San Diego Mountain Lilac (Ceanothus cyaneus), on the right (east) fork of the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail in Poway. March 24, 2018
Rabbit and rodent population reaches its climax in the canyons and hills of the San Diego County’s coastline. In many parts of the city, car headlights illuminate the rear ends of stray cottontail rabbits raiding the lush garden vegetation. On the outskirts of the suburbs, slender coyotes can sometimes be seen sneaking around in search of rodents and rabbits, or domestic cats that are easy to catch.
Wild Rose, The native Californian flourishes in the foothills and mountains of San Diego County. In humid lowland areas and along small watercourses, the wild rose shows small, fluorescent pink flowers. In June and July, the rose bloom reaches the Laguna and the Palomar Mountains, where the plant grows in abundance in shady locations.
Wild lilac (Ceanothus) currently flowers primarily at elevations above 4,000 feet in San Diego County. The flower colors range from pure white to various shades of blue or lavender. Some fine examples can be seen along the Noble Canyon and Big Laguna trails in the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area on the mountain. Laguna.
The gibbous moon A day or two after the first quarter is my favorite phase in my opinion. The Terminator traverses all kinds of rich yet well-known lunar territory, and the moon is highest in the favorable evenings.
Did you know that there are seven classic types of craters? Before the space age, these categories included everything from the largest “walled plains” to the smallest telescopic “crater pits”. This gradual classification ruled from 1837 to 1960.
Vega is the brightest star in the east northeast after dark. In the upper left, look at 14 degrees (about a fist and a half at arm’s length) for Eltanin, the second size nose of Draco the Dragon. Closer to the top and top left of Eltanin are the three fainter stars that make up the rest of Draco’s stick figure head, also known as the diamond. Draco always points with his nose at Vega, no matter how he orientates himself.
The above is from the Reader’s Outdoors lists compiled by Jerry Schad, author of Afoot & Afield in San Diego County. Schad died in 2011. Planet information from SkyandTelescope.org.
