Fire in the Sky

No, I'm not referring to the Russian meteorite.

My fireball was much smaller.

Yesterday, for my Valentines Day, I almost took an amorous Allen's Hummingbird in the face.

I was near the coast, exploring some excellent maritime chaparral, and as I sidled in to get a macro of a lovely pink-flowering currant - in comes an orange lightning bolt.

Within 12 inches of my face.

This was a surprise for two reasons - one, that I was almost bird-brained, and the other - that Allen's are back in town. Unlike Anna's, Allen's don't reside in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but only visit each spring to nest. So their return is always a treat.
 
And it also meant his fly-by was, of course, hummingbird-speak for "back off jack - that's my bush."

Now, you wouldn't think an Allen's would view a lanky human like me as much of a threat.

But I don't think it was me he was after. I believe his territorial fury was aimed at my Panny point-and-shoot, which, as you can see, has a metallic-orange color remarkably similar to Allen's own. And thus could be mistaken for a competing male.


My Allen's orange Panny point-and-shoot (self portrait)

Unfortunately, I didn't have the right camera for chasing birds yesterday, so couldn't photograph the little devil. But, I have enjoyed Allen's with a long lens several times in the past. So here's a few photos of another fine fellow from a couple of years back to commemorate their return, and allow a color comparison.


Allen's Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin, giving me stink-eye and fuzz-beak






"Come back again and I will ruffle my feathers at you a second time..."

And here's those native pink-flowering currants. Well worth fighting over.


Pink-flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum

And that nice northern California coastal scrub, aka maritime chaparral:


California maritime chaparral near Half Moon Bay

Ah - spring in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The grass is green, and there's fire in the sky.

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References:

• Cornell University of Ornithology - All About Birds - Allen's Hummingbird
• Wikipedia - Allen's Hummingbird
• Wikipedia - Chaparral
• Jepson eFlora - Ribes sanguineum var glutinosum

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Eucalyptus Bob

Here's an odd one for ya.

At a cam trap in the Santa Cruz Mountains, just 3 days after I left it, a wind storm whipped a 4-foot branch off of a nearby Eucalyptus tree. Which fell on the camera. Smack on top. Now, I always appreciate camouflage help, but this also resulted in a twig of leaves in front of the lens. That then moved around, triggered the motion-sensor, and quickly shot out the camera.

However - hidden within the hundreds of wasted photos of wiggling Euc leaves, is this wild series of a bobcat coming to visit.

And now I'm stuck with the question - why? Was it a residual scent left on the cam trap from prior use? Or, do bobcats like the aroma of wet Blue Gum, Eucalyptus globulus? It is the species used to extract Eucalyptus oils for innumerable products and medicines.

Or, was bob just trying to do us a solid and pull the branch off the camera, but failed?

What do you all think?





















Hopefully we'll see this bob again. But next time without the screen.

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References:

• Wikipedia - Eucalyptus globulus

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