Wild Lilac (ceanothus) is currently blooming mostly at elevations higher than 4000 feet in San Diego County. Blossom colors range from pure white to various shades of blue or lavender. Some fine examples may be seen along the upper Noble …

Oleander bushes, now beginning to bloom in gardens and along roadsides in the interior valleys and desert, will continue putting on a good show through the summer. Good displays of white, pink, and red varieties can be seen along the …

The rabbit and rodent population is peaking in the canyons and hillsides of coastal San Diego County. In many neighborhoods, car headlights illuminate the rear ends of scampering cottontail rabbits making raids on succulent garden vegetation. On the fringes of …

Land bird migration is in full swing this month in San Diego County, with warblers and flycatchers among those most commonly seen. Warblers crawl along trees limbs and branches to dine on their favorite insects, while flycatchers, as the name …

Wildflowers of San Diego County's highest mountains are in full bloom this month. Take a walk along any trail above 4500 feet in the Laguna, Cuyamaca, or Palomar mountains and enjoy a palette of colors ranging from crimson red to …

Highest tide this month, measuring +6.6 feet, occurs on Monday, May 16, at 8:58 p.m. Lowest tides of the month, measuring -1.6 feet, occur on Tuesday, May 17, at the inconvenient hour of 3:56 a.m.; and on Wednesday, May 18, …

The Moon, just shy of full phase, rises into the late-afternoon eastern sky on Monday, May 16, at around 7:20 p.m. (about 20 minutes before the time of sunset). Some folk names for May full moons include "hare moon," "frogs …

Grunion Runs are predicted to occur during the late evening hours (generally after 10 p.m. and before 1 a.m.), following the nocturnal high tide, May 17 though May 20. The small, silvery grunion tend to spawn on wide, gently sloping …

The Catalina Eddy, a meteorological condition responsible for days-long episodes of dreary, overcast weather over San Diego, is most likely to occur in May and June. This weather pattern, which intensifies our late spring "June gloom," happens when moist marine …

A Grand Conjunction of four planets occurs early Wednesday morning, May 11, in the eastern sky; however, binoculars will be required to see all four planets involved. At around 4:30 a.m., during morning twilight, look low in the eastern sky …

San Diego's Coastal Wildflower Bloom continues practically unabated this year owing to late-season rains and cooler weather during April. On north-facing slopes and in shady canyon bottoms, where the sun's drying effects have not yet taken hold, look for native …

Grunion Runs are predicted to occur during the late evening hours (generally after 10 p.m. and before 1 a.m.), following the nocturnal high tide, on May 3 though May 6. The small, silvery grunion tend to spawn on wide, gently …

Blue-Blossoming Jacaranda Trees have already produced a first wave of color along the streets of San Diego. By early or mid-May, warm weather permitting, this Brazilian import could put on a dazzling show. The larger jacarandas, which in full bloom …

The Lyrid Meteor Shower, which takes place annually, peaks on the morning of Saturday, April 23. This relatively minor meteor shower (20 meteors per hour at peak) will take place mostly after midnight. The moon, just short of third-quarter phase, …

Monkey-Flowers /of various species are putting on an excellent display this month around San Diego. Look for these low, shrub-like plants with tubular yellow, orange, or red flowers wherever native vegetation clothes the landscape -- from the coastal bluffs to …

Grunion Runs are predicted to occur during the late evening hours (generally after 10 p.m. and before 1 a.m.), following the nocturnal high tide, on April 17 though April 20. The small, silvery grunion tend to spawn on wide, gently …

Warmer Temperatures and less rain coincide with the subtle onset of coastal San Diego's spring season. By April's end, the intermittent showery periods, Santa Ana winds, cold nights, and crystal-clear, sun-drenched days of winter will likely be distant memories. The …

The Planet Saturn lies at opposition to the sun on Sunday, April 3. Look for this creamy white planet rising over the east horizon as evening twilight gathers. Saturn stays in the sky all night, setting at sunrise on this …

Yuccas of two varieties are in bloom in San Diego County from now through May. Year after year, the Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera) sends up a blunt flower stalk of white, waxy blossoms from the same base -- a rosette …

The Big Dipper, an abbreviated version of the larger constellation known as Ursa Major (the Great Bear), hovers nearly straight overhead during evening hours from March through June. The seven stars of the dipper -- all but one classified as …