I love what I do and I would never change it, but it can be so depressing.. sick to my stomach as BUOW continue to be extirpated from the Inland San Bernardino Valley area…

Pink and white flower clusters of the Bear Lake Buckwheat (Eriogonum microthecum var. lacus-ursi).

Bear Lake Buckwheat with predominantly white flowers.

A few photos from last weeks Bear Lake Buckwheat survey. This species is currently undergoing review to determine if they should be officially protected under CESA. I mean.. they totally should.. they can only be found, and I mean only location, in this small parcel in Big Bear. #conservation

Selfie of myself with the Santa Margarita River seen below within the canyon.

Looking upstream of the Santa Margarita River.

Upstream view of the Santa Margarita River.

Looking down at the canyon where the Santa Margarita River flows.

Work morale continues to be a struggle for many of us on the conservation side of things. So, last week a few of us at work decided to visit the Santa Margarita River- the last natural perennial river in SoCal as a reminder that there are still areas to protect and that beauty is still out there.

Unfollowing. It’s apparent that WaPo does not represent “Freedom of Speech”. Firing a journalist for directly quoting what that man said is disgusting and against the first amendment. You have become an unreliable news source, it’s no wonder you guys have lost viewership/members over the years.

NOP comment period ends tomorrow!

If there was a time to put in the effort and protect our environment especially in SoCal- now is it! A huge development is in the NOP process, adjacent to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area! I strongly encourage those who can to comment and to spread the message!

www.moreno-valley.ca.us/cdd/pdfs/pro...

An adult Canada Jay perched in a spruce tree. This is a songbird with medium grey wings, a long medium grey tail, a pale grey chest and head, and a black cap. It has black eyes and a short, cute black bill.

A fledgling Canada jay perched in a spruce tree that's heavily covered in lichen. This is a dark grey songbird with a long tail and a slightly paler grey chest. It has black eyes and a short, pink bill with a black tip.

An adult Canada jay in a spruce with a fledgling begging in the background. The adult jay is a songbird with medium grey wings, a long medium grey tail, a pale grey chest and head, and a black cap. It has black eyes and a short, cute black bill. The fledgling is entirely dark grey with a slightly paler grey chest and a short, pink bill with a black tip.

A fledgling Canada jay perched in a spruce tree. This is a dark grey songbird with a long tail and a slightly paler grey chest. It has black eyes and a short, pink bill with a black tip.

Canada Jays are the absolute best and I adore them beyond reason.

This week, I've noticed the lack of morale at work. Between the Admins' environmental attacks, Newsom's RTO mandate (saves CA taxpayers millions BTW), CEQA slashing, and working in a field fueled by passion, only for rich people to wave their money and get their way. It's difficult not to feel numb.

7 things everyone should know about Trump's megabill The Republican reconciliation legislation, which Trump calls his "big, beautiful bill," is massive.

Judd Legum explains 7 of the things in Trump's megabill:
1. Cuts $930B from Medicaid
2. 16M lose health ins
3. Slashes food asst for poor families by $186B
4. Lower incomes for bottom 40% of families
5. Increases deficit by $3.3T
6. $45B for new immigration jails
7. Billions for defense contractors

Juvenile crested caracara in the front yard. Its back is turned to the viewer but it’s looking to the side over its shoulder.

Juvenile crested caracara in the front yard, bent over with an Aloeus ox beetle in its beak.

After the caracara flew off without the beetle, I went outside and grabbed photos of him (it’s a tri-horned male). He’s in the palm of my left hand. He’s missing a leg because the caracara broke it off lol

Y’ALL. THE COOLEST SHIT OBSERVATION OF MY LIFE 😭

The crested caracara juvies left the nest a few weeks ago. I’ve seen them around while on my runs…but today one of them WAS IN THE FRONT YARD. AND IT WAS PICKING AT A “MAJOR” MALE ALOEUS OX BEETLE. It flew off without the beetle so I got a photo!

🌿🪶

Have you seen this petition yet? No Big Bear Lake Fireworks Show for the Safety of Sister Eaglets (Gizmo and Sunny)

Almost 30K signatures on this petition to stop the Big Bear Firework Show, and yet Visit Big Bear is still deciding to go through with it. This season was special, not only because there are two
Eaglets, but I watched them everyday as I was going though my own mental meltdown. Shame on VBB.

Did my brain deceive me, or did Newsom just sign SB 130 and AB 131? Already feel like CEQA is useless, now it’s about to be hella useless. This only weakens environmental protections. Un-freaking believable.

Mike Lee Withdraws Public Land Sale From Budget Huge win for America as extremist concedes defeat

We won.

Male Burrowing Owl (BUOW) standing on the ground, surrounded by non-native grass, staring straight at the camera.

This male BUOW was extremely protective of his fluffballs, and was even seen/heard calling for them as they were getting banded. He did not appreciate the extra level of stress ..🦉😬

Somebody somewhere
Needs flowers tonight

Map of California. The green areas displays all the public land that can be sold for private sales.

Under that atrocious“Big Bill” - this is how much of California’s public lands could be sold to private companies/individuals. This includes our National Parks!

Foxtrot Delta Taco

Unfreaking believable…

When Americans raised concerns about RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine views, he said he was "not gonna take away vaccines from anybody."

But now he's taking them away from millions of mommas and babies.

Vaccine recommendations should be based on science, not RFK Jr.'s political agenda.

Sketches of little terns on a rocky beach

Sketches based on my photos and observations of the Little Tern colony at Seaton Carew - all getting ready for the breeding season, lots of sandeels being waved around.
🪶🐡 #ukbirding
@teesbirds.bsky.social

A quarterback who continually chocked, and never won a Super Bowl, giving his take on vaccines in which he has no knowledge about? Republicans are going to eat this up..

According to new research, the proliferation of artificial feeders has allowed Anna's hummingbirds to expand their range out of Southern California up to the state’s northern end. The researchers also found that their beaks got longer and larger, a likely adaptation to slurp up more nectar.

Love to see it 💙

Agreed! Curious to read the study and methodology. Makes me nervous to put up their feeders now, lol.

Beautiful 💙

🥹🥹🥹💙

Birds have significantly better eyesight than us which is why I get nice and sexy to go birdwatching

This is a valid argument 👍🏻 😂

Ohhh, this is interesting. Wonder if this is also seen in other common feeder hummingbirds such as Allen’s or Ruby-Throated.🧐

a duck with a blue beak is swimming in a body of water ALT: a duck with a blue beak is swimming in a body of water

💙💙💙