Another stroll in the garden and a schlep up the steps.
I drove onto the campus this time. All gates were open and the electronic freeway style sign boldly displayed, No Parking Passes Needed. This is a first since the Covid lock down in March of 2020. It also meant I should probably anticipate more human activity than I have recently. Arrival time was early, I figured I had at least an hour.
Male Calypte anna hummingbird, Dusty was once again pursuing his nemesis from last week, another male Calypte anna I call, Not Dusty. First, here's Dusty.
and this is Not Dusty.
I started to leave the garden and head for the stairs and then remembered I had spotted this Drimia maritima (Sea Squill) on the way in and thought the light would be better a short while later so I backtracked.
Next the schlep to the stairs, up, up, up and over to the other side, on my way back to the parking lot. Then, wonderful... please stay put.
Back on the first of August I had confused a black vulture (Coragyps atratus) with a turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). Best I can figure I'm about 450 miles outside the range of a black vulture. Anyway, this is indeed a turkey vulture. Once again, I was walking into the sun and as I was making a effort to get on the other side of the bird, it turned to face me. It was very aware of me in that moment. This is a lot of bird, length: 25 inches wingspan: 72 inches.
And so ends my story for the day.
The flowers on your white-flowered Aloe look a lot like those of Drimia maritima...
ReplyDeleteThank you! I threw out Aloe because most of the surrounding plants are Aloes (or Agaves) and I was too lazy to keep looking. There was absolutely no foliage on the plants.
DeleteDusty is much more photogenic than Not Dusty . I can clearly see the “ Turkey “ in that vulture !
ReplyDelete