Wild San Diego Blogs
Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
- October 9, 2022
- Ria Rizo
6 ½” (16 cm)1 The common ground dove is a very small, sparrow-sized dove.3 It has a scaly breast, stubby black tail, and its rounded wings flash rufus in flight.1 The dove requires extensive open ground for foraging, so it inhabits open areas: principally orchards, nurseries, and rural ranchettes in San Diego County.4 The common ground dove began colonizing San…
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Introduces Invasive Pond Sliders
- August 24, 2022
- Ria Rizo
The 1990 release of the hit movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles increased the desire to own exotic turtles as pets. One of the turtles in the movie, Leonardo, was based on a red-eared slider, a medium-sized freshwater turtle. These turtles have a thick red stripe behind each eye that resembles the red colored mask of the ninja turtle. The native…
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Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
- July 24, 2022
- Ria Rizo
ORDER: Columbiformes FAMILY: Columbidae The Mourning dove, named after its unique cooing call, is very common throughout San Diego County. It lives in the area year round and can usually be spotted on the ground, on telephone wires, and in flight. When Mourning doves take off, their wings produce a unique whistling sound. Their flight path is straight and once…
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Bobcat believed hit by car released to Mission Trails Regional Park after 3 weeks of care
San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife rehabilitated the injured male bobcat before it was set free; the goal is to return animals within 10 miles from where they were found • Published Feb 9, 2023
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Reasons for owls hooting draw answers from the mind, heart
Bird scientists will tell you that great horned owls hoot for several reasons. Primarily the nighttime hooting is a territorial claim notifying intruders they are in the owl’s territory. • Published Oct 1, 2022
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Wildlife Photographer Shoots TEN Mountain Lions … in His Backyard in Ramona
Roy Toft has shot video and stills of coyotes, California gray fox, raptors, lynx, opossums, skunks, mule deer and raccoons on his East County property • Published May 20, 2022
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Goats Join the Firefighting Effort in San Diego County
According to Good Shepherds, the goats clear dry brush more efficiently than other known human and mechanical methods • Published February 20, 2022
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Encinitas unanimously approves county's first balloon ban
The Encinitas City Council on Wednesday became the first city in the county to enact a lighter-than-air balloon ban. • Published January 20, 2022
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Wayward Sea Lion Found Miles From Ocean on San Diego Freeway — Not His First Time
SeaWorld rescue team members were able to rescue the critter using three large nets • Published January 7, 2022
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Work begins in phase II of San Dieguito Wetlands Restoration project
Work began this week on Phase II of the San Dieguito Lagoon Wetland Restoration project intended to create a new trail connection, expand river habitat and convert former agricultural fields to tidal wetlands, it was announced Wednesday. • Published January 5, 2022
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San Diego butterfly declared threatened species by US Fish and Wildlife
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Monday declared one of Southern California’s rarest butterflies — the Hermes copper butterfly – – as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. • Published December 20, 2021
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Threatened Burrowing Owl Gets Chance to Thrive in the Wild
Conservationists have tested strategies to establish a preserved environment that is as close to the burrowing owl's native habitat as possible, consisting of open grasslands, the burrows needed to survive and plenty of prey • Published March 19, 2021