Robyn Waayer's Nature Notebook

Welcome to Robyn Waayer's Nature Notebook. Robyn is a local biologist and nature photographer. This page will be gradually expanded to provide information about the animals, plants and fungi of the San Dieguito River Park. Check back for new information.

Robyn has been a resident of San Diego County since 1977, and is a biology instructor at Palomar, Miramar and Southwestern Colleges, and is also a freelance nature photographer. Contact information: rwaayers@aol.com

Mammals

California Ground Squirrel

Birds

Birds of Lake Hodges
Birds of the San Dieguito Lagoon

Reptiles and Amphibians

Pacific Tree Frog
Coast Horned Lizard

Insects and other Arthropods

Tarantula Hawk Wasp
Ten-lined June Beetle

Plant Communities

Plants

Fungi

Contributions by Robyn Waayers, unless indicated otherwise.

Here's a new entry:. The photo would be better given to you directly, as it
will take forever to send with our dial-up.

California Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi

California Ground Squirrels are abundant throughout the San Diegito River
Park anywhere where there is soil suitable for burrowing in. Colonies create
extensive underground burrows, which can be destructive if located near human-made
structures! Generally, a single squirrel, often an older female, will act as
sentry for the colony and position herself in a prominent position outside the
burrow system watching for predators or other threats. When she detects a
threat, she will make a series of high-pitched squeaks to alert other
colony-mates who may be nearby and vulnerable. The sentry is usually an older female as
she has likely already had one of more litters of offspring and so is
biologically "expendable." If she is taken by a predator, her genes, as carried by her
offspring, will "live on."

Robyn

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