Today's walk report: 041516

It’s income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta.
~Dave Barry~

On the bright side, here's what's been happening since my last report...

031216...

Alyogyne huegelii.

Coleonema pulchellum, commonly known as confetti bush, buchu, diosma or breath of heaven.

Bearded iris, perhaps Orange Harvest.

Grevillea 1.

Grevillea 2.

Phoebis sennae on Salvia.

Doryanthes palmeri (Giant Spear Lily)--more to come.

Salvia clevelandii or so I think.

These are very small flowers shot macro. Maybe some type of grevillea?

2

Red-eared slider turtles, this reminded me of Dr. Seuss's Yertle the Turtle.

Male Calypte Anna relaxing in eucalyptus populnea.

Same hummingbird enjoying the spider grevillea.

031316...

Same birds, different day.

Female Calypte anna.

Another female Calypte anna.

Male Calypte anna on bracelet honey myrtle.

2

3

"Our ducks, Docken and Eric."

 031916...

Tangerine, Tangerine, Living reflection from a dream...

White crowned sparrow or as Docken would say, "the one with the bicycle helmet."

Good ol' Allen's hummingbird, "Rusty."

2

A black phoebe by the fountain.

Bottlebrush.

A seemingly brooding Cooper's hawk.

Arctotis 'Pumpkin Pie.'

032716...

This was a two walk day, late A.M and late afternoon.

A hare drinks from the pond overflow.

Kangaroo paw, just blooming.

A lesser goldfinch...

...tweets at the camera beeps.

 Not a great shot but this is the 1st water lily bloom of the season.

Yes, that's Rusty again.

A bee on a Encelia farinosa flower.

California Towhee.

Feathery cassia.

Another not a great shot but a very handsome fence lizard indeed.

Male Anna's hummingbird pre-pee...

During pee.

After pee.

And what? You're embarrassed?

Just as I was backing up a male Anna's goes in for nectar.

Male Anna's hummingbird enjoying the spear lily.

Nymphalis antiopa, known as the Mourning Cloak.

I love when the palo verde trees are in bloom.

2

Penstemon.

Opuntia flowers.

A red-tailed hawk above a palo verde tree.

Verbena.

A ladybug on milkweed.

A young hare asks what's up.

A two seater ultralight coming...

and going.

040316...

Wet sparrow 1.

Wet sparrow 2.

Yes, opuntia flowers.

A pollen "drenched" bee.

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta.

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta 2.

Romneya coulteri.

 040916...

Male Calypte anna in a Baja fairy bush.

Female Calypte anna.

The Giant Spear Lily is really blooming now!

Northern Mockingbird munching on a dragonfly.

Male Anna's hummingbird in Caesalpinia gilliesii.

Two turtle doves...

Encelia farinosa.

Female Anna's hummingbird.

A house finch on a wire and a rope.

A ladybug on an unknown Australian native.

041016...

Male Anna's hummingbird.

2

Back to the opuntia flowers.

2

Santa Barbara daisies showing up.

Just before the next shot I believe I witnessed a pair of Calypte anna hummingbirds mating. It was quick and somewhat inside the braided honey myrtle so I couldn't get a good shot off.

This is the female back to business right after mating.

And here she is again.

More the opuntia flowers.

To and fro for this I lost my balance and almost fell into a lot of cacti. Watch your step.

Desert willow flowers, another springtime fav.

The same lady bug as yesterday on the same shrub.

Rusty again.

And once more.

I believe this was the same male I spotted mating.

2

Melaleuca thymifolia.

Opposite side of the lady bug was this true bug.

Whew! And thanks for coming along!!