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nature of a man: Another Sip of Seep

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2014/11/another-sip-of-seep.html

Sunday, November 30, 2014. Another Sip of Seep. You didn't think I'd walk away from that seep. So easily, did you? Such spots are precious to us camera trappers too. Called out in her comment on the previous post:. It's like the equivalent of a UV light for moths, or an isolated nectar patch for butterflies. It draws in the critters like crazy.". So, let's talk about another concept well known to Lepidopterists - Phenology. Which, in essence, is the study of seasonality. When do flowers bloom? So, there ...

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nature of a man: Jealous Jacks

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2014/10/jealous-jacks.html

Sunday, October 12, 2014. I think the Mono County black-tailed jackrabbits may be getting jealous of all the attention we've been pouring on the pygmy rabbits. In the most recent round of photos, they came around often to one-eye the cam trap. To facilitate the comparison, here's a perfect Albrecht Dürer pose by an adult pygmy rabbit in a good central scene location:. See what I mean? Public domain from Wikimedia Commons. And now the jacks…. Juvenile jack is still around, but is growing up fast. Jepson e...

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nature of a man: Hoping for Springs Eternal

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Friday, November 21, 2014. Hoping for Springs Eternal. While the amazing, adorable pygmy rabbits don't need water to drink or bathe. As we all know, most animals do. And, as we've been learning the hard way in California. Drought years can make even the smallest of perennial sources precious to locals. Such as this mere puddle of a forest seep along a dry creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Foxy family - aka "3 shades of gray". Band-tailed pigeon taking a bath. Why did the second round last 1/2 the time?

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nature of a man: Favorite Flora of 2014

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2015/01/favorite-flora-of-2014.html

Thursday, January 1, 2015. Favorite Flora of 2014. Yes, it's that time of year when us nature bloggers, spent of content and creativity, dump "best of" and "yearly favorites" on our dear readers. So, in keeping with tradition. 2014 may have been the 3rd drought year in a row for California, but I did get around enough to see a few first-time-for-me native species that weren't sad, dry and fried. Here are 8 of my favorites that didn't happen to make it into previous posts. The Coast Range Mariposa:. And a...

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nature of a man: The Bears of Summer

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-bears-of-summer.html

Saturday, September 20, 2014. The Bears of Summer. I was on my 6th or 7th solid mallet whack on the post when the hornets struck. Perched on a nearby rock, watched casually and quizzically as I danced around slapping my head. He apparently thought I had hit myself with the mallet. Oh," he said. "Put your hat back on.". Always a fountain of wisdom, that Codger. But the pool, the hornets, and the cam proved too "unbearable" to do without. However, this time the camera did last 35 days. Kind of. Animals wal...

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nature of a man: Burrows are like Christmas

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2014/12/burrows-are-like-christmas.html

Sunday, December 21, 2014. Burrows are like Christmas. For us camera trappers, interesting burrows are always a treat to find. They're mysteries to solve. Christmas gifts waiting to be unwrapped. And you never know what might peek out. Nature of a Man (this blog) - A Real Baby Boomer. Nature of a Man (this blog) - Almost Out Weaseled. Sunday, December 21, 2014. December 21, 2014. John W. Wall. December 23, 2014. December 24, 2014. Its that time of year and well be up there soon. December 23, 2014. Storie...

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nature of a man: Pygmy Rabbitat Round-up

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2014/11/pygmy-rabbitat-round-up.html

Sunday, November 9, 2014. Along with all the adorable bathing of the dust bunnies. The 3rd round at the pygmy rabbit cam also added a few new characters to the cast. Sage sparrows and a rock wren were caught foraging through, and a new kangaroo rat moved in. Sage sparrow in the pygmy rabbitat. Much like sage thrashers, sage sparrows are common to the sagebrush scrub habitat, and I often see them zipping around like mice as they run from shrub to shrub. Sage sparrow on the move with tail held high. Oh - a...

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nature of a man: A Proportional Response

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-proportional-response.html

Sunday, January 11, 2015. I heard the chattering alarm of the wren first, just down slope in a mix of oaks and chaparral. Then the wren zipped up into a valley oak, where several hummingbirds were also all-a-buzz. And, while the sun angle was poor, I thought I could see another small bird in the branches. Brown back, streaky white-brown breast, long tail. fox sparrow? My friends threw out "helpful" ideas. It's just a gall. Or lichen.". Then why did it just turn its head and look at me? January 11, 2015.

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nature of a man: Fasten Your Seat Belts

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Saturday, December 6, 2014. Fasten Your Seat Belts. Have I told you I love woodrats? Or should I say, "have I told you lately. Because if I haven't, it must be time once again for an episode of Woodrat Theater. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, in the deep woods, is an electric-blue VW Beetle. And inside, built in-and-around the seats, is a stick nest. Of the San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat variety, Neotoma fuscipes annectens. So I dropped a cam trap down into the scene. And a sprinkle of pine nuts. Nature...

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nature of a man: Splitting Hares

http://natureofaman.blogspot.com/2014/08/splitting-hares.html

Monday, August 18, 2014. Which translates roughly to "the little hare from Idaho," was originally classified in the genus Sylvilagus. The "woodland hares," which includes the brush, mountain and desert cottontail rabbits well known to us residents of the American West. And, of course, we have true. Hares too - the jackrabbits and snowshoe. Thus, the ruling was: related, but also distinct, unique. Seems quite fitting to me. But I may be biased. But first, a scene refresher from the sage steppe. Not sure a...