Moth Study 2018, Evelyn DuVall, watercolor and ink. IDEA Center High School.
Before I began my walk yesterday at Mission Trails Regional Park, I ventured into the Visitor Center and was pleased to see walls full of art created by students from the Grossmont Union High School District.
Many of the Wilderness Views are really good. Creativity thrives in San Diego’s East County! I took quick photos of some pieces that I happened to like.
Most of the artwork is for sale. If you’d like to support local high school students and their artistic endeavors, head over to the Mission Trails Visitor Center before the exhibition ends on January 4, 2019.
Untitled, Ashton McDowell, acrylic paint and spray paint. West Hills High School.Caught, Rachel Silvis, digital photography collage. Grossmont High School.Improvised Explosive Device (I.E.D.), Siena Quinn, acrylic. Grossmont High School.Reflective Sunset, Cherish Clarkson, digital photography. Grossmont High School.The Tears of Nature, Travis McCrae, watercolor. Grossmont High School.Quoth the Raven, Amalia Browning, suminagashi ink, acrylic paint. Monte Vista High School.Malcolm, Siena Quinn, colored pencil. Grossmont High School.El Tigre, Ryan Zubik, watercolor. Grossmont High School.Dangerous Spots, Maryam Ablahad, scratchboard. Valhalla High School.Bambino, Joshua Meriwether, scratchboard. IDEA Center High School.In the Leopard’s Gaze, Armida Angulo, colored pencil. Grossmont High School.Untitled, Kirsten Fraga, charcoal and colored pencil. West Hills High School.Dripping Lily, Evelyn DuVall, watercolor and ink. IDEA Center High School.Moonrise, Brooke Moran, linoleum print. Steele Canyon High School.Smooth Waves, Britney Guerrero, acrylic. Steele Canyon High School.Lobos, Natalie Burke, acrylic. Steele Canyon High School.Ocean Eyes, Rand Akim, tempera. Valhalla High School.It’s Pretty Wild, Savy, acrylic. Valhalla High School.Landscapes, Andy Orosco, watercolor. Steele Canyon High School.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
Today I enjoyed a late autumn walk in Mission Trails Regional Park, a large open space preserve located in the City of San Diego.
I moved along the Visitor Center Loop Trail, gazing at mountains and trees and fluttering yellow and brown leaves.
The relatively easy 1.5 mile trail follows the San Diego River for a short distance. Just right for a thoughtful little hike through nature’s infinite beauty.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Walking along Batiquitos Lagoon Trail one fine morning.
Today I headed up the coast to Carlsbad. I wanted to walk along a trail that I heard was very beautiful.
I often drive along Interstate 5 over Batiquitos Lagoon, just north of the La Costa exit, but I never get more than a brief glimpse of the shining water and green margins. So this morning I ditched the car, tightened the laces of my walking shoes, and walked for a bit along the lagoon’s main trail.
Beautiful, indeed.
The two mile trail along the north edge of the tidal wetland and the Nature Center are both maintained by the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation.A hiker approaches the Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center from the Gabbiano Lane trailhead.Curious visitors come and go, keeping friendly volunteers at the Nature Center busy.People can purchase a personalized brick to help support the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation.The Nature Center might be modest, but it is welcoming and full of interesting exhibits.Before entering I saw the Batiquitos Free Lagoon Lovers Library.The very cool Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center is like a one room jam-packed museum.I see a snowy egret and a Cooper’s hawk.The many different birds that live at the lagoon can be identified by their distinctive eggs.Visitors can closely examine lagoon insects and other creeping, crawling creatures.Various human artifacts on display include Native American Kumeyaay clay pots and tools.A poster shows Carlsbad’s watershed, including the area where fresh water (including San Marcos Creek and Encinitas Creek) flows into Batiquitos Lagoon.As I left the Nature Center, I lingered for a moment on the shady front porch and gazed out toward the nearby lagoon.Next to some picnic benches by the Nature Center, you’ll find a very strange creature lurking. It’s The Creature From Batiquitos Lagoon, by artist Paul Weber, 2003.To the west, Interstate 5 runs over part of the lagoon’s Pacific Ocean tidal inlet. Many drive past this beautiful place without ever stopping to enjoy it.Now we are heading east along the north edge of smooth, blue Batiquitos Lagoon.Several small concrete seats were decorated with colored stone mosaics. This one features a mallard duck.The bright September sunshine on green.The west part of the Lagoon Trail follows tan sandstone cliffs.The cliffs along this stretch belong to the Scripps Formation. The sandstone was deposited in a shallow ocean about 45 million years ago.Approaching a more wooded area at the border of the lagoon.Several short trails head north from the main trail into nearby Carlsbad neighborhoods.I see a mosaic turtle!Many informative signs can be found along the trail. This one lists salt marsh niches, including floating plants, diving birds, wading birds, bottom fish, mud worms and more. It also talks about caring for the environment and human responsibility.A large mudflat shines like silver in the morning sunlight.This enormous tree stands alone near the edge of the water. It has probably lived there for a very long time.Now I see a wading heron!Walking near the lush edge of the tidal marsh. Along here grows a lot of Coyote Brush, and non-native Yellow Mustard.The trail passes over a tiny bridge and a thin stream of water.Bending over I was able to take a photograph of a wood rat den made of twigs and branches.A nearby sign explains the wood rat’s den. Also called pack rats, they build complex houses with various chambers.The white fluffy heads of some non-native pampas grass seem to shimmer in the breeze.Now we are walking right beside the tidal lagoon.Coastal Goldenbush blooms about to open.More beautiful leaves in sunlight.It appears a tall tree fell and was cleared from the path.Walking along a very beautiful trail in coastal San Diego County.Plaque on one bench by the trail. From the high mountains of Colorado to the shores of Batiquitos Lagoon, serenity and peace can be found.More natural beauty.We are near the end of our two mile walk.More late summer beauty.Now we are approaching the eastern end of Batiquitos Lagoon, beyond which runs El Camino Real. Light shines upon life-giving water.
