Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Critters

Live Eagle Cam

NestWe have gone to Catalina Island many times over the last ten or eleven years and just last year, we looked up and saw a bald eagle in flight high over Avalon. That was in September of 2008. Prior to that, the eagles were few and far between on the island, but these days they are making a comeback.

I was just thrilled today when I found a link on the Daily Breeze that took me to a live web camera of a nest of Bald Eagles. I watched for a very long time and could see one of the parents in the nest and could see the wobbly eaglets bobbing around – they were so CUTE!

Go here and watch them in the nest – disclaimer – daylight hours in California are currently from about 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM PDT (13:30 to 02:30 GMT).

23 Apr 2009 by California Critters

Springtime Butterfly

butterflyI was at Mom’s today enjoying a nice spring day outside in her yard. She has a lantana bush that attracts bees and butterflies. Eventually, a butterfly came and browsed Mom’s bush for nectar. It fluttered off for a few moments and came back for more.

I took a lot of pictures while the butterfly visited the flowers. This (IMHO) is the best of the lot. Click the image to enlarge.

I just LOVE springtime!

And my Warthog.

07 Apr 2009 by Critters Environment Home & Garden

Spring Hummingbird

Last week when I was over at my Mom and Dad’s place, I spotted this little hummingbird gathering nectar from Mom’s miniature orchids. He was seemingly unafraid of me when I grabbed the camera and took several shots of him, this one being the best of the lot. Sorry, no larger image since I had to crop this close-up at the original pixel density.

hummer-at-moms.jpg

21 Mar 2009 by Critters Home & Garden

The Bear Lair

This is the very first time we have taken Bear, our 10-year old Shepard/Lab mix, on a vacation with us. At first, we worried how she would take to the motion and the ever-changing environment. Our worries were quickly dispelled when she adopted the spot between the driver and passenger seats in the cab of the motorhome. She rode there, slept there and ate there the whole trip.

bear-lair.jpg

She was especially good at taking care of business at the dog walks and seemed to enjoy exploring all the new sights, sounds and smells. We’re already planning our next trip to include our old friend and new traveling companion.

31 Dec 2008 by Critters Travel

First Ride in the Convertible

bear-bertable2.jpgLately, we have been getting ‘Bear’ our G-Shep/Lab mix dog accustomed to riding along with us from time to time. We’re hoping that she will get used to it so when we take our winter cruise in the motor home, she will be mellow and not hyper.

Today, she rode along with me while we were on an errand, and her mood was somewhere between hyper and mellow. She had never been in my Sebring convertible prior to today; she was very good with it and seemed to enjoy it a lot.

Click the thumbnail for a larger image.

12 Dec 2008 by California Critters Travel

Firestorm Caused by a Bird?

orange-sun.jpgA Local brush fire is now under control, but not before the smoke nearly blotted out the sun. Fine, white ashes continue to fall here, even after sunset. This is how the sun looked mid-afternoon from the back yard. Click to enlarge.

SoCal Edison blamed the fire on a bird. From the Daily Breeze:

Firefighters mopped up the remnants of a 10-acre brush fire this afternoon that briefly threatened the Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall earlier in the day.

Unlike fires raging elsewhere in Southern California, the one on the Palos Verdes Peninsula was put out quickly. It took about 100 firefighters and two helicopters about an hour to extinguish it, authorities said.

The fire was reported at 11:02 a.m. It burned in a canyon near Hawthorne Boulevard and Palos Verdes Drive South.

“It started to go to the city yard,” said Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Jeff Vroomes. “That was our priority. We made an aggressive attempt to get in front of it.”

No homes were immediately threatened.

Southern California Edison officials determined the fire was caused by a bird that landed on power lines. After being killed by electricity and catching fire, the animal fell into the dry brush, Vroomes said.

15 Nov 2008 by Critters Current Events Environment

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