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It's Official, I Have Become Ranger Rick!

How I stumbled upon making my yard a certified wildlife habitat:

A couple weeks ago I was doing some research on how I could best maximize my yard to provide more milkweed varieties as well as nectar-producing flowers to attract more monarch butterflies and sustain the ones I already had milling about. You see, back in December I had about 8 monarch caterpillars on my single 2-foot-tall milkweed. Well, in no time at all they had stripped it bare of anything save stems. When I got home from work, I noticed that they had evacuated in search of new food sources.

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Save some for later!!

The only problem was there were no other milkweed plants for miles around. In the fading light of that warm Tuesday I began a frantic search for the suicidal caterpillars. With a flashlight I scoured the yard in hopes of rescuing as many as I could find. That’s how I roll. You see, I felt guilty for having lured them in to provide only half of the food they needed to finish the deed. Continue reading “It's Official, I Have Become Ranger Rick!”

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A Great Egret in Balboa Park

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One of the many amazing perks for working at the San Diego Museum of Art is that it’s nestled smack-dab in the middle of Balboa Park and adjacent to the San Diego Zoo. This brings all manner of critters directly into my path from work to my car.

Today was no exception. This great egret has spent the winter here in sunny warm San Diego enjoying some yummy fish from the giant koi pond in front of the Botanical Building. They’re here on vacation while the rest of the country slumbers under its cold white blanket.

When the spring begins to heat up a bit she’ll begin her long journey across the country for breeding season in the central and southeastern parts of the US.

In the meantime, she’s just another of many tourists taking up all our parking spots. *grumble grumble… tourists *

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Hummingbird Bath Time

Just about every morning one of the first things I do is take my dog out into the backyard and simply enjoy the early morning activities of all the little creatures. The early morning light makes for a beautiful setting and it’s the best way to set the tone for the long day of work and toil. One of my stops is by the waterfall/pond to watch the hummingbirds taking their morning baths. Every day, like clockwork they vie for the prime spot and take turns drinking and washing their tiny little selves right at the topmost slate stone.

I find it entertaining and extremely soothing as my eyes remember how to open up and my brain slowly lifts the fog of the night’s dreams. I only wish I had better video equipment and a better lens to really show you the beauty of it. Until then, this smartphone video will have to suffice. I recommend watching it in HD for the best viewing experience.

Enjoy this moment of morning zen!