Fun Times Part 2

    Contrary to popular belief and urban legend, I actually have some non-birder friends. And strangely enough, some of those friends are actually willing to go with me to places. Yeah. Anyways, here is part 2 of my ultra condensed early summer. Enjoy!

6/7/15

    Pearson-Arastradero Preserve with friend Jessica. Saw assorted things.

This picture had so much potential...

Brush Rabbit nibbling away

Juvenile White-tailed Kite

Wavy-leaved Soap Lily (Chlorogalum pomeridianum) with its quite elegant inflorescence.

Jessica doing some art or something

6/8/15

    Tidepooling with friend Sylvia at Fitzgerald Marine Preserve. Lotsa life. Lotsa water.

Harbor Seals lazing around

Great Blue Heron striking...

...and capturing a struggling and presumably really slippery Rock Prickleback. Fish were harmed in the production of this photo.

An albino (?) rock crab of some sort.

A rather large Lined Shore Crab

Sylvia in situ, holding a Red Rock Crab molt shell

I did not know that anemones fed on Velellas

Nor on urchins. I guess anything that falls in is fair game for snackies.

Red Volcano Barnacle standing out from the crowd

Hopkin's Rose standing out even more from the crowd. In real life, this nudibranch's pink was even more florescent and conspicuous.

6/11/15

    Pearson-Arastradero. Saw some bugs.

California Dancer

Female Blue Dasher

Andromorphic female Pacific Forktail

A huge megalopteran of some sort. I suspect Dysmicohermes ingens but really not sure.

Pacific Coast Tick clinging onto some grass, waiting for a mammalian host to pass by.

House Wren and nest

6/14/15

    Foothills Park with family friends. Lotsa baby birds. Twelve odonate day.

Pied-billed Grebe at Boranda Lake

Cute stripey juvenile

Black Saddlebags 

American Coots and their rather bizarre juveniles

Ruddy Duck hen and ducklings

Lesser Goldfinch and nest

Mallard hen and ducklings

Finally, as we left the lake, I spotted this high speed scene of a Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) chasing an Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis), the latter species being a lifer.

6/14/15

    Went to Foothills with friend Jeffrey. Saw assorted things.

Cardinal Catchfly (Silene laciniata)

A young Western Gray Squirrel trying to be invisible

Pellaea andromedifolia (Coffee Fern) turning a coffee shade as it dries up for summer dormancy.

Navarretia heterodoxa, a charming California endemic that apparently is a strong indicator of serpentine soils. 

Leather Oak (Quercus durata), another California endemic species that thrives in serpentine environments.

Fully developed Chaparral Clematis seedheads. SO FLUFFY 

One of several Tailed Coppers seen throughout the day.

As we re-entered a forested area, I noticed several small animals slithering into the dense undergrowth. Who could have this lovely iridescent blue tail?

Western Skink!

Another dainty California endemic: Horkelia californica.

Ruddy Duck male trying to blend in

Trying the binoculars

6/16/15

    Decided to bird a bit before leaving on my trip. Great day.

As I ate my breakfast, I saw a report of 2 White-faced Ibis (fairly rare in Santa Clara County) reported the evening before at the Coast Casey Forebay. At 6:40 am, the 2 were feeding in exactly the same area. Later that day, I did not see them nor did birders at 8 am. Early bird gets the bird I guess.

Canada Geese

Oversummering Common Goldeneyes by Pond A2E

Black Skimmer flying by at A2E, my first viewing of the species in that particular location

Large blackbird flock greeting me at the entrance of Alviso. Always really excited to see it!

As the birds landed in this eucalyptus, I picked out this male Tricolored sitting to the right of a male Red-winged (center 2 birds).

Terribly phone-scoped pic of the continuing Black Oystercatcher first reported over 2 months ago (which I also missed out on once). Although this species is fairly abundant by the Pacific coast, in the bay it is a surprisingly rare stray and this individual represents something like the 6th or 7th record in the county.

Female Red-necked Phalarope at the New Chicago Marsh. Phalaropes are the prime example of "fuck the patriarchy" in avian society, with standard bird gender roles reversed. 

Cute Barn Owl sleeping in its nestbox near the Environmental Education Center on the side of the pavilion. If you go searching for this bird, please stay at a respectful distance away, be quiet, don't be a douche, etc.

Juvenile Tree Swallow with its fainter breast band than the Bank Swallow

Yes, Burrowing Owl, I do know that you are quite fabulous. This was actually my first day ever with more than one owl species...

     So that took a long time, but finally I can get started on the lovely Turkey-Kazakhstan trip! My early summer was a blast and thanks friends for helping make it so. Until next time, enjoy life and love nature!

    As a side note, some time during the events of the Fun Times saga I graduated from Palo Alto High School. I will be attending UCSB in the fall. Yay college. 

I spent way too long making this...