Guess Whom I Found In My Sprinkler Box

It seems I've had sprinkler problems since I took over my mom's house in Paso Robles. The irrigation system I inherited is part drip and part sprinklers. The front sprinkler controls are housed in a wooden box near the front porch. Since it has a lid, it stays dark and somewhat damp compared to the rest of the yard. The frequent leaks near the valves add to the dampness. So it's not surprising that when I called a friend to help me troubleshoot my irrigation problems, we discovered this fellow hiding out in the box.

In this picture, you get a better look at his feet. His toes would indicate he’s a tree frog. I just saw this free video on Amazon that would indicate this is an American Green Tree Frog. That makes sense.

I haven't seen my little froggy friend since I stopped using the sprinklers. I'm finding the sprinkler attached to my hose that I use manually is more efficient at watering my flower beds until I can afford to redo the drip system.

Tree frogs are kind of cute. If you don't have a real one, maybe you would like one of these.

 Webkinz Tree Frog Noah's Ark Tree Frog Toddler Costume Red Eye Tree Frog 8

If you do have a real one or find one you want to keep, this will help. Click the cover for purchase information. 

Related articles

• Where the Green Lawns Used to be
• The Browning of Paso Robles

Be On the Lookout for Tarantulas

Warm Autumn Days Bring Tarantulas Out to Mate

It's getting to be the time of year when in certain parts of North San Luis Obispo County the tarantulas will be hunting at night. I first saw this one at the beginning of September in 2012 while I was walking on Santa Rita Road in Templeton. Look for them at dusk in September and October.

Tarantula in the Wild in Templeton, California

How Dangerous Are Tarantulas?

 Although many people are afraid of these large spiders because of their size and because they are hairy, most people have nothing to fear from them. They don't bite unless they feel cornered, and even if they do, it affects most people no more than a bee or wasp sting. Only those who are allergic need to worry.

Another defense the tarantula has is microscopic hairs or bristles on its abdomen that can break off when touched or even be thrust at an attacker. These hairs can irritate the attacker's skin. What I would really fear being stung by, though, is the tarantula's main predator, the tarantula hawk. See related articles below.

Where do Tarantulas Live?

Tarantula Burrow

Some tarantulas make their homes, or burrows, in trees, but the ones I have seen live in the ground. This is one of the burrows I saw near where I saw this tarantula. Notice the spider's silk around the entrance. Here's a good place for a tarantula to live if you want to keep one as a pet.

Learn More About Spiders in These Handy Reference Books

The books below are my go-to books for identifying and learning more about tarantulas. Click here for an even greater selection of books about tarantulas. 

The Tarantula Keeper's Guide: Comprehensive Information on Care, Housing, and FeedingTarantulas Up Close (Zoom in on Animals!)

Have you ever seen a tarantula  where you live? Where did you encounter it? Are you afraid of tarantulas?

You Should See the Ones That Got Away

Tonight on my way to Trader Joe's along Vineyard Drive in Templeton I saw a doe and her small fawns crossing the street into the shrubs on my side of the street. How I would have loved a photo, but there was no good place to park and chase them. I had only gone about a block more when I saw a deer on my side cross to the other side. I did stop to give chase, but by the time I had parked and found the deer,  it was all the way at the back of a deep lot. I had to use a zoom  to get this. What's strange is that it didn't move while I was trying to capture this picture. This is one of my few deer encounters this year. You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it.

Related articles

• Fawn Finding Forest Fast
• Oh, Deer!

Playing Hide and Seek with the Ground Squirrel Who Lives at Mission San Miguel

As I was taking photos of the olive press at Mission San Miguel, I was focusing on the west wall of the mission and suddenly noticed this ground squirrel on this old stump. I always enjoy seeing some wildlife, so I took the squirrel's picture from a distance with my zoom. I didn't dare get closer for fear of having him disappear.

Squirrel Prepares to Hide

Sure enough. As I began to cautiously approach the squirrel, he became nervous. You can see him preparing to hide. As I suspected,  he disappeared into his hole in the stump.

Squirrel Can't Resist a Peek to See If I'm Still There

But I kept watching. Sure enough. Soon I saw his head sticking out again to see if the coast was clear. He decided it wasn't when he saw me, and then he disappeared for good -- or for as long as I was there.

Looks Like He's Gone for As Long As I'm Here

After he made his final dive into his hole. I came by to see what I could see inside. Not much. It was too dark.










If you ever visit Mission San Miguel, if you enter at the west entrance, look to your left for the stump. Many you will see this fellow, too.

Related articles

• The Olive Press at Mission San Miguel
• Tracking down squirrels on the National Mall (2007)
• Y is for York Mountain Road in Templeton, California

Y is for York Mountain Road in Templeton, California

The Search for York Mountain Winery

We discovered York Mountain Road one day a few years ago when we were trying to find York Mountain Winery. York Mountain Road is a loop with both ends on Highway 46 West. Most of it is surrounded by oak trees. A creek runs through part of it. It's one of my favorite places to walk in the summer because it's shady. On one walk   I was able to capture this squirrel high in a tree.

The Creek on York Mountain Road

Here is part of the creek that runs through the east side of York Mountain Road

York Mountain Road is Full of Old Oaks

This is one of the many oak trees that line York Mountain Road. This one appears to be pretty old. I believe the tree beside the creek in the photo above is a willow.

These Zazzle products feature another old oak I found on York Mountain Road.

