Find of the Day

Took a nice hike through a dry meadow on Mt. Hough with my wife and our dog and uncovered one of my favorite critters, a blue-tailed skink. It's been over two weeks since I've posted, but I have managed to accumulate lots of photos from my several hikes per weeks during that time.  Have not posted for quite a wile due to some tech problems, but mostly due to a lack of time. The adjustment to online teaching during the stay-at-home order has been very challenging.  I miss the classroom interaction.
Meanwhile, spring is finally happening.  I define spring as the time when every day has more wildflowers blooming than the previous day. :)  A few weeks ago I was seeing only Filaree and Draba along the roadsides and trails.  Then the several species of yellow violets started to appear. A real treat earlier in the week was a beautiful blooming peony in the middle of a remote dirt road near Oakland Camp. As the soil warms and the days get longer, many species, especially in the lily, buttercup, and mustard families, are poking up through the soil.  In the coming days I hope to post more regularly again.
By the way, if you see a skink like the one above, please resist the urge to catch it.  No danger to you, but they will often spontaneously shed their tail in order to escape while you (or some other predator) eat their tail.  Then they spend the season growing a new tail rather than reproducing.  Not enough energy for both.  This one was hiding under a large piece of bark.  When I exposed him, I let him escape into the nearby rotten tree trunk.  Luck to get the shot.