Today's walk report: 010922

 Turkey vulture couple. Cathartes aura.

Since turkey vultures mate for life I'm going to assume that these two are a couple. I took over 200 images and during much of that I imagined them talking to each other, once again thinking that they were thinking, Wish that dude with the camera would drop dead.

After the engagement with the turkey vultures I walked to the botanical garden. It was very quiet there so I decided to head up the hill. Along the way... There's always a mockingbird. Look familiar?

I saw a couple of hawks but no real opportunities for photographs so I headed home. Docken was on the phone with me so that was nice.

Coming back around the hill to the backside of where the turkey vultures were perched one was still hanging out. Did the other go for some take-out?

 

I thought to post something about this on Thursday, Jan. 6, when it happened but didn't get around to it so here's some filler from my early A.M. walk on January 6th.

Skunk!

Since walking early mornings once I felt comfortable again under the cloud of COVID back in May, I have had 7 skunk sightings, the well-known striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis). I realized after the first one that I had never seen a live skunk before and I'm not quite sure if I've seen a dead one either. During the first encounter the skunk was running (are they always running?) directly toward me from the opposite side of the street. I thought about it for a moment or two... it's gonna keep going wherever it's going and will ignore me. If I keep on my side of the street, it'll be fine. Right? Then I turned, walking fast, then I looked behind me and broke into a short little jog. Since that experience and after a few more I read up on skunks. I actually learned more than I care to remember so I'm not even going to mention any of that here. But, did you know that skunks can spray stink from their anal grands at a distance of 15 feet and have sufficient supply for five consecutive discharges? I've decided, while I think they are a very handsome animal, I'd rather not have these rendezvous. 

This was at 7:04 A.M. I suspect this little fellow was late getting home. Find the skunk...

I imagined... what if the homeowner opened the front door right about now?

“Without you I am not worth a scent.” ~ Pepé Le Pew

Today's walk report: 112821

The purpose of the walk, and there usually isn't a predefined purpose for a walk, was to go collect acorns for my two California scrub jay friends, Bowie and Mr. B. Docken said, bring your camera, you're gonna be disappointed over something if you don't bring your camera. So... I brought my camera. We also chatted along the way. Thank you Dockie!

The front gate to the campus was locked so I parked and walked in from across the street. Just past the gate is the baseball field. I couldn't miss this turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) sitting atop the fencing behind home plate. 

It's now acutely aware of my presence and approach.

Pretending to ignore me, thinking I'll go away.

"Human!"

At this point I just think it wished I were dead.

 So I left it alone and was on my way to gather some acorns...

I got this wrong on the last post. While there are Quercus lobata, valley oak trees, on the campus, these acorns are from California live oak or coast live oak trees (Quercus agrifolia).

Today's walk report: 090421

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.

Today's walk report: 080121

 Every now and again music makes a huge impact on my walks as recently indicated in this Once Upon a Walk Report. Today's playlist wasn't nearly so dramatic. However, it had its moments. 

My garden walks of late have had me driving part way. This all started because of an uncertainty about entering a "closed campus" due to Covid restrictions. Restrictions are pretty lax now but driving onto the campus still seems questionable. I called in May, I asked for permission to be on the grounds. Anyway, out of the car this morning at about 6:20 AM. I'm a little less than 1/2 a mile from the garden. I was feeling stiff getting out of the car but the first song on my phone got me bopping. It was Rebel Yell by Billy Idol. It was what the doctor ordered. Imagine, if you will, a 65 year old dude walking down a sidewalk playing air guitar.

The garden came quickly...

Hummingbird Dusty is reliable.

 It was rather cool and otherwise quiet in the garden so I decided it would be best to take on the dreaded stairs and get some decent exercise. This time I continued onto the other side of the hill. 

This construction had began a few years ago with the grading of the property although there was no indication as to what the development was going to be used for. Well, according to the sign down there it's the "Expanded Automotive Building." This school was originally focused on agriculture and animal husbandry. 

And the cows said, WTF?!

 This dove was so large I thought it was a bird of prey at first glance.

Just behind the campus, it looks like one of the neighbors got a nice project going during Covid shutdown.

Heading down the hill and back toward the car was a song by composer/performer Steven Wilson called "The Raven that Refused to Sing." It's about an 8 minute song. I've heard it many times. However, this was the first time I truly connected with the lyrics. Like other stories about ravens, this raven is an apparition. The raven is the protagonist's sister, who he lost as a child. 

Sister, I lost you,
When you were still a child,
But I need you now,
And I need our former life.
I'm afraid to wake,
I'm afraid to love.

But just because I'm weak,
You can steal my dreams.
You can reach inside my head,
And you can put your song there instead.
Please, come to me.
Please, stay with me.

I wandered in that for several minutes. Then I was distracted and my imagination took over with what I was seeing off in the distance. Imagine this, far away, listening to a song about a soul that manifests inside the body of a raven. My first impression was... this was a raven or a very large crow with a smaller bird on each side. Well, that can't be... right? We don't even have ravens in these parts. As I got closer I realized what I was seeing. 

Cathartes aura, a turkey vulture. This is only the second time I've ever photographed a turkey vulture perched and I've never seen one posed like this.

Correction: This is a black vulture (Coragyps atratus), not a turkey vulture. Apparently these birds are relatively rare to see in California. The closest proximity I’ve seen to Southern California on a distribution map is around Tucson, Arizona.

 

 

I don't believe in ghosts but I believe in memories and I believe in the power of stories.

Please get vaccinated if you haven't already done so and if you know someone who you care about who hasn't been vaccinated reason with them to do so... So they don't become a story in your life.

Today's walk report: 062214: Yesterday and Today

It's been a really busy last couple of weeks, please excuse our absence.

Rewind to yesterday, 062114. Summer Solstice.

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)

#2

Docken says...

Peace.

and today...

California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)

Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)

Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)

 Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum)

Fly on the fountain

Again,  Cardinal Meadowhawk

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)

Tiny cactus flowers

Carpenter bee on Bog sage (Salvia uliginosa)

Very small and very dead lizard

5 doves

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

#2

Western scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica), bumming sandwich bits from Docken.

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

No ID

This guy was driving the same speed we were waking so Docken and I stopped to kiss.

Love