder. But there is nothing wrong with not knowing birds that are all new to you. We just bought her better binoculars and she is having a good time. That, to me, is success.

For me, birding is just part of being a good naturalist. I was glad I was birding alone, and not with good birders, when I saw a small group of rats at Shoreline Aquatic Park. I enjoyed watching and photographing them. My birding buddies would have laughed and wanted to get back to birding.

Happy nature watching.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_mar_2024

Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_mar_2024

On February 29th (my uncle would have celebrated his 25th birthday, born on leap year 100 years ago), I went on my wetlands survey. The wetlands were wet. Wetter than usual! There were many pools of water. Poor milk snails were drowning in the water in the tire tracks in the mud. We tried to save them and a few may have survived through our efforts. The remaining ones may go as coyote or heron snacks. Some biologists are apparently doing a study of coyotes. They had staked statues of a cat and a dog to the ground and had motion detector trail cameras pointed at them. I don't know if they fooled the coyotes but they made me do a double take. When I realize what it was, I patted the cat and said "poor kitty". I wonder what the biologists will think when they retrieve the camera.  The rains should yield a bumper crop of mustard. I was impressed by the amount of moss growing on the trail. There were some of our usual areas too wet to walk through. 

I have enjoyed our wet lands, but hope for some drier days so I can get out to see them.

Happy nature watching.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_feb_2024

Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_feb_2024

As is typical, I started the new year with the LB 100 when I organize a group to find 100 bird species on the first day of the year. There is always a push in the beginning of the year to see the wintering shorebirds, waterfowl, and  as many birds as we can. The LA River is one hotspot. Among other birds, a variety of gulls can be found. I am still working on my gull identification skills. As a way of learning, and proof that I saw them, I take photos. These photos are good for id even if not that pretty. I have rarely seen Iceland (Thayer's) Gulls and Black Backed Gulls, so they are a particular challenge. I am grateful to my more expert friends for help with those.

Rarities, such as the Ancient Murrelet that turned up at Cabrillo Beach, and the Brown Thrasher at the West San Gabriel River Nature Trail, require proof for the eBird reviewers. This involves a write-up and often photos. I record birds in eBird and all nature in iNaturalist, including insects and the very well-fed Coyote I saw sauntering one evening.

I went on a pelagic birding trip out of Redondo Beach. While I have gone on many ocean trips, I must say, this one had the most spectacular feeding frenzy I have seen. Dolphin were swimming upside down and the small fish in the bait balls were leaping out of the water. The gulls and pelicans were scooping them up. I guess that is why I keep going out, you never know what you will see.

I am very careful to proofread my blog before sending it out, but still often miss things. I don't always proof my eBird postings and text messages. I use voice-to-text to write them from my phone. That, combined with auto-correct, makes for some very strange comments. I'm sure many eBird reviewers think I am drinking something with a very high proof. Sometimes, even, with a few garbled words, one can decipher my sentences. One text got a few laughs when I posted on a bird chat group the observation of a possible Red-naped Sapsucker. My photo proved it actually to be a Red-breasted Sapsucker. However, autocorrect changed my original report to be of a Red-naked Sapsucker. When I learned of my mistaken post, I said that it was what I meant all along. The breast was red from the sun because it was naked. It should have worn clothes, or at least sunblock. I think we have a new name for the bird.

Happy nature watching.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jan-2024

Pelagic Trip:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_trip_jan_2024

In preparation for my upcoming big birding event on January 1st, I scouted a few locations. At Marine Stadium I found the Long-tailed Duck that has been recently reported. It was happily swimming with a flock of Mallards. Speaking of Mallards, on my monthly Los Cerritos Wetlands survey, we encountered an unusual Mallard. Dare I say, everyone is familiar with Mallards, those ducks with shiny green heads and curlicue tail feathers. Those are the males. There are often brown drab ducks with them that are typically the females. What non-birders generally don't know is that males can also be drab brown and are hard to tell apart from the females when they are young or are in non-breeding plumage. Notice the color of the bill. Males have yellow bills and the females orange. Sometimes you see weird or 'funny' ducks at the duckpond that look like Mallards but are just off. They are usually highly inbred domestic mallards of questionable parentage. So back to our unusual Mallard. This one was a female (orange bill) but is considered 'intersex', or in drake-plumage. Some of her plumage resembles a male. This is less common but does occur in wild populations. While Mallards are not always that interesting, we saw a pair of White-tailed Kites on the survey. When they show up, I always consider it a good day.

Wishing peace and happiness in 2024 for all the humans and the critters too.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_dec-2023

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_dec_2023

Taking some time between planning and arranging things, my nature observations are from both near and far. Mostly I was very near, in my own backyard. The 'far' was from a day trip to San Jacinto Wildlife Area with friends and a weekend trip to Arizona to visit family for Thanksgiving.

San Jacinto is always wonderful. A Virginia Rail was a highlight bird for me. I don't see them locally and they are very stealthy. I was also excited to see a male velvet ant. Velvet ants are a type of wasp, not an ant. The species we see most often has a fuzzy red abdomen, hence the name 'velvet'. I mostly see the females, which have no wings and crawl on the ground, looking like large ants. The males have wings. I didn't get the best photo, but it was cool just the same.

In Arizona, I mostly saw 'smores, charcuterie platters, turkey dinner, and close family. We went on a walk around the neighborhood and saw several vermillion flycatchers. We have them locally, but still they are always a stunning bird.

Go out and enjoy nature, and enjoy time with family and friends too.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_nov_2023

San Jacinto Wildlife Area:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_jacinto_nov-2023

Tucson, AZ:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/tucson_nov-2023

Last month I completed the re-landscaping of my backyard to all native plants. I have already recorded several species of insects and birds new to my yard list: Lark Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Gray Buckeye butterfly, Western Pygmy Blue butterfly, Erebid moth (Tetanolita palligera), Ribbon Jumping Spider (Metacyrba taeniola), and a Mason Wasp (Pachodynerus pulverulentus), which also appears to be relatively new to California. Are they really new to my yard or have I just not seen them? Maybe it's because I'm spending more time looking for them. Whatever the reason, it is nice to have renewed interest in my yard. I also set up better crittercams for my night visitors. I was not disappointed. Watch the video of the wily racoon and a visit from opossum and skunk. I delighted myself by spending some time each day in my garden with my macro lens. I enjoyed seeing all the small changes of plants growing and insects coming.

I only went out a few times birding to see some of the fall migrants. I visited the LA River and a couple of local parks. The surprise was a Mountain Bluebird at the river. It is unusual to find one near the coast. It is new to my Long Beach list.

I also went on a pelagic birding trip out of Redondo Beach and added a Manx Shearwater as a new bird to my life list. It was a good day for pelagic birds with large flocks sitting on the water.

Go out and enjoy nature, and learn something new.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_oct_2023

Pelagic birding out of Redondo Beach:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_trip_oct_2023

Birding has been a bit of a challenge. There has been a good variety of vagrant birds lost in migration, but otherwise it has been slow birding. I look forward to next month when, hopefully, all the birds will be back.

One of the places I went to several times was Signal Hill. It has been a local high point for migration, both literally and figuratively. Several rare migrants showed up there, and since it is close to my house, I tried chasing a few. A Magnolia Warbler and a Virginia's Warbler were the targets. At another park, a Tennessee Warbler was far from his home. I found a Blackpoll Warbler and a Lucy's Warbler at La Mirada Creek. All of these warblers chose to be very flitty and were hard to see, much less photograph, while flitting through dense foliage. And, it is a banner year for Red-breasted Nuthatches in our area. While you might see one occasionally at the coast during fall/winter, I seem to be seeing (or at least hearing) them almost everywhere I go.

While at Signal Hill, I discovered that the trees were infested with beetles (adults, larvae, and eggs).
This little eucalyptus leaf beetle, Paropsis atomaria, unfortunately is relatively new to our area. These are native to Australia. In November 2021 one was reported on iNaturalist, and they were documented by the LA Agriculture Commission in 2022. Since then, they seem to have exploded in population, now spreading into Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. They join several other leaf beetles whose host is eucalyptus. Of course the eucalyptus trees, that we think of as a symbol of California, are also a native of Australia, and were brought to CA intentionally. How did our new little friend get here? Through the ports? Brought back by someone visiting Australia? We may never know.

Go out and enjoy nature, but remember to dress for summer, fall, and winter all at once. You never know which season you'll get in September and early October.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_sep-2023

Camp De Benneville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/12/2023 This month I attended an art camp held in the San Gabriel Mountains. I never went to sleep-away camp as a child, but now can relate better to the many movies based on the subject. Although the focus of the camp activities was on art workshops, there were other activities such as group hikes, yoga, and archery. We slept in bunkbeds (lower for us old folk) and ate our meals in the big central building. I enjoyed the concept, but as a slightly introverted person, spending time surrounded by sixty-five people, and artists who created art eight hours a day, was a little intense for me. So I ducked out to spend time on my own birdwatching, exploring the forest, and photographing wildlife (chipmunks!!!).

Camp De Benneville Pines, Angelus Oaks,
CA 09/08/2023

Camp de Benneville Pines is located in yellow pine forest with various pines, fir trees, and black oaks among other trees. Rocks are everywhere and would be a geologist's delight, I am sure. There are lots of metamorphic rock, granite, schist, and gneiss. One day, perhaps, I will learn more about rocks and trees, but fauna has my prime attention.

White-headed Woodpecker - Dryobates albolarvatusWhite-headed Woodpecker - Dryobates albolarvatus
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/12/2023 Steller's Jay - Cyanocitta stelleriSteller's Jay - Cyanocitta stelleri
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/09/2023 Since it is September, most of the birds, that come up to the mountains to breed, have already left.

I did see a few Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Townsend's Warbler that will soon be visiting me, along with many of their kin, down at the coast for the winter. The resident birds were quite vocal. Mountain Chickadees and Stellar's Jays were abundant. ​I saw several fluffy immature jays. Red-breasted, White-breasted, and Pygmy Nuthatches, Acorn, White-headed, Hairy, and Nuttall's Woodpeckers tapped on trees and made their distinctive calls. Northern White Skipper - Heliopetes ericetorumNorthern White Skipper - Heliopetes ericetorum
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/10/2023  I enjoyed birding by ear.

Butterflies, moths, and other insects caught my eye and camera. Northern White Skippers were all over the Fleabane.

Southern Chipmunk - Neotamias sp.Chipmunk - Neotamias sp.
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/09/2023 Sagebrush Lizards and a beautiful blue-tailed Western Skink scurried over the lichen-covered rocks and in the pine and oak leaf litter.

Western Skink - Plestiodon skiltonianusWestern Skink - Plestiodon skiltonianus
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/11/2023

There was a family of four Mule Deer (mama, papa, and two young ones) that I saw at a distance during one early morning walk. California Ground Squirrels, Western Gray Squirrels, and my most favorite, chipmunks, scampered around everywhere. Chipmunks are distinguished from squirrels by the lines through their eyes. I even caught one chipmunk in mid 'flight' as it jumped great distances from rock to rock.

Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/10/2023 On one of my walks, I passed the archery range. I always like to try to catch birds in flight, but since I was not having much success, I spent a little while trying to catch arrows in flight. That too was a challenge, but I finally reached success when I had the instructor help lead the coordination.

The Art SHowThe Art SHow
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/12/2023 The art classes were well structured and taught by very accomplished artists. I took the morning intensive (three hours each morning for five days) in monoprinting. The teacher was a delight. We had some instruction and then a lot of trial and error on our own with guidance from the instructor if we asked. I find it difficult to be creative during a class, so rather than work on a masterpiece, I chose several small exercise pieces to try out a technique or materials. I prefer to work in shorter, more sporadic increments as the mood hits, so I found it a bit challenging to spend so much time working at it.

Each afternoon, there were two shorter workshops offered, some taught by the instructors of the other intensives. I opted to take only one each day. I attended rock painting. While others did beautiful work, I found more beauty in the natural rock painted by lichen. I took journaling. It was fun to do collage work from magazine scraps, something I don't normally do. I went out on my own and did a little nature journaling in ink and watercolor.

I loved the acrylic pour workshop. I could see that that would be a lot of fun, but very messy. Lastly, I took oil pastels. This was my favorite. I hadn't used pastels before. The instructor was fun and a very good teacher. She took us step-by-step through the process. I might actually try that at home. The last day was a group art show so we could see what everyone had done.

My Acrylic Pour TileMy Acrylic Pour Tile
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/10/2023 My Acrylic Pour TileMy Acrylic Pour Tile
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/10/2023 My Oil PastelMy Oil Pastel
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/12/2023 One of my MonoprintsOne of my Monoprints
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/12/2023 One of my MonoprintsOne of my Monoprints
Camp De Benniville Pines, Angelus Oaks, CA 09/12/2023






These six days confirmed for me that I am a Naturalist, Photographer, and Artist --- in that order.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Vertebrates (Birds, Reptiles, Mammals):    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/camp_de_benneville_vertebrates

Invertebrates (Insects and Spiders):    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/camp_de_benneville_invertebrates

Plants, Rock, Fungi, Lichen, Habitat:  https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/camp_de_benneville_habitat

Art and Activities:  https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/camp_de_benneville_art

Red Foxes are not native to southern California. They were introduced by humans for fox hunts and for farming for the fur trade. Escapees, accidental or released, have since populated some areas. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is one place they can be found. I have seen them there before, but not often. This time I was on my way to Cabrillo Beach to go birding with a friend. On the way in, my friend spotted one. I pulled the car over. There really isn't parking there. We got out to grab our cameras and were being very quiet. After a quick first shot, we noticed it was a family with two young kits. My friend warned me not to scare them. But, soon we realized they were very accustomed to humans and even sat just feet away to groom. I would love to have stayed with them longer, but other cars were coming. 

My snake moment came at the end of the month. I went with an Urban Sketching group up to Mount Wilson. While they sketched the observatory, I had a little wander. I was following a whiptail lizard when the Striped Racer darted for it. I think my presence helped the lizard escape. The snake just sat there for a moment. I think it was saying "Harumph". I was able to get down to eye-level with it and snap a picture.

After years of smelling a skunk pass my bedroom window at night, I had never seen it. I caught him on my trail cam occasionally, but never saw him in person. One morning I did. I grabbed my camera, even though I didn't have the right lens on. Before I could focus, he ran directly at me. I ran backwards faster. Fortunately he charged me head on and didn't turn tail, but I still wish I got a better photo. It could have been a moment.

Live in the moment, and live for the moments. I hope this brought you a moment to smile.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_aug-2023

Mount Wilson:    kimssight.zenfolio.com/mt_wilson_aug-2023

However, I did get hot under the collar at our local park maintenance. I have noticed trees being taken down throughout Long Beach’s parks. When I went to Wardlow Park, one of my favorites and a hotspot for birds in migration, I was shocked practically to tears. Dozens of  trees have been removed.  This includes the trees that were a favorite of the Summer Tanager, several of the favorite trees of the Oak Titmouse, the trees where I found the Red-faced Warbler a few years ago. The Nuttall’s Woodpeckers and Western Bluebirds would nest in cavities in several of the trees, now gone. Beautiful Sycamores gone. The trees in the center of the park where the Hammond’s Flycatchers perch, gone. All the undergrowth along the channel fence has been cut down. No place for White-crowned Sparrows and California Towhees to hide. In discussions with fellow birders, this has been the case in many of our favorite places.

Apparently, in 2015, an inventory and assessment was conducted that identified 14,000 trees as dead, dying, or in critical condition. Nothing was done at that time. These trees continued to decline further due to a historic drought, disease, and invasive pests. The 2023 budget included one-time Measure A funds in the amount of $1.8 million to address the decline of the park urban forest. So the city is doing everything at once. If you have the money, spend it while you can. If I could wave my magic wand, I would have done the work in sections over time, leaving at least some habitat for birds and wildlife. I also think the city is focusing on using the parks for 'recreation', which to them means sports fields. We will see how this effects fall migration.

So back to what I saw this month. A friend introduced me to a new-to-me local park where we met to photograph insects. It is a more wild area, and I saw some cool stuff. I am reminded that there is always more to see if you look closely. I also coordinated the PV/South Bay Audubon Butterfly/Dragonfly survey. Not as many butterflies this year, but my highlight was a young raccoon and a posing cicada. 

As we try to escape the heat at the beach or on summer vacations, as is usual, fall migration has begun for birds. Shorebirds are returning along the river and shore. An Eastern Kingbird, headed south, came down the wrong coast and showed up at Los Cerritos Wetlands. A Tundra Bean Goose that breeds in Siberia got very lost in migration and showed up locally, making it's way through several local parks. Baby birds are growing up, and there were some other rarities. I saw Magnificent Frigatebirds when I was in Mexico in February. It was quite unusual to see one locally. It was very distant, but there is no mistaking the size and shape.  An Indigo Bunting was by the river. It's name is true to the color of the bird.

Enjoy nature, hydrate, and stay cool!

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_july-2023

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jun_2023

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jun_2023

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jun_2023

Barret-Stoddard Road: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/barrett-stoddard_jun-2023

Grassy Hollow, Blue Ridge Campground, Jackson Lake:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_gabriel_mountains_jun-2023

We started the month visiting with my husband's daughter and her beau who were visiting San Diego from the UK. We had a lovely time with them and went out whale watching. Not too exciting for whales, but there were many Mola mola eating Velella velella (Ocean sunfish eating sea jellies).

At the end of the month my husband and I welcomed guests into our home. It has been a long time, due to the pandemic, since we have had guests spend time in our home for an extended visit. I had been looking forward to it for a while. One of the benefits for me is getting the house ready. My husband dreads this part, but is happy when it is done. Not that we are bad housekeepers, although I guess we are but, without visitors, sometimes clutter builds up beyond what I can tolerate. My husband likes to accumulate things, and I have followed suit, particularly with art supplies. I have now had the opportunity to go through my supplies, clean out what I can, and at least reorganized them, which will make them much easier to access in the future. Decluttering is very good for my spirits. Meanwhile, my husband painted the front bench and sanded the Adirondack chairs out back. When my friends arrived, I'm sure they were impressed with the way we live in only a moderately cluttered house. The visit with guests is so very welcomed. After preparations, it is then a stay-cation for us to spend time enjoying the company of our friends...and the residual cleaner home. Our friends came to LA for the Natural History Museum Bug Fair. The rest of the time we met up with others and looked for and talked about birds and insects. My kind of people!

While migration petered out, as usual, the silk oaks attracted the birds while their blooms lasted. I saw Black-headed Grosbeaks and Western Tanagers on their way through. Yellow Warblers arrived for the summer. A Northern Parula and an Indigo Bunting were nice rarities.

Visits to Dockweiler Beach, Bolsa Chica, and San Joaquin Marsh were wonderful places to see tern courtship. Males offer fish to the females to prove they are good providers. If she is receptive, courtship and copulation follow. At Dockweiler Beach, a young boy came by and asked why one bird was standing on the back of the the other. I didn't want to go into too much detail, but he left excited about birds. At Bolsa Chica, we watched a Least Tern male go fish and feed a potential mate. She proved very responsive and waggled and tickled his chest with her tail. But he seemed mostly confused and eventually flew off. Was he still too young?

I enjoyed tide pooling at Cabrillo Beach. It has been a while since I have done that, and was glad that our guests suggested it. 

I took my friends to see the Nighthawks at Irvine Regional Park, and the birds put on a good show. We also heard Western Screech Owls and saw bats. Nighttime birding is a different experience even if there are no photos.

We looked for insects at San Joaquin and Madrona Marshes where we saw native bees and flies. I threw a party at my house where everyone brought their cameras to do a mini bioblitz for insects in my yard. It was a success. They added many new species to my yard list. I think my husband now believes I'm not the only one looking under leaves and under the porchlight. There is a whole community out there!

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_may-2023

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_may_2023

Tide Pools:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/cabrillo_tide_pools_may-2023

San Diego boat trip:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/whale_watch_san_diego_2023

Grunion are small fish that come to spawn with special high tides. They bury their eggs in the sand high on the shoreline. This occurs on a full moon at night. I have yet to stay up that late and trek to the beach to see them. However, I do get up the next morning to see the shorebirds flock to feed on the eggs. 

Signal Hill was THE hotspot for spring migration. There were so many warblers including multitudes of Wilson's, Orange-crowned, Nashville's, and Townsend's, a few Hermit, an individual Black-and-White, and even a Hooded Warbler (only the second one I have ever seen). That warbler brought flocks of local birders to look for it. In addition, there were flocks of Western Tanagers and Black-headed Grosbeaks in dazzling color. I made some rounds to other local parks too. In addition to the birds, White-lined Sphinx moths were everywhere. I also saw coyotes at Signal Hill and Willow-Springs. The ones at Signal Hill gave a rousing chorus at dusk.

I went to San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Riverside County. I was there a few months ago for the first time and was very happy to go back. The waterfowl were fewer because many had already left, but there were still some there. Last time we were there, we saw many Mountain Bluebirds, but these too were all gone now. I just missed the 'good' birds that were the targets for many birders including my friends, but I was not disappointed. I was very happy to see the White-faced Ibises in breeding plumage. I also stayed by the car while the others went for a longer walk to look for them. I took some time to sketch in my journal and enjoy the greenery and yellow flowers after the rain.

Los Cerritos Wetlands was stunning in yellow with Mustard and Garland Daisies. Unfortunately they are both non-native invasives, but stunning none the less.

At the end of the month, Rancho Los Cerritos held events for the annual City Nature Challenge. I helped with birds, and then at night, joined the blacklighting event. It was rather cool, and insects were few, but the company and just being at the Rancho at night was wonderful.

The wildflowers are so beautiful that I did a little ink and watercolor journaling this month, and I did a more detailed colored pencil botanical illustration of yellow sage.

Get outside. It's good for you!

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_apr-2023

Feeding Frenzy:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/feeding_frenzy_apr-2023

San Jacinto:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_jacinto_apr-2023

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_apr_2023

Rancho Los Cerritos Wetlands City Nature Challenge:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/rancho_los_cerritos_nature_challenge_apr_2023

Get outside. It's good for you!

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local stuff (mostly my yard):    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_mar-2023

February opened with a pelagic birding trip out of Dana Point in Orange County. This one was on a catamaran, lower to the water. Although a little brisk, the seas were flat, and made for perfect viewing of alcids and shearwaters. There were distant whales, but the focus of this trip was birds. That was OK because I got my whale fix in Baja later in the month.

Two days later I went to San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Riverside County with two birding buddies. This was my first time there. It is a hunting area, so we had to time our visit on a day without guns. It was fabulous. It briefly rained on our way out there. The morning was gray and cloudy, but soon the clouds parted, and suddenly we could see the snow on the mountains. I took lots of scenery photos with my phone, in addition to the bird photos with my big camera. Raptors were my favorite. A Northern Harrier posed for us. We had a great air show with a Golden Eagle, three young Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, and a pack of attacking Common Ravens. They were all high in the sky, so photos didn't really capture it, but it was a thrill.

Most of my time this month involved my field arts trip to Baja. First I spent time preparing, then the trip itself, and then another week processing the photos and the experience. It was so full of activities, habitats, and birds, that I had to break it up into three separate blogs.  

• https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2023/2/baja-sur---travels-part-1-field-arts-bootcamp
• https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2023/2/baja-sur---travels-part-2-magdalena-bay-and-whale-camp
• https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2023/2/baja-sur---travels-part-3-mountains_sea_of_cortez_loreto

I may take a break next month.

Get outside. It's good for you!

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Dana Point Pelagic Trip:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_feb-2023

San Jacinto:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_jacinto_feb-2023

The trip was so jam-packed with habitats, nature, and learning, that I am breaking up the experience into three blogs. This is Part 1 and covers an overview, trip organization and people, and field arts. Part 2 will focus on Magdalena Bay, Gray Whales, and Whale Camp. Part 3 will cover Isla Coronado, The Mountains, and Loreto and the Estuary.

Before any vacation there is a lot of work before, during and after. This one was no different. It started with planning and packing. I wrote a whole separate blog about that last month. https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2023/1/preparing-and-paring. Then there was the eight days of vacation which included travel time, much time unpacking and repacking, and packing the day pack as I moved from activity to activity. When I got home, I had to unpack, do laundry, catch up on email and bills, etc. Oh yes, and a long hot shower.  Then add to that the downloading, identifying, labeling, and posting of photos to iNaturalist, eBird, and my website. I capped it all off with my blog. It is a lot of work, but that is just the price I pay as a naturalist for learning and moments of pure joy.

This trip was an immersive Baja Field Arts Bootcamp. Could there be a better fit for me? Baja, whales, Sea of Cortez, naturalist skills, field arts!  It was three days/two nights at whale camp on the Pacific side in Bahía Magdalena watching Gray Whales and a tour of the mangroves. There was a day of optional snorkeling and beach combing at Isla Coronado in the Sea of Cortez with rocky shores and sandy beaches. Next was a day in the mountains that separate the two sides. Finally, there was a day at the beach exploring town and the mudflats of the estuary in Loreto. Instead of the quiet contemplative experience of journaling and improving my journaling practice as I expected, we had an activity packed adventure.

