Hiking Along the High Road in Brandeis, California
July, 2011
Over the years I've been lucky enough to spend some time in southern California, one of my favorite places to hike and go birding. Below are some photos I took during the summer of 2011 when I spent 5 week in Simi Valley as a creative wirting artist-in-residence at the Brandeis Collegiate Institute. I would be remiss if I did not send out a big thank you BCI director Nava Becker for encouraging my outdoor explorations while I was at the institute teaching creative writing, and of course to Dr. Gabe Goldman for his excellent insights and willingness to share his deep knowledge of the natural world with me. Not to mention the rest of the BCI staff who looked on with an air of nervous amusement as I expressed my enthusiasm for tracking down a live rattlesnake or chased an errant California Towhee out of the dining hall.
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
In the photo above you can see one of my favorite spots in the whole world, the High Road that runs through the hills and valleys in Brandeis, California. This is one of the best places to walk at all times of day to get a glimpse of the incredible variety of wildlife that call this environment home, including a diverse array of bird life ranging from the fairly common Oak Titmouse and Acorn Woodpecker to Red-Shouldered Hawks and California Quail. This is also a great place to survey the reptilian inhabitants of the region, including a bewildering array of lizards as well as California King Snakes and Rattlesnakes. Ground squirrels are also plentiful.
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
In addition to the various birds, lizards, snakes and ground squirrels beautiful varieties of flowering cacti also abound.
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
Sunset and dusk is also a great time to explore this area - last summer I saw multiple owls glide by on silent wings very close to where the photo above was taken, and it is at dusk that I encountered both a California King Snake stretched out on the road as well as the first Rattlesnake I've seen up close, hiding (and presumably hunting) in the roots of an oleander bush.
Birds of Del Mar Beach, San Diego, CA
June, 2011
Last June I spent an afternoon at the beach at Del Mar in San Diego County watching Pelicans, Egrets and other birds fish in the surf and fly past me. I always enjoy spending time along any coast, but the coastline of southern California seems especially alive and dynamic to me, winch is something I tried to capture in the images below.
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
One of the major highlights of the day was coming upon a group of gorgeous, bright white Snowy Egrets feeding in the surf. They seemed completely bothered by my presence as they darted back and forth in the waves looking for small fish to eat.
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
In addition to the Snowy Egrets group of Brown Pelicans kept a steady vigil above the water, passing back and forth along the shoreline throughout the afternoon.
Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2011
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