cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
19348
Hummingbirds in the Pines
We walked yesterday afternoon near Del Mar Heights, due to a last-minute dinner engagement in North County. Our walk had to be “along the way” to dinner, not too strenuous, not too dangerous or too dirty, as we had to go straight to a casual meal with good friends. We ended up walking 100 steps at the No and 4000 steps at the Yes:
The first spot (No) we tried was beautiful but looked dangerous.
Signs just a few yards off the road said this is currently a closed area, so we took a few pictures,
checked our timing (we have 2 hours),
and drove around a bit, eventually arriving at Crest Canyon (Yes).
This looked like a good place.
We descended the stairs and headed down into the canyon, stopping to take a few pictures as we went.
We had to step aside, off the narrow trail, about 4-5 times for walkers with dogs on leashes, otherwise we were alone on this winter Thursday afternoon.
The paths were relatively easy, the weather was perfect, there were interesting details and the light from the West was excellent:
While I was checking out the foliage my wife spotted a hummingbird. This was the first of at least a dozen!
Sometimes they follow people around and we might have had a couple of those, but these birds varied in shape and coloration...
The pines looked healthy and were growing fresh cones.
Terrain on the canyon edges was pretty rugged, and signs encouraged us to stay on the paths.
Down in the middle of the canyon we saw this California Thrasher singing his heart out.
We descended the stairs and headed down into the canyon, stopping to take a few pictures as we went.
We had to step aside, off the narrow trail, about 4-5 times for walkers with dogs on leashes, otherwise we were alone on this winter Thursday afternoon.
The paths were relatively easy, the weather was perfect, there were interesting details and the light from the West was excellent:
While I was checking out the foliage my wife spotted a hummingbird. This was the first of at least a dozen!
Sometimes they follow people around and we might have had a couple of those, but these birds varied in shape and coloration...
The pines looked healthy and were growing fresh cones.
Terrain on the canyon edges was pretty rugged, and signs encouraged us to stay on the paths.
Down in the middle of the canyon we saw this California Thrasher singing his heart out.
The Merlin Bird ID app says the Trasher's “Song is seemingly endless and complex” which is exactly what we experienced.
A two or three minute opera!
A hummingbird flew onto a nearby branch and listened with us.
The Thrasher finally finished his song, and we walked on, refreshed and amused.
While I was watching the birds I wasn’t watching my step and nearly did a somersault over one of these roots.
There was such an abundance of the hummingbirds I just couldn’t keep my eyes on the boring but booby-trapped trail.
We are close to the Pacific Ocean but we are also several hundred feet above sea level. Are these from long ago, or dropped by tourists? We left — their secrets will have to be unraveled by someone else.
Very little danger of visitors leaving the path when the brush is so thick!
We did see a hawk, a kestrel and an airplane, but they were all too high for me to get a good photo. Eventually we made our way back around the trail loop, and climbed the stairs again. Huff, puff.
This is the view Northward.
As we took off our jackets and started to climb in the car, we heard an angry chirp! Sorry, I forgot to say Goodbye.
The fat little hummingbird nodded and cocked his head, no doubt sorry to see us depart.
Thanks for coming along. The dinner was excellent and we didn’t get home til midnight (quite rare for us).
Cheers,
Cazalea
Hummingbirds in the Pines
We walked yesterday afternoon near Del Mar Heights, due to a last-minute dinner engagement in North County. Our walk had to be “along the way” to dinner, not too strenuous, not too dangerous or too dirty, as we had to go straight to a casual meal with goo...
Afternoon hummers in the pines
can get you poison ivy where you definitely don't want it.
