An Overdue Visit to the Laguna

 

It's been almost a year since I was last in the Laguna. I have no idea what kept me from visiting for such a long time, since this is a place I always enjoy when I'm there. So a couple weeks ago I finally decided to go there again.

It was an overcast morning, typical for many summer mornings in my corner of the world. I chose to walk the Laguna Wetland Preserve Trails.

Right at the beginning I noticed that one of the old and majestic oaks had fallen over. I assume this happened during the partly very wet winter we had. But what was this? There were things hanging from the branches of the fallen tree, and when I got closer I realized that these were some fiber creations. After I had returned home I did some research and found out that this art installation is called "A House without a Key" and was created by artist Melissa Jones. This is her Master's thesis project and consists of several elaborately knitted pod-like hanging structures that look vaguely like the nests of the Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)

Just a few days ago, the art installation mysteriously disappeared. Maybe someone mistook it for yarn bombing, which the artist says it definitely wasn't, and just took the "nests" down. It should be noted here that this wasn't a "wild" installation but it was put up with the approval of Public Works. Maybe someone took them down because they were concerned about the well-being of our local songbirds since yarn can pose a hazard to songbirds.

Maybe it would have helped if there had been a text or explanation next to the tree. There wasn't.

The Laguna Wetland Preserve Trail is my favorite trail in the Laguna. Less people walk here and it is full of life with little critters and birds. The Laguna de Santa Rosa is one of California's richest freshwater wetlands. Bald eagles, river otters, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and over 200 species of birds depend on the Laguna for food and shelter. It is an important feeding and resting stopover on the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory route for birds.

It is also home to many wildflowers. Wild Carot aka Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) is abundant, both still in its bloom and as beautiful seed heads.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is just as common and easily recognizable by its sky blue color.

Together with Wild Carot it makes a beautiful display.

There was still some Shortpod Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana), but the season for them was definitely coming to its end.

This is Bristly Oxtongue (Helminthotheka echioides), a plant I was unaware of until then. It looks splendid past its prime. It's a non-native invasive plant with yellow flowers. It seems that all the plants I saw that day are non-natives.

The following, however, is a native, our beautiful California Wild Rose (Rosa californica) and its rosehips.

These beautiful seedpods belong to Wild Radish (Raphanus sativus), an aggressive non-native invasive plant in the mustard family. It is actually quite beautiful in bloom with white and soft pink flowers. 

I was wondering why nothing is being done to control non-native plants in this area, and I can only think that this is done either on purpose or they just don't have enough staff. Having to work with not enough staff unfortunately is a problem that many of these places (like our regional and state parks, not to mention the National Parks) have to deal with. It is certainly not carelessness.

Another invasive plant we're all familiar with is Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Beautiful though.

A little critter (I assume) has made this place its home.

I like how fallen trees - most of them native oaks - are left in place where they can slowly decompose and still offer so much (food and shelter) to the wildlife.

Beside the Mourning Dove in the picture above I saw and heard Bewick's Wrens, White-tailed Kites,  Black Phoebes, House Finches, Song Sparrows, Lesser Goldfinches, California Quails, a Nuttall's Woodpecker, Spotted Towhees, Bushtits and of course American Crows.

It was a splendid morning!

The flower faces are for Nicole's Friday Face Off, but for those who prefer more "human"-like faces, I have these three guys:

A Much Needed Little Outing

 

Before getting Nature Deficit Disorder because of my stupid leg, last Tuesday I decided to go and sit by a lake - not "my" lake, but a smaller lake nearby. Yes, I still can't walk for very long (but the good news is that I'll start PT next week), but I knew that at this lake the benches aren't too far away from the parking lot. I chose a bench in the shade and when I looked up I saw myself sitting across from this little guy, a beautiful Black-crowned Night Heron.

A moment later this large family of Canada Geese (with many well behaved adolescents) was swimming by.

Suddenly a Domestic Goose turned up right beside me. I have huge respect of Domestic Geese, but to my relief this one wasn't interested in me at all.

There were two ducks standing on the rocks below the surface of the water and busily preening. I'm not sure what they are - the white one might be a White Muscovy Duck, but I couldn't find anything about the brownish-black and white one to the left. Some suggestions said Magpie Duck, but the images I saw looked different. Maybe David can solve this puzzle.

