Uploads from mrnickon

White-crowned sparrow

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 20:07:07 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

American white pelican

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 20:07:06 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

These birds are so big it takes 10-15 yards of hopping and flapping to get airborne, but once they do those big wings get going and it's cruising from then on.

American white pelican

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:28:51 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

American white pelican

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:19:28 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Brown pelican doing pouch stretch

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:09:31 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

They usually do this after grooming.

American white pelican

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:09:30 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Made my first pilgrimage of the season to Bolsa Chica. By pilgrimage I mean getting up at 6, driving 30 miles, then trudging with the equipment the mile or so each way from the lagoon. But it was worth it. The white pelicans were very beautiful in the early morning light and a brown pelican entertained me with a pouch stretch.

Eastern buckmoth

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:36:35 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Hemileuca maia

Eastern buckmoth

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:36:34 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Hemileuca maia

Eastern buckmoth

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:36:33 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Hemileuca maia

Imperial moth larva

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 10:40:37 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

"dont' touch me!!"

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 17:40:22 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Imperial moth caterpillars
These things thrash about wildly if touched.

Ssysphinx silkmoth pupa

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 14:52:25 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

I caught this pupa just emerging from it's larval skin still green and with the lateral stripe like the caterpillar. It will soon darken & harden. The pupae remind of a curious toy we had as boys. It was made by Mattel and had a press to press creatures (dinosaurs?) into blocks. Then you put the block into a chamber (heat?) and the creatures limbs unfolded again. Kind of like Transformers.

Silkworm caterpillars

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:09:34 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

I think these are Ssysphinx montana or similar species. I had eggs from 2 species but not sure which survived. Host plant is Acacia farnesiana. I was able to get small saplings from the local native plant store although it is not native to California. They didn't turn out as big as I thought they would. That was good because I don't have a big supply of host plant yet.

Smerinthus jamaicensis

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:49:04 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Twin-spotted sphinx moth. Mating pair. Begin to mate the very night of adult emergence from the pupa. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get them to open their wings and expose the eyespots on the hind wings like the silkworm moths do.

Smerinthus jamaicensis

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:49:03 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

I was very excited when my pupae I reared started to hatch. As soon as it gets dark they pop out.

Calleta moth caterpillar

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:49:01 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Calleta moth caterpillar

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:49:00 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Calleta moth caterpillars

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:48:59 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

Calleta moth cocoons

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:48:58 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

California native bee

nobody@flickr.com (mrnickon) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:04:31 -0700

mrnickon posted a photo:

I'm not experienced enough to identify bees from photos but after a little research on the net I'm assuming these are Anthophora urbana. Grooming rubbing legs together and over antennae & eyes.