Observations by j_mcgowan

Time: 4 pm
Cloud Cover: >60%
Temperature: high 60's - low 70's
Wind: less than 5 kmph
Outside the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, a Great Horned Owl had attempted to find some shelter in a sycamore tree from a small murder of crows that had been harassing it. The owl did not vocalize and only surveyed its surroundings, after the murder had left. It eventually left some time later in the afternoon.

A hatch-year juvenile Red-tailed Hawk that was chased into the side of a nearby building by a flock of crows a couple of hours earlier. He/she was initially unconscious after the collision, and local museum staff had moved to a protected area of a canopied table nearby. The hawk has since regained consciousness, but is still recovering from what appears to be head trauma, and may require a couple hours more, before being able to take flight again.

A couple of shots of what turned out to be 5 juvenile Cooper's Hawks that were grouped together around a suburban neighborhood at around 7 AM. They were frequently flying in loops from one tree to another, with at least one other juvenile ate a time, and wer frequently making their cry-like juvenile calls. It was difficult to photograph them, since the tree they appeared to favor was a densely leaved eucalyptus, likely for concealment from nearby crows and western gulls.
The ones photographed here were perched in a jacaranda tree, before joining the other 3 in the eucalyptus. The skies were clear, with a very faint breeze, and temperatures nearly 70 degrees.

Two of several more young Baja California Treefrog froglets that were found in another pond within the property. They also shared their pond with dozens of tadpoles of the same species, who had yet to metamorphose into froglets themselves. Conditions around the pond were dry, with Santa Ana winds picking up and temperatures warming into the high 80's.

A couple of the several, young Baja California Treefrog froglets that were found in and near the shallows of the main pond on the property. Conditions around the pond were dry, with Santa Ana winds picking up and temperatures warming into the high 80's.

A DOA California Striped Racer that was found on the side of one of the paved roads, most likely hit by a vehicle. The specimen however, was still in pretty good condition, and may have only expired within the previous couple of hours before we discovered it. Environmental conditions at the time were pretty dry, with Santa Ana winds picking up and temperatures in the high 80's.

A young adult gopher snake that was found moving through the nearly 1 meter high grasses of an open field during a very windy morning, with temperatures approaching the high 80's that morning. The individual measured approximately 1 meter in length, and released back where it was caught.

One of 3 juvenile California Kingsnakes that were found under cover boards during a survey of reptiles and amphibians on the property. Conditions above and under the board were pretty dry, with Santa Ana winds picking up and temperatures warming into the high 80's as the day.
All juveniles were found within only tens of meters from each other at this site, and were all approximately 30 cm in length, possibly siblings from a previous year's clutch.

One of 3 juvenile California Kingsnakes that were found under cover boards during a survey of reptiles and amphibians on the property. Conditions above and under the board were pretty dry, with Santa Ana winds picking up and temperatures warming into the high 80's as the day.
All juveniles were found within only tens of meters from each other at this site, and were all approximately 30 cm in length, possibly siblings from a previous year's clutch.

One of 3 juvenile California Kingsnakes that were found under cover boards during a survey of reptiles and amphibians on the property. Conditions above and under the board were pretty dry, with Santa Ana winds picking up and temperatures warming into the high 80's as the day.
All juveniles were found within only tens of meters from each other at this site, and were all approximately 30 cm in length, possibly siblings from a previous year's clutch.

Two of several large centipedes that were found underneath several wooden cover boards during a survey of reptiles and amphibians on the property. Conditions above and under the board were pretty dry, with Santa Ana winds picking up and temperatures warming into the high 80's as the day. progressed

Some species of bright, yellow mushroom that I found growing on the base of a trunk of a eucalyptus tree. The temperature was approximately 50 degrees F, with no detectable breeze, and the ground was still damp to muddy from the rains that had occurred a few days prior.

A Western Scrub Jay that was foraging for food sources around the park picnic tables. The temperature was just below 50 degrees F, with no detectable breeze, and the ground was still damp to muddy from the rains that had occurred a few days prior.

Around 3 pm of an 85 degree afternoon, encountered what I believe to have been a Blue Grosbeak perched in one of the trees that line the creek bed along the main trail, between the parking lot and culture center. It gave a few, brief calls, and glanced down at me, as I took photos of it.