Backyard Surprises

I was planning on writing about the butterflies and wildflowers in bloom but I had to postpone that blog due to some great visitors in our backyard in recent days. First, the White-headed Woodpecker. It is one of the woodpeckers birdwatchers hope to see when visiting our mountains. It's not a frequent visitor to our yard but it has enjoyed foraging for bugs the last few days in our big, old Black Oak Tree.

Another desired bird on the checklist is the beautiful, elusive Mountain Quail. They have been strangely absent from our yard for the last week... We are hoping that the delay is a result of new chicks not the numerous predators that are present on the mountain.

This little Steller's Jay chick did not look happy yesterday. Probably jumped the nest abit too soon...We were worried for its safety since it seemed quite alone and unable to fly very far. It hopped all thru our yard until it rested on this drainage pipe. After about an hour, 4 concerned adult Steller's Jays arrived. Two appeared to be on lookout duty while the other two guided this little one to the safety of underbrush with quiet little calls only a chick could understand.

Since moving to our new home, one of our goals has been to plant native wildflowers for the hummingbirds and butterflies. We have been warned to plant everything in gopher proof wire cages so they don't become lunch for a gopher. Although we have never seen a gopher, we followed that sage advice. Today, we saw our first little gopher emerge from the ground for a snack. Yeah, for gopher cages!

People always give well-meaning advice like check your boots for scorpions or black widow spiders before putting them on ...I have a new one. Check your gardening gloves for lizards before putting them on. We watched a curious lizard escaping the heat by crawling into a pair of our gloves that were removed momentarily..ha

Finally, the most exciting sighting occurred a few hours ago....A San Bernardino Mountain Kingsnake appeared in our yard. This was my very FIRST sighting of one in the wild! This harmless snake is the most colorful snake on the mountain and rarely seen. Wow! Be sure to look for surprises in your own backyard!

Click on photos to enlarge. Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

Happy Mother's Day

We, mothers, all have our own special requests for Mother's Day...breakfast in bed, a special gift or outing, a day of golf, time with family....My request was a day of birding with my family. Nobody was surprised!

Lucky me, I got my breakfast in bed AND a day of birding at San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge.

 A couple of the shorebirds we encountered seemed appropriate to share on Mother's Day - The American Avocet and the Black-necked Stilt

After watching a handful of beautiful American Avocets foraging for food, I noticed that one of them was sitting on a nest! Surprise!

Black-necked Stilts seem to always be close to the American Avocets. On another pond, we saw one sitting on a clump of vegetation with a few sticks on top surrounded by water.

When it hopped off its nest, we saw 4 large, speckled eggs. Wow! BTW, all these photos are taken from a distance with a zoom lens in order not to disturb the nesting birds.

Mourning Cloak

Happy Mother's Day!

 

Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos and Content by Robin Roberts.

Singing in the Snow

Singing in the snow! This cute little Wrentit which lives hidden in chaparral most of the time appeared briefly for me singing at the top of his voice. I'm sure he wasn't the only bird surprised by the arrival of snow today.

We woke up today with 1-2 inches of snow covering the trees and plants. Hard to believe since this past week we had warm temperatures up to 80 degrees. 

 Although I am concerned that the blooming plants that I put in the ground last year are going to survive this late arrival of snow, I am grateful for another blast of snow that has covered our mountains. When the summer arrives, there will be very little rain and the concern over wildfires takes over. Welcome snow!

Keep warm, friends and PCT hikers!

Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos and content by Robin Roberts

A Trip to Big Morongo

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is a local bird paradise! It's no surprise that it is recognized by American Bird Conservancy as an Important Bird Area. 254 species have been documented here.

Last week, we went to the preserve in hopes of seeing the Summer Tanager and other returning migrant warblers. Luck was on our side for our very first bird sighting turned out to be a brilliant, red, male Summer Tanager singing from a high branch overhead. Wow! They arrive from the south to breed in Big Morongo.

Western Tanager

Vermilion Flycatcher

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Within walking distance of the preserve is Covington Park. Definitely, add this to the walk in the preserve. Western Tanagers and Vermilion Flycatchers are two beauties not to be missed. A water dripper hidden in a boulder makes a great place for spotting birds. 

There are miles of interconnecting trails. The most popular place to bird in the preserve is the Marsh Trail. The boardwalk meanders through a riparian forest of Cottonwoods and Willows all providing fluffy cotton for nest building.

We had many great sightings of migrating warblers as well as this beautiful Blue Grosbeak.

The unique calling of a Yellow-breasted Chat caught our attention. We were in luck once again. It showed itself to us briefly before returning to its hidden home among the tall reeds.

It was a day for a new butterfly discovery - the California Patch

Hooded Oriole

One of the great parts of this preserve is that there is a resident host, Dee, who has been living on the property leading bird walks for years. He has a wealth of knowledge and he is eager to share. To help support the preserve and their work, they have hats, tshirts and pins available for sale at reasonable prices. Enjoy!

Photos and content by Robin Roberts. Click on photos to enlarge.

"Dinosaur" on the Mountain

What a day! While photographing a blue- throated Western Fence lizard, I turned to get a better photo and discovered this "dinosaur" - The Coast Horned Lizard. Since this is my very first sighting in the mountains of this unique lizard, I was quite excited!

