What gets me out of bed at dark o'clock on a chilly, foggy morning?
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| Ash-throated Flycatcher, Myiarchus cinerascens |
Birds, of course! I don't need to get up early to see butterflies, frogs and lizards because they all get a late start. Birds start getting quiet and are less noticeable when the insects, amphibians and reptiles get active. A perfect day for me means seeing them all but it begins with the birds.
Garner Valley is the place to be right now. The flowers are blooming everywhere in response to the abundant rain.
Look at the fence posts and wires surrounding the open meadows and odds are you will find one of these beautiful neotropical flycatchers, the Western Kingbird,Tyrannus verticalis. Spring officially begins for me when they return for the summer.
Another gorgeous migrant that I hardly get to photograph is the Bullock's Oriole,Icterus bullockii. I was lucky this week to "catch one".
The surplus of water has created a few temporary lakes and waterfalls that will dry up before summer ends. For now, what a treat to find water in the mountains! It is great to be out of the drought! Who knows how long it will last but it is a welcome change.
Dragonflies, butterflies, frogs....It is great to see a healthy ecosystem.
As our hike continued, we almost stopped on these two amorous horned lizards. Look at the formidable spikes around their necks. Amazing!
What a bonus! We found an irresistible cotton-tailed rabbit along our journey!
I hope you are able to enjoy this beautiful season! You can help your patch in the world by adding some native plants where you live. We can all do a little and it will add up to something big.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Content and photos by Robin Roberts.