The Black-crowned Night Heron was still sitting there. Look at the beautiful reflection in the water.

Another puzzle came swimming by - maybe a Domestic Mascovy Duck?

Some of the Canada Geese came closer to the shore while my little feathered friend was preening himself.

But then they decided they wanted to go to the small island on the other side.

Someone was standing guard on a rock in front of that island.

I think this California Ground Squirrel has almost a repraochful expression, don't you agree?

It was getting hot, the heron had taken off by then, so it was time for me to head home as well.

The day before, I had a different animal encounter, right at our front door. I first saw only this:

It made me stop and go very slowly and quietly to the kitchen door from where I could see the Red Fox, but she couldn't see me. It was such a magic moment!

And if you need a human face for Nicole's Friday Face Off, here is mine, right after my lovely neighbor cut my hair again last week. Unfortunately, my hair grows quickly and since I dislike hair on the nape of my neck, especially when it is sweaty and wet, I need more frequent hair cuts. How was I able to tolerate long hair all those years? (bottom photo, taken in 2018)

At the Lake Again

 

This week I walked around the lake again, in the company of good friends. The weather has been sunny, but breezy and not very warm, but perfect for walking. The lake was very still which made for beautiful reflections in the water.

These two Canada Geese were busy with their morning hygiene routine.

Suddenly there was rapid movement on the lake. Thankfully my friend Kris was fast enough to capture a picture of a Red-winged Blackbird and what I think is a Green Heron.

A little bit further down the lake another Canada Goose was swaggering along the dock.

My favorite tree... crooked, of course, and with lots of Poison Oak growing up its trunk.

We thought this tree has a face and looks like a rhino.

Along Fisherman's Trail we saw this beauty, a Black-Crowned Night Heron.

There are so many beautiful places at the lake. We are so very fortunate to have this here.

When we left, the Canada Geese were still busy with preening.

This post's tree and bird faces are for Nicole's Friday Face Off.

December Reflections

 

Like every December I participated in Susannah Conway's December Reflections on Instagram. It is a good way for me to reflect on the year, go through my photos and just take it a bit slow. Sometimes I feel the prompts are not really for me, but funny enough I always come up with something.

Here are my 31 photos. There are quite some faces to see and they, of course, are for Nicole's Friday Face Off.

There are a couple photos I want to say a few sentences about.

Day 24 was "patience". How do you express this in one photo? I was a bit lost first, but then I thought of my mom who loved to do jigsaw puzzles. There was a specific one of a painting by Albrecht Altdorfer, "The Battle of Alexander at Issus".

We had that as a puzzle of 1500 pieces and every year we would put it together between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Well, it was my mom who did most of it, but we all loved to help and find those pieces that just seem to disappear and then magically reappear right before you. This painting is probably the one I know best. When the puzzle was finally finished, it would be left on the table for a couple days and then put apart again and back into the box until the following Christmas.

Here is my mom working on a different puzzle (I think this was the English countryside):

Day 25's prompt was "memories". That is a wide open field. I chose a photo of my family - i.e. my husband and daughter, and my parents. This was taken during one of our visits back home. Staying with Omi and Opi was always special for Kaefer and I am so glad that she has these memories of happy, careless times with them. Both my parents adored her and she in turn adored her grandparents.

One last photo, for the prompt "birds", day 5. I had taken this photo of a Black-crowned Night Heron at the lake on a very foggy day when the lake was very still. The bird - one of my most favorites - is also perfectly still (that could have worked for "patience" as well) and the picture seems to be all grey in different shades. But there is the tip of the branch the heron is sitting on that has some light color as well as some slightly lighter part on the heron's chest where one solitary dappled ray of sun has hit. Not a masterpiece, but an image that truly reflects that morning.

I want to thank you, my wonderful readers, for reading my blog, leaving thoughtful comments and getting in touch outside of my blog. Thank you to those who checked in after our very forceful storms in the last week. And thank you for taking up with my sometimes weird English expressions that are colored by German.

To all of you I wish a happy and healthy 2026.