The trip was organized by Roseann Hanson, with her husband Jonathan. They are an extraordinary couple of adventurers, naturalists, and expedition leaders. Their website is https://www.exploringoverland.com/. They really looked out for us in terms of safety.  That is something I particularly appreciate as I call myself an adventurous wimp. They carried a satellite communications device for our remote travels, safety gear, and supplies. Fortunately, it was never put to the test. They made constant head counts of the group, checked that everyone was accounted for before leaving the hotel and at night. They reminded us of sunblock, hand sanitizer, and hydration. They helped track lost luggage (not mine), late arrivals (one couple), coordinated with hotel services (hot water), restaurants, taxis, vans, sick people (two couples who needed the Imodium), and all tips. This kind of safety prep did not go unnoticed by me. It is so important to travel with a reputable organization. They worked with a local operator, ROW Adventures: https://www.rowadventures.com/. ROW did an excellent job also. They hired local biologists as leaders. The local guides had the opportunity to be in the field and give nature talks, but they also had to deal with the logistics from menu orders, camp setup, carrying toilet paper and water, and emptying the pee buckets.  There was also a cook at camp. Mario was one of the local guides. He let us know he had two masters’ degrees. He gave the talks at Whale Camp, and what he called the “blah, blah, blah”. Rafa did more of the ‘other’ activities. Diana was new and in training. All three were a joy. Finding satisfying work as a biologist is always a challenge. The season with the whales is from February to mid-March and then the guides are on to other assignments and/or back to school.

on a hikeon a hike
Baja California Sur, MX The group climbing to the pictographsThe group climbing to the pictographs
Between Rancho Santo Domingo and the Pictographs, 02/16/2023 In addition to our expedition leaders, there were sixteen of us who all came from different places, literally and figuratively. I could tell that others have also had experience guiding groups, not just from the fact that they told us they were teachers, wilderness guides, and park docents, but also from the way they helped act as group translators, people herders, and crossing guards. I was very impressed with their knowledge, skills, friendliness, and adventurous spirit, not to mention their athleticism. While some were under retirement age, the majority were above. While I was babying my recently injured hip, trying not to reinjure it walking in sand and on uneven pavement (fortunately it didn’t give me much grief), others were scampering over sand dunes and taking brisk walks into town. I skipped the arduous rock climb to the pictographs. The guide said it was easy, but Roseann warned us it was not. Several of us opted for a nature walk instead.

Field Arts

We had two whale talks by Mario, one each on the two nights in camp. They were excellent presentations, and I learned a few new things. Jonathan showed people how to use the binoculars. They lent us Swarovski Optics binoculars for the trip. Roseann has a wealth of knowledge, and I could tell that she wanted to share more than we had time for.  She gave a demonstration and lesson on color mixing with watercolors. That was good for those who are newer to art. She showed us how she does her page layouts. In the field she showed how to measure tracks and talked about how to make plaster casts. On the last night, Roseann showed us how to make paint from natural pigments and binders. She used soil she collected while we were in the field.

With all the activities, travel, talks, and socializing, we didn’t have much opportunity for our own journaling practice.  However, I did have the opportunity to see other people’s perspectives on journaling.

Naturalists used to journal because cameras, cell phones, and other techniques were not available. They noted species, drew pictures, made field notes, and captured metadata such as location, weather, and time. These were done in the field as they went, or in their field camps. Modern nature journaling seems to be more of an artform. It includes quiet observation, contemplation, art, poetry, and a host of individual preferences.  I asked a few people how they use their journal practice, and also observed what others were doing.  On the last day we gave presentations to children and showed our journals (I did mine in Spanish, dredging up forgotten vocabulary and grammar). This was the best opportunity to learn from others.

Group share Some people took time in the evening to work on their journals from photos on their cell phones or from memory. Some did little to no journaling on the trip, but some people thought they would work from photos when they got home. Some did more writing, some did more art, some made quick spontaneous sketches and notes, some were more scientific, some artistic, some whimsical. It was a delight to see all the creativity, and I got an understanding of journaling in a new way.

Seeing others work and how they use it gave me more insight into my own practice. I love beautiful journals such as Roseann’s, with scientific notes and beautiful pictures. She spends a lot of time in the field without electronics. She meticulously indexes her pages and captures metadata. She writes as much as she sketches, often in the evening or completing a page over several days. As a result, her journals are scientific and beautiful.

Without time in the schedule, I had to force myself to carve out some time to do some quick field sketches. Instead, I leaned into my naturalist skills. I use electronic means to aid in capturing my observations. I recorded my birds in the field in eBird. While I did not list every bird I saw, I wanted to capture at least one of every species I saw. I photographed my observations of some of the birds and insects for a record and for later identification. So many water crossingsSo many water crossings
The drive from San Javier to Rancho Santo Domingo, 02/16/2023 It is hard to shoot from a moving car or boat, and I prefer to take my time for good shots, but for documentation purposes you take what you can get. I did get a few good quality shots. The camera captured metadata such as date and time. One of my cameras captured GPS. I captured field notes electronically and entered them on my phone as incomplete thoughts. I often wake up in the middle of the night or very early in the morning to capture my thoughts before the noise of the day begins. At home I go into the other room and write on the computer. In the hotel room or in the tent, I didn't want to disturb my roommate. It was too windy and cold to go outside, so I sometimes sat in the hotel bathroom at 3am to write my notes. I guess this is my form of journaling, but I won’t have a pretty book at the end of the day. Instead, I will have shareable and searchable observations. It will be shared in iNaturalist and my own website, and can be used in this blog.

I have gained a deeper understanding of field arts, what it is for others, and what journaling will be for me. I would like to continue my practice of field sketching for quiet contemplation, pleasure, and a casual pastime, but no longer have expectations of making a robust field journal as a naturalist. I am a digital person first.

Magic Moments

The Way to Start Every DayThe Way to Start Every Day
Magdelena Bay, BCS, 02/12/2023 I feel most like Kim when I am in the field with a small group of similarly interested people. Some of my favorite moments came when I decided to forego the main group activities and spend time alone or with a smaller sub-group of people. It gave me time to observe and think. I loved taking a walk up the hill and down the beach while the group did a trek over the dunes.  I loved sitting on the boat and watching the Brown and Blue-footed Boobies, and sketching while others were out journaling in the cold water. I loved walking on the mudflats and exploring with just one or two other people.  I loved the fabulous sunrises and sunsets, noting the rapidly changing colors.

Pink FloydPink Floyd
Magdelena Bay, BCS, 02/12/2023 We all shared the experience of the “Pink Floyd”, a rare thing to see. For those who don’t know to what I am referring, think about an excited male Gray Whale when he sees his lady love. I felt a strong connection and awe when the Humpback Whale came to each boat, out of what seemed to be curiosity.

I found a crab that looked like a rock in a tidepool and a lizard in a slit in a rock. Monserrat Chuckwalla - Sauromalus sleviniMonserrat Chuckwalla - Sauromalus slevini
Isla Coronado, Baja California Sur, MX, 02/15/2023 I called others over to see. These were my magic moments of observation and discovery.

I concentrated on learning the finer differences in plovers in order to find my first Wilson’s Plover on the mudflats. I also enjoyed the surprise of finding a Semipalmated Plover amongst my plover photos only after I got home.

All these beautiful experiences and I barely scratched the surface. I know I will have to go back.

See my other blog posts for more "blah, blah, blah" and photos of each area we explored.

The Highlight Reel

Click here to see the highlights at your own pace. https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_highlights

Journal Pages

Click here to see the highlights at your own pace. https://​​​​​​https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_journal_pages
 

Next Post:  Part 2 will focus on Magdalena Bay, Gray Whales, and Whale Camp. Part 3 will cover Isla Coronado, The Mountains, and Loreto and the Estuary.
 

 Click here to see ALL my photos: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_feb_2023
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Bahía Magdalena

We drove from Loreto across the mountains to Adolfo López Mateos. Along the way I saw my first Crested Caracara. Some of them swooped right in front of the vehicle. We got good looks, but not good photos. This is when I developed "Bird Tourrette's", abruptly shouting out bird names at random moments during the rest of the trip. Some from the group in another van said they saw a Harris’s Hawk, but alas, I missed it. The closer we got to the port, the more Ospreys we saw. There were many occupied platforms along the road. I even saw an Osprey on top of a cactus with a fish.

We got in pangas, the local fishing boats, to take us to Whale Camp on the barrier island, looking for whales along the way. Pangas met us at camp for the next day of whale watching, the tour of the Mangroves, and to take us back on the last day.

Whale camp was rustic, but tents were walk-in height and were appointed with cots, sleeping bags, and a solar lamp. A central dome was used for dinner and evening lectures. Food was delicious, prepared by the camp cook. A small tent, open on one side, afforded beautiful views when using the ‘office’ (aka pee buckets). Handwashing was with salt water, and showers were welcomed when we got back to the hotel in Loreto.

The tranquility of the camp, the amazing sunrises and sunsets, and one night of clear stars, and seeing whales from the beach made this a magic place.

Watch below or Click on this link to see photos and descriptions: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_skies

Sand Dunes and Mangroves

There was sand. Sand dunes. Sand in the tents. Sand in clothes. It was unavoidable.

My cats would have loved the sandbox and rodents, that make burrows in the sand and leave tiny paw prints everywhere in camp. I saw a cute rodent in the dinner tent and it scampered away before I could get a picture. The cats would not have liked the coyotes. We only saw one distantly, but saw many prints in the sand at the beach and around the tents. I thought I heard them but the sound was so distant and muffled by the sound of wind and waves.

The wind and sand are constantly changing the shape of the barrier islands. I was surprised by the lack of birds on the beach. Apparently, the constant new sand doesn't allow time for invertebrates to settle, and consequently no birds were there to eat them.

The vegetation on the dunes is all low with many vines. I did see a butterfly, but the strong winds made it hard to find insects.

Across the bay from camp, there were the Mangroves. We spent about an hour exploring them. I was surprised at what I thought was a low number of birds. I guess it is relative. One of the other boats thought there were a lot. Did they see more, or did we have a different personal baseline? Most of the birds are the same as those we have in Southern California in the winter. American Oyster Catcher is rare in California but does occur occasionally. White Ibis is extremely rare in California but common in Baja. It was a lifer for me.

Watch below or Click on this link to see photos and descriptions: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_mag_bay

Gray Whales

Whales are just going about their mundane business, making babies, having babies, snacking, sleeping, playing. We come to watch them. What if whales came to our hotel to watch us eat, communicate, and, if lucky, catch us in the act. Would they approach slowly so as not to scare us or make us stop our activities? Our guides were very respectful of the whales’ space, but a few of the other boats approached rapidly or got too close. At times, I just wanted to avoid interfering with them, and breaking up couples in love. I did delight in seeing them, although you mainly see just a body part at a time.

The inlet to the bay from the Pacific could be very rough. Inside the bay, in front of our camp, it was very calm, even on very windy days. In general, we saw the mating activity take place in the deeper rougher water, and the mom’s and calves in the calmer parts of the bay. The guides also knew where the whales would be, based on the current from the tides going in and out of the channel.

When the whales were mating it was hard to distinguish which whale was which and what body part we were seeing.  Two or three at a time, they were rolling around in courtship or just trying to get into position. Courtship could last over an hour. The tail was often sideways acting as a rudder. There was one body part we could identify and saw briefly. On one occasion we got great looks at, what the guides called, the "Pink Floyd".

The babies are big, but their skin has few if any of the barnacle patches that are characteristic of the Gray Whales. We would see a baby come up near the boat, and then mama could come between us and the baby. The mamas are HUGE. The babies came up for air more frequently than the patient mothers.

The babies seemed to be playing, but that is their way of developing the skills they need for their future journey north. I saw one baby with mud in its mouth. Apparently, it had been at the bottom practicing feeding.

Watch below or Click on this link to see photos and descriptions: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_whales

Next Post:   Part 3 will cover Isla Coronado, The Mountains, and Loreto and the Estuary.
 

 Click here to see ALL my photos: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_feb_2023

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

After three days of exploring the sand dunes, mangroves, and Gray Whales of Magdalena Bay, we went back to Loreto for day trips to Isla Coronado, San Javier and the mountains in search of Pictographs, and finally short walks on the beach and mudflats at the Estuary in Loreto.

Isla Coronado

I loved seeing the whales at Magdalena Bay, but I think the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula is far more interesting and beautiful. The geology, the color of the water, the birds, and the sea life are phenomenal.

We took boats out of Loreto and went to Isla Coronado. The intent was to snorkel and use specially made journals to document sea lions while under water. It sounded like fun on paper, however, the weather and water were cold and the sea lions were big. I am amazed at the adventurous souls who did it. I stayed on the boat along with a few other (scared or sane?) people. I documented the experience with my camera and did some field sketches. I delighted in the sea birds on guano drenched ledges on the rocks. Thank you, Blue-footed Booby and Yellow-footed Gull, for names that accurately describe your feet.

After the wet and shivering people got back on the boats, we went around the island to a beach for lunch and exploration. There was a sandy beach, some tidepools, and a boardwalk inland to see the habitat. I started photographing butterflies and was surprised to find Wandering Skippers and Ceraunus Blues on the same plants near the shore. I see Wandering Skippers in our local wetlands. I have seen the Ceraunus Blues inland in the mountains in more chaparral and desert areas. On this little island the desert meets the shore. A sea star and a chuckwalla were not far apart. Some of these were species and sub-species specific to the islands.

Leave me here for a week.

Watch below or Click on this link to see photos and descriptions: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_isla_coronado

Mountains

We drove from Loreto to San Javier. It was a drive to, what I thought was, a remote village up in the mountains. Along the sinuous winding road, we passed a road sign that said “Camino sinuoso”.  However, the “u” was bleached out and it looked like “Camino sin oso”. I found it reassuring that it was a road without a bear. Once we got to the town for a bathroom break, we continued on an even rougher more remote road to the Rancho Santo Domingo to check in for the trip to the caves with the pictographs. Another half mile up the road and we were there. One group went up. Not me! With a few others, who also opted not to climb, I had a leisurely hike back to the Rancho. The weather was perfect and not too hot. We stopped to look at birds, plants, butterflies, and tracks and scat. This was a highlight.

I was surprised by the amount of water in the washes. We drove through several stream-crossings to get there. I was also surprised by official no passing signs along a narrow dirt lane. The driver said the road was supposed to be constructed as a pass from one side of the mountain to the other. The signs were installed, but the roadwork was never completed. I was surprised by the number of vehicles we encountered on our walk.

I was familiar with the birds we saw. We have them in our area too, but did I did see a special Xantus’s Hummingbird, a lifer for me.  Here the reptiles, butterflies, other insects, and plants looked familiar but different. We have similar species, so I could identify the families, but not the species. I had to look those up, and also get some help from iNaturalist to identify those when I got home.

I want to spend more time in the mountains.

Watch below or Click on this link to see photos and descriptions: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_mountains

Loreto Beach and Estuary

Loreto has many restaurants and an excellent ice cream shop, all centered around the Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto. I guess it is a matter of perspective. Some might mention the Mission first, but you can see my priorities. The plaza was very pleasant and seemed safe even at night.  I had to be careful walking. Not only was I looking up for birds, but there was cobblestone, uneven pavement, and open holes in the sidewalks. I didn’t spend much time in town nor shopped for souvenirs. White-winged Doves, Cactus Wrens, Gila Woodpeckers, and Hooded Orioles were common in town, as well as the ubiquitous House Sparrows.

The hotel we moved to for the last night was on the beach and next to the estuary. When the tide was out, there were large mudflats. I enjoyed a few short walks on them accompanied by a few others. Although there weren’t as many birds as I expected in terms of numbers, the variety was very good. Some special birds included Wilson’s Plover, White Ibis, and Little Blue Heron. I think I have burned plover differentiation into my brain. There were Snowy, Wilson’s, Black Bellied, and one Semipalmated at far distances in the mud. It was difficult to pick them out. A scope and better lighting would have helped. Any normal person would have overlooked them, but I was determined to find my first Wilson’s Plover. Once I learned the subtle differences, they were easier to pick out. I saw a Yellow-footed Gull try to grab an octopus which was wrapped around the beak of a Great Blue Heron that was flying to get a way. A little less dramatic, it was also interesting to look for shells and tracks in the mud. I doubt I’ll be able to determine which bird made which track, but I paid more attention after our tracking lesson. I did see a snail track and the snail that made it.

Watch below or Click on this link to see photos and descriptions: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/baja_2023_loreto

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

The storms continued bringing much needed rain. This worked out well for me as I shifted to indoor activity. I took an on-line wasp id course. It was very well run, and the people were great. I sat back in a reclining chair with a cup of coffee, and a cat on my lap, and soaked in what I could from the lectures. Much was far more detailed than my interest, and I'm not sure how much I will retain, but I very much enjoyed it. I enjoy hearing from scientists dedicated to their field of research, and I think entomologists are the most fun.

Between the rains, I did some small walks to see some of the wintering 'good' birds: Cape May Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, Lewis's Woodpecker, Varied Thrush, Townsend's Solitaire, and my favorite wintering Short-billed Gull (formerly Mew Gull, which I think is a better name). The rain resulted in fungi and animal tracks. At the Wetlands, some human tracks looked like toes of Big Foot (see the photo). Also, a coyote must have crouched down in the mud. In addition to paw prints there were fur prints.

I have also been planning for a field arts trip to Baja.  I wrote a separate blog post on my preparations. https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2023/1/preparing-and-paring. Next month I will report back.

A mini-pelagic trip out of Redondo Beach was pleasant, and we saw the expected birds. Most were far from the boat. However, the gulls love the steady flow of popcorn tossed to attract a flock, and I had fun photographing them. I love to catch them as they land in feet down positions. 

Get outside. It's good for you!

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jan_2022   

Los Cerritos Wetlands:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jan_2023

Pelagic Trip:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_trip_jan_2023

• We will be travelling light, and are allowed only one small duffle and a day pack.
• We will have no phone service, WIFI, nor electricity for part of the trip.
• Practice, prepare, and experiment ahead of time to make it easier in the field .

Challenge accepted. While it makes my head explode a little bit, I am finding it is part of the fun of the trip to pull things out of the recesses of my closets and create a compact travel kit. I have always been better at collecting gear than using it. I just knew it would come in handy someday; well, someday is now!

CLOTHES

Eight days, hot weather, cold at night, rain gear, swim wear, no laundry facilities, one carry-on duffle. I know I will use only three items when I am there. The problem is I don't know which three until I get there, and that is why I have to bring too much. I have already tried numerous articles of clothes from my closet and drawers, and I have a pretty good idea of what I will pack. Don't expect anything stylish. I'll wait until the last minute before I make my final decisions. I'm sure I will bring too much and all the wrong stuff. Yet clothes are easy compared to the fun stuff.

ART SUPPLIES

How is this going to fit in my day pack?

What to take???!!!??? This won't all fit.How is this going to fit in my backpack?

Which pens, pencils, watercolors, journal(s?), kits,....should I  take. I pulled out all my supplies and experimented. How to carry/organize them? Once it is pared down, I need to be comfortable with the limited choice in the field.

Pen and Pencil Kit
Pencil Case: I chose one that would force me to limit what I brought. I dug through my piles of past supplies, that I have kept around 'just in case', and I found this one that I once used for a colored pencil drawing class. 

Watercolor pencils: I found a set of Derwent watercolor pencils I once bought at someone's suggestion. I think I used them once, but I think they may come in handy.  I tested the colors and chose ones that would fit in my case.  I had to leave some out. They can be easily applied in the field and supplemented with paint. 

Colored Pencils: I decided to bring a few non-soluble colored pencils that I can use not so much for color, but to sharpen edges of my drawings.

Pens: I tested out quite a few pens. You wouldn't think it would be that hard. First I had to find ones that aren't dried out, and test thickness and smoothness. I decided not to take my brush pens (e.g. Tombow). While I like these very much, I have had past experiences when traveling with them where they have somewhat exploded and got ink everywhere . Maybe it is altitude changes in the plane, but whatever it is, I don't want to have to deal with the potential mess.  I went with black Staedtler pigment liners .7, .3, .05. I also have my trusty white gel pen.

I'm taking all the colors, but not in the tubesPayne's Gray (DS) Neutral Tint (DS) Shadow Violet (DS) Sepia (WN) Pthalo Red Shade (DS) Indigo (WN) Ultramarine (DS) Antwerp Blue (WN) Pthalo Green Shade (DS) Manganese Blue (WN) Burnt Umber (DS) Burnt Sienna (WN) Raw Sienna (DaVinci) Quinacridone Gold (DS) Quinacridone Gold (WN) Hansa Yellow Medium (DS) Lemon Yellow (Aqua) Olive Green (WN) Sap Green (WN) Perylene Green (DS) Quinacridone Pink (DS) Quinacridone Magenta (WN) Rose Madder (WN) Alizarine Crimson (WN) Opera Rose (WN) Cobalt Violet (WN) Windsor Violet (WN) All the colors, but in a small sizeTOP ROW (L - R) Payne's Gray (DS) Neutral Tint (DS) Shadow Violet (DS) Sepia (WN) Pthalo Red Shade (DS) Indigo (WN) Ultramarine (DS) Antwerp Blue (WN) Pthalo Green Shade (DS) Manganese Blue (WN) MID ROW (L-R) Burnt Umber (DS) Burnt Sienna (WN) Raw Sienna (DaVinci) Quinacridone Gold (DS) Quinacridone Gold (WN) Hansa Yellow Medium (DS) Lemon Yellow (Aqua) Olive Green (WN) Sap Green (WN) Perylene Green (DS) BOTTOM ROW (L-R) Quinacridone Pink (DS) Quinacridone Magenta (WN) Rose Madder (WN) Alizarine Crimson (WN) Opera Rose (WN) Cobalt Violet (WN) Windsor Violet (WN)
 

Watercolors: After a journaling class I took in the Sierras, I created my own very small watercolor kit that fit eight colors in a mini-Altoid tin. I have been very happy with it. So now is it the time to change it? While it was very small and useful, I have decided to add a few more colors that might be better suited to Baja. It feels like going from my first box of crayons and lusting after the deluxe box with 64 colors and a built-in sharpener. I bought some inexpensive 1/2 pans from Amazon, and put them in an old metal pencil box from my rarely-used-supplies collection. I left some spots empty to be filled with sample colors that the leader may bring. Yes. All these colors can come with me now to capture the colors of Baja. They are condensed into my travel pallet.

My Art Kit (2.2 lbs) The journal I've used most often is an 8x5.5 watercolor by Strathmore, but I've always wanted to try a larger journal. I tried Stillman & Birn 7.5x7.5 mixed media. I was discouraged by my first attempt with water brushes in my new journal. I have trouble controlling the water, and the mixed media paper is far less forgiving than watercolor paper. I like the larger size, and I might pack it in my duffle bag as a backup, but I decided to go back to the Strathmore. Also, the Strathmore fits better in a smaller kit. 

CAMERA GEAR

I want to take them all! Alas, I have no Sherpa.The big lens is for birds. Leaving it home will make me sad, but save my back. While the Bootcamp doesn't focus on photography, I do. I can't go anywhere without a camera. I want to bring them all, but alas, that is not feasible. 

Nikon D7100 with Tamron 18-400 lens and Olympus TG5 I will bring one camera (Nikon D7100) with a general purpose lens (Tamron 18-400) for birds, and another pocket camera (Olympus TG5) for macro. The worst of both worlds. Expect some whining when I see my first bird, but there is no way I can take the big lens. In the depths of my closet, I found a spindly but lightweight tripod that someone must have given me. I have never used it, but will take it in case I get a chance to use it at night. I'll leave the heavier one, that I actually use, at home. The small pocket-sized camera is supposed to have a good macro setting and to work underwater, but I have never been very successful with it. I am trying to work with it before the trip. I hope I can get past the weight vs quality decision I have to make on my cameras.

PULLING IT TOGETHER

The next hurdle is packaging it altogether in a way I can carry it. I will have different needs at different times in the trip: what I can carry on the plane, what I need at the hotel and in town, what I can carry and need at camp, what I need for day trips, etc. Adding a few light-weight items is like buying just a few inexpensive items on Amazon; just one more small thing, and then then suddenly it adds up! Weight has been even more important for me these days as I have been having some low back and hip/leg problems.

Nylon stuff sack is my new day pack My first attempt at a daypack was a well constructed camera backpack with lots of pockets and compartments.  But it was eleven pounds with art supplies, cameras, water bottle, a few snacks, and a lightweight collapsible stool I want to take.  I did a trial run field test #1 on the urban nature trail near my house, walking briskly for a 1/2 mile and slowly on the return trip, stopping to journal a couple of times along the way. The added weight made my hips hurt and particularly the next day. 

Back to square one. I found a nylon camping stuff-bag with a thick strap that can be worn over the shoulder or cross-body. It eliminates 2 pounds, packs well, and distributes the weight. Not as fashionable as the backpack, but this will be my daypack. I will carry the camera on my other shoulder and take a proper camera bag to travel with and to store it in when not in use. Field test #2 and a little ibuprofen seems to bear out this solution.

Wheels to carry the heavy stuff on the plane. The duffle for the boat and campI am getting reuse from my old sailing bag Sometimes I wake up in the morning with a brilliant idea. Well, maybe not brilliant, but it occurred to me that the longest distance I have to lug the sum total of all my gear, is through the airports. Last time I traveled, that was how I got in all my steps for the day. I will put all my heaviest gear and the empty duffle in a wheeled carry-on bag. I can leave the bag and excess gear stored at the hotel while I take just the duffle and day pack for the camping portion of the trip. The duffle only has to be carried from the hotel to the van and from the van to the boat and then from the boat to the camp. I am assuming those are all short distances.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

It is important to get to know one's equipment before fumbling in the field. Almost everything I am taking is a scaled down different version of what I use at home, or is new to me in some way. I am glad to have this opportunity to try new things. Nothing beats experience, and the only way to get it is to practice, practice, practice. This takes a lot of time, and trial and error, and that is just for the gear. I'm also trying to become familiar with what nature I might see along the way. I started a small wish-list of birds. It is not a birding trip, but one can hope. Now that I think I know what I am taking, I will take some time over the next week to practice with the journal and little camera.

PREPARED AND PARED DOWN

And now I've got my kit together. The whole kit and caboodle. I haven't packed everything yet, but at least I have a plan. I think I've made the best choices I can for now. I am hopeful that my traveling companions will not judge me harshly for not being a trend setter, nor for looking a bit ripe towards the end of the trip.  There is still time to change my mind, but I think my head will explode if I have to make any more decisions.

So how does it all work out? More about the trip next month.

