Today's walk report: 052222

 Mind Ecology.

My thanks to Docken for helping make adjustments along the way for the half that's all in my head. Waging war inside my head. This is the picture, looking out... watching out.

The following was more exciting to watch than the pictures may indicate. My first moment stopping to raise the camera was when I noticed some bird squabbles off in the distance. The first was between a pair of crows being chased down by a mockingbird. The win, on points given by me, was the mockingbird. In pursuit, mockingbirds can fly really fast. Following that, close by, two crows went at it with a pair of red-tailed hawks. The exploits in the sky were pretty far away so please excuse the quality of the images... or lack thereof. The aggressors always seem to be the crows but I kinda think the hawks don't really give a rat's tail.

Both crows and the mockingbird are on this dead tree. Click the images, you'll find them. The chase in the sky was too fast to follow.

Here are the other two crows and the two red-tailed hawks.

Onto the garden...

Remember the century plant from past posts? Well, it's still working on flowers. Meanwhile this mourning dove found it to be a grand perch for a scenic view.

And it's taller now too. I had to go way back to get this shot.

I did a couple of laps around the garden, following this female Calypte anna hummingbird for much of it. Every time I raised my camera she either turned her back on me or took off.

Maybe she was looking for the male Calypte anna affectionately known as "Dusty"? I could have helped her find him.

 

This is Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica), it's a marsh plant. It grows near the edge of the pond. 

Southwestern fence lizards (Sceloporus cowlesi) were abundant. More so than usual. I had a few moments with this one.

That's all folks! Despite cooler climes over the past few days it was warming up quite a bit and I decided not to hang out for the perspiration.