Ernie's Great Outdoors

Outdoors:  Ernie Cowan Illuminating desert’s night creatures The heat of the late summer evening was still simmering as I gazed into the sky to find Antares, the bright red heart of the constellation Scorpio. Hanging above me at the western edge of the Milky Way, this mythical figure stood out brightly in the inky desert darkness. While I had found the scorpion constellation, I was actually here to find the earthly version as they emerge at night to wander the desert sands in search of food. To help me with my search, I was equipped with an ultraviolet, or blacklight, flashlight that makes these nocturnal creatures stand out distinctly. Did you know that scorpions glow a bright, fluorescent blue-green when illuminated by ultraviolet light? That was something I discovered decades ago when I borrowed a heavy, cumbersome blacklight from my science teacher and took it with me on a camping trip. My goal was to search for gems like calcite, fluorite, agate or a...

Outdoors:  Ernie Cowan Bats steal show during photo hunt You could almost see the last fumes of daylight evaporating from the hot desert sands as the sun dipped behind the San Ysidro Mountains. In the wash of deepening gray, black-tailed jackrabbits were becoming more active, and the black-throated sparrows were no longer coming to the small pond for water. Another summer day was changing from light to dark, and a different world was about to awaken. Against a sky that was now the last shade of dark blue, a bat flashed by. Our mission was about to begin. With friends Russ Hunsaker and bat expert Dick Wilkins, we had set up sophisticated photo equipment that would soon allow us to capture these fascinating creatures as they swooped out of the night to drink or capture insects on the surface of the desert pond. I was hoping to get a few good images of these interesting creatures that are rarely seen by most people. The idea of photographing bats struck me while ...

Outdoors:  Ernie Cowan Stop and smell the coyote melons There was an autumn softness in the air as I day hiked with a friend along a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail near Warner Springs. “What’s that smell?” he asked as we scuffed along the well-worn path. When I realized he wasn’t talking about me, I became aware of a pungent odor as we passed a low-growing patch of bright green vegetation that stood out from the surrounding dry grass. With large green leaves, huge yellow trumpet flowers and melons that looked like softball-sized watermelon, this was a plant that was hard to miss. And don’t forget the smell. This native plant is known by various names, including desert pumpkin, finger-leafed gourd and coyote melon, a name apparently given by Native Americans because it “was only good enough for coyotes to eat.” Even though these native plants look like small, round watermelons, this gourd is closely related to pumpkins. The fruit is the largest produced by ...

OUTDOORS:  ERNIE COWAN You won’t be taking home a pumpkin from this patch October is a traditional time to go on the Great Pumpkin search, but if you find this hidden pumpkin patch it’s not likely you will take one home. First, it would be highly illegal and more importantly, the “pumpkin” would weigh a ton or more. This unique pumpkin patch is actually a collection of geological oddities in the barren desert sands of Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area located along the eastern fringe of San Diego County. As cooler temperatures return to our county desert areas, it’s now a good time to discover some of these fascinating features. The pumpkins in the Pumpkin Patch are not growing plants at all. They are actually sandstone formations known as concretions. Geologists say these stone objects are the product of wind and water over millions of years eroding softer soil to reveal these globular sandstone formations. There are different theories on how c...

Outdoors:  Ernie Cowan Mystic power of the Grand Canyon Memories of a mystic encounter more than 20 years ago swept over me last week as I stood at the wild edge of the Grand Canyon waiting for the moon to rise. My hands were jammed into the pockets of a down jacket as a gentle breeze made the 34-degree temperature seem colder than it was. It was a replay of similar events from years ago, but so far without the nocturnal encounter. Like my previous visit, I had come to photograph the beauty of the Grand Canyon by moonlight. On that trip years ago, I had driven several miles away from Grand Canyon Village to avoid lights of passing cars or other tourists. I parked at a wide spot and hiked off through the juniper forest until I came to the edge of the yawning canyon. It was early March and there was snow on the ground and a bite to the chilly air. The sky was clear, and a heaven filled with stars hung over my head. The full moon began to creep above the eastern...

The icy fingers of winter are pulling away from the towering range known as the White Mountains that form the eastern rim of the Owens Valley. This is a remote corner of California, but the White Mountains offer visitors a look as some of the most unique features found on Earth. Summer visitors to the Eastern High Sierra may notice this remote mountain range, but only a handful of visitors go there compared to the hordes that fish, hike, or simply relax in the more verdant Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west. In addition to the highest elevation road in California, the Whites are home to the oldest living things on the planet, a rare and unique species of trout, as well as wild mustangs that connect back to pioneer ranching more than a century ago. The biggest draw to the lofty elevations of the White Mountains are the ancient Bristlecone Pines. These twisted, gnarled and weathered pines have been dated at nearly 5,000 years old. As summer warms the mountain range and allows...

ERNIE COWAN  Union Tribune  Outdoors YARD PROVIDES RINGSIDE SEAT FOR NATURE’S WONDERS Between the raindrops there were hints of spring this week. I so enjoyed the one mild day with a T-shirt instead of a hoodie. The hillsides have sprung to life with spring green grass, dotted with the bright yellow blossoms of common yellow woodsorrel, also known as lemon clover or by any outdoor kid as sour grass. Then the rain returned, but I wasn’t done. I needed more outdoor time. Why not enjoy one of my sitand- see adventures right  here at home?  As light rain pattered on my patio roof, I sat down with a hot cup of coffee and my camera to see what show nature might provide in an hour or so of quiet observation. We live on a narrow ridge we call Mt. Whoville. It’s one mile long and about 200 feet wide before sloping off into an elfin forest of chaparral. Native plants and animals are our closest neighbors. The rainfall was slowing, and patches of sunshine and b...

ERNIE COWAN   Union Tribune  Outdoors HIKE IN ANZA-BORREGO A GREAT WAY TO START OFF YEAR Taking a hike on New Year’s Day has become an annual tradition for me. This year, after an evening of fun with friends to usher in the New Year, my hike would be in the peaceful quiet of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. While only 65 miles from my home in Escondido, this arid oasis is in another universe when it comes to peace and quiet, unusual scenery and the chance to connect with the natural world. I’m not sure anyone would ever need anxiety medication if they made frequent visits to this crown jewel of California’s state parks. As you fall into the valley coming down the spectacular Montezuma Grade on Highway S-22, you can just feel the tension release, cares vanish and the mind slipping into neutral. It didn’t hurt that daytime temperatureswere inthe mid-70s, with a gentle breeze and fresh air untainted by the additions of urban crowding. This was not a dawn hike, bu...