 Awesome Trees on York Mountain Road, Templeton Jigsaw Puzzle Playing Cards: Awesome Oak Tree on York Mt. Rd Bicycle Playing Cards Awesome Trees on York Mountain Road, Templeton iPhone SE/5/5s Cover

York Mountain Tasting Room

We finally discovered the historic York Mountain Tasting Room, which has now been replaced by Epoch Winery, on our second York Mountain Walk . You can see it and the old barn that was behind it on the Zazzle products below. The barn is a poster. The Tasting Room is on a jigsaw puzzle.

 





York Mountain Tasting Room, Paso Robles Jigsaw Puzzles 





Barn Behind Old York Mountain Tasting Room Posters

Have you visited either York Mountain Winery or Epoch Winery that replaced it?

Just a Sea Gull Jaywalking

Normally birds aren't very easy to photograph. Just as you get close enough to focus they fly away. Not so the sea gull. It seems to have no  fear of humans, and, instead, considers them a food source. They are also very greedy when it comes to their food.

I  remember one day I was at a beach and I had a closed jar of peanuts in the sand. A group of gulls approached it as I watched. The dominant bird started to peck at the jar. It finally became frustrated at not being able to get at the nuts. But it would not let any other bird approach the jar. The dominant gull stood guard and chased any other bird who started toward it.  It couldn't get those nuts, but wanted to make sure no other bird had a chance at them either.

Another day years later I was walking along Pismo Beach past a picnic abandoned for the water. The ice chest and remains of the picnic were still there, so the gulls took over. As I watched, they fought over anything they found.

Most wild birds seem to fear people and cars, but sea gulls don't. You can practically run over one before it will move out of your way on the road. The only thing I can't figure out about the gull in the top photo is why he's crossing the road into the parking lot, away from the people eating in the food service area. Just why is the sea gull crossing the road?

Follow Barbara Radisavljevic's board California Central Coast Beaches and Towns on Pinterest.

Related articles

• Eric McCrum on Seagulls
• Pismo Beach Stairway to Nowhere - April 2015 Update

Oh, Deer!

Exploring a New Neighborhood with Active Deer

I decided to take my daily photo walk somewhere different today. So I drove to a road I normally can walk to, and then turned left and drove a few blocks to explore the hills on the south side of the street.

I've been in the tract homes on the north side, but the south side is like a different world. It's where the horse people live. And where there is lots of grazing for horses, the deer are sure to find it, too. I just never knew they were so close to my city home.

The deer below had been on the other side of the fence but decided they wanted hop over it to cross the street.

They are now about jump the fence they are standing beside in this photo below.

The conditions in this area were ideal for deer. Not only were there huge grass lawns and wild meadows, but there were also forested areas still undeveloped. Today the deer preferred the territory meant for horses.

 In the photo above the deer have gotten across the fence to join the rest of their herd. I think there were close to eight deer there in all, and many appeared very young.

Do deer roam your neighborhood or somewhere close to where you live?

 Fawn Deer Throw Pillows Black Tail Deer Tote Bag Mule Deer Doe and Her Triplets iPad Mini Covers

Related articles

• Finding Ways to Live with Deer in Montana Communities

The Birds, the Bees, and the Flowers on the Snead/Rambouillet Trail

Revisiting the Snead/Rambouillet Trail

I previously walked this trail on March 18, but at that time I didn't know its name. Evidently the official trail entrances are on Snead and Rambouillet, but I entered on Oxen near Brahma. If you walk across the street from the sign toward the tree on the other side and then turn left on the sidewalk, you will almost immediately see the entrance to the trail on the right. I showed you the entrance in Surprised by a Hidden Trail on March 19. You see stairs leading from the sidewalk down to the trail.

Last week it was dusk when I walked and I didn't have much time to explore. Today I walked in late afternoon while the sun was bright. As one walks down the steps into the forested open space, the first thing one notices at this time of year is the display of colorful wildflowers on either side of the stairs.

I wasn't the only once to notice all those flowers. You could hear them almost before you could see them because the bees were very busy gathering pollen. I caught this one on a clover blossom. They were also doing the rounds of the vetch, but I didn't see many on the lupines and poppies, which were also abundant.

The birds were also quite active. I could hear the woodpeckers in the trees, but I couldn't see any. I did see lots of scrub jays like this one. They didn't seem eager to be captured by my  camera, but I finally found one who decided to show off a bit instead of playing hide and seek in the branches.

Open Space to Explore Nature is Important for Children

As I walked, I couldn't help but regret the suburb of Los Angeles I grew up in didn't have any wild places where kids could walk to a place nearby to explore nature. We had a park with a playground, a tennis court, a cement slab where we could skate, some ball fields, and some trees. There were no "wild" areas to explore. There were no creeks or ponds where one could see ducks and catch tadpoles.

The children lucky enough to live in the neighborhoods around these trails have all of that. Here are a couple of ducks that were resting in the shadows beside the creek. I also saw tiny tadpoles in another park of the creek, but they were too small to photograph.

The ground squirrels I saw wouldn't pose for me, either, but I saw them. They would dive into a nearby hole before I could even see them clearly. Nevertheless I did my best to catch them on camera, and when I got home I found there was one who did not manage to escape my zoom lens. It's not a very clear shot, but it proves I saw him.

 Nature's Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to Encourage Children to Get Outdoors

If you'd like to encourage your children to explore nature, one of these books might be a good place to get some inspiration. 

& 

 Sharing the Joy of Nature: Nature Activities for All Ages Sharing Nature®: Nature Awareness Activities for All Ages How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature

& 

Do you have any wild places children near you can explore within walking distance of their homes? What sort of wildlife do you see most where you live?