Smiles of a summer night

God only knows how many photos I've taken of dogs on this bed. You can see my big cur-dog Smoke, for one, at the top of the left sidebar. I took this photo of Jasper late last night. [As always, click to embiggen.] We're at the family cabin south of Big Bear Lake, in the San Bernardino National Forest.

I'm organizing a related Flickr set. Two, count 'em, two photos so far! Here's the link: Dogs on the bed.

Two hands, one camera, and a gopher snake

"She's a beauty!" And very mild-mannered. Big, too: over five feet long. She was found and photographed on a friend's property near San Timoteo Canyon and relocated to a safer spot nearby. A few more photos here, all thanks to the faithful point-and-shoot.

Pituophis catenifer annectens - San Diego Gopher Snake
[From California Herps]

Scarlet Tanager at Arrastre Creek

Photo by Tom Benson on Flickr.

[Please be there on Wednesday... please be there on Wednesday...] First spotted on May 19 by Brad Singer, Eric and Elaine Tipton, and Sandy Remley, during their San Bernardino Mountains Big Day. Check out the lttle yellow-orange feather at the base of the tail. Beautiful, beautiful bird.

Update: Still there on Sunday afternoon, May 20.

Historic, in its own little way

On Friday afternoon, May 18, 2012, I spotted a big fox squirrel in my oak tree here in Pleasantville. First sighting of this species ever. A few more photos here.

These not-so-little guys were first brought to Los Angeles in the early 1900s, possibly from Tennessee, and they've extended their geographic range, as the biologists say. A 2004 study found them as far east as Claremont — you can read more about the study here. The next fox squirrel census is scheduled for 2014, and I am so ready. They better not trouble my dear western grays, is all I can say.

Solar Eclipse, 2012

Photo taken at 6:40 PM or so up in San Jose, California, by my most excellent sis. Click to embiggen.

Chez Robin

As Crush says, "Little dudes are just eggs, leave 'em on the beach to hatch, then coo-coo-ca-choo, they find their way back to the big 'ol blue."

Via the most excellent Fawnskin Flyer.