Sunday, January 31, 2016

Today's walk report: 012916

First report for 2016!

New Year's Day... No parades, no football just a wonderful late morning walk with my girl.

A house finch devouring Toyon berries (Heteromeles arbutifolia).
A male Calypte anna enjoying a spot in the sun.
The spines almost look soft and cushy--not so!
Eucalyptus.
Flowering Eucalyptus and a bee finding its nectar.

010216...

The most hummingbird activity I've seen in awhile with at least male two Calypte annas vying for  the attention of a single female. Also a familiar male Selasphorus sasin (Allen's hummingbird) gets a personal name from me.

Male Calypte anna.
2
3, puffed up for the cold A.M.
4, showing color.
5, quizzical over the camera beeps.
 This male Allen's hummingbird has been around for at least two years now. I'd need to engage in a rather daunting back tracking process to find my 1st shot appearance. He also appears here in my last post. He's much more approachable now than he was in the past. I decided to name him Rusty.

Here Rusty looks like a sleepy old man.
Much more handsome in this shot.
Sambucus mexicana.
Sambucus mexicana up close.
The one female Calypte anna watching the boys, rather ho-hum.
Rusty up high.
The same male Anna's hummingbird as above.

010716...

Another fine walk into Corbin Canyon.

This was an unusual site, at least for this location. My former elementary school playground. I guess with the kids still out for winter vacation they felt it was a safe stop.

Canada geese.
2
 Into the canyon. I didn't look for much in the way of photo ops. This walk was mostly about the walk and the company.

Two red-tailed hawks soaring high plus a glimpse of the wonderful weather we had.
Yellow-rumped warbler.
Later that day we trekked a short way west to watch the sunset.



 010916...

Allocasuarina torulosa (rose she-oak or forest oak).
Another fine looking yellow-rumped warbler.
Some sort of aloe.
Male Calypte anna, again puffed up for the colder climes.
2
 Northern mockingbird  (Mimus polyglottos).
No ID.
Not sure, could be Acacia covenyi. Once the flowers open we should know.
Male Calypte anna.
That's Rusty way up there!
Rusty again in the coral gum tree.
And our lone female Anna's.
Unknown eucalyptus flower...
and once the flower's gone, here are the seed pods.
Scrub jays... having a spat?
 Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans).
2
012416...

We had to take a break for the "cold and flu" season. There were some modest walks, sans cameras.

Rusty the Selasphorus sasin looking dapper!
Rusty's favorite tree, a coral gum about to refresh on some flowers.
Acacia stenophylla, the shoestring acacia.
Eremophila glabra, a favorite of the Calypte anna hummingbirds.
Our familiar female Anna's in her typical hang, a braided honey mrytle.

Here's a couple interesting shots. Look carefully at this male Calypte anna, that's an ant crawling around the end of its beak. Don't forget, you can click images for a better view!



A bushtit enjoying itself on the shoestring acacia.
More bushtits. They typically hop from bush to bush in groups like this. How many can you find?
A white-crowned sparrow, very camouflaged.
Bye-bye, for now!