In National Geographic
It’s a thrill to find pictures of one’s own town featured in National Geographic… though maybe this isn’t the most fun reason.
We can see that Lake Arrowhead hillside, by the way, from our neighbor’s house (and from our house if there weren’t another house and trees in the way).
a california chipmunk
Spring has arrived, and that means the wee birds and beasts are quite active. Some days more than others. Last week while sitting outside there were 4 chipmunks gamboling about the yard, and the deck, and all about, chasing each other, constantly moving. They came pretty close to me without too much concern, up the stairs, behind the kayak, out on the other side.
In the path of the painted ladies
The painted lady butterflies are migrating. And it might be the biggest migration ever seen.
Millions of painted lady butterflies that fluttered into California’s Central Valley in the last week of March could be just the advance guard of one of the largest migrations of the species on record, said Arthur Shapiro, a professor and expert on butterflies at UC Davis.
“This may be the biggest migration of modern times,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro said he is getting reports of “billions” of butterflies around Trona, near Death Valley, and in the San Fernando Valley. More waves of butterflies are likely to appear in central California over the next few weeks as the insects take wing.
Painted lady butterflies, known by the scientific name Vanessa cardui, spend the winter in the desert. As caterpillars turn into adults in the spring, they migrate north in search of fresh food and breeding grounds, powered by a supply of yellow fat they have built up over the winter.
Painted ladies migrate every year, but usually less conspicuously and in far fewer numbers. This year, however, exceptionally high winter rainfall in southern California has created a bumper crop of plants for the caterpillars to eat, fuelling a population boom, Shapiro said.
The butterflies take about three days to reach the Central Valley, and the current generation will fly as far as southern Oregon. Their offspring will fly on to reach British Columbia by summer, before heading south again in the fall.
I’m sitting in the middle of a thoroughfare. A constant stream, hundreds going by, a dozen at a time, coming from the south east and heading north west. Off to the Central Valley of California apparently. They don’t stop. They are flying with purpose.
My camera batteries died when I tried to take pics. But for now, a portrait from elsewhere.
Winter Gallery
Gallery is working again. Thanks Siteground!
We’ve had quite a winter here in Lake Arrowhead so far. Just about a storm a week, with a fair amount of snow. I haven’t shoveled this much snow… well, ever. It’s a great workout. And not too bad in 35 degrees as opposed to 0 degrees.
I finally posted a Gallery of selected Winter pictures, mostly from January. Enjoy.
Life in Southern California
I do, in fact, live in Southern California.
Though you might not know it from the pictures I took today.
A new gallery of today’s winter pics coming soon.
winter scenes
Snow flurries started last night. Got quite cold. Got out my camera and took some pictures. Thought I might as well post a few other recent pictures from the recent weather.
It’s winter in the mountains. Love it.
windy old weather
I finished working and reading this evening so made a bit of dinner and popped in a DVD. It’s the third Pirate’s of the Caribbean, which I hadn’t seen before. About fifteen minutes into it I turned it off. Couldn’t hear the dialogue.
It was too loud outside.
In the forest the trees sing in the wind. With rain and gusts like we’re having tonight they are a mighty chorus, whistling and singing and clapping their hands in wet celebration.
So there is only to listen to the repeated refrain. It’s much more entertaining than Pirates anyhow.
And now, here’s something we hope you’ll really like
San Bernardino Flying Squirrel out on a rainy, stormy evening feasting on sunflower seeds outside my bedroom.
birds of the day
Regular posts will resume shortly. For now… more birds:
A northern (red-shafted) flicker. Why is it called a red-shafted flicker? Because its feathers have a red tinted shaft. Makes sense now, doesn’t it?
Lesser goldfinch
Mountain chickadee about to jump in for a bath
