Tag Archives: nature

Birdwatching at the Arcata Marsh

Posted on January 8, 2014 by joanienaz

I stretched the limits of my 55-200 lens on this female Northern Harrier, hunting at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Humboldt County, California last month. It was a memorable trip. I was trying to get closer to some … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, photography, travel | Tagged Arcata Marsh, bird watching, Black-crowned Night Heron, California, nature, Northern Harrier, photography, taking a walk, travel | 4 Comments

Wednesday is the First Day of the Week

Posted on January 1, 2014 by joanienaz

Wouldn’t it be great if Wednesday was the first day of the week? All of our anxiety over how to get through yet another five-day work week (for those of us who follow a traditional schedule) would dissolve. Sure everything … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, photography, travel | Tagged bird watching, Bufflehead, California, Grebe, Mad River, nature, new year, photography, Sandpiper, travel | Leave a comment

California Snow

Posted on December 7, 2013 by joanienaz

If you grew up in suburban California, snow in your yard was something that happened once in a blue moon. An inch of fluffy white stuff was scraped into tiny snowballs and hurled at siblings before it all melted away … Continue reading →

Posted in home, nature, photography | Tagged California, home, inspiration, nature, photography, snow, thoughts | Leave a comment

The Bufflehead Are Back!

Posted on November 14, 2013 by joanienaz

Yesterday we spotted Bufflehead ducks at a local pond, swimming with the Canada geese. They’re back! We haven’t seen them since late February. So today, I took my camera and here are the results. A bit fuzzy, but the light was low … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, photography | Tagged bird watching, Bufflehead, California, ducks, exercise, hobbies, nature, photography, taking a walk | 1 Comment

Mystery Droppings, Escrow, and Saying Goodbye

Posted on July 25, 2013 by joanienaz

We are moving. After living eighteen years in the same house (a record for both myself and my husband), we have sold our home and are packing up all of the “stuff” that we can’t bring ourselves to jettison. To … Continue reading →

Posted in home, nature, photography | Tagged California toad, creature, droppings, escrow, home, moving, nature, photography | 2 Comments

Skipping Gull

Posted on July 21, 2013 by joanienaz

A trip to the Northern California coast this weekend to escape from the inland heat included plentiful wildlife enjoying a cool, gray day. I found this gull skipping along the edge of the surf at Mad River Beach near Arcata … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, photography | Tagged beach, bird watching, California, gull, nature, North Coast, photography, travel | 2 Comments

Wild Flowers

Posted on July 7, 2013 by joanienaz

Does Rose Mallow still qualify as a wildflower if it has been hybridized? I think not. But this beautiful bloom, more commonly known as Hibiscus, sure looks great in the garden! No time for a vegetable garden this year. Getting … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY, home, nature, photography, sustainable living | Tagged gardening, hibiscus, home, nature, organic gardening, photography, rose mallow, summer flower | 4 Comments

A Royal Mob

Posted on June 21, 2013 by joanienaz

It only takes two to create a royal mob, at least when the mob consists of a pair of Western Kingbirds. This was the sight I enjoyed while strolling in a local park near our cabin in the Sierra foothills … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, photography | Tagged bird watching, crimson crown, mobbing, nature, photography, Raven, taking a walk, Western Kingbird | 2 Comments

Kings Among Us

Posted on May 25, 2013 by joanienaz

It has been many years since I have participated in an official birding excursion. Although my undergraduate degree is in Forestry with an emphasis in wildlife management, I entered the teaching profession and birding is now a hobby. I have … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, photography, travel | Tagged Belted Kingfisher, bird watching, California, nature, photography, travel, Western Kingbird, Western Meadowlark | 4 Comments

Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park

Posted on May 19, 2013 by joanienaz

A full week before Memorial Day was the perfect time to venture into the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California for an afternoon of exploring. The sky was cloudless with a slight breeze, and the temperature was in the seventies. … Continue reading →