ADDENDUM:

In last minute packing, since I published this blog post, I did a little more thinking and paring down. I decided to take more warm clothes, which necessitated making hard choices. I decided to leave out the small tripod. It might be too windy for night photography anyway, and there were only two nights possible. I also left out the small stool. A chair or rock will do to sit on, and I will forgo the opportunity for different vantage points. 

I am taking a 5x5 square watercolor journal instead of the larger mixed media. This will be my primary. I also added a few brown micron pens and took out many of the colored pencils. The paint will be enough for color.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

I start the new year, tomorrow, with a birding event I coordinate. Preparation involves planning a route around parks in Long Beach, and looking through the eBird hotspots. While I was at it, I decided to make it a more thorough documentation project which might be helpful to others in the future. I created a downloadable pdf of the eBird hotspots and an online Google Map with information such as parking and bathrooms about each place.

I wrapped up my year of birding with some beautiful and unusual birds. Early in the month, in the marina at Long Beach, there were Black Swans, which are native to Australia and Tasmania. Clearly these are released birds from someone's collection.  They have been documented in Orange County over the past few years and now in LA County. These birds are very large and they have beautiful red bills.

Some vagrant birds got lost in migration and turned up locally. Every year a few show up here and there. A Painted Redstart has been coming to a local birder's feeders. How lucky is he. It is a striking red and black bird. I ran out to a local park where an East Coast Phoebe was reported on Christmas Eve. Compare it to our local Black Phoebe. Flycatchers are some of my favorite birds because they are generally bold little creatures, darting out from the trees to the ground. Although it is drab in color, this one was fun to watch. I then continued with my last minute preparations for Christmas.

The most exciting bird was a young Snowy Owl. They are only occasionally seen south of the Canadian border and always cause a stir when seen in the states, usually northern states. This bird had been reported in San Pedro near the ports in November, but disappeared before it could be seen by the birding community. Then, just a few days ago, it turned up in a residential area in Orange County on someone's roof. Literally hundreds of birders and non-birders alike have come to see it. It made the Orange County Register and other local newspapers, and then several local news programs. My back is even seen briefly on ABC7 news. There has been much debate and discussion on the mystery of how it got here. Did it fly on it's own? Did it hitch a ride on a ship? Not to worry, Fish and Wildlife has seen it and says it is healthy. Regardless of how it got here, it seems to be content to hunt at night and hang out with the paparazzi during the day. Hopefully it will migrate back as the days get longer and the weather warmer. Until then, another reason to keep your cats indoors.

After all that, my wetlands survey was very uneventful, and my only insect reports were a very late-in-the-year Wandering Glider dragonfly, and a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug that amused my cats before I sent it back outdoors.

Lastly, I will wrap up the year with some of my stats on iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2022/kimssight
 

Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy 2023!

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_dec_2022   

Los Cerritos Wetlands:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_dec_2022

I remarked on the cold, and not to rub it in to folks in other parts, but we still have butterflies and dragonflies. So maybe it isn't that cold after all.  Birds have not been too remarkable. I didn't go out as much because I am trying to give a sore hip a rest. I chased (looking for a particular bird found by someone else) a Swamp Sparrow at Colorado Lagoon. I have seen them in Long Beach, but not every year. I also chased the Tundra Swan, more rare, on the San Gabriel River. That is only the second one I've seen, my first in LA County, and marks my 400th LA County species. I think that qualifies me as an intermediate birder. Sometimes what is notable is not the rare bird, but what is missing. While there have been a high number of 'rare' vagrants showing up this year, I think some of the numbers of common birds are down. Where are all the American Pipits? There were several places I would see large flocks locally in winter, but I don't think I've seen a single one in Long Beach this month.

After so many years of bird surveys at the Los Cerritos Wetlands, one would think there is nothing surprising. Yet this month we were surprised by the level of the water. This was the most water we have seen on the property. November is known for very high tides, and the area does have tidal water, but this was remarkably high. It was quiet, in terms of birds. We did have a Northern Flicker which elicited some discussion as to sub-species. I have concluded that it is an intergrade. Hybrids are a cross between two species. Intergrades are between sub-species. We also saw a very healthy looking coyote. "Nice Doggie".

I had a wonderful trip with two friends to the Salton Sea for three days/two nights. The number of birds was amazing, particularly the literally multiple thousands of Snow Geese. I have a link to some highlight photos below. For a more extensive write-up, I refer you to our trip report in eBird. https://ebird.org/tripreport/85183

In honor of Thanksgiving, I drew a turkey portrait in colored pencil. They are very colorful. I also made some colorful cat art. I continued making art at a more enjoyable pace than last month. A friend gave a demo of art journaling techniques at Rancho Los Cerritos. A most enjoyable talk. I sketched the tree behind him while listening.
 

Happy Nature Walks.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_nov_2022    Los Cerritos Wetlands:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_nov_2022

Salton Sea Highlights:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/best_of_salton_sea_nov-2022

In 2019 I joined the Inktober Challenge, a month-long art challenge that is focused on improving skill and developing positive drawing habits. This is big on the internet and in art groups. Since then, more challenges have popped up based on the premise of doing art every day in October. One nature group posted the Birdtober Challenge. Every day for the month, you create a piece of art based on the prompts provided and post it online. That sounded like a good idea at the time, and I suppose it was, but after the first couple of days it became more of a chore. When I made more time (3 to 6 hours!), the work came out better. Can you tell which ones?  On many days I didn't start until very late at night. I forced myself to JUST DO SOMETHING, anything. The results were mediocre, but that was part of my personal challenge just to be ok with that. I guess I could have quit after a few days as many do, but that is not me. Once I let go a bit, I found creativity even if only in 10-20 minutes before going to bed. I let go of fear of ruining a piece. I let go of judging the quality. I realized I can either fix it or scrap it and start again. It's not a big loss. I started to think of each day as a chance to experiment with my art supplies. I tried a few techniques that I had wanted to get to, but hadn't made the time. It was fun when I focused on the playing and not the result. Creativity starts with an idea but may end with something completely different. Surprise endings are fun. Don't ask me to do any other challenges for a while. You can see all my bird themed creations below. Any favorites?

Locally, there were some warblers gone off course in migration, notably east coast migrants Ovenbird, Blackpoll Warbler, and Blackburnian Warbler. Look closely at some of the Blackburnian photos and you will see that it was photobombed by a large mantid. As if these weren't exciting enough, a Wood Warbler showed up. For those who don't know, the excitement is that while this bird is common in Europe and is a trans-Siberian migrant, it has turned up in records in Alaska only eleven times. This was the first time one was recorded in the lower 48 states. I was not the one to find it. My friend Brad has permanent status from that find. Now you may ask, what is it doing here. Catching flies is all I know. About 100 people showed up to see it on the first day, and it stuck around for several more days with multiple hundreds of people coming from all around "twitching" to see it, including several from other states. For me, seeing all the people is part of the total experience. The younger birders were hopping fences to try to get a better look when it flew over a fence into the neighboring cemetery. This must be the 'rarest' bird I've seen. And best of all, this was just a mile and a half from my house.

The hills were very dry, and the day was cool for my butterfly count, so the numbers were low. Of course I don't limit myself to butterflies, although I do try to stay on task. One of my favorite spiders, Banded Argiope (Argiope trifasciata) was abundant. We also amused ourselves trying to identify scat, mostly Mountain Lion I think.

Happy Nature Walks.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_oct_2022   

Butterfly Survey Irvine Ranch:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_oct-2022

Birdtober:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/birdtober_2022

I often feel the need to keep busy, accomplish things, and strive to be better. I keep lists. I use iNaturalist and eBird to list what I see on a walk. This month I added to my life list of birds Black-rumped Waxbill, Zebra Finch, (both escapees), Least Storm Petrel, and a few birds on my trip to New York.  I also added some rarities to my year list, Canada Warbler (an east coast bird) and Dickcissel.  A Pigeon Guillemot and Red Phalarope were welcome rarities on a pelagic trip. Although it is my nature to keep lists, stay organized, and keep busy, I don't always like the way I feel when I get too deep into list mode. Sometimes I have to slow down. When I write my blog each month, it gives me time to reflect on what I've seen and maybe take it in a little more slowly and deeply.

It can be a struggle for me to just chill without the need to set goals and accomplish things. I saw a meme that said "Procrastination is totally a good thing. You always have something to do tomorrow, plus you have nothing to do today." So for next month I have set a goal to do less, be mediocre, and be ok with that. The first part is the easier, the being ok with that is more of a struggle. I'll see if I can accomplish that goal, and check it off my list.

Happy Nature Walks.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_sep_2022   

Pelagic Birding out of Marina del Rey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_sep_2022

Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensisRed-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis
New York City, Sep 2022 Last year it worked out perfectly, and I saw many species. This year I was a little off in my timing. Warblers come in waves, but I guess I hit a trough. Between visits with family and friends, I only got out one evening into Central Park with a New York Audubon group. The group was very impressed with a Red-tailed Hawk. They speculated about whether this was the famous New York City "Pale Male". It was getting dark and it was a slow day. Because it was late, the rats were starting to come out. They are not as cute as the squirrels. It is hard to photograph the birds as they hide in dense foliage or high in the trees. Add dusk and it is nearly impossible. Also, I didn't bring my long lens and sometimes only had my cell phone.

Little IslandLittle Island
New York City, Sep 2022 I walked with a friend from the old Penn Station at 34th Street down the High Line to Little Island at 14th Street. The High Line is a lovely urban park built on an old elevated train track. It features greenery and sculptures along the walk. The architecture of some of the buildings is also like sculpture. I saw a Black-throated Green Warbler on the High Line near the Hudson Rail Yard. Little Island is relatively new. It is a small island constructed on pillars off 14thStreet in the Hudson River and connects with a bridge. I saw a Northern Mockingbird there. We finished with a quick visit to Chelsea Market, a major indoor food marketplace on 15th Street in the old Meat Packing District.

While my timing on the birds was off, it did seem to be the peak of Spotted Lanternfly season. I'm sure East Coast people are very familiar with them, a highly invasive insect from Asia that destroys agriculture crops. They aren't actually flies, but bugs. They are about an inch long, and I think they have a rather pretty pattern in black and white and pink.

Spotted Lanternfly - Lycorma delicatulaSpotted Lanternfly - Lycorma delicatula
New York City, Sep 2022 Apparently there has been a major public service campaign in the city to stomp on them. I guess more people like wine (one of the crops they destroy is grapes) more than insects. I saw crushed bodies everywhere (that's of insects, you have to be specific in NY). New Yorkers have a reputation for being fast walkers going places with purpose. I saw people walk down the street, swerve abruptly, and stamp with zeal. Some seemed to have a civic minded purpose, some had the attention of gamers, and some had a fascinated cringe. I could not stomp them. I understand the reason, but I felt bad for the little creatures. I wonder what the longer-term impact will be to the population. I'm sure everyone hopes it helps control the pest, but what will the unmeasurable impact be to the human psyche. Will people be more likely to kill all insects? Will children delight in killing small creatures? Or will people become more understanding and fascinated by nature and our interconnection with them?

If you see a young well-dressed person carrying a briefcase, but appearing to relive the childhood fun of playing hopscotch, they are probably killing lanternflies.

 Click on the link to see more photos: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/nyc-2022

Some of my past life as told by T-shirts.

Some of you know that I used to sail and race. This was a hobby for about ten plus years while I was working. While I raced on several different boats, some of my favorite times were when I was just learning. I worked the bow on a two or three person crew on a Santana 20. This was 'one-design'. All the boats in the class were the same. We had many local wins for which there were many T-shirts, but the only one I kept was for 1994 Nationals in Colorado. Lake sailing was very different from the Southern California Coast. We were proud to come in 4th. 

In 2011 my husband and I, along with another couple, crewed for Jean and Scott Adams on the Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta Race in the cruising class on their 58' sloop. The details are a little fuzzy now, but I know we sailed for several days and nights stopping in Turtle Bay, Magdalena Bay, Cabo, and Puerto Vallarta. It was an amazing trip with dolphin and whales along the way. I don't remember how we finished. This was one leg of a round the world cruise for Scott and Jean. Unfortunately it ended tragically off the coast of Somalia. We only joined them for this leg. The memories of Jean and Scott will last a lifetime.

My husband and I had our own boat for a while, a Morgan 27'.  First we had it in Marina del Rey and then we moved it to San Pedro. We had it painted, changed the hardware and some rigging. We bought new cushions and a new engine. We sailed it some with friends and sometimes just the two of us. She moved beautifully even with light wind. But for me, more into racing, and my husband, more into tall ships, rigging, and knots, we ultimately sold it after I retired.

In 2006 my husband and I went on an adventure. We joined an Earthwatch Expedition off the southern coast of Spain. We spent about a week counting Dolphin and Whales. As a bonus, a historical Norwegian fishing vessel named Toftevaag was the research vessel. The first day we boarded, we looked at each other with trepidation. My husband asked the captain if we could tighten the rigging. He said, "have at it". The rest of the crew went off to dinner and drinks in town, and we worked for hours without a break until we set sail the next day. The Captain was delighted and said this was the first time he could climb aloft without the mast wobbling. A very memorable trip. We saw dolphins, Sperm Whales, and my favorite, Pilot Whales.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

My husband loves tall ships and knotwork. I enjoyed it too, to an extent. While he has dedicated decades to it, I did the work to sail on the Brigantines out of San Pedro in 2009 and the Brig Pilgrim out of Dana Point in 2013. I got to explore the Channel Islands under sail. That was a wonderful experience. I also attended several international conferences with the Guild of Knot Tyers. I started sketching rather than knot tying. And of course, I got the T-shirts.

I have always had an interest in nature, but particularly stepped it up while working. I volunteered at the Aquarium of the Pacific from the time it opened for ten years, until I retired.

I then moved my interests from the ocean to the land. I volunteered at the Nature Center until the pandemic. I even helped conduct a multi-year insect inventory for them.

My hotel roomMy hotel room
My hotel room

I took some classes in entomology, joined the Lorquin Entomological Society, and started to explore other areas of Southern California. In 2012 and 2013 I participated in Bioblitz's in Joshua Tree National Park. It was great fun, and I photographed lots of desert wildlife.

Creosote Bush - Larrea tridentataCreosote Bush - Larrea tridentata
Creosote Bush - Larrea tridentata

I took several classes in botanical illustration. One trip was to ZZYZX in the Mojave desert. My interest in art and nature deepened. 

Scammon’s (Ojo de Liebre) LagoonScammon’s (Ojo de Liebre) Lagoon
Scammon’s (Ojo de Liebre) Lagoon, 03/23/2015
In 2015 I signed up for The California Master Naturalist Program. On the first day of class, another student asked If I wanted to go to Baja the next morning on a five day trip to pat the whales. I said yes and met her at 5am the next morning for a wonderful trip to Scammon's Lagoon and San Ignacio Lagoon. The Gray Whales and their calves were very friendly and came up to the boat to be petted. What an experience!

It was in the Master Naturalist class that I was introduced to iNaturalist and I have been posting photos on the site ever since. 

My most precious T-shirt is this one I got on the first of several sailing trips I took to the British Virgin Islands in the 80s and 90s. Many of them blend together but I love the area. I took some sailing lessons there and also learned to dive. But the T-shirt is not precious for the memories of the islands, but this is the T-shirt I chose to wear when painting the ceiling of my new house. I was up on a ladder, with paint dripping down on me, when my husband decided it was the right moment to propose. I was annoyed at first, not knowing why he wanted me to come down from the ladder, but then he proposed. I said yes, and then got on with the painting. We have made many wonderful memories together since then.

I wish I had photographed some of the other T-shirts before I got rid of them. I know there were some for the Transpac race and other races. I don't think I had any from my years of working, nor from many family occasions. I had one that promoted me to Grandma, but can't find that one just now. As for the future, I will be going there, doing that, and might get the T-shirt.

Locally, August is mostly about dragonflies, shorebirds, and early migrants. I looked for shorebirds at the LA River, San Joaquin Marsh, and Cabrillo Beach, but didn't find anything unusual. Numbers of peeps were low until the final days of the month. I looked for early migrants at Huntington Beach Central Park. While I didn't see any special migrants, I was in the right place at the right time to see the Zone-tailed Hawk. So how did I find it? I followed the pack of crazed birders running and screaming across the park. More people joined the rush. Dog walkers and people out for a Sunday stroll stopped to look, as people from young to old carrying binoculars, cameras, and scopes loped over the uneven grass trying to avoid the holes made by California Ground Squirrels. Even before I knew what it was all about, I joined the rush. I figured it was either a really good bird, or Godzilla was chasing them, and either was worthy of a cardio workout. Fortunately the bird perched, preened its feathers, ignored the commotion, and posed for photos for a little while. This is the sort of thing that rewards the mesolimbic dopamine system of the bird addict's brain. While not rare in California, they are rarely seen along the coast. This was a lifer for me! Then, just before the end of the month, I had another lifer! A kingbird was spotted by a friend as we drove out of the park. We had already spent several hours in the park, and it was hot. I was reluctant to get out of the car, and assumed it was a pale Western Kingbird. He is remarkable at spotting good birds, and it was indeed an Eastern Kingbird visiting our coast!

The other interesting things this month were frogs. There was an enormous Bullfrog (baby Godzilla?) at San Joaquin Marsh. It just sat in the middle of the path as people had to step around it to pass. I was concerned for the frog in the heat and with all the people, but decided it had done quite well for itself to live this large for a highly invasive non-native predator. Another highly invasive non-native frog is the African Clawed Frog. We saw little "fish" jumping out of the water at Huntington Central. I quickly realized they were "flying frogs" or at least tadpoles trying out there new leg stubs. It was a challenge to photograph them, but I succeeded enough to identify them with the help of iNaturalist when I got home.

I went on the Sea and Sage Audubon pelagic trip out of Dana Point. It was pleasant with a variety of storm petrels, jaegers, and a few other pelagic birds. We also saw three types of dolphins including good views of Risso's Dolphins. Apparently they get the white scars on their skin from the teeth of other Risso's in social interactions. There was a young unscarred one travelling with a beautifully patterned adult. The other surprise was a swordfish swimming near the surface. We couldn't see the sword, but we could see the dorsal fin and tail.

I didn't go out on the Irvine Ranch Conservancy butterfly survey this month because it was too hot. However, I did finish up my analysis of 10 years of survey results, created twenty-seven pages of charts, a five page overview, and a four page comparison with The Butterflies of Orange County by Larry Orsak from 1977. I shared it with some of my fellow participants, but I'm not sure what to do with it otherwise. I wrote a separate blog post with a summary of my summary (https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2022/8/butterflies-of-irvine-ranch). I did attend a blacklighting session with the conservancy. It is much cooler at night. There were a few interesting moths and beetles. 

It was rather quiet on the Los Cerritos Wetlands bird survey this month. The Wetsalts Tiger Beetles were still there, but bird activity was low.

I made more artwork. I'm on a roll -- well at least until the fall migration picks up.

Happy Nature Walks.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_aug-2022   

Pelagic Birding out of Dana Point:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_aug-2022

Irvine Ranch Conservancy Blacklighting:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_night_aug_2022

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_aug_2022

Dripping Springs TrailDripping Springs Trail, Irvine Ranch 04/07/2013

During the pandemic, only the official volunteers from the conservancy were allowed to participate in the survey. I am a 'public' volunteer and therefore could not participate. Additionally, at the end of 2020, there was a fire that hopscotched through the area. Since I have rejoined the butterfly surveys, post pandemic and post fire, I thought I noticed a change in the butterflies. This got me curious. Was it merely my perception or reality?

I requested access to the data and spent the several weeks looking deeper into it than I had planned. This has been a project of my own creation to satisfy my own curiosity.  I think my curiosity is insatiable, but for now I have spent enough effort on it. Since the inception of the surveys there were 6,072 entries, 52 species, and 32,376 individual butterflies counted. From this data I created a five page report summarizing some of my findings, and twenty-seven pages of charts (I learned a lot about Excel spreadsheets).  I then prepared another four page addendum comparing my findings to findings in "The Butterflies of Orange County" by Larry Orsak published in 1977.  I looked at all 52 species on our list. In many cases, the names have changed over the years, both common and scientific, and I had to "reverse engineer" them to find them in Orsak.

A Summary of My Summary

Years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019 were banner years in terms of numbers of butterflies for many species. Painted lady - Vanessa carduiPainted lady - Vanessa cardui
Dripping Springs and Limestone Canyon Trails, Irvine Ranch 04/07/2019
Year 2019 was also the year of the Painted Lady. They were everywhere across the state; numbers of Ladies across Southern California soared. I'm not sure of the reason, but those were great years. My mind immediately jumps to rainfall over the winter, but I haven't been able to confirm that theory.

Behr's metalmark - Apodemia virgultiBehr's metalmark - Apodemia virgulti
Dripping Springs and Limestone Canyon Trails, Irvine Ranch 04/07/2019 The ‘500 Club’: These species have had counts of 500 or more individuals in a single year. Behr's Metalmark, Woodland Skipper, Checkered White, Western Pygmy Blue, California Ringlet hit over 500 in multiple years. In 2019 Painted Lady made it for that year. In 2015 White Checkered Skipper hit the 500 mark.

For the species that occurred in greater abundance, I mapped out the flight periods. I could see where some seemed to have only one brood per year while others are multi-brooded. I compared these to those documented by Orsak, and in many cases found similar findings. This has validated many of my observations from the data.  However, I noted that in several cases, Orsak listed that for some of the multi-brooded species, the earlier spring broods were larger, while our numbers indicate the later broods were larger.  I have no explanation, but did note the differences.

Since the December 2020 fire, I notice that numbers and species have changed a bit. I looked at some of our more numerous species. Behr's Metalmarks, California Ringlets, and Woodland Skippers disappeared in 2021.

Checkered White - Pontia protodiceCheckered White - Pontia protodice
Dripping springs to Limestone Canyon Trails, IRC 06/08/2022 Cabbage white - Pieris rapaeCabbage white - Pieris rapae
Irvine Ranch, dripping Springs/Limestone Canyon Trails, 02/02/2020

The interesting changes have been in whites and sulphurs. Numbers of Checkered Whites soared since the fire. Orsak noted that where together with Checkered Whites, Cabbage Whites are more abundant. We see more Checkered whites than Cabbage Whites, but there has been an increase in Cabbage in recent years. We should watch to see if numbers of Cabbage increase over time comparatively.

Orange sulphur - Colias eurythemeOrange sulphur - Colias eurytheme
Dripping springs to Limestone Canyon Trails, IRC 06/08/2022 Dainty Sulphur - Nathalis ioleDainty Sulphur - Nathalis iole
Dripping springs to Limestone Canyon Trails, IRC 06/08/2022
Orsak indicated that Orange Sulphurs are rarely common and are found primarily in lowlands. We only have three months of data in 2022 and Orange Sulphurs are looking stronger than in the past.

While our numbers are not significant, Orsak noted that Dainty Sulphurs are never common. We have seen them more frequently and in increasing numbers recently.

Are these lasting changes? Are these significant? Will we have another 10 years of data to compare to in 2032?

If you are interested in more details or have comments, feel free to leave a comment or contact me.

I started the month helping to document a group of nesting herons before and after the 4th of July fireworks. I was merely a small part in a large effort to monitor the birds. I had visited the heron rookery in the end of June so I had some idea of where the birds were. In the morning before the event, I noted several nests with small chicks, and some larger young either already fledged or soon to be. Unfortunately one of the young Great Egrets was already quite weak. The parents didn't seem to be feeding it, while investing in the larger healthier sibling. Nature can seem cruel that way. The next morning, although I am sure they were disturbed by the show, all were accounted for. I didn't stick around long enough to see the parent feeding the Great Egrets, but I did see an adult Great Blue Heron harassing them. The following day, the smaller young Great Egret was found on the ground and taken by a friend of mine to International Bird Rescue. It was found to be very thin and weak and ultimately did not survive. Whether it fell out of the nest because it was already weak, or was pushed out by a sibling (as happens), or possibly fell out because of the Great Blues, I'm sure the fireworks did not help. I am glad that all the healthy herons seemed to get through any trauma the fireworks may have caused. I wonder how the fireworks seemed compared to the thunderstorm last month. I went back a few days later and saw the surviving Great Egret doing quite well, evidence that the parents had not abandoned it. After monitoring these herons just for a short period, I did feel invested in their well being. I think when people engage with nature in a positive and curious way, they naturally want to help with its survival.

This month I helped with TWO back-to-back butterfly surveys. The first, was the annual survey conducted by Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon. The data is collected for NABA (North American Butterfly Association). This annual count for butterflies is the equivalent of the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The group I was with went to Harbor Lake. We also count dragonflies for fun. Butterflies and dragonflies do not like to pose. Sometimes we just have to count them at the family level. Butterflies were plentiful, but there were few dragonflies. The highlights though, were a very long gopher snake and a mom and baby raccoons. The young raccoons had trouble navigating the world, learning to climb branches. At times, the mom raccoon struggled to move her children along.

The next day I went out on my monthly survey with Irvine Ranch Conservancy. It was very hot and getting hotter, so we maintained a faster pace than usual to get back to base before the temperature rose to unbearable. One can see potential threats along the way, but if one is just aware, they pose little threat and caused me no worry. I was far more worried about the heat. People who know me, know that I can be a wimp. There were large swarms of harvester ants. We simply danced around them quickly, trying not to squish them and also trying to avoid their checking out our legs. I still have a small scar where one bit me last month. We saw two species of Tarantula Hawks. I am told they have a fiercesome sting. Fortunately they were happy nectaring on Narrow Leaf Milkweed and allowed me to get close for photos. There was Mountain Lion scat on the trail. At least I think it was. It could be large coyote, but in my mind it is mountain lion. It wasn't very fresh so I didn't worry this time. It was well worth getting out. There was a steady flow of butterflies and a nice variety. A Sylvan Hairstreak was the highlight butterfly.

