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Highlights from our Natural World – 2018

Going Natural--Native Plants/Xeriscaping, Speaking for Wildlife, Why We Need Land Conservation / December 27, 2018 by Linda Richards / Leave a Comment

We continue to love our property and our trips for the natural world lessons they bring us. Here are 2018 highlights!

Curious Bighorn Sheep.  On a visit to Joshua Tree National Park, my friend Nancy and I observed these bighorn sheep observing us so curiously. It started with one and then proceeded to a total of 9 peering down at us.

Our introduction to old California – the Channel Islands. Protected as national parks or Nature Conservancy lands, the Channel Islands — across from the 18 million people of the Los Angeles’ metropolitan are —  showcase how the California coast once looked. Their isolation has led to both giant or tiny species in comparison to their mainland cousins (called gigantism and dwarfism)

Smaller and less vegetated Anacapa Island is home to 10,000 nesting Western Culls in late spring/early summer
3 Western Gull chicks
Island fox – endemic to Santa Cruz Island and an example of dwarfism
Gull w 3 eggs – both parents take turns on nest and in feeding

Favorite Wildlife Photos and their stories

Blessed to see Blue Whales (largest whale in the world!) on our June trip to the Channel Islands
Blue whale tail flip!
Also witnessed dozens of common dolphins swimming alongside
Bobcats are effective rodent hunters – I watched one catch a gopher
A grey fox that hung out on our property for a couple months
Horned lizard in Joshua Tree National Park

Our Wonderful Birds – including the phainopepla which is normally a desert bird dependent on berries, but because of the drought has moved onto our half acre property year-round. This year we witnessed it with young, and discovering the berry producing plants on our property as they ripened throughout the year.

Great Blue Heron surprised by a Double-crested Cormorant (in Morro Bay)
This Great Blue Heron and Great Egret shared the same lagoon area
A Red-shouldered hawk with a rodent, hopefully not containing rodent poisoning
Barn Owls are night hunters and can eat many rodents
A male Phainopepla with its red eyes
Normally a desert bird, Phainopeplas have discovered our natives, here eating mahonia berries

And our beloved California native plants – We continue to marvel at the beauty of native plants and the wildlife they usher in.

Our former lawn, now a mature (10 years) mostly California native plant habitat
We observed this monarch go through all its stages, from caterpillar to chrysalis to successful butterfly. So exciting!
One of 4 birdbaths on our property, here with bushtits and goldfinches

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  • Home
  • Plants
    • Favorite Native Plants
    • Native Plants/Xeriscaping
    • Pesticides
    • Tree Talk & Plant Smarts
  • Wildlife
    • Bees, Butterflies & Other Insects
    • Birds
    • Mammals
    • Speaking for Wildlife
    • Snakes/Lizards
  • Other Topics
    • Go Organic
    • Overpopulation
    • Southern CA Hikes
    • Why We Need Land Conservation
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Facebook

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