Watching Lizards in Southern California

Two species of lizards inhabit our yard. Take a minute to watch them reveal how different they are from each other.


HD
 

The western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) are diurnal (active during the day), numerous, and prey on a variety of small insects–including flies and ants. They are highly visual–sitting in prominent locations watching for food or competition and creating visual displays in response to territorial challenges and mate attraction. Males do push-ups to show-off blue-colored chests and extend a flap of skin under the throat called a dewlap. (Watch the subordinate male in the video.) We typically have several batches of youngsters each year.

The southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) is more secretive, solitary, and predatory. Notice its short legs, elongated body and long tail. It travels through foliage using a serpentine movement. This lizard will prey on the juvenile fence lizards, as well as snails, slugs, and larger insects. The alligator lizard locates prey and mates using its slightly forked tongue and following scent and pheromone trails. On warm summer nights, they are still out hunting the sleeping juvenile fence lizards.

Take a minute to watch for the wildlife in your backyard and you might discover it's a world of predator and prey.

Visit each week to see a new The Earth Minute.
See a lace monitor in the wild.
Other wildlife Earth Minutes 

Busy Beavers in Nevada?

 An unexpected jackpot can be found in the

desert of Nevada...

In Lamoille Canyon in the mountains outside of Elko...

 the temperature drops 20 degrees as you climb

into the mountains.

Someone's been busy changing the landscape.

hd

A beaver dam across the stream -

 

- can flood a canyon floor and make a beautiful

break from the desert!

Visit each week to see a new The Earth Minute 

Yellowstone Bison Jam

Yellowstone National Park is ever-changing.

Every time we visit, the landscape, trees, geothermal sites and the wildlife have undergone dramatic transitions.

This year we were caught in several "Bison Jams" as the traffic through the park came to a complete stop to allow the real inhabitants of the land to take back the streets.

hd

Our 6 month old puppy, Bodie got to witness the huge bison as they crossed within a few feet of us!

Don't Bark, Bodie!!

 

Visit each week for a new The Earth Minute.

An Earth Minute of Orchids

Orchids have long been treasured by humans for their exotic beauty. These ancient flowers date back to the Age of Dinosaurs and are found on all continents except Antarctica. With over 35,000 species, California is even home to several species, including stream orchids (Epipactis gigantia).

Take an Earth Minute to be amazed by their diversity.


 
Several of these orchids are in our garden, including the closing cymbidium orchid. 

She is a hardy queen that needs little maintenance to produce several stalks of treasure each year. Michael’s grandfather hand bred this plant over forty years ago and she is still going strong.

The displayed orchids were photographed at the annual Southern California Spring Garden Show at South Coast Plaza in April.

Check out this week's TheEarthMinute.com

Take a Closer Look at the Gray Bird Grasshopper

Have you seen a medium-sized green grasshopper or a large brown grasshopper in the Los Angeles area? If you have, you've seen a gray bird grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens, aka Schistocerca vaga). Take a look at how they change.



The grasshopper molts its exoskeleton as it gets larger and with each molt it's coloring gradually changes. 

The gray bird grasshopper is the largest insect in the Los Angeles Basin. It is typically solitary and doesn't eat that much. Some research with other grasshoppers has shown that grasshopper droppings actually are important fertilizer returning important nutrients back into the soil.

We regard the arrival of these insects as a true sign of summer.

See other local California insects - Valley Carpenter Bees

Visit each week to see a new The Earth Minute 

See the Mendenhall Glacier, Southeast Alaska

Just a few miles from Juneau, Alaska has one of the most visited glaciers in the world.

Also one of the most beautiful streams. 

Where does all this water come from?




Visiting Mendenhall glacier recently, I was surprised how much it had retreated just since my last visit in 1990.
The huge waterfall you see below was just at the front of the glacier then.

Keri was shocked.

 

In 1968 the photo taken from this perspective would have been of the front face of the glacier. Now the face is well over a mile up the channel from the waterfall.

Mendenhall glacier was also much broader and thicker only a few years ago.

656 feet were lost on its east side in 2004 and 269 feet lost on its west side in 2005. 
And this doesn't take into account the loss of the ice height!

This important video below plays at the Mendenhall glacier visitor center. Constantly.

350 Days of a Retreating Glacier

The next time you hear someone say there is no rapid climate change...  send them here.


See a video of the Mendenhall Glacier Retreat from 1958 to 2012 from GlacierChange.org


Visit each week for a new The Earth Minute.

Visit Malibu Legacy Park - Hidden Gardens L.A. #2

Take an opportunity to visit California habitat in an easy to access native garden. The Legacy Park Wallis Annenberg Habitats (or Malibu Legacy Park) showcases six iconic California habitats: coastal praire, woodlands, coastal bluffs, riparian corridor, wet meadow and a vernal pool.

snowy egret (Egretta thula)

While the woodlands are still far from established, the other habitats have quickly grown since the park's opening in 2010 and wildlife has been quick to move in. You can almost always see egrets and herons, as well as a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds. The bridge over the Riparian Corridor offers close viewing of feeding birds if you are quiet. Watch for the snowy egret's yellow feet in the video. It uses its feet to kick up invertebrates in the water. The bright color of its feet helps the bird avoid grabbing its own toe.

If live creatures are elusive, a variety of native California animals are depicted as mosaic sculptures. You'll think better of California kingsnakes and western toads when you see them beautifully depicted in these large pieces of art.

This is a great native garden for birding and strolling. Designed to filter urban run-off water back into the environment, Legacy Park is a great example of actions benefiting people, wildlife, and the environment.

Look For:

• Mosaic sculptures of California native species & bronze sculptures of people
• Informational signage
• Native plants
• Variety of mammals and birds (Including desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) and California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi); snowy egret (Egretta thula), great egret (Ardea alba), and introduced great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus))

Special Opportunities: Migratory birds stop here in spring and fall, including small flocks of western meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) in the coastal prairie area. Winter months can bring Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata) and Northern shoveler ducks (Anas clypeata).

A variety of restaurants are only a block away at the Malibu Country Mart.

The Specifics:

• Open - Daily, 8 AM to Sunset; Free to the public
• Parking - Plenty. Parking is more accessible if you approach from the north. From Pacific Coast Hwy, turn in at Webb Way and turn right (or south) on Civic Center Way. Parking will be on your right, along the park's edge
• Restrooms - No, but drinking fountains are available
• Kid Friendly - Absolutely, a wonderful place to explore
• Accessibility - All pathways are wheelchair friendly, but some are unpaved
• Dogs - Welcome on a leash, watch for coyotes and rattlesnakes
• Restrictions - Parking is more plentiful in the morning and late afternoon

For More Information: official park webpage

Visit us every week to watch more at: TheEarthMinute.com

Visit another Hidden Garden of L.A. - Orcutt Ranch Park