Guard-Daddy

     Below are a few weak illustrations of what we are seeing a couple places along the creek.  The bluegill will spawn from now until way through the summer. Before and after eggs have been placed in the creek bottom, the male will guard the nest diligently.  The nest featured here takes up about a square foot of cleaned gravel where the fish has removed all algae and the diatoms which make up most of the creamy white "scum" across the floor of the creek and the pool into which it flows.  These fish have chosen a spot right at the confluence of creek and pool, on the downstream side of a boulder.  The only other bluegill nest in the area likewise is situated on the downstream side of a boulder.
     The individual bluegill here is small, about five to six inches long, with aqua-blue lighting up where the sun shines on its fins and tail.  A faint reddish ring circles its eye.
     Most of the time, the male here is chasing away any other fish that swims close to the nest.  When it is not feeling threatened, it sometimes appears to stand up on its tail and flap it back and forth as if sweeping the nursery floor of silt.

The obscure view of a bluegill's nest, center of the photo.

Male Bluegill Guarding Its Nest

A short movie, featuring a nervous father protecting his childless nursery in the middle of a stream.

Up the hill from the Creek, we have had test holes dug where we hope to intall a septic tank and field.  This photo is meant to show the soft sandy loam down for about five feet where rounded river stones take over.

Still don't know what this fossil of leafy swirls might be. 

Within the Stonefiled near the Creek, hundreds of these sorts of rocks can be found.

More of the same riffle bugs.

The rear-end view of a honey bee feeding on water willow blossom.

Venus' Looking-glass (Triodanis perfoliata) 

The cricket frogs have taken on a greener color than when we saw them earlier in the season.

Dewberries almost ripe.

This is a difficult one, based solely on the photo.  It could be a Clippedwing Grasshopper (Metaleptea brevicornis) or a Cattail Toothpick Grasshopper (Leptysma marginicollis) or some other.  (Anybody have a suggestion?)  It was found in the short bushes near the west side of the Creek.

Spring Rush

It can be downright depressing just how quickly the details of springtime bud, blossom, and bust.  Throughout winter we anticipated the flowering of mountain laurel, peach, vetch, yucca, or spider wort, and then one spring day we find the flowers already mature and some of them fading.  Depressing, the rate of change across a limestone hillside or in the wet sands of a creekside.

A Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa Endl.) near the pond, though
many have been seen all the way up Whitman's Rough.

 "Although not a true buckeye, it is so called because of the similar large capsules and seeds. This distinct plant, alone in its genus, commemorates Baron Ferdinand von Ungnad, Austrian ambassador at Constantinople, who introduced the Horsechestnut into western Europe in 1576." (Thanks to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for their amazing Native Plant Database for sufficient information to identify and learn about this plant. http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=unsp)

The cricket frogs will seek a landing on her feet 

just as soon as they will take to a raft of algae or sunny a stone.

Pumped and hosed water for a fruit tree.

Blackberry.

Thanks to Ben and Emily for a beautiful visit, with plenty of wise advice and a swim in the pond.

Pond level down two inches.

The Difference Between a Photograph and a PHOTOGRAPH

Yesterday Harlin and Richard joined me down at The Creek to explore the under-rock world of larvae, the earliest of spring flowers, a thin layer of Smithwick shale, and other perfections.  When I bring a camera to The Creek, I take photographs.  But when Harlin brings his setup, he creates photographs. That's about all I can say of that.  See for yourself.

Crow Poison (Nothoscordum bivalve)

Mimulus-glabratus

Damsel fly larva

Blanchard's Cricket Frog (Acris-crepitans)

Right now these abundant frogs can be found sunning on bleached creek stones or snapping up insects atop rafts of algae.

Please click on the link below for the sound of male cricket frogs voicing their "advertisement." For females, obviously.  During the darker hours, and in the warmer seasons, their chirping sounds like small stones being tapped together, at first rather slowly, and then picking up speed.  And excitement.

http://www.californiaherps.com/sounds/acblanchardilong.mp3

Again, thank you, Harlin.  We beg for more.

The level of The Pond showed to be two inches down from Day 1.  Lowest level recorded yet.

No sign of the osprey.  I cannot help but think that my last sight of him was that moment several days ago when he flew into the highest trees this end of The Pond.