Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been slightly obsessed with an albino pigeon I spotted during the middle of January. Of course at the time I did not have my camera or phone with me since I was out on a walk of the Palms neighborhood (Palms is the oldest community in Los Angeles… [read more]
House finch in the house
Last spring, I was working at my computer and heard the strangest noise, it was a rapid thunk, thunk, thunk coming from the back porch area. Baffled, I tiptoed to the back of our apartment and looked out and there was a tiny bird having a field day ripping off threads from this synthetic material… [read more]
Evidence that gulls eat anything
Not that long ago, I wrote a post called “Feeding gulls is for the birds,” explaining the pointlessness of feeding gulls bread crumbs because they will eat anything. Now I have evidence! The above photo features a Western gull eating an ochre sea star. Dinner isn’t going down smoothly, but that doesn’t stop a gull.… [read more]
Feeding gulls is for the birds
During President’s Day weekend, I decided it was time to head to El Matador Beach. It’s one of my favorite beaches near Los Angeles to just sit and stare at the waves crashing against really cool rock formations. Also, since it’s 10 miles north of Malibu, El Matador is much less busy than Venice or… [read more]
Hummingbird feeder project delayed
Alas, my hummingbird feeder project has been delayed. Right after I wrote about scoring a hummingbird feeder during a white elephant gift exchange, painters showed up to “touch up” the apartment building and fix the roof. Both of these activities involve a lot of loud talking, ladder dragging, and stomping around on the roof. Basically,… [read more]
A hummingbird holiday
One of the surprise treats I received during Christmas was a hummingbird feeder! Technically, I didn’t receive the hummingbird feeder as a gift, I stole it from another person who opened it during a white elephant gift exchange. Thankfully, the person who opened the hummingbird feeder didn’t really want it anyway. (White elephant gift exchanges… [read more]
Ringing in the New Year with new wildlife books
I spent the last week of 2011 in book heaven! It was a wonderful way to wrap up the year and start the New Year with new wildlife books to read and more fascinating information to absorb. Book heaven happens to be Powell’s City of Books in Portland, Oregon. If you love books, you have… [read more]
Imagine the turkey as our national emblem
Tomorrow is turkey day, but what if everyday was turkey day in the USA? This almost became reality years ago when Congress was in the process of designing a national seal. Benjamin Franklin happened to be a strong proponent for the wild turkey to serve as the national emblem. I first came across this bit… [read more]
Bird friendly tree trimming
One of my biggest pet peeves in Los Angeles is the way trees are trimmed. I always think of a trim as a clip, clip here and clip, clip there, not a chop, chop here and a chop, chop there. But unfortunately for trees all over the Los Angeles area, the chop, chop is how… [read more]
Sequoia the bald eagle
During Cabrillo Marine Aquarium‘s Autumn Sea Fair, I had the chance to meet Sequoia the bald eagle. Sequoia is an “animal ambassador” for the San Francisco Zoo, a job she is perfect for since she is already dressed to impress in the power suit of the bird kingdom. Her demeanor in the presence of many… [read more]