As the Gottlieb Native Garden’s naturalist, Scott Logan documents the ever-changing array of wildlife species as they vary with the garden’s blooms, seasons and migratory patterns. While bringing these observations to life for all to experience, he also coordinates scientific research projects, and monitors the overall health and biodiversity of the garden. The Naturalist’s Journal also highlights the work the Gottliebs and Scott are doing to educate and inspire people to start gardening for wildlife with native plants.
Non-native Glass Snail
This small introduced snail from Europe can be found in urban gardens and nurseries throughout Southern California. This individual was found in the GNG under a rotting log. It is an omnivore and feeds on a verity of things, including living plants, dead plants, fungi, […]
Cooling-off on a Hot, Humid Day
These goldfinches know that there is no better way to beat the Summer heat than to hang out in some cool running water! Lesser Goldfinches – Spinus psaltria
Already 80° at 7:00am
Allan’s Hummingbirds and Western Columbine on a soon-to-be 105° day.
Green Lynx Spider
This impressive spike-covered male Green Lynx Spider was very busy searching for a mate in the flowers by the hummingbird bath. We never saw if he was successful, but we’re now looking for a female lynx spider in the GNG too :-). Green Lynx Spider […]
Botta’s Pocket Gopher
How do pocket gophers end-up as meals for predators such as owls, hawks, coyotes and bobcats when they spend 90% of their life in the safety of their burrows? This slow motion video of a GNG pocket gopher captures what they do the other 10% […]
The Beginning of a Hot Summer Day…
Summer has officially arrived when cicadas begin to sing, and they are now singing in the GNG!. As the sun rises on this soon-to-be 100° day, cicadas were gearing-up to serenade with their soft buzzing song. Cicadidae – Okanagana vanduzeei
National Geographic Films in the Garden!
Red Rock Films was in the GNG for a couple of days this week, filming hummingbirds for an up-coming National Geographic special on California. Using regular and extremely high-speed video cameras, they were able to capture stunning footage of hummingbirds feeding and interacting in the […]
Hummingbird Feeds on Manzanita
Hummingbird feeders have always been a conspicuous part of the GNG, occasionally feeding over a hundred birds at a time! Wild birds are happy to exploit an easy meal, but that doesn’t mean they stop feeding on native food sources. Here an Anna’s Hummingbird dines on nectar […]
Cat and Aggressive Great Horned Owl
With Bobcats, Coyotes, Gray Foxes and Great Horned Owls around the GNG, this neighbor’s house cat is going to go through its 9 lives very quickly!
Bobcat!
This was a very exciting remote camera-capture, as we have had no evidence of Bobcats being in the GNG for more than four years now. Not the best photo ever, but documented nevertheless! We really hope this big cat wasn’t just passing through and will […]