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Bold and brilliant, these Scarlet Monkeyflowers (Diplacus puniceus) burn like twin torches among the chaparral. Native to Southern California, this species thrives in dry, rocky places where few others dare to bloom. Their fiery red petals and golden throats are more than eye-catching—they’re beacons for hummingbirds, who rely on their nectar. It’s nature’s version of a neon sign that reads: Feast here, pollinate later.
A Southern California bush rabbit, photographed in San Diego's Los Peñasquitos Canyon Reserve, displays the beauty and challenges of life in the wild. The visible ticks in its ear are a reminder of the interconnectedness between wildlife and human health, as these parasites can carry diseases like Lyme disease and rabbit fever.
Just off the trail were several of these mounds built by dusky-footed woodrats. They were typically three to four feet tall, sometimes taller - most over a meter. They are native to California.
These mounds typically contain a living space with other small spaces in which they store food, sometimes called 'pantry chambers".
Neotoma fuscipes are not closely related to the common rat, Ratus ratus, which is native to India/Pakistan. The Neotoma fuscipes have a similar appearance but have larger ears and eyes, softer coats, and furred tails. (For more see this inaturalist page on our Dusky-footed neighbors.)
In 1994 the FWS ranked this species as category 2, which they described as "Taxa for which information now in the possession of the Service indicates that proposing to list as endangered or threatened is possibly appropriate, but for which persuasive data on biological vulnerability and threat are not currently available to support proposed rules." ecos.fws.gov
Burning bush (Euonymus occidentalis) along the trail in the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, south of Half Moon Bay, CA.
Please, view large
Tule elk (wapiti) Cervus canadensis
Drake's Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Although it's not rutting season in January, the male elk have taken to adorning themselves with red and yellow moss. They seem to like the way it looks on their antlers.
To learn more of the story of the restoration of California's native elk to Point Reyes, click Viewing Tule Elk -- courtesy of the National Parks Service (www.nps.gov).