Summer Camp Photos

Shortly after the pandemic began, I started noticing more people on hiking trails. More people means more trash, more lost items, more shelters made out of branches, more bridges and dams built along creeks, and even graffiti. The lost items are pure accidents, but the rest indicates many of the new visitors don't take responsibility for their actions when visiting our shared open spaces. I love that people are finding solace in nature, but I hate that some of them are leaving very obvious traces of their presence.

At camp, we have noticed more people on the trail than in previous years, although for the most part, they are wearing masks and keeping their distance. For our part, we are doing the same, even to the point of staying off of the single-track trails when possible.

Our reduced numbers of campers do come with at least one benefit. We are seeing more wildlife. The deer and foxes are spotted more often, as are various bird species. Reptile and amphibian sightings haven't noticeably changed. So far, I've only spotted one "new" animal ("new" meaning new at camp, but not new to me) in the form of a distantly flapping Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Below are some photographs taken at camp over the last two weeks.

We've heard more California Quails than we've seen, but this one posed nicely on top of a garden bed before doing the usual panicked flight into the underbrush.

This fledgling Spotted Towhee likes to hang out in the garden too, where it is busily denuding the fig tree of figs.

The photo below perfectly captures the inquisitive personality of the Steller's Jay.

There are lots of California Ground Squirrels around as well, digging their ankle-breaker holes and keeping an eye out for danger. Our resident Red-tailed Hawk is hopefully helping keep the population in check. Ground Squirrel burrows are used by many other species, so they never go to waste after the squirrels become lunch.

The adult Spotted Towhees are much more handsome than the fledglings.

I've spent more time watching the moon lately, which is saying something. When the passage of time becomes amorphous due to shattered schedules, the moon rises in importance as a timekeeper.

The Acorn Woodpeckers are competing with the Spotted Towhees to see who can eat more fruit.

This is the aforementioned Sharp-shinned Hawk, heavily cropped since it was a distant speck in the sky.

Anna's Hummingbirds are always fun to watch. This one was more cooperative than most.

We saw three Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes the first week, and none the second week. This was rattlesnake number three. We encountered it on the way back from Lake Ranch Reservoir as it crawled across a shady trail and took refuge in a hole up the hill.

This Robber Fly was still long enough for me to take a few photos. All things great and small, after all...

There are at least two young Gray Foxes who own our garden. This is the one without ticks in its ears.

The Steller's Jays seem even bolder this year, especially the fledglings.

Despite their name, Common Sharp-tailed Snakes are uncommon around camp, but when we do find them, it's always on or near our front lawn.

And now for some nature art: