08 September, 2024

El Pescador State Beach, Los Angeles County, CA

An amazing afternoon spent snorkeling/spearfishing at El Pescador State Beach! Visibility on right end was great, at up to 20 feet. Habitats= bare sand, surf grass meadow, boulder field, rocky reef, kelp forest. Shallow water visibility was only good on the right end, while the left end was like pea soup.

California Butterfly Ray!
2 Leopard Sharks
Shovelnosed Guitarfish
2 Bat Rays
200 Zebra perch

Posted on 08 September, 2024 21:12 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 30 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

07 April, 2024

01 October, 2023

Gorgonians

SEA RODS- shrub-like, with segments rounded in cross-section, NOT pinnately branched

SEA PLUMES- segments rounded in cross-section, pinnately branched

SEA WHIP- shrub-like, with flattened segments

SEA FAN- net-like, flattened branches

Posted on 01 October, 2023 18:02 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 0 comments | Leave a comment

24 June, 2023

June 23, 2023- Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, Illinois

Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, Kolar Savanna Unit

A quick stop here while traveling north from Sugar Creek Campground, Indiana to Chicago. It's managed as a savanna but it seems to lack the proper features. Too many trees and too little grass. I'm assuming that the ancestral state of this land was a savanna and they are trying to restore it. It was strange to see Pin Oak (a lowland species) growing side-by-side with Quercus velutina which generally grows in drier soil. I found what appeared to be a hybrid, Quercus x vaga.

Observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=41.012862449184226&nelng=-87.53372489573975&place_id=any&swlat=41.00173281532091&swlng=-87.54599383652342&user_id=j-stauffer&verifiable=any

Posted on 24 June, 2023 17:45 by j-stauffer j-stauffer

01 June, 2023

Bosque Estatal de Guánica, Camino las Cobanas, Puerto Rico

The Guánica State Forest, popularly known as the Guánica Dry Forest is a subtropical dry forest located in southwest Puerto Rico. The area was designated as a forest reserve in 1919 and a United Nations Biosphere Reserve in 1981.

Amazing nature location!! Many butterflies species, plenty of bird action and countless plants I've never seen. Mosquitoes were out, but not too bad. Ironically we saw no mosquitoes in the cloud forest but many here in the dry forest.

Camino las Cobanas is actually a hiking trail and not a road. It shows up as a road on google maps.

Posted on 01 June, 2023 23:40 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 0 comments | Leave a comment

31 May, 2023

Puerto Rico- general info

Where is Puerto Rico?

part of the West Indies-> Antilles-> Greater Antilles-> Puerto Rico

The West Indies is a subregion of North America and consists entirely of islands, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, that includes the Antilles (Greater and Lesser) + the Bahamas

Posted on 31 May, 2023 12:02 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 0 comments | Leave a comment

Bahia las Cabezas (west side), Puerto Rico, May 28, 2023

A beautiful beach with both sandy and rocky shoreline to explore. Volcanic rock (basaltic) overlaid by sedimentary rock are visible.

Tropical Dry Forest, Mangrove Forest, Seagrass Beds

geologic history of Puerto Rico: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1502/background/geology/welcome.html#:~:text=The%20island%20began%20life%20as,of%20the%20Peru%2DEcuador%20border.

Posted on 31 May, 2023 10:34 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 0 comments | Leave a comment

Caimitillo Trail, El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, May 30, 2023

A beautiful trail through the mixed palm cloud forest to the elfin cloud forest. The trail starts at a slightly lower elevation than the two previous trails we took in El Yunque. We encountered unique orgasms that we hadn't seen before. In fact, each trail we've hiked in the park has provided novel experiences.

El Yunque trails open at 8AM and a $2 permit is required. We made reservations by phone via their website. Permits are issued exactly 24 hours in advance and due to high demand, it's vital to login a few minutes ahead of time to be prepared. A minute late and you won't get a reservation.

Posted on 31 May, 2023 10:16 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 0 comments | Leave a comment

30 May, 2023

Trade Winds Trail, El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, May 29, 2023

Mixed Palm and Elfin Cloud Forest

no mosquitoes

well-maintained trail, great views, plenty of palms

Posted on 30 May, 2023 01:18 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 0 comments | Leave a comment

28 May, 2023

El Toro Trail, El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, May 27, 2023

Arrived at the parking area off PR-186 at 6:50 AM. We hiked 2.2 miles to El Toro Peak. Much of the trail was muddy due to ochre and red clay deposits, with some serious erosion damage in areas. The trail was rugged and not well-maintained. It took us five hours to reach the peak. We searched for birds and admired the plants on the ascent. Going back, I focused on plant photography, taking nearly 800 pictures. Returned to car at 5:50 PM. Adele and I hiked for 11 hours!

Air temp was mid 70's, with a cool breeze at times. No mosquitoes, scattered rain showers. Elfin woods at the peak, with rain forest below that. Whole area is called cloud forest?

road to reach the parking area was narrow and curvy, with many reckless drivers. A beautiful drive through the country. Good birding. Many great plants, but views along the trail are few and far between. The highlights of this hike are the plants, birds and peak. The Trade Winds trail is much prettier. We are very pleased with today's adventure but we won't return in the future.

El Toro Trailhead= 2132 feet
El Toro Peak= 3533 feet

small parking area, no fee

Piptocarpha tetrantha
Casearia arborea
Lisianthius laxiflorus - endemic

Posted on 28 May, 2023 01:00 by j-stauffer j-stauffer | 0 comments | Leave a comment