On the last night of the month, I went back to the same area for a night of blacklighting. It was a lovely evening with nice people, and several really cool insects. Identifying some of them is a challenge and an on-going process.

It was rather quiet on the Los Cerritos Wetlands bird survey this month. So instead of birds, I got excited by a few insects. Wetsalts Tiger Beetles and a Wandering Skipper are residents of wetlands and remind me of the fragile habitat I am walking through. I always watch my feet and stick to the trail. A Steel-blue Cricket Hunter is a very striking wasp. They are not strictly associated with the wetlands, but they are beautiful.

I got a trail camera for my backyard. I have moved the camera to different locations each day, and found something on it almost every night. Although the photo quality is poor, I was not disappointed. It is fun to know what happens while I sleep. I have smelled skunks at night on and off for years, but never saw them in my yard, but my trail cam did! It even found out that the skunk is a male. It is these small things that bring me joy (LOL). The skunk comes back every few days for a short visit. I don't know where they come from or go to. Apparently I do get raccoons, but infrequently. The Opossum visits more regularly, as do a black cat and tortoiseshell cat. 

Locally, things are about as expected. Fledgling resident birds are fun to watch. A Young Cooper's Hawk played with his food. A young Mockingbird stomped his feet and begged to be fed. Then finally towards the middle of the month, on cue, the shorebirds are returning and so are the birders at the LA River. I saw three birds new to me, a Bank Swallow, a Stilt Sandpiper, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Oh yes, I also did some artwork. Playing with colors and layers.

So what's new with you?

Happy Nature Walks.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jul-2022   

My Trail Cam in my yard:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/mytrailcam

Egret/Heron Roost Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/heron_roost-2022

PV/South Bay Butterfly Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pv_butterfly_count_2022

Irvine Ranch Conservancy Butterfly Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_jul-2022

Irvine Ranch Conservancy Blacklighting:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_night_jul_2022

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jul_2022

We did see the Violet-green Swallows, Lazuli Buntings, and Western Wood-pewees that passed our area quickly during spring migration. We also saw Yellow-rumped Warblers which had spent the winter with us and now moved back to higher elevation. We also saw the birds that are year-round residents of the mountains including White-headed Woodpeckers, Pygmy Nuthatches, and Steller's Jays. Many of the birds are high in the trees or deep in the brush. It is hard to see them much less photograph them, and we had to rely on our ears. We were surrounded by bird songs, many of which were a challenge for us to figure out. Some we are less familiar with because we don't have those birds locally, but even the birds familiar to us have different songs in their breeding grounds in the mountains. And then there are young birds who haven't quite figured out their proper voice yet. We enjoyed the challenge. We picnicked back at the Burkhart trailhead and watched Fontana Grasshoppers raising and lowering their legs. I think this is called femur-tipping and is a male territorial dance.

The Bobcat Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains was in September of 2020. Part of the area looked OK, but major portions showed quite a bit of fire damage. Perhaps this is why I get nervous and don't like campfires, or any fires for that matter. Even the whiff of smoke sends me on high alert. Perhaps anecdotal, but I saw very few, squirrels and chipmunks, and this is two years since the fires.

From there we went back to Chilao on our way home. We birded around the day-use area and visitor center. The water feature was dry, and feeders were picked clean. Overall it was pretty darned quiet. Traffic coming down the mountain was not bad, and we got home by 4 PM. Despite getting up too early, winding roads to get there, no cell service, and the fire damage, the company was great and the birding turned out quite good. We had a lovely time.

We had such a good time that we went back again at the end of the month. In just three weeks, there were more baby birds. We watched a pair of Brown Creepers nest building. A mother Black-throated Gray Warbler was feeding her baby and a Brown-headed Cowbird baby (a brood parasite). There had been some big rain in the time between our visits, and some more wildflowers appeared in the burn areas. It was interesting to see the changes in just a short time.

My June butterfly survey with Irvine Ranch Conservancy had many butterflies. This month was much warmer, and by the end of the route I felt the heat. Perhaps it was the heat that brought out all the butterflies. There were two highlights for me. First highlight was that there were quite a few Intermediate Weed's Mariposa Lilies. They are one of my favorites and I have not often seen them. The second highlight was a Western Yellow-bellied Racer. It was very green in the sun. I almost stepped on it and let out two simultaneous shrieks, one because I almost stepped on the snake, and one because it was a cool snake that I had never seen before. Checkered White and Funereal Duskywing butterflies were quite abundant. We also saw quite a few Dainty Sulfur butterflies.

Locally, they say things get quiet in the summer. Migrants are gone. True, the number of species is down, but watching all the young of our resident birds is fun. Fuzzy babies are fun, especially baby herons that look like Muppets. Babies molting have feathers all askew. Insects are also having babies this time of year. I found out that earwigs provide some level of parental care and guard their eggs and young. Booklice are very very tiny and their nymphs are even tinier.

As you probably know by now, I like birds and insects. I gave a talk to Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon on the insects birds eat. It was a chance to combine the two. It is my way of making insects palatable for birders. Zoom can be quite challenging. I prefer in-person presentations when you can get feedback as you present. Here is the recording of the presentation. https://pvsb-audubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/GMT20220622-021509_Recording_1920x900.mp4

I was so glad I went to the bird survey out on the Los Cerritos Wetlands. While it was generally very quiet, the highlight was a mother Red-tailed Hawk teaching her teens to hunt for themselves. Twice we saw her catch rodents. Each time, she got the attention of her very noisy children, but refused to feed them. Instead, she took her prey over an empty part of the field and dropped it. She made the children go down and get it for themselves.  Once, she missed and dropped it in deeper vegetation. She went down, retrieved it, and dropped it in a more open location.  It all happened fast and my survey friends wanted to move on, so I was lucky to capture some of the action.

I made some quick art. Just whimsical cat themed pieces.

Happy Nature Walks.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jun_2022

San Gabriel Mountains:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_gabriels_jun_2022

Irvine Ranch Conservancy Butterfly Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_jun-2022

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jun_2022

Migration is not a random thing with birds migrating anytime within the three months of spring and fall. First of all, the calendar months we call spring and fall are not known to birds; they just know when it's time to go. For example, Rufus Hummingbirds typically migrate north in our area in March, but you might see them in the last weeks of February. Some shorebirds might start migrating south in mid-July.

Different species migrate at different times and usually in groups over a short time window. Violet-green Swallows pass through quickly. Did you miss those Olive-sided Flycatchers? Too late, you have to try again. If you don't go out during that short window, you will miss them and have to wait until they pass through with the reverse migration. Willow Flycatchers don't show up until May. I hit it just right one day and saw trees filled with Western Tanagers and Hermit Warblers. I went back four days later to the same place, and there were many fewer birds.

North and south are relative terms. Mountain birds may come down to lower elevation in winter and go back up in summer. Some shorebirds winter in our area and then fly north. Orioles and Yellow Warblers fly south to South America in the winter and north to our area in the summer. We are their north.

Birds may choose slightly different routes in different directions and in different years. Rufus Hummingbirds follow a more easterly route when flying south, so we only get one opportunity a year to see them. Food source availability will also alter birds' migration patterns. Occasionally a species will have an irruptive year. An irruptive migrant is a species that moves to a different location in very large numbers. This year it was it was Swainson's Thrushes. I have seen more this year than I had seen in my life.

In spring migration, the birds are singing and they are in their finest plumage or at least coming into it. In the fall there are more birds because there are many young birds flying with the flock. The plumage of the adults may be worn and faded.

At the end of migration there are a few stragglers and late comers. This is also the time you are likely to see a local rarity. These are the birds lost in migration and may come up the wrong coast. This month I saw the lost East Coasters: Yellow-throated Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Baltimore Oriole.

There is so much more to know and understand, and the rest of my life to learn it.

I went on a pelagic birding trip out of Marina del Rey. The day started out gray and slow. There were not many birds. But after a few hours, the trip leader spotted a Horned Puffin. This was the first one seen in LA County since 2005. The mood on the boat was instantly uplifted with some people high-fiving and giving happy dances. A couple of Northern Fulmars followed the boat begging for scraps. I guess they recognize fishing boats, but today we weren't fishing, only watching birds. It did give an opportunity for good photos of them. We saw several Scripps's Murrelets, Cassin's Auklets,  Pomarine Jaeger, Pink-footed, Sooty, and Black-vented Shearwaters,  Common Murres, and a few flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes. It turned out to be a good trip after all. So good in fact, that I went out on another mini-pelagic the following weekend out of Redondo Beach to look for more Puffins. No luck the second time. I did see Risso's Dolphins, so that was at least my consolation prize.

After two and a half years, since the pandemic, I was finally able to go back to my monthly Butterfly Survey with Irvine Ranch Conservancy. I was greatly excited to go back, but also had a little trepidation. I thought I had gotten out of shape and was concerned that I hadn't done a three and a half to four mile hike in a long time. But the weather wasn't too hot, and I had no trouble at all. It was great to see old friends. Just as we have been recovering from the pandemic, the land was recovering from its own trauma. Sometime during the last two years, a fire had ripped through the area hopscotching, hitting some trees and bushes while missing others. We have also had a few years of drought. Now the area is quite brown and dry with dead trees and shrubs throughout the landscape. But it is still spring and so, with the little rain we did have, there were wildflowers poking up through the dry grasses. We had many butterflies, but it was interesting to note a different mix than in the past with Orange Sulphur butterflies quite abundant and no Behr's Metalmarks nor California Ringlets, which were always abundant in Mays past. Also, many of the butterflies were quite small indicating that the caterpillars had less to feed on before going through metamorphosis. With such dry grasses, it looked more like September than May. Fire season is now year-round.

The bird survey out on the Los Cerritos Wetlands was pleasant. I think that is the best description. The highlight was young Barn Swallows. Aside from that, nothing noteworthy, but I took a few photos for documentation.

Happy Nature Walks. Stay safe.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_may-2022

Pelagic Trips:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_trip_may_2022

Irvine Ranch Conservancy Butterfly Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_may-2022

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_may-2022

Despite only having a half a month to go out, I seem to have done a lot of nature things. While in isolation, I did get out into my own yard with my macro lens. Just the usual characters, moths, earwigs, and spiders, but fun. When I did get out, with Pride of Madeira blooming and other favorite flowers for hummingbirds, I shot the obligatory 'a thousand and one' in-flight shots.  Empidonax (aka Empids) and other flycatchers are migrating through. If you can't tell the different Empid species apart, don't worry, you are not alone. These are always a challenge. My friends and I have long discussions when we see one to discuss bill size and color, length of primaries, and eye-rings. This is all fascinating if you are into it, otherwise just poke a pencil in your eye.

I went to Bear Divide with a friend. Bear Divide is a narrow pass in the San Gabriel Mountains. It funnels migrating birds through the pass at dawn in the spring. It is a unique biological phenomenon. It also funnels in a large number of birders. In 2021, the Moore Lab of Zoology (no relation) at Occidental College began a regular count and bands some of the birds as they pass. There were not a lot of migrants when I went, but I got an appreciation for the pass and activities there. I saw the mist nets for catching the birds and saw a few Lazuli Buntings get banded. The scenery is beautiful, and I loved how the light changed as the sun came up. The only downside was setting the alarm for 4am!

There was nothing much remarkable about my bird survey of the Los Cerritos Wetlands, except for the number of Snowy and Great Egrets in the channel. I have not seen that many in that location before. It must have been a convention. When doing surveys, I don't always get a chance to take the pretty pictures I would like. I am generally just shooting to document and identify subjects. While I try to get a second better shot, that is not always possible and then we need to keep moving. It's just a different experience.

On the last day of the month, I participated in the Nature City Challenge events at the Historic Rancho Los Cerritos. My friend is the curator of living collections and manages all the gardens. The gardens are beautiful. In the morning, she and I did a survey of the birds. I caught a very bad photo but identifiable as a MacGillivray's Warbler. I rarely see them. I saw an Olive-sided Flycatcher eat a bee and then another bee buzzed around the bird and chased him off the perch. In the evening, about a dozen or so of my entomologically inclined friends went out to dinner and then surveyed for insects at night with blacklights. It was a most enjoyable day and night.

Happy Nature Walks. Stay safe.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_apr_2022

Bear Divide:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/bear_divide_apr_2022

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_apr_2022

Rancho Los Cerritos Nature Challenge:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/rancho_los_cerritos_nature_challenge_apr_2022

And then something comes along. I started to work on next month's blog and deleted the March one entirely, never to be retrieved. Unless you read it in the first two days of April, you will have to go with this much abbreviated version. Imagine it witty, fascinating, and filled with stories about the nature of all things.  My apologies to all. I will blame it on COVID.
 

Happy Nature Walks. Stay safe.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_mar-2022

I took my first overnight trip to the Salton Sea with a group of friends. The Salton Sea is a large shallow, landlocked, highly-saline body of water. It is adjacent to the Colorado River, which also created fertile land for agriculture. It is a major migratory bird stop-over on the Pacific Flyway. I carpooled with two other people, and others drove separately. We birded by day and then spent the evening dining outside at a great restaurant in Brawley. They had good food and music, despite the slow service. Seven people at a table, talking about birds and life, it was such a delight to feel almost normal again. The birding was good too with desert birds, large flocks of migratory birds, and beautiful landscape. See my photos below and the eBird trip report for the entire group: eBird Group Trip Report.

Locally our birds are switching to their spring songs, and there are signs of courtship. Hummingbirds are already nesting. A Least Flycatcher is considered 'rare' around here, although they do show up from time to time. This one is the latest, but not least bird added to my life list. Poor little thing, it is not as spectacular as the Vermillion Flycatcher, but do they have to give it such a dismissive name?

When I got back from from the Salton Sea and went to upload my photos, I found my 2-terabyte disk was full. Where is tech support when you need them. Oh wait, I am the tech support in my house. I found a work-around to finish my photos, but then spent quite a few days trying to make room on the disk. I moved some non-photo files to a new location. I recovered more space by going through some vey old photos and deleting the poor quality ones. I used to keep just about everything when it was all new to me. I have started with photos from my yard. I started documenting the insects in my garden in 2009. When going through the images, I noticed how many more insects I used to see. I have felt this for quite a while, but looking back at my photos confirmed it. I had so much more diversity. The years of drought and alarming decline in insects, as has been discussed in the media, is quite evident in my yard. It inspired me to go out and look some more. Of course I can always find things, but not like I used to.

Happy Nature Walks. 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_feb-2022

Salton Sea:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/best_of_salton_sea_feb-2022

Some birders, myself included, like to keep a list of the birds they have seen for the year. Of course that starts on January 1 with my January 1st event, called the LB100. It was a great success.  A group of us go out and try to find 100 species of birds within the city of Long Beach on the 1st day of the year. I wrote a separate blog post about it. https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2022/1/happy-new-year---lb100-2022

You may know that I am interested in predator/prey relationships. I found it interesting that I had never before seen an American Kestrel eat a bat and then this month I saw two different birds in two different locations get one! Not the best photos, but interesting none the less. Brown Creepers are usually found in the mountains or foothills. They blend in with their backgrounds so well that they are easy to miss. We have one that has decided to visit Long Beach for the winter. I caught him (or her?) digging under bark for insects and pull out a Noble False Widow spider. These spiders have rapidly expanded their range. I guess the Creeper is trying to keep the population in check.

I went on not one, but two, pelagic birding trips. The first was out of Dana Point in Orange County. The morning sky was very pretty with the sun trying to break through the marine layer. Highlights were an abundance of Northern Fulmars, four Brown Boobies, and Common Dolphin and a Harbor Seal. The next trip was out of Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles County. A little slow at times for birds, but we saw the expected birds and so many dolphin.

I went with a few friends to Antelope Valley. It has been too long since I went there. We visited the agriculture fields near Lancaster and then Saint Andrew's Abbey on the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains. Prairie Falcon and Ferruginous Hawk are always spectacular, but the highlight of the day was the gracious homeowner where the Long-eared Owl had been recorded on eBird. He came out of his house and gave us a tour of the trees in the orchard showing us three Barn Owls, a Great Horned Owl, and two Long-eared Owls.

My monthly Los Cerritos Wetlands bird survey (that I have been doing for many years), was remarkably uneventful. While there is always something interesting, it seemed less birdy and with fewer raptors. The fun find this time was a young Cooper's Hawk that landed on the phone lines. These birds don't perch on wires because hey are too big and unwieldy, as this one found out. It eventually settled on the phone pole and gave a scowl.

I made an effort to experiment a bit with Gelli printing for my artwork. What makes this technique interesting is the same thing that I enjoy about nature walks, you never know what you will find. There is always an element of discovery, and hopefully a pleasant surprise. I use the paper in collage. I'm liking it. Here is a separate blog describing the technique: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2022/1/gelli-print-collage---becoming-and-artist

Happy Nature Walks. 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jan_2022

Pelagic Trip out of Dana Point:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_trip_jan_2022

Pelagic Trip out of Marina del Rey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_trip2_jan_2022

Antelope Valley:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/north_slope_san_gabriels_jan_2022

Los Cerritos Wetlands bird survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jan-2022

Journal Page nk & watercolorJournal Page nk & watercolor Gum Grove Park

Blood Orange (colored pencil painting)Blood Orange (colored pencil painting)

AbstractAbstract
Speedball (?) ink monoprint
For me, my camera has served as a major visual medium for the natural world. But for my artwork, I have always wanted to be more creative and expressive.I tried some printing techniques with different types of ink and different types of paper. This was getting me closer to what I wanted.

Mourning DovesMourning Doves
Gelli Print/Collage 8x10. One of my more relatively recent discoveries in art technique is gelli printing and collage. I have learned this from a class, YouTube, and Facebook, so I can't claim to be totally self-taught, but my education is limited and I'm not really sure I am using the 'proper' terminology, but I am loving the experimentation and learning process. For vibrance, spontaneity, ease, and flexibility, it is my current choice of media.

I started out just making prints on art paper with different layering techniques. Then I learned about using deli paper (yes, the kind they wrap sandwiches in at the deli).  I just started making prints. I roll acrylic ink onto the gel plate with a brayer. I use stencils, bubble wrap, and anything for texture and pattern. I may do layers. I press the paper, and voila! I now have a box full.

In a class I took with a marvelous instructor who specializes in abstract, watercolor, and abstract landscape, she taught this technique to make the deli gelli prints. She looked through the paper, and chose colors she liked, and used them to make abstract collages. This helped me with some of the technical aspects of printing, cutting, and gluing onto Bristol paper.

But my analytical brain keeps raging and I don’t work in what seems a totally spontaneous visual manner.

So here is how I have worked things out for myself.

1. I start out with an idea of the subject, usually based on something I recently saw as a naturalist or my go to muse (mews?), my cat.
2. I look through my photos and select several.
   Sun sparkles on the waterSun sparkles on the water
   Pelagic Trip out of Marina del Rey, 01/23/2022
3. I lay awake at night thinking about composition and color and how I might work it out. This is my heavy analytical brain working.
4. I then go into Photoshop and try to work out a general composition. My technical skills come into play here.
   
5. I look through my stacks of paper and I usually wind up making more to get the colors I might want. This is my most spontaneous fun creative brain.
   
6. I scan the paper into the computer.
   
7. I play around in photoshop a little more using some of my scanned paper.
   
8. I start to cut out images and then lay them on the paper in various places.
9. I photograph them and may bring them back into photoshop to see what else I might want to do.
10. I finish by gluing them down with matte medium and use a matte finish spray over the whole piece.
    At seaAt sea
    Collage

This process seems to fit for me and I am enjoying the journey.

Resources:

Gel Plate: https://www.gelliarts.com/

Golden Fluid Acrylics (and various acrylic brands and types)

Deli paper

Bristol paper

Liquitex Matte Medium

Krylon Matte Finish Aerosol Spray

First sunrise of the yearFirst sunrise of the year

Some people like to end the year in celebration and start the new year sleeping in and with perhaps a hangover. I like to end the year going to sleep early with a full night sleep and start the new year with a celebration of birds. For the 5th year in a row, I have organized the LB100. A group of us go out and try to find 100 species of birds within the city of Long Beach on the 1st day of the year. It is an all day challenge and I plan a route based on where the birds are, tides, shortest driving route to maximize time for birding, and also, perhaps most importantly to some, where there are bathrooms and places for a snack and lunch break. The coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies I offered partway through the day were very well received.

The first 50 to 60 species of birds are easy to find, but it is those last unique ones that become harder and harder to find as the day wears on. It is no small feat. It takes good eyes and ears, and stamina.

This year about 14 people participated, at least for part of the day. We had several strong storms in the days before the event, and we weren't sure what we would find with areas flooded and birds on the move. Two people took up the challenge and birded solo on their own routes. Jonathan scouted out some areas not often covered by most birders and found a returning Black-throated Green Warbler.  Jeff B. stuck strictly to the LA River in Long Beach and tallied 93 species! Some people came in and out at different points during the day.

The main group caravanned from spot to spot to cover a variety of habitats. We started strong in terms of birds and birders. We hit the majority of the locations with 8-10 strong birders, but as the day wore on, a few people started to peel off from the group, with maybe a stop of their own on the way back to their homes. 

Five of us completed the full route as planned: 
(10 hours, 35 miles driving, 5 miles walking, 10 birding hotspots).

With such strong birders all looking out, we made fast work of finding many species. Some were targeted birds and some were pleasant surprises. We started at 7:15 in the morning and by 10:15 we tallied 59 species. We reached 100 species at 2:55pm! By the end of the day our final tally was 106. That's three hours for 60, five hours for 40 more, and two more hours for the final 6 birds!

Expected 'good' birds (We knew they had been there or were likely to be there): Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Canvasback, White-throated Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Glaucous-winged Gull, Herring Gull, Short-billed Gull, Whimbrel, Long-billed Curlew, Black Oystercatcher

Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifronsGreater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons Scherer Park, 01/01/2022	Scherer Park, 01/01/2022	Snow Goose - Anser caerulescensSnow Goose - Anser caerulescens LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021	Snow Goose - Anser caerulescensSnow Goose - Anser caerulescens LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021
Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus glaucescensGlaucous-winged Gull - Larus glaucescens LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021	Short-billed Gull - Larus brachyrhynchusShort-billed Gull - Larus brachyrhynchus LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021	Herring Gull - Larus argentatusHerring Gull - Larus argentatus LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021	American White Pelican - Pelecanus erythrorhynchosAmerican White Pelican - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021
Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus, White-faced Ibis - Plegadis chihiBlack-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus, White-faced Ibis - Plegadis chihi LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021	Belted Kingfisher - Ceryle alcyonBelted Kingfisher - Ceryle alcyon Golden Shore, 01/01/2022	White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensisWhite-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis Scherer Park, 01/01/2022	White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollisWhite-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis Willow-Springs Park, 01/01/2022

Surprises: White-faced Ibis hiding amongst Black-necked Stilts, Pin-tailed Whydahs at Wardlow Park (rarely seen there), White-tailed Kite flying over El Dorado Park as our last bird of the day

Misses and near-misses: Great-tailed Grackle and Northern Shoveler required a stop at the El Dorado Duck Pond. No Shovelers before that! We had no American Robin. A little less surprising, we missed Green-winged Teal, Green Heron, Peregrine Falcon.

American Kestrel - Falco sparverius carrying a BatAmerican Kestrel - Falco sparverius carrying a Bat
LA River, Willow Street, 01/01/2021 Highlight of the day: A bat was flying in the middle of the day at the LA River at Willow Street. An American Kestrel swooped in and hit the bat in flight. It dropped to the ground and the kestrel caught it. I was not fast enough, but caught a bad photo as the kestrel took off from the ground with the bat in its talon.

Thanks to all who participated.

Species from the day:

I ended the year as I usually do, preparing for and participating in the Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (CBC).Christmas bird counts are held by different Audubon chapters in the days around Christmas. I once again helped coordinate my local CBC in the Long Beach circle and helped out with the Palos Verdes/South Bay chapter. Both were successful events. When those are done, I immediately start planning my January 1st event called the LB100. A group of us go out and try to find 100 species of birds within the city of Long Beach on the 1st day of the year. It is an all day challenge and I plan a route based on where the birds are, shortest driving route to maximize time for birding, and also, where there are bathrooms and places for a snack and lunch break.  The first 50 to 60 species are easy, but it is those last unique ones that become harder and harder to find. It is no small feat. More about that next month. 

Between planning for these events, family-fun holiday events, a bad bout of vertigo (now resolved) and chronic migraines, and a lot of well needed rain, the month went by fast. I didn't get out much beyond usual December events, so I took fewer photos. You will see some wet birds from the rain. I saw several Great Horned Owls and Red-shouldered Hawks, as well as a few other raptors. You can see one of the owls looking around him to the sky. Two Red-shouldered Hawks were chasing him away. They succeeded. I also saw a Red-shouldered Hawk catching a rodent, but he had it almost swallowed and gone by the time I got my camera up. Brown Pelicans are common and are good targets to photograph as they dive to catch fish. Maybe it was the location or my attention, but I thoroughly enjoyed capturing the dives. I tried and succeeded in capturing the point of water entry. I loved the angle of the neck and the closed eye.

I did attend one of my photography group's meetings, and they asked us to choose about six of our favorite photos from the year. As I looked back, I had a hard time choosing. My favorite photos are usually the ones I most recently took. Often it is not the photo quality, but the subject and story that went with it. I pulled a few into a folder and then selected a subset of those. I include the folder below as a summary of some of my favorites from the year.

I also like to look back at the summary of my observations in iNaturalist for the year. It looks like 2016 and 2017 were my biggest years of contributing to the site, but every year I add something. This year was more focused on birds.  https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2021/kimssight

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Happy Nature Walks. Let's hope 2022 brings no more greek letters.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_dec_2021

Some Favorites from the Year:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/best_of_2021

It was cool enough to drive to Tucson for a visit with family. I planned a short morning get-away, while in Tucson, to bird the Sweetwater Wetlands. Note to self: check for controlled burns before birding. It was smoky and few birds. But Tucson was pleasant, I saw some different scenery, and my son's backyard had Costa's Hummingbirds. I was happy.

