I was exploring at Sailor Bar one morning last May, following a trail around to the more overgrown portion of the Turtle Pond, when I heard loud splashing sounds from up ahead. Creeping forward, I managed to catch this California Towhee in the middle of a bath. These little brown birds may be terrifically plain in color, but they are […]
It was early May, with cool temperatures and the skies threatening rain. At the end of a 2-hour drive from home, we did some exploring along the west shore of Lake Berryessa and found only a handful of other people — and no one at all in this quiet spot. The wildflowers were abundant, and the day seemed just about […]
Late May blooming wildflowers seen at Phoenix Park and Sailor Bar County Park in Fair Oaks.
One day during our stay in Nice last month, the Big Guy suggested that I drive around to the opposite side of Clear Lake and explore the trails at Clear Lake State Park. I’d been to the state park a few times in the past but only to launch the boat and go fishing. He was convinced that I’d find […]
Each spring when I visit Clear Lake I normally can’t wait to head out to Rodman Slough Park for a look at the ospreys there. This year, for a change, I decided I’d focus less on ospreys in favor of other stuff. Yet somehow this year I ended up with more osprey photos than ever before. I’m still not quite […]
Secret Ravine is not actually a river but a somewhat seasonal creek running through southern Placer County. It’s connected to Miner’s Ravine and, eventually, to Dry Creek (formerly Linda Creek), a smaller tributary of the Sacramento River. It’s not necessary to know all this, however, to be able to enjoy a quiet morning in the shade beside the creek, listening […]
My favorite part of spring-like weather this time of year is the appearance of many types of birds, each sporting unique and colorful plumage. I shot most of these images along the Hinkle Creek Trail; the bluebird, magpie and mallards were seen at Phoenix Park. Above, not a perfect capture, but I like it because this female Lesser Goldfinch seems […]
We are now in the midst of summer, and while the sizzling temperatures have eased — for the moment — every day seems to bring warnings of new wildland fires somewhere in California. Per my weather app, the nearest active fire to me this afternoon is 44 miles away. Yesterday though, the Sac Metro Fire Department responded to two separate […]
