Using iNaturalist in Southern California, Part 2

It was great to see @finatic and @jaykeller again! They were kind enough to take me iNatting in the Tijuana River Valley and in Border Field State Park, both of which were wonderfully atmospheric places -- like going back in time to the Old West.

On my final weekend, finatic drove me to Mission Trails Regional Park (a terrific wilderness area) and to a canyon in La Jolla, where we met up with jaykeller. On that trip we were joined by @cedric_lee and @alex_bairstow. We walked, and then hiked, and then pushed our way through the vegetation as far up into the canyon as it was possible to go without using machetes. We saw a lot of interesting organisms, but we failed to find the small native land snail species that was recorded there back in 1953.

Alex had previously gone beachcombing with me at Cardiff Reef, where he had demonstrated his sharp eyesight and an impressive knowledge of the local shelled marine mollusk fauna, especially considering he had only started learning to identify them the previous fall.

Thank you BJ and Jay! Apart from everything else which was great to see and learn, it was fascinating for me to be introduced to three species of native Californian land snails -- extraordinary survivors in the chaparral, which is a very dry shrub landscape that most of the time is only moistened on-and-off by sea fog at night.

I relentless picked the brains of those around me -- and in a few days I learned more about Southern Californian natural history than I have done in the previous 40 years. Wonderful!

Posted on September 30, 2017 12:13 PM by susanhewitt susanhewitt

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 24, 2017 10:56 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Shield Lichens (Genus Parmelia)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 24, 2017 11:04 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Speckled Cactussnail (Xerarionta stearnsiana)

Observer

susanhewitt

Photos / Sounds

What

Pampas Grasses (Genus Cortaderia)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 24, 2017 01:34 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Willow Apple Gall Sawfly (Euura californica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 24, 2017 01:38 PM PDT

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What

Pismo Clam (Tivela stultorum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 24, 2017 01:40 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Silver Garden Orbweaver (Argiope argentata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 24, 2017 02:19 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

San Diego Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus viridescens)

Observer

susanhewitt

Photos / Sounds

What

Santa Rosa Murex (Maxwellia santarosana)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 26, 2017 06:14 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Mud Nassa (Phrontis tiarula)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 26, 2017 06:23 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Scale-sided Piddock (Parapholas californica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 26, 2017 06:24 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Snakeskin Turrid (Ophiodermella inermis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 26, 2017 06:27 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Wavy Turban (Megastraea undosa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 28, 2017 09:08 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Spiny Cup-and-Saucer (Crucibulum spinosum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 28, 2017 09:10 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

California Lucine (Epilucina californica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 27, 2017

Photos / Sounds

What

Purple Olive Snail (Callianax biplicata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 28, 2017 09:16 AM PDT

Comments

My pleasure Susan! I'm glad you had an enjoyable time. It was great to see you and Ed again as always. --Jay

Posted by jaykeller over 6 years ago

Susan, as always it was great to see you. I look forward to many more visits in the future, and hopefully a meet with you and Ed in Dec 2018 in Florida!

Posted by finatic over 6 years ago

Long-distance hugs to Jay and BJ! To see you at Sanibel, BJ, would be amazing. The place where my friend Steve Rosenthal was able to find a room for3 or 4 few days this month, with kitchenette for less than $100 a night and actually on Sanibel, was called Parrot's Nest. The price he got was a special and th place is not right on the beach, but still...

http://parrotnest.com/#homePage

Posted by susanhewitt over 6 years ago

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