While the past few days have displayed hints of fall (we even had .05" of rain yesterday) we're still due for at least another week of hot summer like conditions. The kind of weather which has put a serious damper on going out to take photos, walks generally being an evening adventure.
090515...
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| Hylephila phyleus |
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| Peucetia viridans, bee catch on Vitex agnus-castus |
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| closer shot, note the flies moving in to scavenge |
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| Kalanchoe delagoensis |
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| A juvenile Schistocerca nitens |
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| and from the other side. |
092715...
For the most part this wasn't a walk. Since we were schlepping a bunch of "extras" (like a tripod & beverages) up to a nearby hillside for this event we decided to take a car. We did however engage in some walking to get away from other people who also decided "our spot" for viewing the September 27th total lunar eclipse/Supermoon event was good for them too. The nerve.
The night before was as clear as could be but not this day. We sat around for sometime hoping for the best.
Disappointed and still plagued by "others" in our vicinity we went home. My girl spotted the Earth's umbra moving away from the living room window and we went out front for this.
Next thing we know, it's October.
100315...
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| Monarch on Vitex agnus-castus |
This was disappointing. I saw what I thought was a hummingbird flying in from about 15 meters away (49'), moved in to about 7 meters and took a shot just to "see later." I didn't realize that there was a mating ritual going on between two common green darner dragonflies. The dragonflies flew in conjoined. I could have moved in for a much better shot.
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| Common green darner, Anax junius |
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| Water flower and a tiny spider |
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| Closer on the spider |
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| Monarch on lantana |
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| No ID |
100415...
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| California towhee |
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| Looks a little perturbed by my presence |
Docken had brought some leftover carrots and bread to donate to the "critters."
This scrub jay had her covered and apparently told a friend.
These two both took off with a chunk of carrot in their beaks.
There were at least 5 monarch butterflies floating about, more males than females all competing to mate. It's lovely to watch the mid air dance they do.
From the other side of the pond (about 5 meters/16 feet) I thought I saw another pair of conjoined green darner dragonflies moving into the reeds for mating. It turned out to be something very different. This male was instead devouring what appeared to be some type of skimmer dragonfly. Despite my fascination this went on for a lot longer than I cared to watch.
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| 5 image focus stack of a gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) |
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| different angle |
That's all for now. Thanks for coming along!
Great photos as usual, Eric, but I love that shot of the towhee facing beak at you.
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