Nature and wildlife

It's another glorious spring for the Hunter family's poppies on Pera Drive. We told you the story last year about the lawn's poppy explosion, but it's worth a stop by every spring. (Click for larger image) Read more » about Pera Drive's annual explosion of orange

Bill (Birdman) Gengler stopped to look at Michigan Bar's poppies the other day. "Poppy month has had a slow start," he writes, "but the poppies are always blooming at the bar." The long-range weather forecast looks like we might be into spring to stay, with less rain and highs moving into the 70s. (Click for larger image) Read more » about A hillside where it sure looks like spring

Somewhere between winter and spring sits this barn off Kiefer Boulevard, captured the other day by the camera of neighbor Paul Anderson. The weather forecast calls for more winter than spring, with a lot of rain over the next 10 days. (Click for larger image) Read more » about A place where winter meets spring

This great egret was catching some warming rays one chilly morning recently, and neighbor/photographer Paul Anderson was there to capture the moment. (Click for larger image) Read more » about In the warmth of morning

The changeable weather has made for some beautiful sunsets, such as Saturday's on Lake Calero, as photographed by neighbor Paul Anderson. The forecast says the next couple of days will be clear, with highs in the 50s. (Click for larger image) Read more » about A Calero sky that's shades of pink and blue

Neighbor and nature photog Paul Anderson shares this shot of some furry lake Murietans. He writes of the otters, "With these gloomy days, the only residents not bothered may be these guys!" (Click for larger image) Read more » about Saying 'cheese' for the camera

Tuesday afternoon brought Lake Calero the best of a winter day here – chilly breezes (temperatures in the 40s!), piles of clouds dragged across the sky, warm yellow sunshine, and a gull wheeling overhead. (Click to enlarge photo) Read more » about A winter afternoon on Lake Calero

This is the famous Orion Nebula as captured the other night from the Murieta North backyard of David Scharlach. On a dark, clear night, you can see this nebula with your naked eye, but it’s only a fuzzy patch of light in the string of stars below Orion’s belt. This photo is the result of David’s 4-inch refractor telescope being put to work with a 40-minute exposure on his camera. “I am really pleased with how this came out,” he writes. (Well, yeah!)  If astronomy or astrophotography is a semi-serious interest, David would like to hear from you about setting up a local star party once the weather warms up. He’s at davidlaw1@sbcglobal.net. (Click for larger image) Read more » about Taking in the vastness of the universe

Neighbor Paul Anderson captured this shot of a great egret being mirrored by Lake Clementia the other morning. (Click for larger image.) Read more » about A moment with twice the beauty

Another reason to slow down on Murieta Parkway. This is the egret who is adding to the holiday cheer at the Rancho Murieta Association Building, as photographed by Bill "Birdman" Gengler. Bill speculates the bird has been hanging around for weeks just to celebrate Christmas with residents, but we think the canny fowl was waiting for the right backdrop for its close-up. (Click for larger image) Read more » about The holiday season is feather weather