"Both photography and art open my eyes to the infinite beauty of nature in her every detail."
~ Kim Moore
Sights of August 2017
August 31, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
Summer is slow for some birds, but towards the end of the month, the shorebirds and few warblers are showing up as they migrate south. I continued to see young birds. On the LA river I saw a young Caspian Tern begging its parent for food. The parent was not giving in as the young one was big enough to fend for itself. A young Osprey kept close to t...
Read the Full Post »
Nature Journaling
August 18, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." - Albert Einstein
About a year ago I started to use my nature journal more often. This has been most satisfying and has helped me both as a naturalist and as an artist. As a naturalist, I find I look more closely and ask more questions about my subject. I look at things from...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of July 2017
August 01, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
Wow! What a great month for observing nature. I didn't expect much and went to a few local places, but there were bobcat, rattlesnake, hawk/kestrel fight, young 'cute' birds, and lots and lots of insects and spiders. And the topper (no photos here), our new granddaughter arrived at the end of the month. I can't wait to take her into the field!
Wit...
Read the Full Post »
"You look like sh*t"
July 21, 2017
•
1 Comment
When someone says "You look like sh*t", maybe it's a complement. At least that's what some critters think.
What better way to hide from predator and prey. No one is going to eat you if they think you're a turd! These mimics typically rest on a leaf during the day. This mimicry is found in various orders of insects and spiders.
I have to admit tha...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of June 2017
June 30, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
June Gloom and Record Breaking Heat
Cloudy gray mornings in the beginning of the month gave way to a heat wave. I was out of town for part of the month. While I had a chance to see some birds at the newly reopened Harbor Regional Park, El Dorado Park and Nature Center, and Santa Fe Dam (where I caught a whiptail lizard pooping!), I spent much of m...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of May 2017
June 01, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
Birds, Bugs, Travel, Computer Crashes.
I saw some of the May migrating birds, but missed quite a few. Between my travels, my birding buddy away, and my major computer crash and subsequent new computer recovery, I just didn't get out to catch them during the short window of opportunity. But it was a lovely month anyway. Some bird highlights were an...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of April 2017
May 01, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
So many birds, so many insects, so little time. I get distracted by everything all at once, so I had to visit some places twice: once to go birding and then again to look for insects. I went with a different group of people and different camera gear. Madrona Marsh, Sycamore Canyon in Whittier, Whittier Narrows Nature Center, Oak Canyon Nature Cente...
Read the Full Post »
"I wish I brought the other lens"
April 10, 2017
•
1 Comment
As a nature photographer of birds, insects, occasional plants, mammals, and reptiles, it is hard to leave the house in the morning, because one big decision I need to make is what equipment to bring. Of course there are many factors that go into that decision, and I try to anticipate what I will see and what I want to do. However, inevitably, at so...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of March 2017
March 31, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
Crazy weather in March; one day it is 80F and the next it is 50F. It has been wet enough and warm enough to bring out some insects and spiders around my house, and wildflowers around the state. My monthly butterfly count was canceled due to rain and cold. I went birding with Audubon and on my own at local parks. I have discovered that I love plover...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of February 2017
March 01, 2017
•
Leave a Comment
It is wonderful to see snow on the mountains and green all around. Our rain is finally improving our dire drought conditions. All the rain has been great for fungi (thanks iNaturalist for fungi ID's), and I'm starting to see more insects. Birds are starting to sing songs looking for mates, and I saw some pairs checking each other out. Each spring I...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of January 2017
February 01, 2017
•
1 Comment
Happy New Year. It has certainly been a wet January. We have desperately needed rain, so we finally got some...in record breaking amounts. Several of my regular activities were rained out.
I spent the month within about a 40 minute circle of my home, so my photos are local. A young sea lion at Dana Point looked like he was waiting for his mother a...
Read the Full Post »
Farewell 2016, you will not be forgotten. Hello 2017, what now?
December 31, 2016
•
Leave a Comment
In January 2016 I posted, "I made a particular effort to get out frequently this month and participate in an eBird challenge and in iNaturalist challenges. I enjoyed getting out but need to get back to a more relaxed pace." Well, that didn't happen. My pace picked up. I got heavily into eBird and into iNaturalist, which are websites where you post...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of December 2016
December 31, 2016
•
Leave a Comment
I got an early Christmas gift of a new Tamron 150-600 lens for photographing birds. I immediately went out to my local park to try out the lens on a Green Heron and an American White Pelican. A Red-shouldered hawk posed nicely too. The main advantage of this lens is that distant birds once appearing as a tiny smudge are now a little bigger. However...
Read the Full Post »
She sees sea Gulls by the sea shore
December 14, 2016
•
Leave a Comment
I am finally giving in and working on my gull skills. As with anything new, it seems quite daunting. "Where do I begin? There are just so many variations? I'll never learn this. Who cares?" All the self doubt, fear of failure, fear of feeling stupid or being found out that I am a sham, seems to apply to gull? ID, new art, and any new skill. But, I...
Read the Full Post »
Sights of November 2016
November 30, 2016
•
Leave a Comment
I started my month by adding Magnolia Warbler and Cassin's Vireo to my life list of birds and also a Roseate Dragonfly to my insect list. An Osprey posed at the nature center on my volunteer day. They are magnificent birds and their call cannot be denied. I was also lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the usually shy Least Bittern. As the fall migra...
Read the Full Post »
All images © Kim Moore (contact for use)