North Etiwanda Preserve, California

I joined the Pomona Valley Audubon Society for a trip to North Etiwanda Preserve in San Bernardino Co., California. 

 

It was a very good day for birding, the sky was blue and the air was perfect.  The high light for me birding wise was seeing a Black Chinned Sparrow, a life bird for me.  It was too far away for me to get a good photo but take my word for it, it was pretty cool. As we were looking for the the Black Chinned we spotted these Mule Deer in the distance.

The preserve is typical chaparral habitat.  I see plants that are native to chaparrals but this was the first time I had actually visited a true chaparral.  There were so many different sages but this one that someone pointed out to me was like an old friend.  It is often used in Native American rituals to purify places and yourself.  I burned in my house when I first moved in to remove the energy of the people who lived there before me. 

Everywhere I saw this beautiful purple bush, Chaparral Whitethorn (Ceanothus leucodermis).

Another beautiful purple flower was Mojave lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus). 

One of the other birders pointed out the unique characteristic of lupine leaves that are like a flower themselves.

These little California Sun Cups (Camissoniopsis bistorta) reminded me of the buttercups I find in my yard in West Virginia.

I thought this Fiddleneck (Amsickia intermedia) was beautiful.

Here is another plant that has bladder like pods on it but I haven’t found the name yet.

Besides the life bird the other exciting species I found was a Bramble Hairstreak (Callophrys dumetorum-perflexa).  I have seen green moths but this was my first truly green butterfly.  Isn’t it wonderful?

Another beautiful day in Southern California.