While catching up with some yard work this morning, I made some interesting discoveries.
First I found this unusually colored Brahminy Blind Snake under a pot. They are normally a much darker grayish black. These tiny snakes are not native to Florida but unlike the pythons, they do not seem to be having any negative effects.


Next, a pair of stick insects "caught in the act"


Vanda orchid flower


The last thing you expect when you go to the gas station is to find a praying mantis on the pump.


In other news, I just got back from San Diego. Pics to follow. Eventually. :)

Here are the last of the California shots from April.
One unusual thing that we did was visit the Winchester House in San Jose. The story goes that Sarah Winchester was told by a psychic that the spirits of those killed by the Winchester rifle had put a curse on her and her family, and caused the death of her husband and daughter. To thwart the spirits, she was told to continue constructing an elaborate mansion to confuse them. She did so for 38 years until her death.




Lady Winchester had a fondness for stained glass and the number 13.


As 13 is my lucky number, I appreciated the symbolic use of the number throughout the mansion.


Ground Squirrels




Golden Eagle


Alcatraz


Bay Bridge


The famous sea lions of Pier 39




Views of the City




Chinatown

This summer I have spent quite a bit of time in the field. Which is good, in that I enjoy field work and its great exercise. However, I was out one morning this week and the ground was literally steaming as the sun climbed higher in the sky. We have had record high temperatures the past few weeks and I have to admit that it was nice to cool off in Maine for a few days! (Due to record high temperatures in the northeast, "cool off" was over 80 degrees! A lot better than 95).

Artsy reflection


A baby armadillo that we saw today. He was rooting around in some grass, and we almost stepped on him because he was so small!


After I went to Maine a couple of weeks ago, I went directly to another meeting on Florida's west coast, in Sarasota. It was my first stay in Sarasota and I really enjoyed it.

West coast sunsets are always spectacular.




Speaking of the west coast, I am off to the west coast of the US (San Diego) for work in a couple of weeks. I am heading over a little early to do some sightseeing beforehand. I have yet to finish going through my California pictures from earlier this year and must get that done soon. Things are a bit hectic right now with lots going on at work and at home. We are continuing to wage war on the lawn, and the invasive exotic plants that are growing in our yard. The goal is to restore it to a more "natural" state, with native groundcover species and more trees and shrubs. So far our efforts have been rewarded by more birds visiting the yard to feast on berries, and abundant butterflies and other insects. Its definitely a long term project!

Maine is one of my favorite places. Luckily I have never had to visit in the winter, but in the summer it is glorious.

The Portland Head Light











In other news, I have had to disable comments on the blog for the time being. The spammers are relentless and I need to figure out a better way to "police" the comments. So, if you want to contact me, please email me for now. I have added my email address to the right sidebar.

My first visit to the "wild west" was a whirlwind tour of the park.

Most of these shots were out the car window as we drove. I am getting quite adept at these types of shots. Not my preferred method of sightseeing but its what I could get!













As we drove through the mountains we came upon a traffic jam. This was the culprit:



A crowd of onlookers gathered to take pictures, and instead of moving on, he decided to get comfortable:



Eventually he ambled along and we continued on.

I was rather pleased with this out the window shot. My first elk.



Steller's Jay. I had heard these at Muir Woods but never seen one before.


Alpine trail, elevation 12,000 ft






The return journey from Denver was not a lot of fun. I love travel, but I hate to travel, especially by plane. Especially US domestic. Having a flight delayed over 8 hours is a bummer, especially when it causes you to miss your connecting flight, which was the last one of the day. I won't go into the grisly details, but I will say that Delta surprised me with how professionally the situation was handled. It could have been much worse. And, I fly again in a couple of weeks!

Some more shots from the field last week. My friend the Barred Owl was very cooperative, as usual.



I am a big fan of the desaturated look but couldn't decide which version of this shot I like better:





Happily, green anoles seem to be thriving in the area where I have been working. I see at least one every day. In most places they are outcompeted by the invasive brown anoles but they appear to be doing very well.

Spot the anole



A close up



I just got back from a business trip to Denver. Luckily we had a few hours to ourselves and paid a quick visit to Rocky Mountain National Park! It was wonderful except that I was suffering from some kind of stomach issue for most of the afternoon. Pics to follow shortly. I am traveling again in the next few days as well so stay tuned...

Point Reyes, CA is where I saw my first Elephant seals. They are noisy and ugly creatures, but fascinating to watch.

The view hiking down a short path to the overlook







An alpha male







The lighthouse is supposed to be a great place to see migrating whales. I made the trek down to the lighthouse in hopes of getting a closer view. Unfortunately, no whales were visible. The scenery was amazing though. And by this time it had warmed up quite a bit and I had shed my sweater and jacket. Lovely.









Shots from another day. I was so pleased to see the Golden Gate bridge in all its glory, and not shrouded in fog as I had feared it would be. As a result I took several hundred photos of it. I dont know what I was thinking. Anyway, here are a few of the better ones.











A white crowned sparrow serenaded the passing tourists.

I'm doing some field work for the next few weeks and bring my camera out from time to time. Summer field work in Florida is not for most people, but it has its enjoyable moments. Birds are actively feeding nestlings, young birds and mammals clumsily explore the world, and the air is abuzz with cicadas and dragonflies.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker


Juvie barred owl. I couldn't decide if I liked the shot with flash, or the shot without. Any thoughts?

Without


With


Finally, saw this happy family on my drive home.

Was in RI this week for work. Weather was good for the most part. The locals were exclaiming about the warm weather as I huddled in a fleece.

I spent an afternoon in Newport. First explored the town for a bit.







I have discovered that one of the best things about the new england states is the food. Went to a great little seafood restaurant and had a late lunch by the water.



Apart from abundant and delicious fresh seafood, in Newport there were plenty of little bakeries and coffee houses run by friendly folks.

This is the view from a bench by the harbor where I sat and peacefully enjoyed a freshly-baked cookie and espresso.



RI was fun but I am glad to be home. Getting off the plane today, the heat hit us like opening an oven door. No need for the fleece anymore. Home sweet sauna.

More shots from California (almost 2 months later, tut tut)



I arrived at Point Lobos bright and early on Easter Sunday morning. The gate attendant suggested an area I should visit "before the crowds" arrive and cautioned me not to dawdle, but to go there straight away. I reluctantly averted my eyes from the scenic vistas and followed his advice. And I am glad I did or else I would never have gotten these shots.









Literally less than a minute went by as I took these photos, before the carloads of boisterous spring breakers came screaming down the hillside, causing all the seals to scamper into the water.

Point Lobos is like a postcard that you can walk around inside of. Amazing vistas everywhere you look.







Wild sea otters







White crowned sparrows were abundant





An osprey watched the sea from high above



Plenty of harbor seals







My first ground squirrel









Sea lions





Hiking alone amongst the rocky cliffs here, and elsewhere in CA, I was mindful of mountain lions. Unlike the rare and reclusive Florida Panther, the mountain lion has been known to attack hikers. I was cautious, but not afraid, as I enjoyed the sights. However, I was enjoying one of the many scenic views when the sound of rock scraping interrupted my peaceful ramble. I was in a vulnerable location, far from the more well-traveled trails, with sheer rocky cliffs at my back, on a narrow trail with a steep drop to the crashing waves below. A sudden brown blur in my peripheral vision. A jolt of fear as I raised my arms in self defense, ready to fight fangs and claws. Then overwhelming feelings of crushing stupidity when I realized that my fearsome attacker was in fact a deer that was now peacefully munching the clover next to the path. Doh.