 A juvenile waiting near a bird feeder in the back yard.
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 I was waiting at a veterinary hospital when a homeless woman walked in with a cat in a bag. For nine months they had been living beneath an overpass on the 405 freeway. The woman said she could no longer care for the cat and signed her over to the hospital staff who were then going to send her to the shelter. Instead, at my husband's insistence, she came home with us and has become a truly wonderful and loving companion.
 This grasshopper caught my eye because she was a different color of green from the plant she was resting on. There was no listing in my indispensable book, Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, so I searched online. I love the name - Green Bird Grasshopper. They are related to locusts but not considered invasive.
 It's the end of summer and they will be leaving any day now. The Hooded Orioles arrived in March to build their nests and raise their families. It's always sad to see them go. I wish them well on their long journey.
 One of thousands of winter blooms at Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge.
 You can tell by his mouth; it still has the yellow corners of a baby Mockingbird.
 So let me tell you; some people at Echo Park Lake were asking if I was a cross between a duck and a turkey!
 Yes, it's a big mouth, but only used for smiles and kisses. Extremely gentle and loving, "Little Girl" had been overlooked at the shelter for too long. A volunteer asked if I could take some pictures of her to help get the word out. Within a week, she was adopted!
 It's just a bud, but soon will be reaching for the sky. When birds scatter seeds while they're eating, some fall to the ground and magically transform into magnificent beauties.
 It's always a thrill to see this tiny winter resident in the yard. Ruby-crowned Kinglets are in almost constant motion as they search for insects in the trees and bushes. The males wear a brilliant red hat, that often remains hidden in the surrounding feathers.
 Just before dark, hummingbirds are especially busy catching mosquitos, gnats and flying insects in mid air. This one stopped for a moment to visit. I've even had one land on my head while I was photographing a family of Bewick's Wrens.
 Seven week old Pip arrived at the shelter after he was was discovered in a dumpster on the 4th of July. Neglected, in delicate condition and without a single hair on his body, he had little chance of survival; that is, until Andrea, a loving and dedicated volunteer, took him home, nursed him back to health and mended his little broken heart.
 Rupert belongs to a friend of mine. He's a bad boy who gets by on his looks.
(Altered photo)  Actually a False Gharial or Tomistoma, this critically endangered crocodile arrived at the LA Zoo after being seized from a notorious international wildlife dealer.
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Paula MaxwellMFA Archives
December 2021
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