January 1-6 -- Last Days in Southern California...

I'm at my dad's condo right now, typing this while all of the Los Angeles basin is spread out before me, lit up by millions of lights. It's time to continue with Travels of Discovery -- or at least the "hiatus" portion of it, spending the winter in Overton, Nevada. First, though, I visit Lancaster, CA and the Lance factory, where the Lance campers and travel trailers are built. Tomorrow the 7th I'll be meeting with Bob Rogers, Lance's advertising director, and discussing possible ways to help promote Lance and its products while I'm on the road. After that, it's the factory tour, where you can see how your camper or travel trailer is constructed "from the ground up". My new trailer, Discovery II, is waiting for me at the Lance dealer in Mesquite, Nevada, but the earliest I'll have the opportunity to pick "her" up is January 19. After visiting the Lance factory, I'll head to Portal and "Faranuf", my newly-purchased house down there, to drop off furniture and things before heading back to Overton, and classes being held in Las Vegas to become a "certified wildlife technician" for the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the Overton Wildlife Management Area. So lots to do just as the new year starts -- but before that, here are some last views taken during my remaining time in San Pedro, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula...

Lower Willow Springs Trail, "behind the gates" in Rolling Hills

Red-tailed Hawk, Purple Canyon, Rolling Hills

The "Secret Garden" of a Rolling Hills bridle trail

Townsend's Warbler, Rolling Hills

Cactus Wren, Ocean Trails

Red-breasted Nuthatch, South Coast Botanic Garden, Palos Verdes

There's a story behind the above photo of the Red-breasted Nuthatch...That day I went to the botanic garden -- and I was hoping I'd see an "RBN", as I hadn't seen one there in over a year (they're at best hit-and-miss at the garden). A friend of mine, Bea Rasof, had passed away in 2013, and her son Henry and friends dedicated one of the garden's benches to her memory -- "she loved nature, peace, poetry and dance". I sat on that bench -- and this Red-breasted Nuthatch suddenly appeared on a pine tree opposite from where I was sitting. Coincidence? Who knows, but I thanked Bea all the same for the sighting...

Allen's Hummingbird, South Coast Botanic Garden

Ruby-crowned Kinglet at the water fountain, South Coast Botanic Garden

Ancient Murrelets, Marina del Rey main channel (thanks to my friend, birding "wunderkid" Jose Sandoval for spotting them WAY out there)

Mew Gull, Ballona Channel

Red-throated Loon, Marina del Rey main channel

Downtown Los Angeles skyline, sunset of January 6

Now back to life on the road...

December 26-31 -- The End of 2014 in San Pedro...

It's been a time of reprise and endings -- repeated visits to favorite haunts here in San Pedro and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, leading to that final hike before I head back on the road on January 7. But it's not goodbye for good; it's more like "auf wiedersehen", whose literal meaning is "until we see again".  So here are some of the places and wildlife I've seen during these last days of 2014...

Probable Gray Whale off the coast

Peregrine Falcon at South Coast Botanic Garden

Hermit Thrush (they're EVERYwhere) at the Garden's water fountain

Spotted Towhee at Ocean Trails

California Gnatcatcher, also at Ocean Trails

Cactus Wren braving a windy day (Ocean Trails)

Allen's Hummingbird on the same windy day

Red-breasted Merganser swimming underwater

Osprey evading a forming wave after a dive

Another memorable San Pedro sunrise, looking east

That same memorable sunrise, looking north to San Gabriel Mountains

Uncommonly-seen White-throated Sparrow at San Pedro's Alma Park

Snowy Egret flyby along shoreline

Out-in-the-open Mr. Varied Thrush at Alma Park

Out-in-the-open Mrs. Varied Thrush at Alma Park

Snowfall down to 1,000 feet at "Saddleback" in Orange County

The Los Angeles basin and San Gabriel Mountains from George F Canyon Trail

I can hardly wait for 2015 to unfold...