A visit to Idyllwild California

This weekend we visited some friends in Idyllwild California.  Here is some of what I saw around the cabin and on a hike.

Stellar's Jay

Stellar's Jay

Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskins

Pine Siskin

Tahquitz Peak

Furcraea foetida, a close relative of the agave!

This plant sent up a tall bloom stalk in the past month.  The base of the plant is about 8-9 feet wide but it is hard to see as it is among a bunch of brush on the hillside.  The bloom stalk is about 25+ feet tall.  At first I thought it was another agave, but the blooms were different than the other agave's.  After some research I believe this is Furcraea foetida, which is a close relative of the agave.  It is grown for it's hemp fiber.

Furcrae foetida

Furcrae foetida

This is looking out the kitchen window and down.  You can see the top of Furcrae foetida, but not the base.

Base of Furcrae foetida.  This plant is about 8-9 feet wide.

Black Phoebe

It's been years since I have seen a Black Phoebe and never near the house.  My other sightings have been at Ellwood Beach near the Monarch Butterfly preserve.  Today I looked out into the garden and saw a pair of them.  They have decided to visit the foothills!

Black Phoebe

Here is a picture of a begonia bloom taken with my digital microscope, along with more pictures of the digital microscope setup. I'm having a lot of fun with this.

Digital Microscope with Digital Bloom

Digital Microscope with Digital Bloom

Digital Microscope with Digital Bloom

Digital Microscope with Digital Bloom

Up Close, Begonia Hazel's Front Porch!

I have a new digital microscope and took some close up pictures of a couple of begonia blooms.  First here is the plant, begonia Hazel's Front Porch.

 

Begonia Hazel's Front Porch

Here is the female bloom.

Begonia Hazel's Front Porch - female bloom

Now a picture of the female bloom with the digital microscope.

Begonia Hazel's Front Porch - female bloom

Now here is a picture of the male bloom.

Begonia Hazel's Front Porch - male bloom

And a close up from the digital microscope.

Begonia Hazel's Front Porch - male bloom

The Top of the Agave is Blooming!

The top of the Agave Salmiana is now blooming and the lower branches have seed pods.  The hummingbirds and bees are still busy in the blooms at the top.

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

White-Crowned Sparrows

The White-Crowned Sparrows have arrived!

Coleus!

Mike has been growing a lot of Coleus this year. This is my favorite.

Coleus

The Agave is Withering

All of the energy in the base of the agave is going into the blooms. You can see the leaves are getting scorched and are withering.

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Agave Salmiana

Last night's activity at the birdbath. A skunk, opossum and a house cat!

Red-shoulder Hawks

This morning I saw a pair of Red-shoulder Hawks in the eucalyptus tree.

Red-shouldered Hawk

California Thrasher Returns!

It's been six years since I have seen a California Thrasher and I was beginning to think they were never coming back.  However today I heard an unusual bird call and it turned out to be a California Thrasher.  They are easy to identify as they have a long beak.

California Thrasher

California Thrasher