Today's walk report: 091618

It's been a long time since I did the stroll...

What can I say? Shit happens. The last walk to or around and nearby our botanical garden hang was on June 16, 2018. While the excuse for the most part is horribly hot days there was also that near death experience. I won't get into the details. Suffice it to say, I'm much better now. Anyway, we did a drive and walk today and even though the walking part was only a mere 2 miles it was kind of a big deal. Now I know, had the car been removed from the equation, I think I could have managed the extra 2 miles driving afforded us. So, next time.

Meanwhile, it was a beautiful morning and despite the garden having suffered miserably from this summer's heat there were some photos to be had...

Male, lesser goldfinch, Spinus psaltria.

The same bird on Salvia  darcyi.

Cactus flower.

Male Calypte anna hummingbird.

Female Selasphorus rufus hummingbird in a palo verde tree.

The same bird in a different part of the same tree.

Some type of agave flowering.

The same stalk as above in a portion with flowers open.

You've heard of the Fool on The Hill, here are a couple of asses on a hill.

Another ass hanging with some goats.

There were two of these black cats playing together. They were really big. I thought almost frighteningly big.

We saw several red tailed hawks. This is the same bird in different locations.

That's all, thanks for coming along. As side note trivia and something I learned today. The line that starts out this walk report, It's been a long time since I did the stroll, is from Led Zeppelin's song Rock and Roll. I can't even imagine how many times in my life I've heard that song but only today I found out that it's the Stroll and the Stroll is a dance from the 50s-60s that goes like this...

I'm a little more partial to the tune, that goes like this... It's got a good beat and I can dance to it!

 

Today's walk report: 040815, five weeks of walks

That's right, five weeks of walks all crammed into one smashing report!

March 1, 2015

Bulbine frutescens.

Bulbine frutescens.

March 8, 2015

Female Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus).

Lesser Goldfinch.

March 14, 2015

Bee on Prunus caroliniana.

March 15, 2015

Male Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) on Salvia.

Hard to spot, this Monarch caterpillar was about 3 cm long.

Santa Barbara daisy.

March 21, 2015

A lovely couple, Southwestern fence lizards.

March 28, 2015

Female Monarch, laying eggs on Narrow-leaved milkweed.

Female Monarch, laying eggs on Narrow-leaved milkweed.

The same female Monarch on on Salvia leucophylla.

Vanessa cardui on Salvia leucophylla.

Carpobrotus acinaciformis.

March 29, 2015

Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) on Salvia microphylla 'Berzerkeley.'

Ford Trimotor NC8407 (199 were produced from 1925-33)

Once again, the Calypte anna we call "Bob."

The plant is labeled Agave polianthiflora but I'm not so sure that's accurate.

This female Calypte anna is on her guard avoiding a couple of other hummingbirds.

Narrow leaved milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.

Hesperoyucca whipplei (syn. Yucca whipplei).

April 5, 2015 (Easter Sunday)

Santa Barbara daisies.

Bee climbing on board a Eremophila X 'Summertime Blue.'

Blue darner dragonfly on some type of Opuntia cactus.

Blue darner dragonfly on some type of Opuntia cactus.

Female White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) singing to me and I was singing back.

Eremophila X 'Summertime Blue.'

A hungry hare on Easter munching on blue hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii.)

Grumpy-guy.

Bob, once again.

This is probably "Bob's girl" Abbey. Nevertheless, a female Anna's on Alyogyne huegelii.

A male Monarch on Salvia leucophylla.

You can tell a male Monarch from the black dot on each hind wing. This releases pheromones for attracting females.

A male Monarch on Salvia leucophylla.

Monarch perched in a palo verde tree.

No ID on this agave yet. We're looking forward to this blooming. That stalk literally shot up overnight.

The S.B. daisies again.

Quizzical looks from both the scrub jay and the mourning dove.

One more daisy.

Flowering Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) coming up from the pond.

Female Anna's checking if the coast is clear.

Thanks for joining in on these walks, stay tuned for more. Spring is here although summer already seems to want to interrupt in sunny SoCal!

In other news, I'm getting published once again. This image which was chosen for publication online in National Geographic's photo community, Your Shot, has been chosen for inclusion in this book published by National Geographic. Yippee!