BeePNogie is now visiting me in southern California. During the next few days, we'll be visiting some rare species and interesting sites. In the attached photo, he is examining a sample of Santiago Peak Cluster Flower, Phacelia suaveolens ssp. keckii. Until I rediscovered it 3 weeks ago, only 6 living people had ever seen it (plus another 4 no longer living). It's only been seen in 1922, 1923, 1943, 1980, 1988, 1992, and now in 2008. I've searched for it for many years. He'll join me in the mountains this upcoming week, with other biologists and perhaps a reporter or two. Stay tuned...
Wow sounds like he has lots of fun ahead of him. Love the image and the great story that went with it. Have a wonderful week Bob and we will look forward to more images !!!
BeeP helped out during today's scientific foray to observe and photograph a rare species of lily. The lovely plant he is inspecting is the Intermediate Mariposa Lily, Calochortus weedii var. intermedius. It is limited to coastal hills of a few parts of southern California. It is endangered, so we keep pretty good tabs on its whereabouts. It blooms during hot, dry weather in May-July (it's been hot lately, so it probably won't continue to bloom into July this year).
Our party included botanists from San Francisco, Santa Maria, Mission Viejo, Oceanside, Encinitas, and San Diego, CA. To get to the plants, we had to get access to conservancy lands, drive out an old ranch road, hike 1/4 mile up & down hills through burnt chaparral (a huge fire hit here last October), in the heat & glare early this morning. When I took him out of the carrying bag, everyone fell in love with the BeeP and wanted to adopt him. James was right, he is a ham.
While he is here with us, he has agreed to help us do some science. In return, we agreed to take him for a visit to the Pacific Ocean (his first?).
BeeP is again inspecting Santiago Peak Cluster Flower, Phacelia suaveolens ssp. keckii. This time he is in the wild, atop Modjeska Peak. In the background, a mile away to the southeast, is the plant's namesake, Santiago Peak. At 5,687 feet, the peak is higher than nearly everything east of the Mississippi River (only two peaks in the east are taller).
At 9 am, it was already hot and glary. The shot was a quick one with my point & shoot, so yes, it could use more dof to get the flowers more in focus. It looked fine on the camera's LCD but is a little soft here.
BeePNogie with BugBob in Southern California
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