After I came back to California, my friend and I went to Oak Glen for autumn chill. Not as much nip in the air as we hoped. It was in the 70s! We found a few mountain birds, ate apple pie, and drank apple cider. We sang show tunes and Christmas carols in the car on the long trip home. A lovely way to spend a day.

This was a woodpecker and raptor month for me. For woodpeckers, in addition to Ladder-backed and Gila in the desert, and Acorn in the mountains, locally I had Nuttall's and Downy, as well as Red-breasted Sapsucker and Northern Flicker. I think everyone loves woodpeckers. They are good-sized birds with sturdy bills and, when they tap on the trees, it gets your attention.

I also saw many raptors this month. Red-tailed Hawks are the most common, but often deceptive. They don't always have a red tail. They have a wide variation in colors and patterns with age and color 'morphs'. It is the odd ones that really capture my attention. I have a couple of shots with two Red-tailed Hawks side by side, but looking very different.  I visited Arbor Park where I often see Northern Harriers and White-tailed Kites. They always seem special. A particularly special raptor I saw was a Rough-legged Hawk at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. It is a rarity on the coast. The last one seen in Orange County was in 1997. I saw it on Thanksgiving while doing my regular monthly survey. As soon as word got out, several people tried to find it. The next morning several dozen people were on the hunt, but it was long gone. There is a competitive nature to some birders, and one person told me they 'hated me just a little bit' for having seen the special bird they didn't. I suddenly felt a small sense of celebrity.

A common bird is the Cassin's Kingbird. I had one on the phone lines behind my house. Cats cough up hairballs, owls cough up pellets of mammal bones, and kingbirds cough up pellets of the exoskeletons of insects. I happened to be in the right place at the right time to catch it on my camera. Not everyone appreciates such a photo, but if you are reading this blog, you might be one of the special people who do.

I hope you can find time during the holidays to just chill.

Happy Nature Walks.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_nov_2021

Tucson:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/tucson_nov-2021

Oak Glen:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/oak_glen_nov-2021

I photographed some spiders. I saw a Noble False Widow hanging outside in daylight. They generally come out at night. As I watched, I saw the reason why. She tried several times to go back into the crevice to hide from diurnal predators, but each time it led to an army of Argentine Ants coming out in force to attack her. She would quickly scurry out again. Poor thing.

So many people adore gruesome displays for Halloween. My neighborhood had some extravagant scary and gruesome displays. I generally don't watch scary movies, but finally caught some Stephen King flick that was a box office hit. All it had was so much blood and murder. I have a lot of predator/prey photos this month.  Many are birds such as flycatchers and warblers, but, be warned, there are raptors feeding on fuzzy little mice. Predators have to eat too, but why do mice have to be so cute?

I have put the Turkey Vulture at the end of the set because this scene is particularly gruesome. In November people will be picking the meat off a turkey carcass in celebration. Yet they revile a poor Turkey Vulture who is not a predator. It is a scavenger merely cleaning up the opossum victim left by a murderous coyote. I must admit, I found it a bit gruesome too.

Happy Halloween and Happy Nature Walks. 

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_oct_2021

• Photographing Insects Part 1:  https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/9/photographing-insects---part-1
• Photographing Insects Part 2:  https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/9/photographing-insects---part-2-cameras-and-lenses
• Photographing Insects Part 3: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/9/photographing-insects---part-3-techniques-and-tips
• Photographing Dragonflies: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/9/photographing-dragonflies

What's in a name? As I look at my photos this month, I am struck by how names of birds seem to have little meaning for the birds I've photographed. Most often birds are named for adult male breeding plumage, even though the majority of birds with that name are in some other coloration. Orange-crowned warblers rarely show the crown. The immature White-Crowned Sparrows have a brown crown, the Chestnut-sided Warbler is green and gray, the female Blue Grosbeak is a golden brown.  Thank goodness for the Black-and-white Warbler and Brown Creeper. Some birds are named after people such as Vaux's Swift, Townsend's Warbler, Say's Phoebe, Cooper's Hawk. Bobolink is supposed to be named after the sound it makes. In the field, often names are shortened or nicknamed by birders. Some of the common ones are Modo for Mourning Dove and GBH for Great Blue Heron. And then there is LBB (little brown bird) or LBJ (little brown job) for birds you can't identify. My friends have even created their own, such as Craven for Crow or Raven when you can't tell for sure and Hutlet for Ruby-crowned Kinglet or Hutton's Vireo which often look alike. Of course you can never go wrong with 'Look, a bird!'. Oh wait, it's a leaf.

I visited New York City to see my mother for the first time since the pandemic. Visiting her, some cousins, and a few friends was my primary purpose, but how could I pass up some birding during fall migration. Central Park is a concentrated green spot attracting migrating birds in spring and fall. I was glad I got an opportunity to experience it, even if only briefly. I ran into so many birders. The little parklet around my mother's apartment building let me sneak in a couple of short trips downstairs. The warblers were surprisingly good. I was glad to go out birding on several days. Depending on the weather, the birds seemed to come in waves, one day little activity, and another very birdy.  It was rather humid and got a bit hot, but I was delighted by birds. Of course, House Sparrows, Starlings, and Pigeons were abundant but so were American Robins, and a good number of Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstarts, and Northern Parulas. There were many unfamiliar calls. With the trees very tall and backlit, and the undergrowth thick and dark, it was challenging to see the birds, much less photograph them. But I took what photos I could get just to puzzle over and figure out what they are. Forget Broadway, come to NY for the birds.

Not knowing what to expect, and carrying the camera and binoculars in my luggage, I opted for my smaller less expensive ones, and immediately cursed that I didn't have the better ones with me. I wrapped my camera and lens separately in bubble wrap, put them in the camera bag, and put the whole thing in my carry-on luggage. That didn't leave much room for clothes, but I have my priorities. However, coming back through security at JFK, TSA pulled apart my bag, electronics, ripped open the bubble wrap, and left my carefully arranged bag strewn across several trays on the conveyor belt. I guess I am glad that security is tight, but that may affect how I pack for next time.

Happy nature walks. 

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_sep_2021

New York City:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/nyc-2021

Photographing Insects Part 1 - Things to thing about

One of my favorite things to photograph is dragonflies in flight. I love the challenge. I love to watch dragonflies. Not only are they colorful, but their large eyes and behavior make them easy to anthropomorphize and think they have personalities. 

The key to photographing them is the same as with all animals.  First you have to find them, and then you have to understand their behavior. Of course a key behavior is flying, so that is what I try to capture. 

To find them, let's do a quick review of what they are. Dragonflies are in the order Odonata. This order includes dragons and damsels.  Dragonflies are the big ones and damsels are the little skinny ones. I am going to ignore the latter the for rest of this discussion.  If you want to photograph damselflies, much of this will apply, but the larger dragonflies are a bigger target.

Dragonflies have a lifecycle where they spend much of their life in water. Although some may be found away from water, near water is the easiest place to find them. They emerge as adults ready to reproduce in large numbers in summer. You may find them laying eggs in the water. So go to your closest pond or lake in July or August.

In the early morning, when it is cooler, they may be perched on reeds and you can get closer to them before they get too skittish.  You can use a macro lens, such as I have with my Tamron 90mm macro. But I prefer to use a long lens, and this will definitely be needed as the day warms up and they are more active. My go-to lens is a Tamron 150-600 which I carry for birds, but my 18-400 will also do.

Some dragonflies behave like flycatchers, flying out from a perch to catch prey only to return to the same spot. They may have a couple of favorite reeds or twigs close by. You can focus on their perch and wait for it to come back.  I try to change the background by positioning myself so that there is not a lot of background distraction. With great patience you can try to release your shutter just as it lifts off or lands. 

Depending on the lens, I use an ISO so as to achieve a fast shutter duration of 1/1600 or thereabouts and a wide aperture of 6.3 to blur the background. I use autofocus with single point focusing for perched dragonflies.

Some dragonflies are more like swallows or swifts. They are constantly flying and catch their prey in flight.  But the thing to know about them is that they are often territorial.  They will fly in the same general area, then come to pause and hover for a few seconds. That is when you shoot. They are slower and you have a larger target when they are mating in flight.

I use a long lens, short shutter duration, and setting as I described, but instead of center spot, I like 9 spot continuous autofocus. Lookup those settings for your camera.

And take a lot of photos. Practice, practice, practice. 

The next step is getting the image off your card and doing something with it. An image ‘straight from the camera’ really doesn’t exist anymore. I shoot raw images and then process them into jpg. I like the term ‘digital darkroom’ because you are doing things to the image digitally that used to be done with chemicals to film.  I use Lightroom to catalog and process my images. Photoshop is more complex, and I am not making major alterations as a rule. Other photo editor software will do also.

I crop my images. I adjust the brightness overall and may lighten shadows or darken highlights. If I have used a high ISO, I will remove noise. And finally, I will sharpen an image. I have recently started using the TOPAZ products as Lightroom plug-ins (they can also be used stand-alone) for sharpening, de-noising, and enlarging images.

There is so much more you can do, but when processing volumes of images, I usually leave it there.

My Related videos:

• A talk on Dragonflies given via ZOOM to PV/SB Audubon https://pvsb-audubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Those-Dashing-Dragons-An-Introduction-to-Our-Local-Dragonflies-with-Kim-Moore-5-18-21.mp4?fbclid=IwAR1Q1lbY3z-ztaXmPRFCLqlqmHxfeFjmvG1M2QYMw54u5bArzeuoDqPSVMw
• Photographing Insects Part 1:  https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/9/photographing-insects---part-1
• Photographing Insects Part 2:  https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/9/photographing-insects---part-2-cameras-and-lenses
• Photographing Insects Part 3: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/9/photographing-insects---part-3-techniques-and-tips

The old joke goes:  A man goes to New York to attend a concert, but gets lost.  He spots another man who’s carrying a violin case. “Sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?”  The musician smiles and says, “Practice, practice, practice.”

How do you get to good photos? Practice, practice, practice.  Your camera has settings to take food pictures, architectural pictures, sports pictures, pet pictures, night time photography, time lapse photography, and probably many more.  You don't need to know them all, or constantly change the settings on your camera. That is great fun for someone who is into photography, but not necessary for someone who just wants to get some decent shots of insects. You need not be a daunted by your camera and the settings. Learn a few that work for you.

Know your camera. Get comfortable with it. Read the manual of check out YouTube how-to videos for your camera.

Then take a lot of photos. Your yard or a local park are great places to start. Start with stationary objects like flowers or snails.

Move on to insects that sit still, are slow, or come back to a predictable place. Honey bees, bugs, and some spiders make good subjects.  Move on to fast movers such as butterflies that only land for a short time. Then get crazy with those in flight. Dragonflies that like to hover in place make a fun challenge.

Know the behavior of your subject. The better you can predict movement, the easier it is to shoot. By using the camera and trying to get better shots, that is how I have learned about insect behavior. It is quite fascinating.

Sharpness of the image separates a good image from merely a documentation image. I use autofocus a lot, but not always. I like to look through the eyepiece and not on a screen on the back of the camera. That might not be an option for you on some cameras or your phone.

When using autofocus, you need to tell the camera where you want to focus.

In most cameras you can choose a number focus points in autofocus. While my camera has up to 51, To control my focus, I have two settings on my camera which I switch between. I use single point autofocus most of the time. I use 9-point continuous focus for flying things. That’s it. I never use any other options. Read your manual to learn how to adjust yours.

Once in single point focus, I can move the point around or push halfway down on the shutter release and then reposition the camera. 

Aim for the eyes! As viewers, we always look at the eyes. If those are sharp, our brains fill in the rest.

If an insect is sitting nicely, I will use autofocus while I get within range by pressing half way on the release, but then I switch the camera to manual focus. If I rock my body in and out from the subject while pressing on the release, the camera will take the picture when in focus. See if your DSLR and lens work that way.

A faster shutter speed will have less blur. That is why I adjust ISO and aperture to get a faster shutter speed, particularly for flying insects.  Using a flash will help ‘freeze’ an image.

Depth of field is an issue particularly with macro. Only a small portion is in focus at a time. Some people solve this problem with a technique called photo stacking. The Olympus TG5 has a built-in function for photo stacking. Photo stacking is very popular for closeup, a whole topic in itself. I don’t do it so it will not be covered here. 

It is best to approach an insect flat on with the camera flat to the subject, but of course, this is not always possible. For artistic purposes, maybe you want to use the focal point and blur in your image.

The higher the f-stop, the more depth of field is in focus, but you need more light which you can add with a slow shutter speed, flash, or high ISO. I almost always leave my 90mm macro on ISO 400, 1/250, f14 and adjust the light with my speed light flash.

The lower the f-stop, the opposite is true. When I shoot with a zoom lens, I am usually at a distance, I don’t use flash, and depth of field is less of an issue. My standard setting is aperture mode, ISO 800 (which I may adjust), f6.3 with shutter speed determined by the camera.

When using autofocus, or even just for aesthetics, try moving your body until you get a neutral background. If there are too many leaves, twigs, or objects the camera may try to focus on what’s in the background.

Consider the light. Are you shooting during the day or night? Natural lighting, flash, blacklight?

If you are in natural light, where is the light coming from? Is the object backlit? The image may come out too dark.

Are you using flash? Is it too bright and harsh? Can you soften it with diffusers such as a softbox. There are light setups to add a sidelight. There are many solutions. I am content with mine for now, but maybe in the future I will up my game.

Post processing

The next step is getting the image off your card and doing something with it. An image ‘straight from the camera’ really doesn’t exist anymore. I shoot raw images and then process them into jpg. I like the term ‘digital darkroom’ because you are doing things to the image digitally that used to be done with chemicals to film.  I use Lightroom to catalog and process my images. Photoshop is more complex and I am not making major alterations as a rule. Other editors will do.

I crop my images. I adjust the brightness overall and may lighten shadows or darken highlights. If I have used a high ISO, I will remove noise. And finally, I will sharpen an image. I have recently started using the TOPAZ products as Lightroom plug-ins (they can also be used stand-alone) for sharpening, de-noising, and enlarging images.

There is so much more you can do, but when processing volumes of images, I usually leave it at that.

Sharing

And finally, I share my images. I post some on Facebook for fun. I use them in presentations such as this. I post some, even crappy ones, on iNaturalist. I post them on BugGuide, although less frequently these days. I post some of the ‘better ones’ on my own website. Better is in the eye of the beholder. I include crappy images of ‘better’ insects if that is all I could get, as well as prettier pictures of common things if it pleases me. I don’t often print my images, but people have asked to use my photos in various publications.

In conclusion

• Learn to use what equipment you have, and use it in situations that work best. When it comes to cameras and lenses, "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with".
• If acquiring new equipment, consider how you think you want to use it
• Practice, practice, practice. Don’t wait for the perfect shot.
• Learn the behavior of you subject
• Consider light and background.
• Consider post processing.

Photographing Insects Part 2 - Cameras and Lenses My Gear

I have often heard something like, ‘You take good pictures, what kind of camera do you use?’ I have a friend who responds to that type of question with, ‘You are a wonderful cook; what kind of stove do you use?’

Cameras

I have used a number of cameras and lenses. I have a Nikon DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera allowing interchangeable lenses on the same camera body). I use it with a macro lens, telephoto lens, fisheye lens. I have used my cell phone. I have an Olympus TG5 high-end compact camera with good macro mode.  While I have friends who get spectacular photos with their cell phone and the Olympus TG5, I have not used them enough myself and am happier with the images from my DSLR. I do take them with me if I am carrying my zoom lens on my camera or just want to go light. It is always good to have options and have a backup. Everything works to a degree. It's all about purpose, opportunity, and portability.

The most important camera is the one in my hand.

Initially I used an Olympus camera with a telephoto lens that my husband gave me as a gift. It worked fine, and I learned the basics of working with a DSLR. But as I learned more about photography, I wanted to try different lenses, particularly macro. Olympus lenses only worked on specific Olympus camera bodies, and there were limited choices.

That's when I decided to switch to Nikon before I invested in more lenses. The Nikon lenses work across Nikon bodies. I considered Canon, but had a friend working with Nikon, and that was an influence.  Some people get hung up on Canon vs Nikon battles the way they do on Apple vs PC. I don’t know that one is better than the other (some of you may already be chomping at the bit), but my thinking is, choose a brand that will be around for the future. Once you go that with that brand, you will probably stick with it because that is what you are familiar with.

I chose a Nikon D7100 based on what options I was seeing at the time. Size, weight, features, cost, megapixels, were important to me. There are full frame and crop sensor cameras. I’m not sure I still understand all the ins and outs, but Nikon offers a line of lenses and camera bodies that may be interchangeable. I have been very happy with this choice.

I can program buttons on the camera to quickly change shooting modes. It has many features, some of which I have played with, such as time lapse, remote trigger release, video, etc. But for the most part, I really only use a small number of the options available. One of the best features is that is holds two cards. I can’t tell you how many times I have left the house and left my primary card in the computer. Fortunately, I had the second card still in the camera.

I even bought a refurbished second camera of the same model. This has come in very handy. I keep one for macro and one for telephoto. If one camera is in the shop for sensor cleaning (which I do annually), I still have another to work with.

Lenses

Your phone may have a good lens, and you can attach an inexpensive phone camera macro lens clip-on. I had trouble with the lens on my new phone. It didn’t fit when the case was on my phone, and my camera has three lenses. These will take good shots and videos, but you have to sneak up close to insects before they skitter away. My shots aren’t great, but one friend has amazing patience and excellent results with her phone. 

The Olympus TG5 has a built-in macro lens. A really nice feature is the built in GPS to tag your photos. Another friend gets amazing results with it. I have not done as well, but have had some serviceable results when I am trying to capture images just for documentation purposes.

My go-to lens for strict insect photography is a 90 mm Tamron macro lens that I bought in 2014. I still use it today as my favorite macro lens. You can shoot from a distance and sneak up better. I use it for in-the-field shots, and it is great at the black-light.  I use it with a Nikon SB-800 AF Speedlight and a Fotodiox 6"x9" Softbox. This lens and light are set up on my ‘insect’ camera so that it is ready to grab and go. I have settings of manual, ISO 400, Exposure 1/250 at f14. I adjust the power on the flash to control the exposure.

I sometimes add a Raynox DCR-150 Snap-On Macro Lens to photograph the really, really tiny things. Yes, it is heavy and awkward, and I don’t like it for long hikes, but I love the results.

A friend sold me a Tamron 180mm macro at a price I could not refuse. I've used it a little but find it more challenging to use. It is heavier and harder to hold steady on an image. Someone described it as looking down a straw. With the flash, it is altogether unwieldy for me. I have found a reasonable use for it when I used to do a butterfly survey in the foothills of the Santa Ana mountains. I could carry it and use it without the flash, get decent shots of butterflies from a better distance, and even shoot some birds or other critters. I think I understand why my friend sold it at a discount.

My favorite Zoom lens is a Tamron 150mm to 600mm. This is the lens I use most of the time. I use it mainly for shooting birds, but it is good for insects too. My favorite thing to shoot is insect/bird combinations. This lens also works very well for butterflies and dragonflies, particularly in flight. Distance to the subject helps to catch them in a natural setting without scaring them. My normal setting is to set the camera on aperture mode, ISO 800, f7.1 with shutter speed determined by the camera. I will adjust the ISO as needed to keep a faster shutter speed. For birds or insects in flight, I like a shutter speed of 1/1600 to 1/3200. This is just a rule of thumb.  For closer or smaller insects, I have to back up a lot to get them in the shot. Yes, this too is a heavy and awkward lens. I have tried tripods and monopods, but most of the time I find they only add weight and do not allow me the mobility I want. I shoot handheld regardless of the size of the lens.

I used to have a Nikkor 70-300 VR zoom lens, and I could clip on the Raynox DCR-150 Snap-On Macro Lens. It was smaller, versatile, and easy to carry. I could use it for close birds and insects. It was good, but not as good as the super zoom lens, and not as good as the macro. I tried using the 180 macro I mentioned as a substitute, but wasn’t thrilled. I traded in the 70-300 and got a Tamron 18-400. This was better for birds although still not as good as my 150-600. What I failed to note was that the Raynox macro lens didn’t fit this lens!   There is never a perfect solution. Since this lens is smaller and less unwieldy than my 150-600, I use this for longer walks for birds and insects and for boat trips for birds and whales, of course no ocean insects.

I have found that no matter what camera, lens, and setting you find works for you, you will find someone to tell you that you are doing it wrong or they have a better way. Sometimes I try new things and sometimes I am perfectly content to keep on in my own imperfect way.

Remember, your results may vary.

Photographing Insects Part 1 - Things to thing about Intro

Several people recently have asked me to share how I get good photos of insects.

One time I was visiting Nepenthe, a restaurant in Big Sur overlooking the ocean. I asked the waiter, ‘Have you seen whales?’ To which he responded, ‘Oh yes, I was in Hawaii last summer and saw the most amazing humpbacked whales.’ I smiled and said, ‘That must have been awesome’. After he left, I turned to my husband and said, ‘I should have been more specific; will I see whales today?’

So, when people ask how I get good photos and what equipment I use, I think what they really want to know is how can they get better photos?

Things to think about

The gear and techniques you use will depend on many questions. You have to ask yourself about what you want to accomplish.  All of these answers will guide you to what equipment you want to use and techniques you will employ.

What is your objective? Pretty pictures or scientific accuracy? Shooting a scene?  Shooting true macro? Extreme closeup? Or just wandering outdoors and capturing what you see for your own memory, and/or maybe to share?

How much time do you want to, or are willing to, spend in the field, studio, and behind the computer?

I know some people who truly enjoy all the details of the equipment itself, knowing settings, having the right flash, lens, tripod – the right tool for the right job. Some people enjoy tinkering.  They enjoy playing with settings and may be creating their own makeshift solutions, such as building their own sets for the insects, or making their own flash diffusers.

I have a friend who enjoys shooting ‘true’ macro photography where there are ‘rules’ defining what qualifies or not. He enjoys the enthusiasm and the precision of meeting the rules.

I've known some people who enjoy ‘creating’ images, not just ‘taking’ images.   They will move an insect to a different plant to make a better picture. Some will create settings in a studio. Others will alter images in Photoshop or other editing tools to create the image they want.

Yet others who consider it sacrilege even to break a blade of grass to give a better view.  Some people never want to touch an image, preferring to have an image straight out of the camera.

I think all of these are fine as long as it suits you, and you represent it for what it is. From the web, the definition of rule is ‘one of a set of explicit or understood regulations or principles governing conduct within a particular activity or sphere’. You can follow the rules of others, but really you make your own rules for your own purposes.

This is how I answer it for myself. I like to be outdoors looking at things. The lens gives me focused attention. If it is something new or just something I'm trying to see, I shoot first before it gets away for documentation purposes. But then I shoot again and again, to try to get better pictures.

For me, the camera is a tool to capture what I see. I don't worry about definitions of macro and don't claim to shoot macro per say, although I will sometimes use a macro lens.

My goal is to capture images of insects and spiders that are pleasing to me. They are particularly pleasing to me if they show some interesting behavior or concept in a natural setting.

I'm comfortable with technology. I don't mind spending some time at the computer, but that's not where I want all my time spent. I do, however, spend a fair amount of time with post-processing and uploading to iNaturalist and my own website.

With that in mind, in the next part, I will share my gear and, more importantly, how I use it. Warning, the next section gets a little technical. Some of this may apply to you and give you some tips to try, or reaffirm what you already know. Remember, your results may vary.

Fortunately for me, Tamron has an excellent 6 year warranty. I have had to take advantage of it all too often. This time my favorite birding lens came back after 4 weeks and still didn't work. A week and a half later they finally just replaced it. This, among other things (the news, delta variant and accompanying societal anger, the heat, a bad spell of migraines and headaches, and fights with ant invasions in my home, ... shall I go on?) had me feeling a little down this month.  On the plus side, it left me time for making art, and now, at the end of the month, at least some of these have been resolved.

I am continuing my project of art inspired by the wildlife of Dominguez Gap. Last month I worked on watercolor illustration. This month I am working with multimedia collage and trying to be more expressive. Instead of watercolor alone, in each piece I may add paper collage, ink, gouache, acrylic, gesso, pencil, and anything else I have at hand. I find this style to be very experimental and colorful. It takes longer to plan, create, and clean up, so fewer pieces, but I am pleased with the process and result.

In the beginning of the month I participated in a 4-day bioblitz, a repeat from last year. This year I scaled back my personal effort but still was gratified to work with a team, and I made some interesting observations.  I wrote a blogpost  for the event. https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2021/8/california-wild-women---2021-sequel

Midway through the month I went to Casper's Wilderness Park where a friend was doing a program on blacklighting. It always seems that the best things start to come in later, when it is time for me to go home. I spend a lot more time on the computer after such an event to process and then try to id these critters. It is much harder than birds. Some will continue unidentified. Some highlights were an antlion and a mantidfly. These are not ants, nor lions, nor mantids, nor flies. They are in the order Neuroptera and have finely veined membranous wings. Sometimes people confuse them with dragonflies, but dragonflies are in a different order and don't have the long antennae. I find them fascinating.  There was also a fine assortment of moths and beetles attracted to the light at night.

A group of my fellow local birders and I went out on a whale watch boat. It was a pleasant day. Although we saw no whales, we saw a few dolphin, some birds, and a highlight of a very large Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola). Always fun to share the day on the water with fellow nature lovers.

