"Both photography and art open my eyes to the infinite beauty of nature in her every detail."
~ Kim Moore
Sights of March 2017
March 31, 2017
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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...
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Sights of February 2017
March 01, 2017
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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...
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Sights of January 2017
February 01, 2017
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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...
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Farewell 2016, you will not be forgotten. Hello 2017, what now?
December 31, 2016
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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...
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Sights of December 2016
December 31, 2016
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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...
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She sees sea Gulls by the sea shore
December 14, 2016
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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...
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Sights of November 2016
November 30, 2016
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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...
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Sights of October 2016
October 31, 2016
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My photo activities were cut short this month by dropping my camera to the ground. This was not the first time! As a result, my favorite lens was out of commission for a few weeks. That has been very painful. So fewer birding outings and more time with my macro lens in the back yard. I guess it all works out, and being October and all, I have lots...
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The Missing "Lynx"
October 26, 2016
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The more you closely observe something, the more fascinating it becomes, or at least that's the way it is for me, particularly with nature.
I first noticed Green Lynx spiders several years ago on my lavender and the other shrubby drought tolerant plants in my garden. Each fall I would see them and occasionally saw them with their egg sacs, but b...
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Sights of September 2016
October 01, 2016
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I turned off the ugly noise of the presidential campaigns and made my way out to the inspirational joy of nature. I enjoyed the month in the company of like-minded people.
I attended a conference of the California Master Naturalists in Running Springs in the San Bernardino Mountains. There were many interesting presentations. My only regret was th...
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Tejon Ranch Invertebrate Bio"Bliss"
September 19, 2016
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A BioBlitz is when a group of people, including experts, get together to identify as many different biological organisms as they can in a given area in a short period of time. These BioBlitzes serve several purposes from engaging the public in conservation to gathering scientific information. I have participated in a number of citizen science BioBl...
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Sights of August 2016
August 31, 2016
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Local stuff: This month kept me closer to home, so I took my macro lens to the backyard. It is always a rewarding venture. In addition to my usual spiders and insects, I found a spittlebug just molted and shot some flies in flight. My friend found a beautiful mantid at the local park. We also saw antlions. They are just too fast to photograph! Look...
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Sights of July 2016
July 31, 2016
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Highlights captured in pictures:
Local stuff: I visited the LA River a couple of times and found the Black-necked stilts great fun to watch. These seemed to neglect their own chicks in favor of attacking young Mallards. Mother duck didn't do much. This went on endlessly. I don't think there were any serious injuries, but the Mallards eventually go...
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Sights of June 2016
June 30, 2016
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I must say that this was a month of habitat diversity with Tide pools, Oak woodlands, Chapparal, Desert, Riparian Corridors, Mountain Pine Forrest and meadows. I love California!
Highlights captured in pictures:
Local stuff: My mother came to visit me from New York City, so I took her to enjoy some of California's lovely habitats. I briefly quest...
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Sights of May 2016
June 01, 2016
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Highlights captured in pictures:
Local stuff: Playing with Macro again I found lady beetles and some interesting insects as subjects in my yard. This seemed to be flycatcher month in the local parks, some catching butterflies and eating other insects.
IRC Monthly Butterfly Count: A lovely day with the usual suspects. I am giving a joint presentat...
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All images © Kim Moore (contact for use)