Even during the hot months with lots of the vegetation going brown and dormant, Lake Hodges always has something interesting to shoot.
A quick update on the Monarchs. We still have one chrysalis currently forming and have had several successful transformations. This photo is one of the early season butterflies..
One of the smaller butterflies that can be found around Lake Hodges is the Striped Blue. Blue? Where? See below
Butterflies are remarkable. This is the same species of butterfly as above but with it’s wings open and from a different angle.
Another tiny butterfly, or should I say, 3 tiny butterflies 🙂 Western Pygmy Blues.
From one of the smallest in the region to one of the largest. The Western Tiger Swallowtail.
One of the signs that the hot summer is truly in full swing – Naked Ladies. These non-native flowers pop up around this time each year and are a welcome blast of color in an otherwise brown and dry underbrush
They have an interesting life cycle. Growing from a bulb, they produce their main green strap-like leaves earlier in the year when there is plenty of rain water to sustain growth. These leaves die off completely before the stalks emerge with flowers later in the summer.
Since I’m often first on the trail when walking, running or cycling in the early morning I often have the misfortune of being the spider web catcher…. Luckily, the Silver Garden Spiders don’t usually weave their webs across the trail. In one particular area there are a approximately a dozen of different sizes.
Theys are renowned for their bold lightning shaped strands in their webs. Keep your eyes peeled, you may see them while walking the trails.
Usually at this time of year I’ll take a trip into the local mountains for a break from the heat. One of my favorite birds that can be found in virtually all of the mountains of California is the Steller’s Jay. I was (un)…lucky enough to be woken up each morning by the loud squawks of a recently fledged juvenile that was still finding it easier to beg than pick up it’s own food 🙂
Steller’s Jays aren’t the only strikingly blue animals in the local mountains. I found hundreds of these Common Blue Damselflies at one of the mountain ponds.
And a close up when off the water.
Hummingbirds are very adaptable and Anna’s Humingbirds can be found at altitudes above 6000′
Sorry for the graphic nature of this photo but I reluctantly feel it’s time to highlight a problem that the Lake consistently faces. Fishing is a huge recreational pastime for millions of people and as such there are thousands of unintended caualties of which Lake Hodges has it’s fair share. This beautiful Clark’s Grebe succumbed to a fishing hook that ended up lodged in it’s esophagus.
I am not trying to apportion blame, but simply informing you that this problem exists. I don’t imagine any fisherman would willfully set out to ensnare a bird, but accidents happen and it is for this reason that the volunteer group Kayaking for the Birds, (KFTBs), exists. This group of dedicated volunteers, of which I am the lead, actively scours the lake for fishing line, hooks and trash on certain closed days. We are happy to do it, but are required by the City of San Diego to be insured. And insurance policies aren’t free. We have been fortunate to be under the umbrella of The Friends of Lake Hodges. So if you have the time please follow the link and get involved. – https://secure.givelively.org/donate/friends-of-lake-hodges.
And a follow up from the previous link. As a board member of the non-profit, Friends of Lake Hodges, I’m pleased to anounce our first fundraiser on Sept 7th. However, there are only a handful of tickets left so if you are interested in attending I suggest following the link on the flyer asap.
Please contact me directly by email if interested in heading out on the Lake or walking the area for any photography or videography. The Lake has only a limited number of days each week / season open for boating. Walking and hiking is accessible any day, 365 days a year. Feel free to share on your preferred Social Media, and subscribe at the foot of this page.
Until next month
