Vasquez Rocks

Fuji Neopan 400
Canon Elan 7n
Rodinal 1:100 Stand Development

Vasquez Rocks is a part of a 905 acre natural area park located in northern Los Angeles County. If the rocks look familiar to you it's because they are a popular filming location in Southern California. Probably most famous for their appearance in the original Star Trek series, the rock formations have been used in episodes of Friends, Roswell, MacGyver, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and many others. Several feature length films have also used the rocks for location shoots including, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Short Circuit, Blazing Saddles, and the Austin Powers franchise. The formations even inspired the back drop of Radiator Springs in the Pixar movie Cars. 

The formation got its name from the notorious bandit Tiburcio Vasquez, who is said to have used the rocks as a hideout in the 1870's. This area may also have been significant to the native peoples of California. Rock art has been found in the surrounding formations that date back to 450 AD and have been attributed to the Tataviam tribe (a Shoshone speaking people). The area is also likely to have been occupied prior to the arrival of the Tataviam, most likely by people of Chumash origin.

Efke 25

Minolta Hi-Matic AF2

Rodinal 1:100 Stand development

The geology of the region is quite fascinating. Much of the rocks are made up of sand and silt sediments which eroded of of the San Gabriel Mountains to the south around 25 million years ago.  About the same time the North American Plate overrode the Farallon Plate and came in contact with the Pacific Plate forming the San Andreas fault system. The tectonic activity brought molten lava to the surface that formed basalt flows area. In the millions of years since repeated episodes of tectonic uplift and surface weathering have created the iconic structures. 

Vasquez Rocks are easily accessible from the Antelope Valley Freeway, CA 14 (See Google Map). It makes a great day trip for the family. The hiking trails are easy to traverse, and there are picnic tables and restrooms at the base of the formation. If you want something fun and outdoors the whole family can enjoy you should check the park out.

Kodak Ektachrome 160T

Yashica A

Arista C-41 Uni-powder kit

Fujichrome Velvia 50

Yashica A

Arista C-41 Uni-powder kit

Kodak Ektachrome 160T

Yashica A

Arista C-41 Uni-powder kit

Arista EDU 100

Holga 120S

Rodinal 1:100 Stand development

Fuji Neopan 400
Canon Elan 7n
Rodinal 1:100 Stand Development

Kodak 800 (Redscale)

Canon Elan 7n

Arista C-41 Uni-powder kit

The Great Backyard Bird Count is Almost Here

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. The annual four-day event engages bird watchers in counting birds. Participants count birds for a little as 15 minutes, or as long as they want during each day of the event. The counts are entered and tallied to create a real-time snapshot of where birds are.

This year hallmarks the 16th annual bird count and the first international snapshot of avian populations. Traditionally checklists were accepted only from North America and Hawaii, but now you can participate from anywhere in the world.

Scientists can learn a lot from knowing where birds are. Bird populations are in constant flux. No single scientist or group of scientists could possibly collect and document the movements and distribution of the almost 1,000 bird species found across North America and Hawaii, let alone the 10,000 species found throughout the world.

Data collected by the GBBC can be viewed by anyone with internet access. Participants can explore data from their home town, state, or the entire continent. They can compare data from the current year with those from past counts. They can view top ten lists of the most numerous birds, the most frequently reported birds, as well as which regions reported the most species.

Check out some of my images from previous Backyard Bird Counts:

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

Del Rey Lagoon Park

Playa Del Rey, CaliforniaFebruary 19th, 2012

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

February 21st, 2011

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

February 21st, 2011

Stationery card

Just Dotty Lilac Birth Announcement

To see Shutterfly's birth announcement designs, click here.

View the entire collection of cards.

My Favorite Places

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

February 21st, 2011

One of my favorite places to go birdwatching in Southern California is Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach. It consists of over 1,200 acres of coastal wetlands and chaparral scrub and over a mile of trail that loops through the reserve. A walk through the reserve will allow you to observe native flora and fauna of Southern California. Throughout the year over 300 species birds migrate through or nest in the wetlands including the endangered California Least Tern. The reserve is also habitat for several mammal and reptile species including cottontail rabbits, Beechey ground squirrels, Pacific rattlesnakes, and Western fence lizards. If you find yourself in or near Huntington Beach, California I suggest you visit Bolsa Chica.

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve

Los Angeles County, California

November 21st, 2010

Another one of my favorite places to go birdwatching is Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve in Van Nuys. The wildlife reserve consists of a 225 acres of riparian habitat,  chaparral scrub and an 11 acre lake. Late fall to early spring is the best time to visit the reserve for the purposes of birdwatching. According to the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserves website over 200 species of birds make migrate through the reserve yearly, many are actually found here year round. I personally have counted over 100 species during my many trips to the reserve. Besides birds you may also see several species of mammals and reptiles including  Beechey ground squirrels, Western fence lizards, and cottontail rabbits. Because of the proximity to my house this reserve is one of my most frequented locations. If you are in the area it is a great place to visit.

