Spotted down by Arroyo Conejo.
Lithobates catesbeianus
Tag: hiking
in the wild
Liometopum occidentale
Kim and I sat by the creek and watched the ants. What a lovely way to pass an hour.
map your walk
Lovely winter’s morning hike with many moments of delight. Lots of shades of buff, tan, and grey, but also some surprising new green popping up, despite the lack of rain so far.
January haiku
Penstemon centranthifolius
I’m pretty sure these were scarlet buglers (Penstemon centranthifolius) in great profusion in the northern part of Cheeseboro Canyon. We’ll have to go back in spring to be sure.
vanalden cave
What motivates some people to take spray paint to a site of awesome natural beauty? I will never understand how that can feel good. I thought this part of the cave looked like a sad or angry face frowning down on the graffiti.
friday hike
Today I returned to an old favourite, dog-friendly, fossil-laden canyon for a lovely winter hike. The landscapito at the top was sketched from the turnaround point, looking east.
notonectidae
The lower parts of Solstice Creek are well-visited, but not many people climb Sostomo Trail to enjoy the gorgeous crossing on the upper creek. The three of us settled into a bed of fallen sycamore leaves and enjoyed the quiet shade. I liked seeing the little backswimmers (Notonectidae family) — I’d also observed these aquatic insects in Australia.
Backswimmers, as the name implies, swim inverted, using their long hind legs to paddle vigorously. They prey on organisms as large as tadpoles and small fish and can deliver a painful “bite” to humans—actually a stab from their sharp proboscis. These insects inhabit still freshwater in lakes, ponds, and marshes, and can also be found in garden ponds and occasionally in swimming pools. Despite being primarily aquatic, backswimmers are effective fliers, allowing them to easily disperse to new habitats.
calabasas peak
Secret Trail has been on my to-hike list for a while. It’s got some really pretty parts, wending as it does through chaparral, oak woodland, grassland and riparian habitats before arriving at the dramatic rock formations in the upper reaches. I’d like to go back in spring to see all the purple sage in flower.
