So...I made my anual trek up to the Santa Barabara International Orchid Show on Saturday, March 12. It is something I always look forward to and come home with more orchids than I need, but I do love them so. The ones on this blog were from the exhibitors.

The yellow Paph was beautiful. The pink flower is a Lycaste. I think they are very beautiful and quite unusual.

I bought a dendrobium similar to this one, but mine will not bloom for several years. I hope I do not kill it before it tries to bloom. I am really hoping to get some more unusual orchids this year. I did buy some cattlayas that were in spike and should bloom very soon. I may add some pictures of them when they do.

This green cymbidium was a pendulous cymbidium and so beautiful. I thought of my friend, Kathleen, who couldn't make it this year. She would have loved all the green cymbidiums they had at the show.

This was a beautiful display of pink phaleonopsis - very nicely done. The theme for the show this year was Route 66, so many of the displays had little trucks and signs for the famous Route 66. Kind of different.

Another pink lycaste. Very stunning, I thought! Next to the lycaste is a broader picture of one of the displays.

A beautiful display of pink and purple phaleonopsis. I thought they did a wonderful job of arranging them together.

Here is my husband, so happy to be here! He was such a trooper to take me to the show and pretty much take me whereever I wanted to go. He even stopped at several greenhouses in Carpenteria on the way home. What a guy!!. I usually go with the girls, but everyone had conflicts this year. ,

As always, the displays were beautiful!

I believe this is a Little Egret - we see these quite frequently at Sepulveda Basin and at Lake Balboa. They are realy pretty
Hummingbirds are some of my favorite birds to find. They are little, fiesty flying jewels. I am not sure what the name of the one with his green back to me is. The other is a Rufous Hummingbird, which is seen quite often at Sepulveda Basin.
I am not sure if this is a juevenile Great Blue Herron or if it is an American Bittern. It was in a tree eating something off the branches. I tend to think it is an American Bittern, but maybe if someone reads my blog mabe they can let me know for sure. .
I am pretty sure this is a Downy Woodpecker, but I cannot see the tale to know for certain whether is it a Downy or a Hairy Woodpecker. From everything I can read, the Downys are much more prevalent, but the Hairys are also around. He actually was upsidedown on the branch like this.

We found a hummingbird nest (actually someone pointed it out to us) on our walk on 3/5/11 - There was a baby in the nest and the mom was feeding it. The other fledgling was already out of the nest sitting on a branch. Momma bird pushed the baby off the branch a little after these pictures were taken. I am happy to say he passed the "I can fly" test!
I believe this little guy is either a Lesser Goldfinch or an American Goldfinch. The picture isn't the best, but he is definitely one or the other.

In a little over a week I will be going to Texas to visit my daughter. I am hoping to add to my blog with some Texan birds and the wildflowers should be in their peak of bloom. When I come home we are going out to Anzo Borego and the Salton Sea where we will hopefully see many California wildflowers and birds.

The San Fernando Audubon Society leads
walks at the Sepulveda basin.
We were treated to these beautiful
Western Bluebirds. What a treat!

These were pair of Hooded Mergansers also seen on the walk led by the San Fernando Audubon Society on February 12, 2011. And we saw a beautiful Osprey on the same day. He is so majestic!!

This hummer was taken at the LA Zoo as we walked along the path. He was sure hard to capture!

A male and female American Widgeon at Lake Balboa on February 26

This Red-Winged Blackbird was one of many flocking in the trees.

There is Snow on the Mountains - In fact, it was snowing on Laurel Canyon Blvd as we drove home from Sherman Oaks!!!

And finally - the "boys" - Cody and Charlie - Enjoying their outing at Lake Balboa.

Wow! It has been a long time since I posted anything. My daughter keeps telling me I should post some of the pictures that I love taking. So...here are some of the ones I have had fun taking.

The first one is a hummingbird in flight taken at Sepulveda Basin - one of my favorite local places to see both birds and wildflowers.


And a Cassin's Kingbird, also taken at Sepulveda Basin.

A red-tailed hawk - so majestic!

This butterfly posed on my driveway while I was able to take many pictures of him!!



The raven was taken at Grand Canyon.


Grand Canyon at sunset - too beautiful for words!! What a magnificent Creator we have!!

A Black-crowned Night-Heron taken at Lake Balboa.

This brown pelican was taken on the Santa Barbara pier. He was there for the longest time and just kept turning his head and "posing" for all the people taking pictures. I especially like this full front view of him.