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A photo of the mural Our River was the first thing I ever posted to Cool San Diego Sights. I had paused during a walk in Mission Valley, and had felt inspired take a few pictures. That was five years ago.
Today I returned to the same mural.
The beautifully painted artwork, depicting the San Diego River as a blue ribbon, has faded a little. Time is inexorable. But the message of unity and care has touched many.
Perhaps life unspools like a river. Sources along the way expand our being. We deepen and grow. Until we finally become a part of that great ocean.
As evening approaches, people slowly gather by the Balboa Park lily pond to watch for bats. The event was organized by the San Diego Natural History Museum.
This evening I joined a small group of people by the Lily Pond in Balboa Park searching for bats!
The San Diego Natural History Museum held the dusk event as part of the 2018 City Nature Challenge. The worldwide challenge–which is being held in almost 70 cities– encourages ordinary citizens to use their smartphones to record as many local flora and fauna as they can over a 4-day period. Images are submitted via the iNaturalist APP for identification! (If you want to see San Diego County’s totals thus far, here’s the link.)
Anyway, I arrived at the Lily Pond before sunset and was greeted by a couple of friendly experts representing the San Diego Natural History Museum. I was shown some cool equipment, videos and specimens, then stood by as a super sensitive microphone was turned on in order to detect the high frequency ultrasonic chirp-like noises produced by echolocating bats!
While we waited and the sky darkened, I learned a few fascinating facts. I learned that the bats most common in Balboa Park are the Mexican free-tailed bat, the hoary bat, and the western red bat. I learned some bats are solitary, and feed where insects aren’t abundant enough to support large colonies of bats. I learned bats drink by rapidly skimming above a body of water– which has been observed at the park’s lily pond. I learned some bats can fly as fast as a hundred miles per hour and as high as 10,000 feet! I also learned bats often feed around lights where flying insects gather, often live in the dead fronds of palm trees, and absolutely love hanging out under bridges.
Did we see or detect any bats? None were seen in the darkness, but the microphone did record the acoustic signature of a nearby Mexican free-tail!
When bats fly about and use echolocation, a sensitive microphone detects the high frequency sound and software produces a sonogram. Different bat species can be recognized by their unique acoustic signatures.Demonstrating a powerful directional microphone, which is mounted on a long pole.A friendly volunteer who travels around the county observing and recording bats points to several preserved specimens. The one indicated is a Mexican free-tailed.Several people have gathered to learn about bats shortly before dusk. A curious duck listens in.Bats often live in the dead clustered fronds of palm trees. I see a passing gull and a nearly full moon above the Casa del Prado.Darkening palm trees above the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park. Perhaps some bats are hanging out in these.Pointing at the cool bat-detecting instrument. As darkness fell, we recorded one Mexican free-tailed bat, but apparently it was too cold this evening for much bat activity.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
Beautiful roses planted between the Town and Country Hotel and busy Fashion Valley Road in Mission Valley.
This morning, after I took photos of the funny sign at the Town and Country Hotel (see my previous post), I walked north up Fashion Valley Road and turned east on Riverwalk Drive, following the San Diego River. I then passed under Highway 163 via the San Diego River Trail, and arrived at the Hazard Center shopping mall. From there I followed several streets to work.
During my walk between the Town and Country and Hazard Center I took a series of interesting photographs. When I reviewed my photos this evening, I realized they presented complex and thought-provoking contrasts.
Morning sprinklers have irrigated another perfect rose.A duck in the San Diego River, as seen from the pedestrian bridge between the Town and Country and the Fashion Valley Transit Center.Dozens of tame river ducks like to gather by the bus station to eat crumbs offered by humans.Continuing east along Riverwalk Drive, looking at native greenery by the San Diego River.Wild, ragged sunflower blossoms ablaze in morning light.Fresh green sycamore leaves by the walking path.I’m approaching some major construction near the place where Highway 163 passes under Friars Road north of the river. The project is calculated to ease traffic flow.Wild grass and urban development.Heavy machinery sculpting the Earth.Construction worker by stacked security fencing.Ants work busily on a nearby native flower.A perfect bloom planted near the Hazard Center shopping center, contrasted with bare concrete.A mural on the south side of Hazard Center shows people flocking to the mall.Bronze sculpture at Hazard Center of Bruce R. Hazard – Everyone’s Friend. For almost a century R.E. Hazard Contracting Company has helped build many of San Diego’s freeway, road, commercial and subdivision projects.Another nearby sculpture of Bruce’s father features this plaque. “Pappy” R.E. Hazard, Sr. 1880-1975. A man’s man, paper boy, businessman, horseman, hunter, fisherman.Be Just and Fear Not. Pappy Hazard, founder of a major construction firm in San Diego, collected old wagons and stagecoaches. Today you can find much of his collection at Seeley Stable, a museum in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
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