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DiRebecca

@direbecca.bsky.social

3K followers 590 following 2.4K posts

Nature pics are mine.💚 wife, mom, grandma, lez, army vet, california naturalist... https://www.inaturalist.org/people/direbecca sonoma county, ca.

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DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · Aug 7

Anna's Hummingbird nectaring on native California Fuchsia/Epilobium canum, which is very popular in my garden these days.💚

Plant info. here...
calscape.org/Epilobium-ca...

#Birds #NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #Pollinators #NaturePhotography #Bloomscrolling #iNat #OriginalContent 📷🌿🌱🪶

Close-up of metallic green-backed hummingbird with pollen on chin and beak, hovering above, and nectaring on bright red-orange tubular flowers. *Plant is very drought resistant with small, thin fuzzy leaves and woody stems. I cut mine back at the end of their long flowering season in late Fall. See Calscape.org link in main post for more info. and nursery sources.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 11h

Smoky #glow from NorCal Glass Fire, Sept. 2020.
#BlueSkyArtShow

Black leaves and stems in front of orange glowing sun.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 1d

#Juvenile Canada Goose being adorable last April for #BirdOfTheDay. 💚 #Birds

Close-up of fuzzy yellow and tan gosling among green grass.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 1d

American Robin was also enjoying Pacific Madrone berries this week on Sonoma Mtn. 💚

#FeatheredFriday #Birds #NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #Trees #NaturePhotos #iNat 📷🌱

Close-up of orange, grey and white bird perched on a branch, with ripening green and orange berries dangling in front of them.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

Oh, what kind of bird is that? Remember to have fun tomorrow... it's going to be wonderful! 🥰

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

Not yet, but I am ever hopeful. There is a garden with them a couple miles from me, so maybe some day.🤞

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

I've only gone a couple times for special events quite a few years ago, so I don't have good guidance on that. (I bought my California Pipevine plants from their plant sale the last time I was there, about 6 yrs. ago.)

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

P.S. As I look over sightings of them at this particular garden, April and May appear to be peak times to see both butterflies and caterpillars.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

Put this amazing garden on your list for a spring visit. They have tons of Pipevine and it gets very active there with butterflies and caterpillars in the spring. 💚

hallbergbutterflygardens.org

Hallberg Butterfly Gardens

hallbergbutterflygardens.org

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

Here's are their Bay Area sightings on iNaturalist, so it does appear that they are much less common in the South Bay, unfortunately.

Red squares on a Northern California map indicate observations of California Pipevine Swallowtails.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

#Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) for #BirdOfTheDay. 💚

#Birds #NaturePhotos #iNat 📷🪶

Close-up of medium-sized black and white bird with rufous side and red eye is perched on a conifer branch.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

You might enjoy this story...
www.oneearth.org/climate-hero...

Climate Hero: Tim Wong | One Earth

Meet the biologist who brought back the rare California pipevine swallowtail butterfly through a conservation project in his own backyard.

www.oneearth.org

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

Here they tend to be in riparian areas (even if just a run-off gully) with Pipevine. Over the years I've sought out Pipevine in wild lands, so I revisit those often in spring to watch for action. This late one was in woods near a creekside butterfly garden which gets thick with them in spring. 💚

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

Iridescent California Pipevine Swallowtail resting in a sunny spot in the woods this week. Their only host plant is California Pipevine (Aristolochia californica).💚

Plant info. here...
calscape.org/Aristolochia...

#InsectThursday #Butterflies #CaliforniaNativePlants #NaturePhotos #iNat 📷🌱

Close-up of large black butterfly with blue iridescence is perched on dry leaf.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks much 💚

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 3d

For #BirdOfTheDay, here is an American #Kestrel (Falco sparverius) from last October. Gorgeous #birds. 💚

Close-up of small brown, black and white bird-of-prey, perched on a lichen covered oak branch.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 3d

the words love this are surrounded by colorful hearts on a black background .

ALT: the words love this are surrounded by colorful hearts on a black background .

media.tenor.com

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 3d

One of many beautiful Cedar Waxwings who were eating Pacific Madrone berries this week.💚

Tree info. here...
calscape.org/Arbutus-menz...

#Birds #NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #iNat 📷🌱

Close-up of medium-sized light yellow, tan and black bird, perched on a woody madrone branch.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 4d

Best to be safe, for sure! They are often high up in the canopy, so not an easy fruit to get to either.
Here's a young Cedar Waxwing I saw munching some Madrone berries this week. There were more Waxwings, plus four other bird species in the tree as well...

Blurred brown striped bird with a black mask is perched on a branch behind a large dangling cluster of orange madrone berries.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 4d

For #TextureTuesday, here is a macro of a Pixie Cup lichen (Complex Cladonia chlorophaea) last week near the coast. 💚
#FungiFriends #Lichens #MacroPhotos #NaturePhotos #iNat 📷

Macro of lichen with tiny cup-shaped, light green fruiting bodies which are very grainy on their surface.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 4d

I've tried their ripe berries, and can attest that they are bland, but agree that they are a great draw for birdies. Here's more about them. 💚
extension.oregonstate.edu/news/grow-or...

Grow Oregon’s iconic madrone with care and patience

Madrones resist fussing — but thrive when planted wisely.

extension.oregonstate.edu

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 4d

Coast Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata var. ledebourii) last week in #PtReyes for #Twosday. 💚

Plant info. here...
calscape.org/Lonicera-inv...

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #NaturePhotos #iNat 📷🌱

Woody stem of bush with oval green leaves, red and black blooms and fruit, with blue sky background.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 5d

a picture of yoda with the words " absolutely yes , definitely " on it

ALT: a picture of yoda with the words " absolutely yes , definitely " on it

media.tenor.com

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 5d

Gulf Fritillary visited my volunteer sunflower this week.💚
#Butterflies #NaturePhotos 📷🌱

Orange with black butterfly feeding on a fresh sunflower bloom with blurred redwoods and blue sky in background.

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 6d

My pleasure, glad you're enjoying them. For this one I used my Canon PowerShot SX70 HS point-and-shoot. 💚

DiRebecca @direbecca.bsky.social · 6d

Beautiful Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini) pair this week.💚
#Butterflies #NaturePhotos #iNat #Inverts 📷🦋

Close-up of mating pair of black, brown, orange and white butterflies perched on green willow leaf.