The month ended with my bird survey at Los Cerritos Wetlands. I have been helping with this for years. There were some signs of migrants returning. August is also primetime for Tiger Beetles. Normally I would have some highlight about a bird or insect, but this time it was a different kind of excitement. We were four of us this time, split into two teams of the 'girls' and the 'boys'.  Apparently someone reported that there was a person carrying a rifle in the area. A scary concern. When the three heavily armed flak-jacketed officers confronted my friend and myself, took our names, and questioned us, we assured them that we had permission to be on the property, were merely counting birds, and that one of the other two people with us in the other area, was carrying a birding scope and not a rifle. I guess they believed us and let us carry on. I used to think there were sketchy-looking people around, now I suppose its me. It is a good thing they first found the 'girls' who are older short white women wearing floppy hats and carrying binoculars. Had we looked more menacing, this encounter could have had a different outcome.

I look forward to autumn. Happy nature walks. Stay safe!

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_aug_2021

Blacklighting at Casper's Wilderness Park:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/caspers_aug_2021

Whale Watch:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/whale_watch_aug_2021

Los Cerritos Wetlands:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_aug-2021

I once again started the month with The 2021 International Biodiversity Championship, August 2nd-5th, under the auspices of the Natural History Section of the Ecological Society of America. I was a member of the team, "California Wild Women". This was a group I connected with last year through iNaturalist. We each separately explore our local area and document the wildlife diversity we find. Last year I had the privilege of connecting with this amazing group of women, and we have deepened those connections through the year. 

Team Observations: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-wild-women-2021

All Teams: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2021-international-biodiversity-championship

Last year's event was deeply enriching. I approached it with dedication, enthusiasm, and a focus on documenting everything in distinct habitats: My Yard, Urban Parks, Tidal Wetlands, Rocky Shores/Sandy Beaches/Coastal Scrub, and Los Angeles River and Freshwater Wetlands. 

Last year's blog: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2020/8/california_wild_women

This year my goal was to play a supporting role for my team. Initially I wasn't going to participate at all, but I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to work with this wonderful group of women. I chose to stick to a few local spots and photograph fewer things, but try for the team to find species which I knew I could find but others may not get. I went to the LA River at Willow Street, Dominguez Gap Wetlands, the San Gabriel River Nature Trail, and El Dorado Park. I tried to balance my time between personal obligations and this challenge (which can be quite time consuming with time in the field, and then time processing, uploading, and identifying photos).

I found I faced three major obstacles: 1) my favorite lens and camera are in the shop, 2) there was a heat wave with temperatures in the 80's or above every day, and 3) my own attitude. That last one being my major obstacle. Warning, I am going to sound a little cranky in this post. Fortunately these obstacles seemed less of an issue for my teammates, some braving triple-digit temperatures and traveling great distances to lead our team to victory.

Everyone has their own personal backdrop of obligations and concerns, and mine are not so great. But I will share a few of mine to give a little background to my general crankiness.  I have a couple of projects of my own making, and this challenge pulled me away from them. Additionally, I had several social events planned that I didn't want to have to schedule around. I find it is better to undertake this type of challenge with a cleared schedule and a sense of purpose.

Every morning, for the past month or so, I have had to battle ants attracted to cat food. I always win the individual battles, but the ceasefire lasts only a couple of days and then they are back. Although, as you know, I find insects fascinating, looking forward to this every morning makes me cranky. I've had lots of advice, so not looking for any more.


Also part of my daily routine is caring for my elderly cat who has been hanging on for the past 4 years with twice daily injections of insulin and special cat food. The poor thing is missing teeth and has bad hips. I think he is slipping and may be a bit senile. Feeding him is an ordeal. Not only does it take cajoling him, stirring his food for him, and chasing away the ants, but I also have to keep the other marauding fat cats from eating his expensive food. 

During the bioblitz, I faced other stresses. My mother, who lives alone in New York City, had a small health scare. She is fine, but I am reminded that hopping on a plane to go there is fraught with the added stress of the highly politicized vaccination/mask debates. And then this week, hearing about the behavior of Governor Cuomo and his defense infuriates me. Among his many indiscretions in a workplace, I can think of no defensible position for running his finger down the back of a woman in an elevator. Would he have done this to a male colleague? Sorry gentlemen, this is just creepy. I will end the discussion there for fear of going into a major rant.

Now on to the bioblitz.  

By the numbers:

• We finished 1st place in species (close to 900 species and increasing as more id's are made) (up from last year)
• 16 Teams (down from last year)
• 3 Continents (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2021-international-biodiversity-championship?tab=observations&subtab=map)

General Observations:

• I have found that my local habitats are in serious decline since the pandemic.
• Homeless encampments have overrun many areas and have caused fires in our drought parched vegetation.
• Some authorities have scraped away habitat at the LA River for flood control.
• Local parks are filled with trash and areas in the remote corners, which once held vegetation, have been turned into makeshift dirt bike trails. 
• Time constraints lead to poor quality of photos, and careless and wrong identifications. Neither of which make me happy.
• However, there are always some things joyful to find in nature, but sometimes you need to dig a little deeper to find them.

Here are some of what I found.

After feeling a bit rushed to shoot things, even if they didn't really interest me, just to add to species, I took some time to photograph dragonflies. I found 10 species and enjoyed trying to catch them in flight. Not a good use of time for the bioblitz, but an excellent use of time for the soul. Here are Spot-winged Glider, Black Saddlebags, and Red-tailed Pennant, and a link to those I submitted to the bioblitz: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=california-wild-women-2021&taxon_id=47792&user_id=kimssight&verifiable=any

Black Saddlebags -Tramea lacerataBlack Saddlebags -Tramea lacerata
El Dorado Park Area 3, 08/04/2021 Red-tailed Pennant - Brachymesia furcataRed-tailed Pennant - Brachymesia furcata
El Dorado Park Area 3, 08/04/2021

A notable observation was this Alligator Gar at the Dominguez Gap. Last September I reported one to the Fish and Wildlife invasive species hotline. They were very interested. These are invasive non-native fish and have been reported to grow up to 10 feet and weigh 350 lbs. Looking through observations on iNaturalist, I think it was seen since April 2020 or before, but the photos were not clear.  Later I reported back to them a report I saw on a Facebook page that showed one was captured by a local fisherman just a short ways from where I had seen it. We assumed it was the same fish. But during this bioblitz I saw another!!!!!! Makes you wonder how many there may be. These were probably released when they got too big for someone's home aquarium. Note that I and other birders have not seen ducklings, Marsh Wren, nor Song Sparrows in this area which I had reported in the bioblitz last year. I reported it again with many people CC'd. Link to the observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/89712681

And lastly I thought I would share this little guy found near the LA River. I don't know the species of this solitary native bee, but I like to photograph things showing behavior or some concept. Most people only think of bees in hives, but this is true really only for the non-native Honey Bee. Most of our native bees are solitary, making nests in the ground.
 

Now back to my other projects. So many things, so little time.

I went out whale watching. I saw many Common Dolphin (which I suppose are technically small toothed whales), but no large whales. However, my best view of dolphin was right off the beach. Bottlenose Dolphin put on quite a show.  One particularly exciting find for me was a "By-the-wind Sailor", a type of cnidarian (not a jelly, but more distantly related). I have seen them in the past out in the ocean, but never got a photo. One had washed up on the beach. They are moved about by ocean currents and the wind. A translucent vein projects upwards and acts like a sail.

One of my goals for this year was to do more art. I tend to procrastinate. I have started a project for myself to illustrate the wildlife of the Dominguez Gap Wetlands. This project is intended to give me some focus. I am trying to improve my artistic skills and doing is better than thinking about doing. I started the project this month and have made good progress, aided by the fact that my best camera and lens are in the shop. My first pieces are mostly 8x10 watercolor illustrations. This has led me to ask "Do ducks really need to have that many feathers? Is hair really necessary? Why did I start with such a challenge?" I am trying to improve techniques, patience, and to be less self critical. I am enjoying the process.:

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jul_2021

Whale Watch:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/whale_watch_jul-2021

Dominguez Gap Art Project:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/art_of_dominguez_gap

I am continuing to see fledgling birds. I saw my first young Yellow-breasted Chat at the wetlands. I have seen the adults in the area, usually in the Spring. It is good to know that they are breeding there. In my local parks, I saw many familiar birds, but they were in baby-size. They sound different also as they exercise their newly found voices with high pitched squeaks and chirps.

But life is not all about birds. Two days in a row I saw coyotes at two different locations. At Rancho Los Cerritos there were a pair of young coyotes. Coyotes always have large ears, but somehow they look even larger on the young pups. A large raccoon was there also. The next day I was at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve to look for terns (ok, I know, terns are birds, but bear with me). The large Elegant Tern population had abandoned their nests after a drone crashed into the preserve. NOT GOOD and not legal. I saw no Elegant Terns at Bolsa Chica, but did see them nesting in Long Beach on two large barges in the harbor a few weeks later. Also at Bolsa Chica, there were Least Terns whose nests are monitored and protected by fences, because they are endangered. Since it was very low tide, a young bold female coyote was able to walk around one of the fences and walk into the nest area. Fortunately several people yelled at it and it finally left without a meal of eggs nor chicks. Don't worry, there is plenty of non-endangered food in the wetlands for the coyotes. 

Continuing on the endangered species theme, a juvenile Short-tailed Albatross was found just off the coast. A group put together a boat to look for it the next morning and I signed up. We found it again hanging out near commercial fishing boats. These birds are very rare, numbering only in the few thousands in the North Pacific. They occasionally show up in Alaska and less often in northern California. So having one show up in southern California is rare indeed. It was a massive bird. It followed our boat as we were trying to attract gulls with popcorn. It loped across the water in gawky strides with an occasional glide low to the water. It was a banded bird. I couldn't read the tag, but several others on the boat got good photos of it, so the bird will be well documented.

So after the summer solstice, the days are getting shorter. The rest of summer is sure to whiz by and soon winter is coming.

a:

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jun_2021

Los Cerritos Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jun-2021

Albatross:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_jun_2021

I also seem to have sprung into post-vaccine life. I don't want to say I have thrown caution to the wind, but where I once was pouring sanitizer over my hands after anything I touched, hand washing has gone back to normal. I'm still having trouble remembering to take off my mask in my car and to put it on in stores. We are back to doing things we enjoy, such as family visits and local travels, and things we put off, such as my husband's eye surgery, all with a greater sense of ease. I am still hosting and attending ZOOM meetings, including a talk I gave on Dragonflies to PV/Southbay Audubon. However, more in-person gatherings are being planned, and carpooling has resumed!

May started with butterfly action. Some flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds as nectar sources. This is where the action is. I have always known that hummingbirds are very territorial and will drive off competitors when defending 'their' patch. Butterflies do the same thing. I was surprised to see how aggressive the Monarch butterflies are. I watched for a while and saw them repeatedly driving off not only other butterflies, but also birds. Once I realized this, I tried and finally succeeded in photographing a monarch approaching a hummingbird. It was quite a challenge because they are both so fast and erratic in flight, but once I found the rhythm, I got it. There is only one photo out of many taken. These flowers also act as the local hangout for the butterflies to pick up a mate. I found a Western Tiger Swallowtail in hot pursuit of a female. There was a lot of mid-flight flirting going on and I caught it on camera. She seemed unimpressed.

At the end of the month, I spent two wonderful nights at the Banning House Lodge in Two Harbors on Catalina. My husband sipped wine and read books about the Chumash and Gabrielino-Tongva Indians, while I went out for solo hikes leisurely exploring at my own pace. Later I rejoined him on the terrace to do some artwork in my journal. Catalina is only 26 miles from Long Beach, and there was a large stand of Eucalyptus and other trees that reminded me of Gum Grove Park on the mainland. The birds are pretty much the same, but I was surprised by timing and abundance differences. Western Tanagers, Hermit Warblers, and Northern Flickers have pretty much left the coast at home, but they were on Catalina. Pacific slope flycatchers were very abundant. I enjoyed seeing the quail (not found in Long Beach) and delighted by the Santa Catalina Island Fox. A pair of them came by after 8pm each night to sweep the terrace for scraps. I was surprised that there are no rabbits on the island, but not surprised when I realize they would take over. I loved watching the sky change from gray to brilliant blue to pink as the time of day and cloud cover changed. I enjoyed the sounds of Raven wings, rustling palms, echoes of birds below, the constant call of Pacific Slope Flycatchers, young American Kestrels begging, and the occasional cackle of Acorn Woodpeckers. I will return.a:

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_may-2021

Catalina Two Harbors:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/catalina_may_2021

They say "Go big or go home", so I went home and went small. I spent some time in my yard with my Macro lens. It started when I was watching Valley Carpenter Bees going in and out of the home they have made in our old fig tree. I even tried my hand at some video. I had a great time watching them, but a hard time capturing them on camera. I saw an alligator lizard successfully grab a bee. By the time I saw it, and ran to get my camera, the action was over. He saw me and decided one bee was enough for the moment and quickly dashed away. As long as I had my camera, I went around my yard and shot a few more tiny critters. 

I got to use my Macro lens again when I tried to solve a mystery. Some friends and I noticed that some Tipu Trees sometimes attract large numbers of birds, especially warblers. In Spring migration, one patch has had so many birds we named it "Tipu Corner". Once we noticed this bird magnet, we started mapping out the Tipu Trees in Long Beach, and quickly found that they are almost everywhere. These non-native ornamental trees are from South America and can lose their leaves late winter through spring. However, not all the trees were losing their leaves, and only some trees were birdy. It raises lots of questions about this tree. I'm not much of a plant person, so don't know much about the tree. However, I did discover that birds are not much interested in the tree. They are interested in the insects that are infesting them. I knew warblers are insectivores but never saw the insects, until I photographed a Hermit Warbler eating little white things. I did some research and also looked back at my photos of the Black-throated Green Warbler I photographed in Tipu trees in February. Sure enough, there were the same white bits and similar leaf damage. I went and collected some of the leaves at Tipu Corner and whipped out my macro lens. Mystery solved. Tipu Psyllids Platycorypha nigrivirga were found in San Diego in 2008 and have spread. As their name implies, they are associated with Tipu Trees, like Redgum Lerp Psyllids Glycaspis brimblecombei are associated with Eucalyptus (or "lerpy eucs" as we refer to them). The Eucalyptus psyllid/bird relationship has been well known since the 1990's.  Psyllids feed by sucking on the leaves and stems for the plants. They create white waxy coatings and honeydew as they process the plant material. Each tiny insect grows by a series of molts until the final adult has wings and can disperse. The damage caused by these insects can cause the Tipu trees to drop their leaves prematurely. Their numbers surge in spring. This explains why some Tipu trees lose their leaves at different times and only some have birds, because they are infested. I guess the trick is to look for the trees with damage to find the birds.

I went to the shore the day after a grunion run to see birds eating the eggs. Grunion fish come up on shore at night on the very highest of tides to lay their eggs buried in the sand until the next very high tide. Birds have a feeding frenzy. However, I got there too late the next morning and the trucks were grooming the sand and and the dog walkers were about. Not many birds, but I found myself fascinated with the patterns in the sand left by water flow and also some squiggles left by the grunion in their midnight rendezvous on the beach. 

From the coast to the mountains, Spring is an active time. I enjoyed a whale watching trip with a few friends, all birders. We hoped for pelagic birds and saw a few very distantly. A couple of fin whales provided the main entertainment. Early in the month I went to the mountains. It was very refreshing to see some different birds that we don't get by the coast.

I helped with my usual wetlands survey. It was uneventful, but I saw my first of the season Vaux's Swifts. Over the next few days I saw many more. They are harder to photograph than swallows. The name 'swift' is for a reason. I also helped out the Rancho Los Cerritos with their first time participation in the annual City Nature Challenge. A highlight for me was a Western Fence Lizard pooping and wiping its butt on the sand. Also there was a very large bumblebee with an orange butt. It was new for me. It is an endangered species Crotch's Bumble Bee - Bombus crotchii.

It has been a very busy month. A friend once told me that I need to retire from retirement. I at least need a few days to clean my house and pay bills. Oh, wait, I think I see a bird out the window, I need to grab my camera...

a:

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_apr-2021

San Gabriel Mountains:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/barrett-stoddard_apr-2021

Los Cerritos Wetlands bird survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_apr-2021

Ranch Los Cerritos City Challenge :    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/rancho_city_challenge_2021
 

So let me share some joy.

Mid-March is the most wonderful time of year, not only is it filled with anticipation and the first signs of Spring Migration, but it is also my birthday. What a difference this year is from last. Last year was the first days of shutdown from COVID. No celebration for me. I put a pile of whipped cream on a plate, stuck a candle in it, and sang Happy Birthday to myself. This year I met with vaccinated friends outdoors in a park, then met with family outdoors in the back yard for birthday celebrations, and I got my first vaccine! By the end of the month, birds are starting to sing their spring songs, migrating birds are starting to pass through, winter visitors are leaving, and summer birds are returning.

After a few storms blew through, large flocks (or gulps as they are called) of Violet-Green Swallows started to make their way north to the mountains. They were everywhere, and in the hundreds in some places like the LA river. Within about a week they were all gone. It was an amazing sight. It also posed a challenging photo opportunity. They move so fast that it is hard to focus on one. It takes hundreds of photos for one good shot, if you are lucky.

A leaky sink by the picnic area makes a wonderful bird bath. A Western Bluebird took advantage of the puddle, and I took advantage of the photo op. Common in the mountains and foothills, but the Oak Titmouse is not often found at the coast. Yet here it was in one of my local parks. It is a small bird with a large personality and a large vocabulary. I saw a nice assortment of flycatchers this month. Empids, as they are called, are very challenging to identify. Don't try this at home. Vermilion flycatchers are much easier to identify, as their name suggests they are a brilliant red. Some diving ducks at Bolsa Chica put on a show. I found the water splash patterns fascinating.

This is the time of year when shorebirds are making their long migrations. They are stopping along the way to feed and find food for their long journey. Large flocks of birds are found on our beaches. What is it about large flocks of birds that makes us want to chase them and watch them fly? Small children often do this with glee. There is something in the human spirit that is lifted by birds. People want to have their grandchildren enjoy the the same experience. They may even tell them, "I used to do that when I was your age. There were so many more birds then."  However, humans have removed much habitat with development and beach recreation. Food sources have become scarcer.  When people or dogs chase them, the birds expend energy to fly away and come back, after having their resting or feeding disturbed. Some birds don't survive the journey. Most people are unaware of this. As one individual person chasing birds, one time, there is probably not much harm done. However, collectively with all the humans, I fear this adds up to more impact on the birds we love. As years pass, there are fewer birds for humans to chase. One important opportunity for birds to feed is after grunion come up to lay their eggs in the sand. Grunion Runs occur at night on very high tides at specific times and in specific locations. The following mornings the migrating birds come to take their fill of grunion eggs. I went with a friend to Seal Beach to witness this feeding frenzy. It was a spectacular phenomenon. I am constantly learning new things about the intricacies of nature. Unfortunately the joy was marred when one dog walker told their off-leash dog to 'sic 'em', chasing off the birds. Yes, the birds will come back if you chase them, but they will have expended much energy to do so in the process. My friend tried to educate him, perhaps with an elevated tone of urgency in her voice. I am sure he was just there to enjoy the beach and the birds, but words escalated between the two in the exchange. I'm sure the joy of the moment was diminished for all. Often we don't know the harm we do, even if unintentionally, and education is slow and sometimes painful. I fear that our ignorance of nature, even if we love and cherish it, will cause us to have fewer and fewer fleeting moments of joy.

One of my photo groups had the theme of Black and White. One late afternoon, I loved how the light was streaming into the garage where my husband was making things with woodturning. I grabbed my camera and made the photos into black and white for effect. The next theme of the photo group was Double Exposure. So if a joy shared is a joy doubled, is a doubled photo a joy? Not necessarily. This is extending way beyond my usual interest, but I decided to give it a go. I got creative with it beyond pure double exposure. I'm not sure that it is for me, or that I have done justice to the technique, but it is good to get out of one's comfort zone and try something new. I am not experienced at photoshop, but think I prefer to play with messy paint and ink. View it with that perspective. Remember, sometimes it is wise to suspend judgment.

:

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_mar-2021

Feeding Frenzy after the Grunion Run:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/feeding_frenzy

Woodturner Black and White Study:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/woodturner

Double Exposure Study:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/double_exposure

The Covid/political fog and darkness of January seems to be brightening, or at least I'm feeling more optimistic. Mom in NYC is doing well and has had her vaccines. My husband has had his first and is scheduled for his second. I am hoping to get my first one in March. I have started a to-do list for post-vaccine. A few trips are on the list, but so are some simple things like hugging people, going to lunch with friends, and carpooling with those also vaccinated.

In addition to my post-Covid list, I am keeping my bird lists. Many birders are list keepers. Most have a life-list of all the birds they have seen in their life, and are eager to add a new 'lifer'.  Some keep lists by state or county, such as a life-list in California or LA County. Seeing a 'lifer' gets harder without travel. Seeing a county lifer gets harder with experience, and one has to resort to 'chasing' a rare bird that turns up.  Then there are year-lists. Sometimes people just keep a year-list, sometimes by state or by county. Birders rush out in the beginning of the year to see all the usual birds and chase the rarities. Many people use eBird to record their bird lists, as do I. Here you can see how many birds you have seen compared with others and with yourself in prior years. This is where the friendly competition drives one to seek out new birds, places, and skills. I try not to let my competitive side drive out the joy of quiet contemplation of a gentle walk through a park. I do a little of each. I am letting my lists fill themselves out as time goes on, and not pursuing them with competitive gusto. My January 1st LB100 birding event starts my Los Angeles County year-list each year. A few birds I chased locally this month for my county year-list were a Black-throated Green Warbler, an American Redstart, a Tropical Kingbird, a Grasshopper Sparrow, and a Greater Pewee (which was also a lifer!). They were all within a reasonable radius of my home and two were in parks new to me, so worth the excursion. I have a greater appreciation of the movie "The Big Year". If you haven't seen it, it gives an idea of competitive birding and 'chasing' birds. 

Having spent almost all of last year within a very short radius of my home, I am ready for new adventures. I have decided that I will venture more into Orange County and slightly further afield to places I visit less frequently. I am seeking pretty places, less crowded, and places I feel relatively safe to let my mind wander as well as my feet. There are some places that are good for birds, but also are often accompanied by homeless encampments. Parts of the LA river are like that. Even when enticed by good birds, I find the experience less than enjoyable.

Some of the experiences I enjoyed this month have been watching some common characters. I watched an Anna's Hummingbird working on her nest. She repeatedly flew out to a nearby tree seeming to collect material (spider webs?) and go back to her nest. She would compact the outside with her bill and then stomp her feet and wiggle in the cup. Many birds are starting to collect nesting materials. This month was also filled with Eastern Fox squirrels hopped up on hormones. Their lives have been filled with food, frolick, and f-ing fun. They were not the only ones looking for love. A pair of Kestrels were caught in the act, as were a pair of Variegated Meadowhawk dragonflies.

My birding and observations on iNaturalist caught the attention of a reporter for a local newspaper. She interviewed me for an article on Pandemic Birding and featured eleven of my photographs.

I was inspired by a friend who was making kaleidoscope art from photographs. Hers were stunning and she spent a lot of time carefully creating them in photoshop. I didn't want to spend as much time, but found an app that let me do some more easily. I see the flaws, but still like some of the effect. Someday, with more patience, I may try the more detailed approach.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_feb-2021

Kaleidoscope:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/kaleidoscope

However, the new year did not come as the fresh start I had hoped for. Covid cases increased. My husband's son in England was hospitalized with it. My local son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter had mild cases.  Fortunately all recovered. This makes several family members who have suffered with it and a friend and several acquaintances who have died. Then we had the grim and horrific attack on the Capitol. I found my nerves raw this month and even with the relief of a transition of power, it takes intention for me to remain balanced. From what I hear from others, I am not alone in raw nerves and ill moods. 

While I have continued to go out for daily bird walks in an attempt for normalcy, I have gone alone more often. Birding has seemed a bit perfunctory. I want to escape talking about pandemic and politics, but find that when with friends, I seem only to talk about pandemic and politics. So here I am, starting my blog with talk of pandemic and politics.

Then there is a slight glimmer of hope on the horizon if enough vaccines can be given. My mother in New York City had been trying daily to get appointments with no luck yet, but suddenly a friend tipped her off and she got her first dose. This is huge relief. My husband and I are still waiting for local stocks to be replenished. 

On to talk of nature. Recalling some of the wild things I've seen this month makes me smile, and I deeply need that.

I enjoyed watching gulls. Often they are either overlooked or dismissed as scavenging 'seagulls'. However, I find that once you try to get to know them, they are diverse and have great personalities (or is that gullinalities). Western Gulls are quite common. I enjoyed an encounter at the end of Belmont Pier. An adult gull had swallowed several fish. I'm not sure if it had caught them itself or had poached them from the bait bucket of some fisherman on the pier. A young gull harangued the parent until the fish were coughed up. Gulls take three to four years to mature, depending on the species. Their plumage changes each year, which is why many just give up on them and just call them gulls. Heerman's Gulls, however, are striking and sleek. I managed to photograph them in each of the four years of plumage. 'Cute' is a term not often applied to gulls, but Mew Gulls, are comparatively smaller and, in the gull world, can be called cute.

Shorebirds are fun to watch. I love Sanderlings darting back and forth at the edge of the surf. A Marbled Godwit was minding his own business when the Whimbrel decided to be a brat. The Whimbrel poked the Godwit in the butt and pulled out a feather.

Each photo in my set has some story, but I can't tell them all. But just a few more notable observations, a Kestrel found a Fig-eater beetle to eat. That is rather late in the season for that beetle. A California Scrub Jay found a Western Fence Lizard tasty. I had heard they eat them, but this is the first time I witnessed it. I generally see them eating acorns, or maybe backyard peanuts. A Cassin's Kingbird was one of seven devouring the fruit from a tree. They were tossing the fruit in the air and squeezing it to get to the pulp inside. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher gorged itself on a swarm of termites.

