Favoritos de merav

This may be the first record for western Fresno County in the San Joaquin Desert. There is a Fresno County record in the California Moth Specimen Database from Kaiser Pass (~9200' in the Sierra Nevada). Last year I also found the species in similar habitat in eastern San Benito County. There are other records west of the San Joaquin Valley in Del Puerto Canyon, Mt. Hamilton, and Mt. Diablo. This individual is in very fresh condition and has by far the lightest forewing overscaling I've ever seen.

Such strange antlers!

I saw one similar to this last season and reported it to the park authorities:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149359558

Here's the response I got from Natural Resource Program (SCC Parks):
"Deer can have misshaped antlers for several reasons: trauma to the antler growth points, trauma to other parts of the body, hormone imbalances, genetics, and disease. It is difficult to know what the cause is without blood testing. I am not aware of any current outbreaks of concern in the Bay Area's deer populations, but I have forwarded your photos onto CA Fish and Wildlife just in case. They monitor disease and the overall health of dee populations in California."

Here's the response I got from a CAFW wildlife biologist on 5/17/23:
"These bucks have peruke (look it up on the Internet) most likely due to some dysfunction or lack of production of testosterone. No cause for concern about spread of diseases and is best just to let them live out their lives. This condition is not rare."

References:

• https://meridian.allenpress.com/jwd/article-abstract/58/1/222/473763/Investigation-into-Causes-of-Antler-Deformities-in?redirectedFrom=fulltext
• https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/health_program/docs/Cactus_buck_Q_and_A.pdf
• https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/species/disease/pdfs/peruke_antlers_poster.pdf

(Los Cochas Ridge Trail)

It looks like Witches’ Broom but it’s on Toyon. I’ve seen this elsewhere @norikonbu @nancyasquith . I saw it on Toyons at Waterdog Lake I think? Will have to check. I can’t find other references. There was a lot on this particular tree.

California newts breeding in an old water cistern.

@merav, I saw at least 4 newts in this water cistern. I was told by Midpen that newts wouldn't breed in artificial environments like this, but I've seen mating pairs and eggs in this cistern every season for the past 5 years. I wish the mitigation team would build more of these so the newts wouldn't have to cross the road to breed.

The cistern has about 2 ft. of water in the bottom. I wonder how long before the water evaporates and I wonder if the babies have time to develop before that happens?

The following pictures were taken at the cistern. I'm going to obscure the location to protect the newts, but I'll be happy to give you directions.

• https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148828070
• https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148828069
• https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148828068

A few small ones were recently washed ashore. Maybe one every 10 metres. Sail direction is right.
Imaged in my aquarium. The hydroid structures are so amazing. The hydroids were covered in brown particles, I think these are the juvenile medusa waiting to bud.

~1-2cm across

Somewhere during a brief stop, ant trail pops out of one side of the road.

The trail is well organised, while each individual is seeing carrying dead termites.

Someone said the ants are returning from a night raid of a nest, and those are the spoils of war.

The trail is visibly finite, unlike typical trails I've encountered.

And the ants, feeling threatened as I closed in with my device, make a light humming and move rhythmically in response.

This is one of the most interesting thing I've witnessed in the natural world.