First Visit to See Osprey

Off I-80 West to Hwy 37 to the retired Naval Base at Mare Island.  Here is a panorama:

Then on a dead palm tree, an enormous Osprey nest with chicks and their mama!

I love to see the chicks being fed by their parent.  It is done with such tenderness and patience.  

Amazing Green Herons

Two Green Herons.  One an adult, the other a juvenile.  The adult flew in making all kinds of noise then fluffed up.  However, it was the juvenile that stole the show and taught me something new:  he/she can catch a flying dragonfly in mid air and eat it!  Nature never ceases to amaze me!

 

Sheepies R Baa'ck

In an effort to keep fire damage to a minimum, the county have brought back sheep and goats to reduce the weeds that are so dry and tall now. 

When I noticed the typical fencing and equipment, I turned off on a dirt road to find the sheep.  Much to my surprise and amazement, I saw that a nursery had been set up with a Ewe and her two newly born (less than an hour old) lambs.  A cute little black lamb and a bigger white one were struggling to get onto their feet and eventually started walking.  The black lamb walked itself right through the fending that separates the adults from the newborns and got stuck.  In the last picture, it looks like it is asking another sheep if it is it's mother! 

Oh! Hey! Nice to See You!

As I was trying to take a picture of an owl, out pops a juvenile Jackrabbit!   I could tell it was born this year by the way it hung out to look at me and by the beautiful condition of it's fur.  (Adult Jackrabbit fur is not soft looking but kind of mangy)

This little one hopped across the trail and came back at least three times.  It was so nice to be treated to this site on a hot afternoon! 

Backyard Visitor

Welcome To The Neighborhood!

We are fortunate to have hawks nesting in our city.  However, for a fledgling Red Tail Hawk, taking it's first flight from the nest and landing across the street near a Mockingbird nest, it can be somewhat unfortunate.  This poor bird was being dive bombed, screamed at and eventually chased off the roof it had landed on. 

Drama on the Parkway

I noticed a Scrub Jay spending time on a levee near the trail this morning.  It was spending a lot of time jumping up in the air and coming back down.  As I got closer, I saw something moving in the grass and thought it was a snake.  Our local herpetologist said it was an Alligator Lizard that the Jay was going after.  He also said the lizard can sacrifice it's tail and make a clean get away which is what it did! 

Back & Front View

I'll Park Wherever I Want!

Black Crowned Night Herons & Chick

I have been seeing a pair of BCNH in a slough next to the bike trail for sometime.  Recently, I was happy to see a chick had fledged and was happily mimicking it's parents. 

Monarch Stopping for a Sip