Holler Creatures~

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, Coyotes, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life218 Comments

Look at those ears! This watcher caught me unaware through the window at dawn. I shot him through double paned glass in the rain. Holler coyotes are quite bold now, coming through our fences before dawn and hanging out. This is a sub-adult, so I suspect he dug under the fences.

You can see he is bold, made and held eye contact, even while I grabbed my camera case, pulled out my camera, removed the lens cap, and got a few shots.

Since he didn’t back off, I opened the door, and walked after him. He sashayed off after I yelled.

This guy in Death Valley also stood his ground, but he was not challenging, more interested.

He sashayed off too.

These are more Holler sub-adult coyote siblings. The one who stared at me also has a sibling. All four are about the same age, sub-adult.

This is an adult. Coyotes and Grey Wolves may be the only ‘pure’ wild canine species still surviving in North America. Most other wolf species have at least some coyote DNA.

Red Wolves, for example, share 75% of their DNA with coyotes. For more on this read: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/distinctions-blur-between-wolf-species#:~:text=Red%20wolves%20contain%20about%2075,to%2050%20percent%20coyote%20ancestry.

There are also a lot of Ceonothus Silk Moths at The Holler right now. Ceonothus is lilac. We live in Lilac California, named after the wild lilacs that grow profusely here. Ceonothus Moths lay their eggs on wild lilac. They have a wing span of up to five inches, have no mouth, live only a matter of days and only live to reproduce.

They are calm and beautiful creatures who are not afraid of humans.

Cheers to you from The Holler Creatures~

A Riot of Spring~

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, EXTERIOR & INTERIOR DESIGN, Flowers, GARDENING AT THE HOLLER, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, Psychological Self Care, REVERIES297 Comments

In rain soaked (tap to enlarge),

Southern California.

The Carlsbad Ranuculus Fields,

are a blooming,

glory.

Spring is dancing,

blooms are bursting,

plants are happy,

and birds are singing!

Sending California’s blooming beauties to you,

with Cheers and Hopes for Happy Spring ~

Predating Raptor~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life218 Comments

Panics the snow geese (Click/tap to enlarge),

driving them high in the sky,

into protective formation,

over The Salton Sea in Southern California.

When the threat passes,

the geese return,

to feast and float.

Smart Snow Birds,

head south for the winter,

to loaf in the sun,

and play in the sea.

They only fly north when the sun comes out!

Cheers to you from the sun loving snow geese at The Salton Sea~

Note: I am guessing the predating raptor is a Harrier Hawk, but welcome correction if wrong.

Avocets~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life247 Comments

in flight over The Salton Sea in Southern California. (Click/tap to enlarge)

A pair in breeding plumage,

reflecting fragile,

flying beauty.

We continue to be deluged,

by blessed rain and snow,

with still more forecasted.

Salton Sea is cleaner and fuller than I have ever seen,

making the wintering birds happy.

They are ready now,

for the arduous flight north to breed.

Cheers to you from The Salton Sea~

Flight~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Uncategorized, Wild Life264 Comments

Harris Hawks lift off from my glove,

soar straight up in the sky to fly,

and land precisely back with Jim.

Flying hawks is incredible.

Lethal precision hunters,

they are woe to birdies in the sky,

and critters fleeing on the ground.

They are savage beauties,

and magnificent creatures.

Cheers to you from the Harris Hawks~