Spring Break!

After a brief spurt of activity we had gone back into hibernation.

Here are some wanders from early last month to hopefully stir the posting juices...


A glorious perk often mentioned as part of the life of a teacher is the scheduled breaks.

It is indeed a treat, my friends, and after an intense few months in the classroom, it was a true joy to get back out in the world.

First stop, Santa Cruz, for a long overdue meeting of the Camera Trapping Campus minds. A visit was made to the Santa Cruz Mountains... and several brewing establishments.

northern alligator lizard

western skink

western toad

western toad

ca tarantula

stoned bee

some kind of dusky-wing????

Next up: Petaluma.
The place of origin for both of your CTC authors. While visiting the family, I made a stop to Shollenberger Park for a little birding. Shollenberger was my training site as a high school trackie and could be noted as having a significant role in the development of my appreciation of nature.
Nothing too wild on the feathered spectrum that day: terns, stilts and avocets aplenty, but it was the start of what seems to be the trend of my spring -- nearly stepping on kingsnakes

1 of 6 CA Kings I have come across in the last two months. It had a buddy about 25 feet down the trail.
I have almost stepped on two more of these guys while running recently. A very snake-y spring...

and a Swallow Scream

Let these images be our incantations to raise a wild summer of outdoor rambles...