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 questioned my decision to take her hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains when it was very hot and we saw a large rattlesnake, but the snake just went on its way and she was happy to see it -- from a distance. I particularly liked the baby Great Egrets we saw when we stopped for lunch by Malibu Lagoon. They look like Muppets. On another trip, I picked my husband up in Dana Point and was lucky enough to see the Pelagic Red Crabs (aka Tuna Crabs) that have been floating up on the Orange County beaches. I enjoyed watching them swim backwards by flicking their tails (I guess it is only backwards to us and the normal way for them). A friend and I took a trip up to the Angeles Crest Forrest to join an Audubon group. We went the night before, so that we could sleep later before the early start. The campground was packed but we eventually found a sight about 40 minutes away and set up the tent in the dark. We were awakened by a beautiful dawn chorus of mountain birds. I didn't get many good photos but enjoyed the trip.  As summer approaches and birds have migrated through, and babies have fledged, there is less to see locally. My monthly bird count at Los Cerritos wetlands had mostly house finches and morning doves, but we did scare a coyote or two. I got a brief shot of one before it darted off. Coyotes prefer open spaces and would prefer not to see humans. I did a little artwork. Never enough time for everything!

IRC Monthly Butterfly Count: In addition to a lovely variety of butterflies, we saw several Intermediate Weed's Mariposa Lilies, a horned lizard, and a buck. I love the nature you find in preserved open spaces.

Tide Pool Bioblitz: For World Ocean Day, I participated in a Tide Pool Bioblitz sponsored by USC Sea Grant Program, Aquarium of the Pacific, Los Angeles Natural History Museum and the Los Angeles MPA Collaborative. We logged our findings in iNaturalist. I love the richness of the tide pools, but find it is difficult to photograph them: walk up and down steep cliffs, balancing on rocks, light reflected off the water. I am glad they are not that accessible, it helps preserve them.

Birding Trip in three parts: Kern River/ Sequoia/ Red Rock Canyon: Another Audubon excursion for three days of birding, this time sleeping in a motel instead of tent. We left the area two days before the devastating Erskine fire. Having been to the area, I am doubly saddened as California goes up in flames from devastating heat and drought.

1. On the way up, before we met up with the group, we made a stop at Red Rock Canyon State Park in CA. The park is 25 miles northeast of Mojave on Highway 14. It was a brief stop to checkout the campground and the visitor center. It would be a lovely place to stay, but not in the summer! Highlights were a cactus wren and adorable antelope squirrels.
2. Around the Kern River Area we stopped at several places including Onyx, the Audubon Kern River Preserve, Kernville, Weldon, Bert's Park, and various road turnouts. It was very hot and there were lots of ticks, but well worth the visit. Great bird sightings, cows, butterflies, a visit to a fish hatchery, great scenery and my best hawk photos (warning, a bit gory, and squirrel involved).  
3. On the second day  in the afternoon, with a few stops along the way, we went up to higher altitude to the "Trail of a Hundred Giants" in Sequoia National Forest . Here we enjoyed much cooler temperatures (only in the high 80's to low 90's), giant trees and a Pileated Woodpecker. The sad part was that the forest has so many dead trees from drought and bark beetle devastation.

Watch the slideshows or click on the links to look through at your own pace.

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

Local stuff:  http://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_jun_2016

Irvine Ranch Conservancy monthly butterfly count: http://kimssight.zenfolio.com/irc_jun_2016

Tidepool Bioblitz : http://kimssight.zenfolio.com/pelican_cove_bioblitz_2016

Red Rock Canyon: http://kimssight.zenfolio.com/red_rock_ca_june_2016

Kern River: http://kimssight.zenfolio.com/kern_river_2016

Sequoia National Park: http://kimssight.zenfolio.com/sequoia_jun_2016