Del Rey Lagoon Park

Playa Del Rey, California

February 2011

Another place I love to visit, like Bolsa Chica is also near the coast. Playa Del Rey is a small beach community south of Marina Del Rey. At it's center is Del Rey Lagoon Park with a saltwater lagoon that ebbs and flows with the tide. I like to stroll around the lagoon looking for waterfowl and shorebirds. I then walk along the jetty watching the pelicans and other sea going birds, as well as the many fishermen fishing among the rocks. Occasionally I will walk along the beach path and check out the gulls and, in the right season, the terns who hang out on the sand. During the fall and spring migrations over 200 species of birds have been observed including several endangered and threatened species like the California least tern and the snowy plover. 

Just east of Del Rey Lagoon Park is the Ballona Wetlands which consists of both brackish and freshwater marshes as well as a riparian area. The sensitive estuarine and brackish areas are only open for visitation by appointment or during schedules community events. See the Friends of Ballona website for more details regarding community events or visits. The Freshwater marsh and riparian zone are open to the public. You can enter this portion of the wetlands at the corner of Jefferson and Lincoln east of Playa Del Rey. Since Playa Del Rey and the Ballona Freshwater marsh are so close to LAX, I will often visit here before or after picking up friends or family from the airport.

A Curious Squirrel at the Park

Sciurus niger

Del Rey Lagoon Park

Playa Del Rey, California

February 19th, 2011

After a successful day of counting birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count, we were sitting in the park when this curious fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) came toward us. It was very tame and I suspect was used to getting snacks from passersby. I was able to get in quite close to the squirrel and take several photos of  before it scurried up a nearby tree.

The fox squirrel (S. niger) is actually not native to Southern California. Historically the squirrel's range was the Eastern United States, where it inhabited the interface of the deciduous forests and the prairies. Today it can be found as a common inhabitant of urban and suburban areas throughout the Eastern United States and has been introduced to California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. 

According to Julie L. King (2004), the fox squirrel was introduced to Los Angeles around 1904. The story goes that residents of the Sawtelle Veterans' Home brought several of these squirrels from the Mississippi Valley to their Veterans' Home. These squirrels subsequently escaped captivity or were purposely set free. Over the last 100 years, their population grown and their range has expanded east to San Dimas, north into the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valley, west toward Oxnard, and South as far as Newport Beach. Scientists are concerned that this expansion may be displacing the native western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus). 

below is a bonus image of this curious little squirrel.

The Charismatic "Mesofauna" of Bolsa Chica

Spermophilus beecheyi

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

May 29th, 2010

On my way back to the car from my birding trip to Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, I came across this very charismatic Beechey Ground Squirrel. I couldn't resist stopping and taking a few photographs. The squirrel was so photogenic I had to insert another memory card to finish the shoot. I couldn't believe how tame this squirrel was, normally they are quite shy and run into the scrub as soon they see you.

There are 23 species of ground squirrels and 119 recognized subspecies in the United States. Throughout California there are at least 5 native species, with one source listing as many as 18 (including subspecies). The Beechey Ground Squirrel (or California Ground Squirrel) is the most common species observed in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. 

Since this squirrel was so charismatic I have included a few bonus images below.

Nesting Terns at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Sterna antillarum browni

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

May 29th, 2010

This weekend I went birding at one of my favorite Southern California locations, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. The reserve is located just east of PCH and is bordered to the north by Warner Avenue and to the south by Seapoint Avenue. The reserve consists of approximately 1,200 acres of wetlands and several miles of trails. It is an amazing place to bird. Historically over 320 species of birds have been spotted here, with many, including terns, plovers, and herons nesting in the reserve. I have personally observed over 50 species between the months of February and May this year alone. If you would like to learn more about the ecological reserve or plan your own birding trip click here.

The California Least Tern (Sterna antillarum browni) is one of three least tern subspecies that breed in North America. All three of which are listed as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act. One of the reasons they are endangered is that they nest along the sandy shoreline and have to compete with humans for territory. As their preferred nesting locations disappear, they have been forced to nest on  flat gravel roofs of building, or in mudflats. Unfortunately these nesting locations are not ideal, a roof can heat up causing tar to seep through the gravel sticking to fledgling birds, and mudflats can make the birds more prone to predation. Additionally, over-crowding of ideal nesting locations can also make the birds more vulnerable to predation. 

Since 1970, when the California Least Tern was listed as an endangered species, conservations efforts have been somewhat successful. The population has grown from 225 nesting pairs to over 6,561 pairs recorded in 2004. Biologists though, are still worried that the distribution of the species is limited and without future management may not be viable. With an increase in public awareness and future conservation efforts maybe these little terns will have a better chance.