At the very end of the month, I ventured into Orange County and discovered two new parks, a Mexican Duck, and had fun with raptors. And then it rained. It has been so dry, that the rain was actually a metaphorical ray of sunshine.

I think I shall recalibrate my personal calendar and now look forward to a fresh optimistic start of the new year starting February 12, Chinese New Year.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jan-2021

Other traditions that had to be altered were the various Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (CBC). Our local chapter decided to cancel it altogether. However, several of us decided it could still be done with people birding singly or in couples. I helped coordinate and my friend Christine compiled the results. It took a bit of my time and some mild organizational skills, but 36 people covered a wide territory within our 15 mile circle and counted over 20,000 individuals birds and over 170 species. We called it a Holiday Bird Hunt (HBH). We had a ZOOM after-party. A good time was had by all.

I also had to redo the planning for my January 1st LB100. This has been a tradition for the fourth year. We seek to find 100 species of birds in Long Beach on Jan. 1. In the past I have created the route, and we all go together. I have had to re-plan it as a more elaborate scavenger hunt for people to compete singly or in couples. With the work behind me, I am looking forward to the first. I will let you know how it goes in my next month's blog.

Aside from planning and organizing, I did go birding locally. This has been a constant pleasure during these otherwise worrisome times. I visited the shore. I need to get there more often. I watched a Willet playing in the waves, shared a moment with Sanderlings, and saw a Spiny Sand Star (Astropecten armatus) for the first time. At local parks, Long Beach became a birder's hotspot with several birds showing up that only make an appearance on our coast very occasionally. A Dusky-capped Flycatcher, that I had found last spring, returned for another winter. When people went to look for it, they also found a Red-throated Pipit. A few miles away was a Lapland Longspur. They breed in the Arctic Tundra and usually winter in the Great Plains. I ended the year with a wonderful close encounter with a Great Horned Owl. Although they are not uncommon, they are always magnificent.

Wishing you all a safe and happy New Year. I look forward to meeting you all in the field in later 2021 when we all get our vaccines and the world is made safe again.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_dec-2020

After a brief warm start to the month, it got blustery and cold. We even had our first rain in a long time. But that was short lived, and by the end of the month, it was again unseasonably warm and dry. At least the evenings have been cool, which has made for pleasant weather.

My husband and I drove to Malibu one day, just to get away. This is the furthest we've been from home since the beginning of the year. We enjoyed outdoor dining in the parking lot, and I got to go birding at Legacy Park and at Malibu Lagoon. I saw a Wilson's Snipe at much closer range than usual. When I have seen them before, they are very elusive and hide in the reeds. 

I enjoy Bolsa Chica, but had been frightened off by recent reports of car break-ins and follow-home robberies. It is a shame you go somewhere for peace and have these things in the back of your mind. But I was very glad I went. I saw my first Short-eared Owl, wintering birds are coming back, and all was safe when I got back to my car. A second trip, coming in from the back trails, got me a photo op of a resident Peregrine Falcon. 

Vermillion Flycatchers were once rare in our area, but now have been breeding locally, and are more regularly found in certain places. They are beautiful birds. The males are bright red and can't be missed. The young and females are still beautiful, but the colors are more subtle. I was with two friends when we saw a male thrashing a caterpillar until it turned it into limp green pulp. We love our sweet little birds, but they can be quite vicious.

My own yard blooms bright yellow flowers of Mexican Marigold. They become magnets for native bees and flower flies. I saw several sweat bees (Halictus ligatus) mating. The females were laden with pollen sitting on flowers when a male would pounce on one and they would tumble to the ground. This repeated several times with several bees. It was interesting to watch, but hard to catch on camera. An interesting moth appeared, Metalmark moth (Choreutis emplecta). This is a non-native species that feeds on fig trees. It has only recently popped up in our area. I had not seen one before, but knew what it was as soon as I saw it from recent observations and discussions on iNaturalist. My favorite syrphid fly, Stripe-eyed flower fly (Eristalinus taeniops), always loves these flowers. They have crazy eyes. Just look at the photos.  I continued night surveys of my yard for the Natural History Museum project. I found a spider I had never previously seen, Leafcurling Sac Spider (Clubiona sp.). Finding something new is always cool.

Wishing you all safe and happy adventures, and happy holidays. 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_nov-2020

A personal highlight was that I finally broke down and purchased my first set of 'adult' binoculars. I had been birding with a pair of Pentax Papillio's. These were good for close-up viewing for my butterfly surveys, as well as casual birding. But with my butterfly surveys on hold due to Covid restrictions, and my increase in local birding, I decided it was time to make the leap. I am thrilled with my Nikon Monarch HG 8x30's. Still compact for when I am carrying my big camera, but incredible detail. I realize I have been birding blind all this time.

Fall migration continued strong after the spectacular start in the end of September. Sparrows are back for the winter and a few waterfowl are coming back, with more to come. Notable rarities that showed up were Great-crested Flycatcher, Broad-winged Hawk, and Black-throated Blue Warbler. Some other 'special' birds arrived that may stick around for the winter include a Little Blue Heron, Green-tailed Towhee, Tropical Kingbird, Palm Warbler, and a Tricolored Heron. Although Yellow-rumped warblers are very common and abundant in winter, I saw a leucistic one. Some of the melanin pigments that produce blacks and browns are missing and the bird looks odd.

While the 'rare' birds get a lot of attention, I also like to watch the common birds for their beauty and behaviors. Just like people on social media, they are eating, primping, dancing, and playing.  Predator/prey relationships are always interesting and I try to photograph birds eating. A Downy Woodpecker found a Bordered Mantis egg case (ootheca) and really went to town on it, pecking at it and pulling out the tasty babies. I have a small video to go with it too. A Snowy Egret was picking off mosquitofish. It seemed to be dancing on the water. This feeding behavior is more typical of Reddish Egrets. A common behavior of birds is preening. I enjoy watching them as they display their feathers in the process. A Red-tailed Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, and an Egyptian Goose were cooperative for the camera. A Western Gull seemed to amuse itself repeatedly dropping and catching a stick in flight. Do birds play?

Our monthly bird survey of the Los Cerritos wetlands was foggy and uneventful.

And what would October be without a black cat and spiders. I continued to survey my yard at night in hopes of finding Brown Widows with prey for the Natural History Museum project. 

Wishing you all safe and happy adventures. 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_oct_2020

Wetlands Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_oct-2020

I continued contributing to the Natural History Museum's Widow Wars project. The goal is to photograph Brown Widow spiders with their prey to study the impact of this species on other native species. So far, I personally have found that they dine on a variety of insects and spiders, with notably Tropical House Crickets, Black Webspinners, and other spiders high on the list. With cool temperatures and quiet I have enjoyed getting to know my yard at night. I didn't post all my photos here, just a few interesting characters. 

I had an interesting find at the Dominguez Gap Wetlands. I photographed a large fish. About a month ago, I met a man who was rather excited that he had seen a large creature. I looked for it that day but could not find anything. My friend and I wrote it off as the Loch Ness Monster. I finally saw it, got some good photos, and was able to identify it. It is an Alligator Gar. These are invasive non-native fish, and was probably released from a personal aquarium. They have been reported to grow up to 10 feet and weigh 350 lbs. Looking through observations on iNaturalist, I think it has been seen since April, but the photos were not clear. I reported it to the state's invasive species hotline, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists are now trying to capture it.  The Natural History museum is working with them and would like to add it to their Ichthyology collection.

It was a great month for birding, particularly in the latter half of the month. Fall migration has turned up some amazing birds. I added several new to my life list. Notable in the birding world, drawing literally over 100 birders, some driving hundreds of miles to see them, were: a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, which normally ranges from Mexico to South America, and a White Wagtail, which breeds in Eurasia and Western Alaska and then migrates south to Africa. This one apparently migrated down the wrong coast. Not quite as 'rare', but still notable for me were a Northern Waterthrush, a few lost East Coast Warblers, interesting sparrows, and a beautiful red male Summer Tanager. Fortunately for me they were all close by. Our monthly bird survey of the Los Cerritos wetlands started off quite foggy. It was uneventful and pleasant.

Hooray for cooler weather.

Wishing you all safe and happy adventures. Voting starts. Make your voice heard.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_sep_2020

Wetlands Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_sep_2020

My big activity in the beginning of the month was participating in a 4-day bioblitz. With all the photos I took and follow-up computer work, it turned into an 8-day effort. It was jam-packed with learning and interesting things. I wrote a separate daily diary for the event. https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2020/8/california_wild_women.

I have also started contributing to the Natural History Museum's Widow Wars project. See my photos in their announcement. https://nhm.org/stories/widow-wars?fbclid=IwAR24ucO3xZPacEd0-ey6cbm7LhWyw3fty3D7-wWesxjwuixb_roVAvP5Nwc. The goal is to photograph brown widow spiders with what they are eating. I am creeping around my backyard at night. I am always afraid some neighbor will call the police on this strange prowler carrying a big camera. "But officer, this is for science". I have gotten to know these spiders better. I have seen orb weavers make a web, but until now had not seen a brown widow make its messy cobweb. I also found a number of other spiders in my yard. Noble False Widows are new to my yard and are relatively new to the LA area. Their population seems to be increasing greatly. Many will cringe when they see my spider pictures.  I challenge you to look closely and find something that makes you say, "I didn't know that" , "let me look more closely", or "wow".  Or just scroll past them quickly to get to the birds.

My outdoor activity for the rest of the month was slow. I visited the LA River a few times looking at migrating shorebirds. I now bring a dog stroller to carry my camera, scope, Sibley's, binoculars, and water. I think I have completed my metamorphosis into full fledged bird nerd. People see me and immediately identify me as someone who knows about birds. Strangers often stop and ask me questions, which I enjoy answering when I can. Mostly, I enjoy their enthusiasm. I browsed through a few local parks looking for early migrant flycatchers and perching birds. In the last few days I have seen some, but the numbers of birds still seem frighteningly low. I enjoyed watching an American Bullfrog stalking Common Green Darners. It made several attempts, but I'm not sure it caught them. In one of my photos you can see the leap, but you can just make out the dragonflies escaping on the right. 

I left my air conditioning for short bursts, and inspected my own yard during the day, only to be attacked by Yellow-fever Mosquitoes. Of course I photographed them before swatting them.  I also was surprised by a Long-horned beetle - Icosium tomentosum. It is non-native and first showed up in Orange County in 2005. I checked over the next couple of days to see if I could find it again. I did. It was in the web of a Nobel False Widow. Non-native spider eats non-native beetle. 

I need cooler weather and to go somewhere! One can dream.

I hope this window on nature inspires you to look out your own.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_aug_2020

Wetlands Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_aug-2020

What a wonderful way to start the month! The 2020 International Biodiversity Championship is Monday, 3 August 2020 - 6 August 2020, under the auspices of the Natural History Section of the Ecological Society of America. I am a member of the team "California Wild Women". This was a group I connected with through iNaturalist. We each separately explore our local area and document the wildlife diversity we find. I designed our logo, the California Wild Rose, native to chaparral and woodlands in our region. The fragrant flower has five petals, one for each of us. I cover the coastal areas, my yard, and our regional park.

Team Description: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-wild-women?tab=about

Team Observations: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-wild-women

All Teams: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/international-biodiversity-championship-2020

Some of my observations are in the links below. I chose some because I liked them, and/or they represented the habitat.

DAILY DIARY

August 2 (<12 hours)

Getting ready for a 4 day nature intensive challenge! What fun. It starts in <12 hours.

Today's preparations include getting chores out of the way (house cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, clearing the calendar), getting the cameras ready (charging batteries, cleaning lenses), planning my day trips (checking tides, choosing locations).

The start time is midnight, but that is east coast time. I hope to start tonight at 9 pm.  I will look for a few spiders and moths to kick things off.
Photo courtesy of Lindsey PhilpottMorro Bay 03/17/2017 The biggest challenge I have right now is what camera(s) to bring. I am going to Bolsa Chica in the morning. There are lots of birds there so I want my best bird lens, a Tamron 150-600. It is very heavy. I have decided to take it. But I also want to look for the Silver Argiope Spiders. That is not a good lens for that. I have a good macro lens/flash on my other camera, but it is also heavy, and I can't carry both. I decided to charge up and bring my Olympus pocket macro camera. An added advantage is that it has a GPS built in. The only downside is picture quality, and I rarely use it, so I am afraid I will miss good shots. Life is compromise.

In proper park attireIn proper attire
I also have to think of snacks and water. With COVID19 closures bathrooms may be closed.

I hope my brain lets me sleep tonight. Let the games begin already!

10 pm Update

I wandered around my yard with a flashlight and my camera. I generally don't creep about at night, but was rewarded with more than I thought I would (mostly spiders). Now to bed for an early start.
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August 3

Bolsa Chica Ecological ReserveSalt water wetland

I woke up just before the alarm went off, fed the cats, drank a cup of coffee, and left for Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a tidal wetland. It was the perfect place to go. The tide was low at 4:30 am, but the inner bay is gated and drains much later. So when I got there at 7 am, the tide was low and just beginning to rise. As predicted, I missed quite a few shots due to problems with my little camera. Perhaps I should read the manual! But also as predicted, there were lots of birds. I decided to focus on biodiversity rather than pure quantity or quality of observations. You may see a few multiple observations of the same species, but I think I shot only one or two of the multiple hundreds of Elegant Terns and Western Sandpipers. I tried to stay on mission, but couldn't help but linger with a Reddish Egret dancing to catch fish. A Peregrine Falcon swooped down to catch a crow in mid air. Flew off and landed with its victim directly in front of a lucky photographer. I, on the other hand, saw this occur from what seemed miles away and only caught bird smudges with my lens. I think you can just make them out. A highlight, was watching ants get caught on a high point when the tide came in. They bunched up, formed a raft, got carried off with the current, and drifted back to shore. They had a high survival rate. 

Gum Grove PakGum Grove Pak
Gum Grove Park, 08/03/2020 On my way home I stopped at Gum Grove Park/Heron Point on the edge of Los Cerritos Wetlands, another tidal and fresh wetland. I thought it a long shot, and it was, to see frogs. Nope. No frogs. I did see a few butterflies, but mid-day in midsummer is quite a bit duller than early morning in spring. I went home for a healthy lunch (Rum Raisin ice cream is just milk and fruit, right?), a nap, and to download a few photos.

El Dorado Park, Area 3El Dorado Park, Area 3
El Dorado Park, Area 3, 08/03/2020 I lost some steam over lunch, but did get out to El Dorado Duck Pond and Regional Park. There is a reason I generally don't go in the afternoon -- it was crowded. Two drunk fishermen had a knock-down brawl, young boys were fighting, kids were screaming. So much for communing with nature. I did find a few things. My favorite was a teenage Western Bluebird thrashing a Mourning Cloak caterpillar and sharing it with a younger bluebird, probably from a later brood. I will spend the rest of the evening working on photos and trying to get some sleep.

Onward to tomorrow.
 

August 4

White Point/ Royal Palms BeachWhite Point/ Royal Palms Beach
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA After a late night and early morning of photo processing from yesterday, it was time to go again. Today I went to White Point/Royal Palms on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and then over to Cabrillo Beach. These have rocky shores and sandy beaches with coastal sage scrub on the hills above. There are not as many bird species as found at Bolsa Chica yesterday, but I added a few species and a healthy number of observations. White Point TrailsWhite Point Trails
White Point Nature Center, 08/04/2020 There were many Black Turnstones at the shore, more than I generally see at one time.

At Cabrillo Beach, an endangered snow plover was marching around the paved parking lot. I guess we know why it is endangered. When I got home for lunch, a nap, and to download some photos, I found that had worn myself out. I took a minor number of photos around the house, but didn't find much at all. Oh well. After a good night sleep tonight, I am sure I will be raring to go.

August 5

Dominguez GapDominguez Gap
Dominguez Gap, 08/05/2020 Another day. Today I visited the Dominguez Gap (a freshwater wetland adjacent to the Los Angeles River) and then to the lower Los Angeles River at Willow Street. The Gap was rather quiet. I had hoped to see a raccoon, a coyote, or a snake as I have seen in the past, but no luck today. I heard a bullfrog, but never saw it. Two other elusive denizens called out. There were about four Least Bitterns. They hid in the reeds, but flew between patches. I have never seen them so in the open before. However, since they were in sudden flight I had a hard time getting my camera on them. I spent quite a while before I could get even an obscured shot. The other elusive bird was the Marsh Wren. They make such a fun chattery call, but are frustratingly evasive. I did see a nest, and maybe a beak.

LA RiverLA River
Long Beach LA river at Willow Street,08/05/2020 Then it was off to the LA River. It is shorebird migration, so I saw several of my birding buddies. I tried to shoot at least one of every bird species I saw. Normally I spend more time trying to get 'pretty' shots, but I was seeking to document the biodiversity in a short period of time. I was satisfied. As I was leaving, we noticed a large number of Western Spotted Orbweaver spiders. I didn't have my good macro lens with me, so I had to make do with poorer photos, but at least I could add some photos to our team list.

I got home to avoid the afternoon heat. After my usual late lunch and nap, I searched my yard. I found a very interesting lace bug. I found a few other insects, but quit when the insects found me. Several Yellow Fever Mosquitoes found me tasty. As if COVID19 were not worry enough!  I took a few photos and then ran inside. 

August 6

Deforest WetlandsDeforest Wetlands
Deforest Wetlands 08/06/2020 The final day of the challenge. The challenge ended at 1pm and we had to have all our observations loaded by that time, so I stuck closer to home. I went to Deforest Wetlands and Park. The wetlands is a further extension of the Dominguez Gap. The park is just above that, with typical urban park habitat. This park is a great place for warblers in migration, but in summer, it was pretty much dead, except for a multitude of Black Phoebes and Bushtits.

Deforest ParkDeforest Park
Deforest Park, 08/06/2020 I rushed home to process and upload my photos. I still have a lot of work for my own records, but I got the final batch uploaded with just four minutes to spare.

I really felt like I needed to high five my teammates, but alas, I am alone at my computer. We have had constant emails of encouragement with one another. I have looked at many of the observations they have posted and want to visit those places.

The Results

By the numbers:

• 36 Teams
• 5 Continents
• We finish 6th in both number of observations (1988) and in identified species (753 and increasing as more id's are made)
• 2 species of spider new to my yard, 1 lace bug new to my yard and new to me, 1 mosquito new to me and my yard
• Innumerable plants that I have seen and never paid much attention to

General Observations:

• Scarily fewer birds this year, even for summer there should be more
• High numbers of Wandering Glider and Spot-winged Glider Dragonflies
• More mosquitoes than in recent years
• More people out and about on a weekdays
• So much trash from the homeless encampments in LA river and adjacent wetlands. Perhaps with COVID19 there are fewer cleanup parties
• The wetlands adjacent to the river have been planted with native plants as part of restoration, but have many non-native species of plants coming through
   

Some personal key takeaways:

• Pay attention to habitat more holistically, particularly plants, which I often ignore
• Read the camera manual when using a new camera. Better yet, learn it before you go
• Don't go to parks in the afternoon. They are crowded
• I really didn't miss anything on Facebook or in the news
• Bioblitzes are exhausting, but are worth it. Being part of a team keeps you going
• Seeing things you've seen before, but with a new perspective, gets you thinking
• There is always something exciting if you look for it and something new to learn

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

My Yard:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/wild_women_my_yard

Urban Park:  https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/wild_women_urban_parks

Tidal Wetlands:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/wild_women_tidal_wetlands

Rocky Shores, Beach, and Coastal Scrub:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/wild_women_white_point

LA River and Freshwater Wetlands:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/wild_women_la_river

I never knew my maternal grandfather. He died well before I was born. My mother recently told me something he used to say. "All heat, but no light". During this time of communal anger, this phrase resonated with me. We need to find and be the light. I have always found light in nature and the community of people who share that passion. My birding zoom chat group has been a great joy to me, with humor and knowledge sharing. I always enjoy the passion of my entomological friends. I have made new connections with other naturalists through on-line sharing. With my past routines and opportunities disrupted, I am finding more time for exploration and a deepening involvement with my naturalist activities. I hope you can find your light.

This has been a good time to switch over to insects. In the beginning of the month I co-led the NABA butterfly count at the Nature Center. Because of COVID19 it was not public, and we made changes for social distancing and mask wearing. We held it in honor of Richard. This is an event he proudly led for many years. I think it very special that the California Dogface butterflies appeared this year. Richard had planted False Indigo specifically for them, and finally the population he had reared and cared for seem to be doing well on their own. My friend Mike, who also volunteers at the nature center, planted a butterfly garden in the regional park. It is thriving. In addition to a flutter of butterflies, native bees, wasps, lady beetles, and grasshoppers have called it home. My entomological society speaker (via Zoom) was an expert on Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA). I got to tag along with him and Mike to photograph some finds on an ant expedition. No RIFA, but some other interesting species. The Palos Verdes /South Bay Audubon Society has started holding dragonfly surveys. This year was the first of what hopes to be an annual event. I explored Harbor Lake with two other socially distanced, masked enthusiasts. An exciting find for me, at another local park, was an Ashy Gray Lady Beetle. I had known of this one, but this is the first one I have seen.

Bird activity locally was slow, but picked up in the end of the month with migrating shorebirds. I made several trips to the lower LA River and to Dockweiler Beach. In addition to those that pass through, some who nest here have young. Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets are very aggressive and chase after any would-be predators.  And who can resist taking too many pictures of snowy plovers! One interesting exchange was a Hutton's Vireo feeding a Southern Green Stink Bug to a Brown-headed Cowbird. Cowbirds are brood parasites. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, who then raise them as their own. We finally got to go back to our Wetlands Bird Survey. Not many bird species there right now, but so good to get out.

My photography group (which only meets intermittently) had a challenge this month to photograph water droplets. Challenges are good to try and learn new things. I learned how to use my flash remotely.  It required a lot of patience, batteries, and a mop. I was in short supply of all three. I'm not sure if I will do it again, but I got some interesting results.

With all my other activities, I didn't make as much time for art. I did play with embellished acrylic monoprinting on paper. Abstract landscapes are a stretch for me.

I hope this window on nature brings some light into your world.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jul_2020

Wetlands Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jul-2020

Abstract Water Drops:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/water_drops

I continue to go out close to home. Babies of all kinds are around. A mother raccoon collected her wayward kit. Perhaps it had wandered off a little too close to the water. I think the baby's face looks like he knew he did something wrong and is now resigned to his fate of mom carrying him back where he belongs. Along the LA river, Black-necked Stilts have had their babies. Chicks run around the river and then back to tuck under their parent for protection. The adult looks like it has too many legs! I love listening to birds. I can often tell a bird by its song, but the babies all sound alike to me with an insistent high-pitched plea. Baby birds are often streaky. A baby Vermilion Flycatcher looks quite a bit different from its bright red father. I enjoyed watching and trying to photograph Barn Swallows feeding their babies without ever landing.

Butterflies are always pretty. I must admit that I only occasionally photograph Monarchs. They are the poster child for butterflies, but there are so many more butterflies that don't get the attention they deserve. If you love birds and butterflies, then you must love insects. Insects form a major portion of the diet for birds. Without insects, you wouldn't have baby birds.  And butterflies ARE insects. So scroll past the insects if you must, but some are quite beautiful and colorful if you take the time to look closely.

My current media for art is acrylics on paper. I was playing with a few techniques. I will probably continue in this vein for a while.

Even if you haven't gotten out for a walk yourself, I hope this window on the world brings you at least some peaceful distraction.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jun_2020

Despite these last few days and my heavy heart, I will continue with the rest of my blog as I had been writing throughout the month.

Park closures continued for the beginning of the month, but then started to ease up. I am getting used to wearing a mask and to my weekly routine for grocery shopping and disinfecting. I've increased my social interactions through zoom calls with family and naturalist groups. I even had a couple of socially distant lunches with friends outdoors, where we each supplied our own chairs and lunches and sat about 10 feet apart. My initial fears of the pandemic are subsiding a bit. Watching and photographing nature always helps keep my focus on something positive and peaceful.

I mostly stuck with local parks. Most of the migrant birds have found their way to the mountains and further north. Some resident birds are sitting on nests hiding from view. This has made for much quieter walks in the parks. However, some of the resident birds already have fledglings. Young Great-horned Owls, Red-tailed Hawks, and Great Blue Herons are some of the larger ones. They always look scruffy and gawky. There were many parents carrying food for their screaming offspring. Additionally I caught some nature courtship and 'romance' including Royal Terns, Black-necked Stilts, and Margined Calligrapher flies.

Mammals, reptiles, frogs, insects, spiders, and even snails and slugs were fun to photograph. Squirrels and rabbits get a lot of camera coverage, not for any scientific understanding, but just because they warm my heart. However, I was surprised to learn that squirrels eat birds! A horrified House Sparrow made a tremendous amount of squawking as the squirrel munched on a family member.

I am preparing for a talk about the Bixby Marshland. This has required me to dig a little deeper into my lacking plant knowledge and learn a little more technology. I always enjoy learning something new.

There are so many stories with each photo. I take each photo for a reason. Even if the reason isn't anything deep, I have chosen to click the shutter. Take a walk with me sometime.

Even if you haven't gotten out for a walk yourself, I hope this window on the world brings you at least some peaceful distraction.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_may_2020

Every day is about the same as I described last month: bird, work on photos, binge-watch something, pat the cats, weekly grocery run, repeat. I did, however,  participate in a Zoom party, and also presented on "Garden Birds and Insects" to a class using Zoom. At the end of the month I participated in the annual City Nature Challenge by posting my photos, including insects, reptiles, mammals, and flowers, to iNaturalist and helped identify birds and insects that others posted.