Most lizards take off for safety when I spot them. Not this one! It moved very slowly. Besides being able to disappear into its habitat through camouflage, it is totally covered in spikes. If it is jostled and threatened, it will shoot blood from its eyeballs up to 6 feet. Sounds impressive, doesn't it?

Snakes know better than to get impaled by swallowing one of these lizards.

Don't be intimidated by this fierce looking lizard. It is actually helping us out. It's diet consists mainly of ants. It has more to fear than we do with habitat destruction, off road vehicles and ant killers.

So after posting this blog last night, I discovered another Horned Lizard down in Garner Valley. Two in 24 hours! How lucky is that?

Cheers to the Horned Lizard!

Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

Cheers to the "Hummer Moth"

The White-lined Sphinx Moth, "Hummer Moth", is amazing to watch! It actually hovers over flowers extending its long proboscis. At first glance, you may mistake it for a hummingbird.

I have never noticed them before moving to Idyllwild but I guess I wasn't observant in our previous home. They live across the country so check out your own garden. You may have them, too!

During the Spring migration of the Swainson's Hawks through Borrego Springs, these caterpillars cover the land. Many of them end up as lunch for the hungry hawks but not all of them.

A few days ago, one of these moths found its way inside our porch. Unfortunately, most insects never make it back outside. That wasn't going to happen to this cool moth!

When I tried to place it on its favorite nectar plant in our yard, the Manzanita, it was reluctant to leave my hand. 

Living in the San Bernardino Mts where the Lemon Lily, Lilium parry, was once abundant, I was shocked to read that the White-lined Sphinx Moth is a key pollinator of this rare plant. 

Cheers to the "Hummer Moth"!

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."

Thornton Wilder

Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos and content by Robin Roberts

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico!

Traveling internationally is a challenge especially when politics between countries is souring; the predominant news you watch or hear is about people who want to harm others; when you are inexperienced. Despite all the above, traveling to other countries is a fantastic way to get to know people and the place they call home.

My first visit to Mexico last week was exceptional despite my ignorance...Somehow, I missed picking up my suitcase before going thru customs - BIG MISTAKE! I had to be personally escorted by a kind and patient ticket agent through a labyrinth of employee only secure areas. When I was reunited with my suitcase, 2 security officers and their keen beagle wanted to know what was in my suitcase. My "contraband" was delicious smelling trail mix. The astute beagle was rewarded while I headed to the hotel suitcase in hand.

 Los Cabos was once an undiscovered beautiful gem on the tip of Baja. Those days are gone. Hotels line the beaches and tourists from many parts of the world vacation here.

I was here for a conference. On the first night, we were invited to a traditional fiesta. Wow! The entertainment and food far surpassed my expectations!

It was fantastic! I left with more questions about these traditional dances...why did the women wear lit candles on their head? What was significance of the men dancing with their headdresses around flames? The old traditions are kept alive with talented dancers and musicians.

Since my days were filled, I didn't have much time for exploring outdoors. Between meetings, I made the most of my time searching for birds and other interesting wildlife. On day 1, I spotted a really cool spiked iguana that was living in a hole under a water fountain. Ever day I returned looking for him. Sometimes, I'd only see his tail...

But when I was lucky, I would see his whole spiky body. Whenever someone walked by, he would disappear into his hiding spot without being seen (except for people like me).

 Since Baja is an extension of California, many of the birds I saw were familiar birds from the desert or migrant birds. Instead of waking up to the calls of the mountain Steller's Jay and Mountain Chickadees, I heard the "space gun" call of the Cactus Wren...

...and the owl like call of the White-winged Dove. Isn't that blue "eye shadow" great?

Hooded Orioles were everywhere! I watched this one drink from the flowering cactus before perching on the blooming tree.

Nearby, a pair of Gila Woodpeckers were excavating another cactus.

With all the development that has occurred in the area, a nearby bird sanctuary that I explored seems to be critically important. It was full of shorebirds. A few locals expressed to me their mixed feelings about Los Cabos. It was beautiful but too developed. Sounds familiar doesn't it?

Cinnamon Teal  and Blue-winged Teal

Reddish Egret

Snowy Egret

These birds were all content with a place to live and forage. Perhaps, as more people show that these are the places visitors want to visit, more land will be conserved and protected to balance the development that has already been done.

I saw my first Magnificent Frigatebird. They are a common sight in this area. They are huge seabirds with forked tails. Their silhouettes in the sky is pretty distinctive so they are easy to ID once you see one. Their long while bills are quite impressive. The one I photographed is an adult female who after a long period of preening was ready to nap on the line.

 The people I encountered in Mexico couldn't have been any friendlier. They were proud of their heritage and their beautiful city. I recently read a passage from a very kind, passionate man that you know from your childhood. This quote seems appropriate.

"As different as we are from one another, as unique as each one of us is, we are much more the same than we are different. That may be the most essential message of all, as we help our children grow toward being caring,compassionate, and charitable adults."

Fred Rogers

Click on photos to enlarge. Photos and content by Robin Roberts