becca_nh's Favorites

When I examined this image closely, it appears that the scorpion is just finish a meal of some type of orthopteran or perhaps a cockroach; notice the single spiny leg right in front of the scorpion's face. Ph. at a porchlight in open juniper-oak woodland.

Had a great time with my first Christmas Bird Count! We out with Elizabeth, Nicole, Tania, and Carrie to observe and document as many different birds as possible. We documented 68 species in our zone.

Many of these photos were from a distance, so please forgive the blurriness.

In early November, I took @robberfly, @kueda, and @maractwin to this location where a family group of Whooping Cranes sometimes hangs out in a field near a pond. Unfortunately on that occasion all we had were Sandhill Cranes. Today my wife and I had three Whoopers here. The birds started calling which was quite the thrill. Photos from probably 250 meters but still great fun to see these birds onshore like this.

This Aplomado Falcon was perched on pole on the edge of the Padre Island beach. There was a green metal band with the letter "R" on the left leg. I assume this bird is one of the many that have been re-introduced into this area by various hacking and reintroduction programs.

I observed the Leavenworth's Eryngo, Eryngium leavenworthii, at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas. This plant produces beautiful flowers that resemble little purple pineapples!

This species is native to central United States, and it was blooming when I visited the wildflower center.

I returned from the Texas this week straight into my annual commitment to survey the Western Migration/Overwintering Sites of the Monarch ( Danaus plexxipus ) in San Francisco County.
With Mr. Adolph Sutro's "gift " of Blue Gum Eucalyptus to our city more than 100 years ago, this is a great deal more difficult than it sounds - complete "needle in haystack " work for three weeks and, to be honest, not really...fun. I've done this now for 8 years and we have so few Monarchs that a real Natural Bridges-them-flying-everywhere-in-the-canopy is something I never see. Dr. John Hafernik reported 700 in Golden Gate Park in 1997. I've never seen anything coming close to that at any historic site I visit...
Until today...
Reports had come in from the staff at the Presidio Trust of "dozens and dozens" in certain areas. Took two buses and climbed up the known north-facing wall of Rob Hill, a historic roost that had been radically altered due to restoration for the endangered San Francisco Lessinga ( Lessingia germanium ). The Presidio Trust has been working with Dr. Stuart Weiss to protect the known habitat for the Monarchs while drastically thinning the north-facing wall of Eucs. I walked to the far eastern portion of the Hill and...there they were. Numbers I've never seen it San Francisco. Most of them sunning themselves. Nothing much to nectar on but...clearly a healthy roost.
Counted approximately 225 - the most I've ever seen in our county in one day.
Not really interested in the never-ending politics of this creature - what are we doing right/what are we doing wrong - just...reveled in it's...phenomenon today.

Tonight, I am the "mad scientist" for Mansfield's Boo Bash, so I had to jump up to Fort Worth to purchase some dry ice... Anyways, on the way back, I stopped by this little park that I'd not been to before. Nothing particularly unusual, but still, nature was there! :)

A number of young American Chestnuts grow on the Appalachian Trail at Rocky Gap. (Southbound from VA-601). None are very old or large enough to participate in the breeding program for the American Chestnut Foundation.

For now I'll call this Baltimore Oriole, but the plumage is interesting. Glancing out my home office window I saw this adult male oriole on a limb making its way to a tub of water I have outside for wildlife. I was able to get three hasty shots through the window glass, but something startled the bird and it left. The white in the wing seems better for Bullock's Oriole, but the amount of black on the head seems more than a Bullock's of any plumage should show. I would be interested in other thoughts on this bird. Bullock's is a rare breeder in my area but both species migrate through here.