Here comes the sun
Dabble and dribble
California birds
Over my lifetime I’ve seen — and heard! — so many scrub jays and magpies as I grew up in this part of California that I usually pay little attention to them and have never bothered to photograph them. Still, these two birds, both corvids, are intelligent, inquisitive, and mischievous, not to mention noisy. The California scrub jay actually ranges […]
Under the palisades
Yesterday morning I noticed a large group of swallows swirling above my head as I walked along the base of the bluffs by Lake Natoma. They were moving so fast I had trouble catching them with my camera — but this morning I cranked up my shutter speed and went back for another try. I was also surprised that they […]
Happy bird day
When I can walk from my house down to Lake Natoma early in the morning and see this kind of bird activity, I call it a very good day!
Morning bells
I never know what new surprises I might find on my morning walks! Today it was these bright red-orange flowers, looking a bit like small bells. They were growing in the shallow water along the edge of Lake Natoma, among the tall grasses and reeds. Wading in the water might have given me a better perspective, but I wasn’t up […]
Black phoebe
Pink and red
Today wasn’t the first time I’d seen the wild rose bush growing along the shore at Lake Natoma; but this morning its bright red rose hips caught my eye. Apparently, they won’t be ripe until later in the year, but they looked so irresistible, I picked one to bring home with me. And I wasn’t the only one checking out […]
Dog paddle
The morning was warm, and when she had the chance to go for a swim, this dog didn’t hesitate! She headed out toward the middle of the lake, and for awhile it looked like she meant to stay out there all day. It took several minutes of her owner calling her back before she eventually turned back toward the shore. […]