<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!-- generator="wordpress/2.0.4" -->
<rss version="0.92">
<channel>
	<title>natureshutterbug.com</title>
	<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress</link>
	<description>Shutterbug</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:40:59 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<docs>http://backend.userland.com/rss092</docs>
	<language>en</language>
	
	<item>
		<title>Summer flowers, insects</title>
		<description><![CDATA[First-hand observation is probably the best way of learning, and in learning some of the local bird, butterflies and plant species, I have been fortunate to visit many outlying places in Santa Barbara county since 2002. For plants, some of my favories areas are Drum Canyon, Jalama Beach road, Burton Mesa, Refugio Road/West Camino Cielo, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/07/04/summer-flowers-insects/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Pollinators - Bugs, Bees, Butterflies</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The cooperation between insects and flowers seems to hit a peak in May and June, when plants such as Buckwheat, Milkweed and Coffeeberry bloom. These plants appear to be the most popular with butterflies and bees, although I have seen Holly-leaf Cherry covered with insects in sunnier places elsewhere.

(Variable Checkerspot - Happy Canyon Road, May [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/06/20/pollinators-bugs-bees-butterflies/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>CCBER Newsletter 3</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Another year has passed, and it was a privilege to put together the third newsletter for the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration. Once again I was impressed by what was accomplished by CCBER since the last newsletter. The activities of CCBER were reviewed by the Oversight Committee in December 2007, and in a [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/06/12/ccber-newsletter-3/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Brodiae, Clarkia, Penstemon, Mariposa Lilies, Mimulus, Oh May!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In March and April, vast expanses of  blue lupine, orange poppies and pink shooting stars cover the hills and valleys. In May, rocky areas are covered by patches of orange monkeyflower. Purple clarkia appear in large groups on many banks along roadsides. A number of Clarkia species are called &#8220;farewell-to-spring&#8221;, to the point of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/06/05/brodiae-clarkia-penstemon-mariposa-lilies-mimulus-oh-may/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Manzana Creek</title>
		<description><![CDATA[After a fire, seeds of various plants are stimulated to grow because of richer soil enhanced by ash and/or rain water that leaches from burned wood. Other seeds are stimulated to grow in areas that have been cleared of brush allowing access to more direct sunlight. Whatever the reason, or a combination of all of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/05/17/manzana-creek/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Building a Hummingbird Nest</title>
		<description><![CDATA[While waiting for Callie and John to arrive at Nira campground for our trip along Manzana creek, I was thrilled to be able to watch a hummingbird in the process of building a nest in the large sycamore tree under which I had parked my car. The nest was facing toward the Manzana trailhead (don&#8217;t [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/05/13/building-a-hummingbird-nest/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Zaca Fire Followers and Sprouters</title>
		<description><![CDATA[After 15 consecutive days of solid work (and sitting), it was really good to get out on the Fire Followers SBBG trip on May 5th (especially with the leaders &#8220;extraordinaire&#8221; whose handouts are greatly appreciated). I have visited Highway 33 north of Ojai less than five times, and each time I go, I am struck [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/05/07/zaca-fire-followers-and-sprouters/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Figueroa Mountain Spring, 2008</title>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to leave and go home&#8221;, said one of the trip participants after a wonderful, interesting SBBG trip to Figueroa Mountain. It is not an uncommon feeling after each trip to the mountain &#8212; which I have visited many times this year (along with other areas). This year has more free time and [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/04/18/figueroa-mountain-spring-2008/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Santa Barbara Island, Apr, 2008</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Saturday trip to Santa Barbara Island was my second trip to that remote small rock of an island in the Channel. On the last trip (July 2007) I took my bulky bird lens &#8212; this time I wish I had not left it behind because of the extremely rich fauna. Santa Barbara Island is [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/santa-barbara-island-apr-2008/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Anacapa Island, Sedgwick Reserve</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This year, as in 2002, I am taking my vacation in small chunks, usually a day at a time, visiting some of the magnificent areas in Santa Barbara county. In 2007 and 2006, I took short trips to San Francisco, camping along the way at some wonderful places - plus one or two day trips. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/04/02/anacapa-island-sedgwick-reserve/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Poppy pageantry</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This weekend I was able to get out on both Saturday and Sunday - no work requirements interfered. Unfortunately, my trip to Happy Canyon Road was not too fruitful because of a very strong wind.
A little beyond the shooting range, on a small promontory facing south-ish, there were many shooting stars and chocolate lilies. They [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/03/10/poppy-pageantry/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Refugio Road</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I spent a few hours Sunday afternoon on Refugio Road, where a number of early spring flowers were seen and photographed. Amongst them, Bigpod Ceanothus, which I was able to identify now with the alternate rule - in fact it seems like the branches are alternate as well. In the photo below, the clusters of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/03/04/refugio-road/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Cedar Waxwings</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Cedar Waxwings have returned to the cul-de-sac at home. They perch, with their high-pitched &#8220;tseee&#8221; sound, on the bare branches of trees edging the common garden area. There they wait and watch for a quiet moment to fly in a swarm to the pyracantha bushes full of ripe berries.

(Cedar Waxwing - March 1, 2008)

(Cedar Waxwings [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/03/02/cedar-waxwings/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>White Ceanothus</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Chumash people called both Bigpod (Ceanothus megacarpus) and Buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus)  &#8220;White Ceanothus&#8221;. Many ceanothus shrubs are flowering in huge sprays of white blossoms on lower Figueroa Mountain. Although I always thought the Ceanothus in this location was Buckbrush Ceanothus, I have titled this post &#8216;White Ceanothus&#8221; because I am not sure.

(Ceanothus - [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/02/29/white-ceanothus/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Hunting for early blooms</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Since I started photographing local plants in 2001, I have repeatedly missed some of the early bloomers - such as peony, currants and gooseberries. This year I have reversed that with a couple thus far  &#8212; Hillside Gooseberry and Chaparral Currant. On Saturday, after a reasonably late decision, I started out to Figueroa Mountain [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://natureshutterbug.com/wordpress/2008/02/10/hunting-for-early-blooms/</link>
			</item>
</channel>
</rss>