I am thankful that I can go outside every day for exercise with my camera in hand. With more parks and birding spots closed or less accessible, I am birding in more and more 'interesting' places. Streets next to golf courses have been very birdy. My own yard had some 'good' birds migrating through including a Black-headed Grosbeak and an Ash-throated Flycatcher. I even found a California Lady Beetle in my yard. An open field on CSULB is now accessible with school closed. I have met up with friends and we bird with masks and social distancing. Sometimes I have shown up at a park and run into a friend who happened to have the same idea. It is amazing what you can find within a few miles of the house.

Migration is fully underway. Warblers and flycatchers were in abundance. I discovered Tipu trees. These are a big draw for the warblers. They seem to have lots of insects on the leaves. During migration season you have to go often or you'll miss them; waves of birds come through. First it was Western Kingbirds and Orioles, then Nashville Warblers and Black-headed Grosbeaks, then Ash-throated Flycatchers, Black-throated Gray Warblers, Vaux's Swifts, and Western Tanagers, and then Olive-sided Flycatchers and Western Wood Peewees. The birds pass through so very quickly. The last few days have become much quieter. The Yellow-rumped Warblers and White-crowned Sparrows that were here all winter have now moved out. Our local birds are singing for mates (perhaps you have heard the Northern Mockingbirds). Some birds have already had young. I've seen Song Sparrows and Black Phoebes carrying food and feeding begging fledgelings.

With Spring in full swing, I didn't get much art done. I decided to use my Macro Lens to photograph small sections of my watercolor mixing palette. It made for colorful abstracts and was a lot of fun. While technically it is photography, I suppose, I classify it as art. 

I am missing visiting and having a meal with family and friends. But separation is buying time for those dealing with the sick, and those searching for cures and vaccines. I look forward to knowing my family is safe. I hope this finds you and your family well. I think we are in this for the long haul. Even if you haven't gotten out for a walk yourself, I hope this window on the world brings you joy.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_apr_2020

Macro Palette Abrtracts:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/macro_palette

Spring is in the air for the birds. Birds are starting courtship displays including switching to their spring songs. Some are gathering nesting materials. Waves of migrating birds have been coming through. Swallows have returned and Violet-green Swallows came through on their way to the mountains. Rufous Hummingbirds are passing through. At the end of the month, Western Kingbirds and Bullock's Orioles have been recently plentiful. One late afternoon I saw a large flock of Whimbrels fly in at the shore. 

In the early part of the month, I was still occasionally birding with larger groups of people. When a rare bird shows up, the birders flock. That was the case with the Blue-headed Vireo. However, shortly thereafter, things started shutting down. No group outings, no trips, and my butterfly and bird surveys are canceled. This has led me to bird close to home and explore places I don't usually go. With playgrounds and sports fields closed, there are more places to bird. I found two Dusky-capped Flycatchers in two separate parks. They must have overwintered here but have been overlooked. Only a few show up in Southern California each winter. A fellow birder walked through his neighborhood and found a bottlebrush tree filled with Orioles, including a lost east coast Orchard Oriole. It took me only 15 minutes to get there and see it too.

I have always wondered about the significance of sneakers hung on a lamppost or in a tree. It seems like a waste of perfectly good shoes. I saw some Nike's in a tree at the park.  An Allen's Hummingbird was collecting spiderwebs from the sneakers to help build its nest. I think whoever threw the shoes up there may have had a different idea of wild life.

We did have rain this month. On the rainy days I stayed in and did art. I made a series on prints using printing ink as monoprints combined with block print. I cut the raven out of a rubber block making a positive and a negative image. I feel very artsy when doing it. However, printing is messy. I will probably not do it for a while because cleanup involves too many paper towels, and those are hard to come by right now.

Sometimes I want to do art but get stuck at the blank page. To break the spell, I take a piece I didn't like, and cut it up and do something with it. I had a piece that reminded me of pines. I then added the birds: Hermit Warbler and Townsend's Warbler. Less pressure, more fun.

Finally, I did a more detailed watercolor painting. This requires more skill. I need to practice more.

I hope this finds you and your family well. I think we are in this for the long haul. I am trying to watch less news and find creative ways to occupy my heart and mind, including connecting with friends and family.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_mar_2020

A big change for me was getting rid of the bed in my office/studio/guestroom. Guests are still welcome, but we will have a folding bed when needed. This has opened up space for me to move and breathe. I now have a proper art studio. I was inspired to make some art using various media.

It was still a little slow on my Irvine Ranch butterfly survey, but it felt like spring. We had a few butterflies and some spring flowers are starting to bloom.

It was a raptor day at the wetlands bird survey. A pair of Peregrine Falcons was chasing a mourning dove. I think it was supposed to be 'food pass' of the dove from the male to the female falcon (perhaps as courtship?). The dove escaped, but without a tail. I always look for birds on my butterfly survey, so I have to look for butterflies on my bird survey. Western Pygmy Blue, Monarch, and Painted Lady posed. Cabbage Whites were there but did not pose.

I went on another Pelagic Birding Trip, this time out of Marina del Rey.  We had sightings of Masked Booby, Short-tailed Shearwater, Black-legged Kittiwake, numerous Northern Fulmars, several gull species, three alcid species, and some shorebirds on the breakwater. They didn't all pose for me, but I got some shots that pleased me. We started in thick fog, but it lifted after a few hours and the weather was perfect for the rest of the trip.  We had flat seas and smooth sailing. It was good to see some familiar faces aboard. Since it was a little cool, everyone was bundled up in jackets and warm hats. I said it was hard to recognize some people when they were wearing their winter plumage. My husband and I had owned a Morgan 27, but sold it about 10 years ago. It was a big surprise to see my old sailboat out on the water. It made me a bit nostalgic.

My big trip was a three day trip with fellow birders to Los Banos and surrounding areas in Merced County. We visited San Luis Reservoir, San Luis National Wildlife Reserve, Merced National Wildlife Reserve, Mercy Hot Springs, and Kern National Wildlife Reserve. It was extrodinary. It was my first time in all these locations. We birded in four counties, and I had a new life list bird, Yellow-billed Magpie. The fly-in at Merced NWR had literally over 10,000 birds. I have never seen that many birds in one place before: Snow Geese, Ross's Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, and Sandhill Cranes. There was a spectacular sunset as a bonus. So many birds so many photos. We also saw lots of mammals: Tule Elk, Mule Deer, Coyote, Beaver, Ground Squirrel, Black-tailed Jack Rabbit, Desert Cottontail, and of course the domestic Horses, Ovine, and Bovine. On the way home on the last day, we drove through the beautiful rolling hills of Fresno and San Benito Counties to search for a special farm that attracts Tricolored Blackbirds. It was a beautiful drive.

I ended the month with a trip with (non-birding) friends to Palm Springs. I took my first aerial tram ride to Mt. San Jacinto. I highly recommend it. There were great views, snow, and Red Crossbills. 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_feb-2020

Butterfly Count:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_feb-2020

Wetlands Survey:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_feb-2020

Pelagic Trip:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_feb-2020

San Luis Reservoir:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_luis_reservoir_feb-2020

San Luis NWR/Merced NWR:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/merced_nwr_feb-2020

 

Fresno and San Benito Counties:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/fresno_feb_2020

Mt. San Jacinto:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_jacinto_feb-2020

 

I also started the year with a wicked cold that kept going on and on. Despite that, I went out a fair amount in the early part of the month, until I finally came to my senses and rested to get well. I visited Crystal Cove in Orange County with my birding buddy Harriet and two Birding Pals from New Mexico. I have only been there once, many, many years ago. We had a splendid time, and I recommend a visit. I know I will be back soon. It has several habitats to explore, including on top of the bluff and on the beach. There are California Thrashers, California Gnatcatchers, and shorebirds. With beautiful views of the California Coast under warm sunny skies, have I mentioned how much I love California... especially in winter?

In my local parks, there seems to be a surge of pocket gophers. This is a major headache for those who are trying to maintain pristine parks. However, it is a big boon for the raptors. I do hope that the parks do not try to control the gophers with rodenticides. That poison goes up the food chain. Warning: Graphic predator/prey photos. On a positive note, Vermilion Flycatchers seem to be becoming more common in our parks around the San Gabriel River. I saw at least FOUR birds in three separate areas including male, female, and immature. I 'chased' (went out of my way to look for) a Trumpeter Swan. These are rarely seen in California. I saw an adult and immature.

It was so good to get back to my Irvine Ranch butterfly survey. Even though there were few butterflies and flowers blooming, the hills were green and the weather perfect. We saw tracks of Bobcat, which is a lot less scary than Mountain Lion.

It was a big raptor day at the wetlands bird survey. There were a pair of White-tailed Kites (one eating a gopher), a Red-tailed Hawk, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a pair of Peregrine Falcons.

I went on a Pelagic Birding Trip with Sea & Sage Audubon out of Dana Point. The weather and company were accommodating. We had the usual fun with gulls, pelicans, cormorants, and shearwaters following the boat on and off all day. There were also the assortment of tiny blips on the water or flying that are smaller than the floaters in my eyes. I am amazed at how the leaders can see and call them out. I do not find these sightings particularly satisfying. We did however, have a wonderful Black-legged Kittiwake close to the boat for a little while. Now, THAT made the trip for me! They are typically off-shore gulls, so it was nice to see my first one closer to the coast and have it pose for photos.

I finished off the month by giving a presentation on nature in the garden to the Lakewood Garden Club, and helping my entomological society with some administrative duties. It looks like February is lined up to be just as busy.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jan-2020

Butterfly Count:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_jan-2020

Wetlands Survey:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jan_2020

Pelagic Trip:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_jan-2020

 

My Irvine Ranch butterfly survey and my wetlands bird survey were both canceled due to much needed rain.

In the middle of the month, I went to Paso Robles to see the Field of Lights art installation covering rolling hills with an array of over 58,800 fiber optic stemmed spheres. They don't allow tripods, 'professional' equipment, nor flash, and of course the photos are for personal use - not for sale. Despite the restrictions, my cell phone and kit lens caught some of the light. We spent the night there and then went over to the coast to see Elephant Seals in San Simeon. They are always a winter favorite of mine. There were some very large bulls with all the younger males giving them wide berth. There were also three mothers with newborns. The birds were enjoying the flies, sometimes picking them off the seals directly only to be swatted away.

May 2020 bring you health, joy, kindness, and of course walks with nature.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_dec-2019

Paso Robles Field of Lights:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/sensorio

San Simeon Elephant Seals:   https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/san_simeon_dec_2019

 

It was nice to be back to a regular routine, not missing any of my regular surveys. My local visits found (or should I say refound  as reported by others) some 'good' birds, those considered rare or less common in our area. Madrona Marsh had Painted Bunting, Bobolink, Bronze Mannikin, and Pine Siskin. Cabrillo Beach had a Nazca Booby and a Red-throated Grebe. Wardlow Park had a Summer Tanager. Most of my birding was local, but I did get out on a quick trip to the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains for sapsuckers. I spent a night in Pasadena at a charming B&B for my anniversary with my wonderful and patient husband. It was nice to wake up to some different birds outside the window. Red-whiskered Bubuls and Yellow-headed Parrots are introduced exotic species that have grown in population in that area.

I had some monoprints I had done in the past, that I wasn't happy with for one reason or another. I had stuck them in my drawer of art that is incomplete or I don't like but I think may be salvageable. I used these as backgrounds and added ink and gouache. I like the result. Lesson learned: something good can come out of it if you put it down and come back to it with new eyes.

My Irvine Ranch butterfly survey had decent numbers of butterflies, and as expected very dry vegetation. It was good to get back after missing a few times due to heat. I always enjoy the people, butterflies, and views. It was still warm, but not too bad. However, what you don't want to see when hiking is smoke. The water helicopters were flying past us to Irvine Lake. Turns out it was fire about 5 miles away, and fortunately it was put out quickly. We had just ended our butterfly survey and we left the area quickly.

The wetlands bird survey was at the end of the month. I was impressed by all the water from the King Tide. In one of our brackish puddles I noticed a lot of small insects swimming. While my photos were not good and not posted here, I was able to identify Water Boatmen and Water Striders. Both are generally in the area and would not mind the brackish water. Interesting how they quickly find and occupy a new source of water. The insect the Kestrel was carrying looked like it might be a Jerusalem Cricket. The Say's Phoebe maybe carrying a large cockroach. My photos were not good enough to positively identify the insects, but do identify the birds. We also had a late in the season Checkered White butterfly.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_nov-2019

Irvine Ranch butterfly survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_nov-2019

 

Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_nov-2019

I participated in a Park Planning session for Deforest Park. It was an interesting exercise. They said that in all the other sessions, no one had raised the issue of habitat. I was glad that I was there to represent nature.

The wetlands bird survey was at the end of the month, and it was hot. The usual raptors were there along with sparrows. A Brewer's Sparrow was a first on the survey.

A trip to Two Harbors on Catalina Island was definitely the highlight of the month...or year. It was a relaxing two-night stay at the Banning House Lodge with my husband and two good friends. We enjoyed the views, the company, the relaxation, and the food. Marla and I took nature adventure hikes while we left our husbands to read and nap. Marla and I saw a large school of Leopard Sharks at Cat Harbor, searched for quail, laughed, and enjoyed our hikes. I, of course, searched for birds. I enjoyed the Catalina California Quail, which are a subspecies of our California Quail. They sounded a little different to me.  They traveled in small flocks with one or two standing sentry. We also listened to the wing beats of the Ravens. It is a powerful sound. We had two Catalina Island Foxes visit with us. One was 'Dennis' a frequent visitor according to the hotel staff. The other we named 'Denise'. It was much smaller and very shy. I could stare at the landscape seemingly endlessly. Small changes in light and wind made for a constantly changing view. I plan to go back!

Inktober is a month-long art challenge that is focused on improving skill and developing positive drawing habits. Every day for the month of October, anyone participating in the Inktober challenge creates an ink drawing and posts it online. Everyone has set their own 'rules'. There are 'prompts' provided for those who wish to use them, but I found that too stifling. For me, it is daily practice, creativity, and ink only (a variety of different types of ink). I found some days I just needed to DO SOMETHING, anything. Other days I had more time, felt more creative, and had more motivation. It was an interesting experience, but now I look forward to new creations with a variety of media, and at a more leisurely pace. You can see all my ink creations below.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open in a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_oct_2019

Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_oct_2019

Catalina:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/catalina_oct-2019

Inktober:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/inktober

You're the cutest thing, That I ever did see: Plover  (My apologies to the Steve Miller Band.) 

Forget the age old pronunciation debate, they really are 'cute' with large eyes, small bill, and long legs. I got a chance to see several species and look closer at the details. Killdeer (which are plovers) have a red eye. I never noticed before that Semipalmated Plovers have very yellow skin around their eyes. Black-bellied Plovers lose their black bellies in winter. The scientific name of Snowy Plovers is Charadrius nivosus. Nivosus comes from a Latin word meaning snow. I think they should be called C. nervosus, because the way they run willy-nilly on the beach.

I started the month at San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine.  I tried to tell myself that it wasn't necessary to chase every MEGA rarity reported to the birding community, but after sleeping in and trying to resist, I went. This bird has been recorded in the state only twice before in California since 2011. I easily found the Common Ringed Plover with a whole lot of paparazzi pointed at it. I had begged off my butterfly count a second month in a row because it was predicted to be very hot. I got to the marsh mid-day. Shortly thereafter some of my friends showed up to see the bird, having just come back from the butterfly survey. I felt a little like a kid getting caught playing hooky!

The Little Blue Heron continued at Madrona Marsh for much of the month. Remember all those dragonflies I had last month? They make tasty snacks. The heron caught them while the male dragonfly lowers the female to the water to lay eggs. The male got away but flew around the heron in an agitated manner, to no avail. An American Kestrel also got lucky.  Speaking of dragonflies, I saw a Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella at Madrona. That was a first for me! 

I went with a friend to Fairview Park in Orange County to find a special bird, the Chestnut-collared Longspur, that had been found a few days earlier. The area had a maze of narrow trails through tall dead brush. How would we ever find one small drab little brown bird? Some had found it, and others searched for hours with no luck. When we got to the area where the bird had last been seen, there was a serious police man-hunt going on complete with police helicopter and threatening to release the police dogs. We decided to bird in another area of the park until they went away. When we finally made our way back to the area, we came in from the back much further from the spot. As we walked back, I suddenly almost tripped over a little brown bird! Sometimes you just get lucky.

So where are all the warblers? By mid-September they should have been here in greater numbers. I was not the only one remarking on their absence and the absence of birds in general. I started to search more aggressively towards the end of the month, and finally started to see them in low numbers in the final days. At last, White-crowned Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers, which are ubiquitous in winter, are returning, as well as a few migrants and vagrants.

This month I went blacklighting - twice! A friend asked me to explain what blacklighting is. A "blacklight" or ultraviolet light (like from the hippie days) is used to attract insects that are active and flying at night.  The lights, powered by a generator, are hung downward from the top of a white sheet. Night flying insects navigate by the light of the moon, keeping it at a constant angle to fly a straight course. Blacklight overpowers the moon, but emits lights all around. The insects get confused and circle it trying to keep a constant bearing. They wind up resting on the sheet. Collectors use this method. We don't collect, but use it to photograph and observe what is in the area.

In the beginning of the month I went to the Muth Interpretive Center at Upper Newport Bay. This was a family friendly event. Although there were only a few insects, they were mostly new to me. The children outnumbered the insects, but they were very excited and well behaved. They pointed out all the smallest insects to me and said "take a picture". They enjoyed seeing them on the back of my camera. Although not an official volunteer, I wound up helping out a fair amount. 

At the end of the month I was at my usual Irvine Ranch Conservancy event. There were two events happening at the same time, blacklighting and owl banding. So not only did we see a California Mantis, lots of moths, insects, and tarantulas, but also a Barn Owl close up.  The interesting thing about going to two different habitats in the same month, is seeing some different insects. Going to the same habitat, but in different months, I see the seasonal differences.

The wetlands bird survey was at the end of the month, and it too was rather quiet. The highlight was an American Kestral carrying a rat and another Kestrel looking very ratty. The ratty looking one was harassed mercilessly by a large murder of crows.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open n a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_sep_2019
 

Upper Newport Bay Blacklighting:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/upper_newport_jul-2019

Irvine Ranch Blacklighting:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_night_sep_2019

Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_sep-2019

I also took some time to post a few of my historical photo observations into iNaturalist. I still have so many more to post, but at least that's a start. By posting in iNaturalist I help science, and I get the benefit of some more searchable data. Also, let me again give my appreciation to those that help with id's and correct my mistakes. With so many photos to post and places to track things on-line, I sometimes make clerical errors, and of course, sometimes just plain old wrong identifications. I truly appreciate the time and effort when someone corrects me.

I continued my Dragon quest into August. I visited San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine, Madrona Marsh in Torrance,  El Dorado Park, DeForest Park, and the LA River in Long Beach. No new species for me, but I continued to see the same species I have seen in past years in the same locations. Some dragonflies, such as Skimmers, are 'perchers', hunting like Flycatchers, often returning to the same spot. They are easier to photograph. Others, such as Gliders and Darners, are fliers, like Swifts, and only occasionally perch. These are always a challenge to photograph, and I feel particularly happy when I get a good shot. 

In addition to the dragonflies, I found two species of tiger beetles at Colorado Lagoon. I rarely see tiger beetles because they are small, often have cryptic coloration (although some species can be quite colorful), are very fast, and not found in most places. Finding two different species was quite a treat. I went to Madrona Marsh with some folks from my entomological society to look at native bees and other critters.

Shorebirds are migrating back. The 'special' bird was a Baird's Sandpiper, but I love seeing the diversity of plumage on our more common birds. Some still have remains of the summer as they have not fully molted back to their basic plumage, and some are juveniles just coming into their first adult plumage. In addition, the babies of common birds that breed locally are growing up and looking more adult, but still may have a feather out of place here and there.

Another 'special' bird was the Little Blue Heron at Madrona Marsh. Better birders than I had found it and notified the birding world. Little Blues have rarely been seen in LA county. Before you complain to me that it is not blue, let me say that it is immature and immature Little Blue Herons are white. It looks very similar to the immature snowy egret. I don't make the rules. Fortunately last month I had a good study of the Snowy due to my own confusion. This time I knew it when I saw it.

I am still a sucker for furry creatures. I can't help but say 'here kitty' to most small mammals (and birds, reptiles, insects, etc.) that I meet. A pair of raccoons at Cabrillo Beach were generally unfazed by my presence and unresponsive to my calls. One climbed into a palm tree and took a nap.

The wetlands bird survey was good for raptors. We have had consistent visits of a White-tailed Kite in August. They are one of my favorite birds. Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels are almost always there, and a Cooper's Hawk is not uncommon. I also found an Orange Sulphur butterfly and a few other insects as incidental sightings.

I had to skip my Irvine Ranch butterfly count because I thought it would be too hot for me. However, I did make it to the monthly blacklighting night. It was a a lot of fun. We had good weather, good company, and good critters. As usual in the summer, bats came out just at sunset. We had some additional excitement with a shy young rattlesnake. I did not try calling it with 'here kitty'. A large Sphinx moth (Smerinthus ophthalmica) was a big hit. I really enjoy the company of others who can get excited by a moth.

A special trip was an afternoon out to Scorpion Bay at Santa Cruz Island. I was happy that my husband joined me. It was a birding trip, however the highlight was the Island Fox. I had seen one once before and was glad my husband finally got to see one too. Actually there were several of them and they are very bold around people. Ravens and foxes like to pick through human belongings at the campgrounds. Due to their isolation, the ecology of island ecosystems is different from that of mainland communities. Each of the channel islands has its own subspecies of fox. All are related to the Gray Fox. We went to see the Island Scrub Jay, which is related to the California Scrub Jay. As one person put it, it's the $54 bird, because that's how much the boat trip cost to see it.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Be sure your browser allows Flash in order to see the names in the slideshow.

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open n a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_aug_2019
 

Wetlands Bird Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_aug-2019

Irvine Ranch Blacklighting:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_aug_night_2019

Santa Cruz Island:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/santa_cruz_island_aug-2019

Nothing says summer like Dragonflies, vibrant, colorful, and flitting about like angry little fairies. I love to watch them protecting territory, coupling in their unique head to tail way, dotting eggs into a pond, and returning to perches on high branches or reeds above the water. I really need to pay more attention to them. Blue Dashers were all over El Dorado Nature Center, yet on the other side of town I saw none. Similarly Neon Skimmers were common at Deforest Park, yet uncommon at the Nature Center. I am sure to continue my Dragon quest into August. I saw a few butterflies, other insects, and spiders that caught my attention enough to photograph them.

Some of our early migrating shorebirds are coming back to So Cal after breeding up north. The early arrivers are sporting their breeding plumage. Note how patterned the Willets look now instead of in their drab gray winter clothes. I saw a Willet territorial fight. The larger Willet grabbed the beak of the smaller one and proceeded to kick and dunk it. Both Willets flew away after the altercation.

Unfortunately bulldozers in the LA river seem to have altered where the water flows, and so far I have seen few shorebirds there. This is usually one of the prime areas for shorebirds.

At local parks I was still seeing immature birds. As they are molting into adult plumage, their scruffy looks make me smile. An immature Snowy Egret had me fooled. It's bill and legs were paler and more colorful than the adults. Apparently I wasn't the only one confused as to what the bird was, but several experts helped me out. I thought that after that my name would be "Miss Identification". While not a rare heron, I enjoyed watching it fish for Bullfrog tadpoles. At another park a Great Blue Heron was eating crayfish. An immature Green Heron tried to catch Dragonflies.  Predator/prey relationships are interesting to me. It is also interesting that many people love birds but not insects and spiders nor see animals eating other animals. People love to photograph and post pictures of their own food on Facebook and Instagram. Since birds don't have smartphones, I have to post their food photos for them.

I went on a local whale watching trip out of San Pedro and took a few dolphin photos. I appreciated the humor when a crew member said that we were not likely to see whales, because it was pretty dry out there. At least I think he knew it was humorous. No one else laughed.

Somebody called the Marine's for the July Irvine Ranch butterfly count. Well, at least the Marine Blue butterflies. They were the most abundant. A few Ceraunus Blue butterflies wanted to join the Marines, but they didn't fool us; they look similar and the photos help with identification. I think we made up for last month's poor butterfly numbers with an abundance this month. The butterflies were hard to count and harder to photograph as they would not sit still for photos! Butterflies were not the only ones out in numbers. Chimney bees and harvester ants were everywhere. One of our team was attacked by the ants when she stood too long in one spot near a nest. Yes they sting and bite! We found a horned lizard. I wish there had been more. They eat harvester ants.

My wetlands bird survey was rather quiet. A highlight for me was a young Black Phoebe eating a large grass spider (Agelenopsis aperta).

A Pelagic Trip out of Dana Point had pleasant weather and good company on the boat. That is all I can really say about it. There were plenty of Western Gulls, the usual birds on the breakwater, and literally thousands of Black-vented Shearwaters, but otherwise, we saw few birds. Most were small black dots in the distance. My photos were mostly for documentation purposes and to have something to delete when I got home. I enjoyed the closer view of the crowded beach as we passed Huntington Beach Pier. 

After enjoying the rocking and rolling we felt from the Ridgecrest earthquake, we went to New York City to experience the five hour massive blackout on the Westside. My husband and I made a very quick trip to New York City to see my mother and aunt. We managed to take in a couple of sights, but I only had my cell phone camera. Of course I couldn't help but find a Red Admiral butterfly on the roof of my aunt's building in the middle of the city.
 

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMooreNaturalist/

Be sure your browser allows Flash in order to see the names in the slideshow.

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace. Links open n a new tab.

Enjoy the show! I always appreciate corrections to ID's.

Local stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jul-2019
 

Butterfly Survey:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_jul_2019

Bird Survey Los Cerritos Wetlands:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/hellman_jul-2019

Pelagic Trip:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelagic_jul-2019

New York City:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/nyc_july_2019