Best Photos from our Readers and Staff

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: INTERNATIONALLY ENDANGERED PARROTS BRIGHTEN UP EL CAJON

East County News Service

August 17, 2019 (El Cajon) – Photographer Robert Gehr snapped this close-up of a Red Crowned Amazon Parrot (Amazona Vindigenalis), aka Green-Cheeked Amazon parrot, aka Mexican red headed parrot - eating pepper tree berries in downtown El Cajon on East Main Street.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: THE FACE OF POISONING

By Debbie Merrill

August 5, 2019 (Jamul) - This was the breeding male of a Jamul coyote pack. The first image was taken before he ingested most likely a poisoned rodent, based on his symptoms. He had already recovered from mange, also most likely due to rodenticide poisoning. The second is a picture of him the afternoon before he died, and one of his last attempts at standing.


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PHOTO OF THE MONTH: LEAPING DEER IN CUYAMACA

East County News Service

August 2, 2019 (Cuyamaca) – The buck stops here is not a phrase that applies to this deer capture in a mid-air leap by photographer Debbie Merril in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park—pure poetry in motion!


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: COTTONTAIL RABBIT

East County News Service

July 19, 2019 (El Cajon) -- Robert Gehr sent in this photo of a native Cottontail Rabbit spotted near city hall in downtown El Cajon.  Winter rains have encouraged growth in grasses and native wildlife that rely on grasses for feed and habitat.

Remember to avoid use of chemical pesticides on your grass, which can also harm cute critters like this one!


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LAKE JENNINGS SPRING PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS

Source: Helix Water District

July 10, 2019 (Lakeside) -- Helix Water District has announced the winners of its 2019 Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest. 

Now in its eighth year, the contest drew 60 entries from throughout the county. This year’s theme was Life at the Lake, and each of the entries highlighted the unique beauty of camping, fishing, hiking, spotting wildlife and enjoying the view at Lake Jennings in Lakeside. 


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: SPECTACULAR SUNSET

East County News Service

June 30, 2019 (Mt. Helix) – Yvonne Goff shot this spectacular sunset from her home on Mt. Helix. Where else but San Diego could you frame a sunset with a pine tree and a palm tree?  Meteorologists say Thursday night’s dazzling sky show was due to high humidity in the air – or maybe it’s just magic.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: LIGHTS FANTASTIC AT HUBBELL HOUSE CHAPEL

June 27, 2019 (Julian) -- No, our editor hasn't gone punk. The vivid colors on her hair, hands and stone floor below are caused by sunlight filtered through stained glass crowning the "chapel" building at Hubbell House near Julian, which was recently open for the facility's annual Father's Day Tour.

The complex includes the home, studios and galleries of famed artist and architectural designer James Hubbell.  Proceeds from the tour benefit the Ilan Lael Foundation, working to keep alive the magical artistic style created by Hubbell for future generations to enjoy.


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COMING UP ROSES

June 13, 2019 (La Mesa) -- Everything's coming up roses this spring in our editor's backyard,  where Mark Raftery snapped this photo of a purple rose in the sunshine.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT

 

 

East County News Service

June 1, 2019 (El Cajon) – Robert Gehr snapped this photo of a crow in El Cajon. “It was keeping an eye on me as I photographed the antics of it, being a bit playful,” he writes.

Crows are highly intelligent, capable of recognizing individual human faces and have even been trained to talk.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: BORREGO RAINBOW

 
East County News Service
 
May 22, 2019 (Borrego Springs) -- Rob Amato shot this idyllically posed photo of a rainbow arcing over horse statues by artist Ricardo Breceda in Borrego Springs.
 
You can read more about world-famous metal sculptor Breceda at his website: http://ricardobreceda.com/
 
Find a map and details on the Borrego sculptures at https://www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html#newmap.


PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

East County News Service

May 8, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Greg Dunne recently hiked 77 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.  He sent in these two photos. The first is at the trailhead start in Campo near the Mexican border. The second image is about 50 miles north near Garnet Peak, between  Mount Laguna and Julian, overlooking the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: DINO-BUNNY

 

 

East County News Service

April 23, 2019 (La Mesa) – Toby the T-Rex donned bunny ears over the Easter weekend.  The statue, owned by Jeff Phair of the Phair Company, has fast become a holiday icon atop its hillside home at the planned site of La Mesa Summit Estates in La Mesa.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: BORREGO BLOOMS AND BIRDS

 
 
East County News Service
 
Photos by Renee Owens
 
March 24, 2019 (Borrego) -- The Anza-Borrego Desert's superbloom season continues.  Wildlife biologist Renee Owens sent in these beautiful images showing fields of wildflowers and a beavertail cactus in bloom.  She also captured images of two birds that frequent California's largest state park, the California quail, our state birds, as well as a black-throated sparrow.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: LUPINE AT INDIAN HEAD

 

 

East County News Service

March 21, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – Bob Kutscher has sent yet another gorgeous shot of wildflowers in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  These purple lupine are blossoming along a trail to a ridgeline to Hidden Saddle east of the Cove at Indian Head Mountain. 


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HELIX WATER DISTRICT LAUNCHES 2019 LAKE JENNINGS SPRING PHOTO CONTEST

 

 

Source:  Helix Water District

March 19, 2019 (Lakeside) - Helix Water District has launched its eighth annual Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest to share the beauty of its reservoir with the local community. The contest is open to photos taken at Lake Jennings between March 1 and May 31, 2019.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: CATCHING A WHOPPER AT LAKE JENNINGS

 

 

East County News Service

March 19, 2019 (Lakeside) – Steven Scouten sent in this photo of his son, Justin, with a large-mouth bass caught at Lake Jennings in Lakeside this past week.  “It’s 10 pounds—his personal best,” Scouten says. 

You can find more information about fishing, including special fishing events, at Lake Jennings by visiting http://www.lakejennings.org/.


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MIGRATORY BUTTERFLIES FLUTTER ACROSS REGION

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – This year’s super bloom season has brought an added bonus.  “Butterflies are gracing us with even more color,” says photographer Bob Kutscher, who snapped this image south of Clark Lake in the Anza-Borrego desert.  Swarms of the Painted Lady butterflies on their migratory path from Mexico are being reported across Southern California.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: PEOPLE WATCHING AND WILDFLOWER JAMS

 
 
East County News Service
 
March 12, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – If you’re going wildflower watching in the Anza-Borrego desert area, several sources tell us that the desert floor is now in full bloom—and with wildflower season comes tourists and traffic jams.

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: POPPIES NEAR BARRETT RESERVOIR

 

 

East County News Service

March 8, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) - Mark Siegmund sent in these photos of California Golden Poppies, our state flower, taken March 7th near the Lake Barrett reservoir’s exposed aquaduct section.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: FLOWER FIELDS ABLOOM IN BORREGO

 

 

East County News Service

 

Photo, left: Panoramic view of wildflower south of S22 looking toward Clark Dry Lake 3/7/19

 

March 8, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – Bob Kutscher visited an area about 10 miles east of Borrego Springs north of S22 and south of Clark Dry Lake, where fields of wildflowers are starting to bloom.  

 

The blooms so far are not as dramatic as the “super bloom” in 2017, in part due to freezing night temperatures as well as invasive Sahara mustard, which grows larger and blocks sunlight from some native plants.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: SUN SHAFTS AND FLOWERS

 

 

East County News Service

March 6, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – Bob Kutscher sent in these dramatic images yesterday in the Anza-Borrego desert, “before the clouds completely blocked the sun as a few light showers started.”

 

 

 


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: DESERT GREENERY

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Culp Valley at top of long passing lane (south side) looking southerly

February 23, 2019 (Borrego Springs) –  Bob Kutscher in Borrego Springs sent in thee images, stating, “I  captured some panoramic images yesterday of what Borrego desert looks like after the snowfall we had yesterday and have attached and inserted them with this email.  Note you can also see just how green the desert has become with all this rainfall.”  


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: DEEP SNOW

 

 

East County News Service

February 22, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – “Yeah. I’m not going anywhere for a while,” Dave Hogan posted on Facebook. Snow outside his home between Pine Valley and Mt. Laguna measured over 19 inches.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: SNOW IN DEERHORN VALLEY

 
 
East County News Service
 
February 22, 2019 (Deerhorn Valley) -- Dan Connors sent us these photos of a rare snowfall in the Deerhorn Valley area of Jamul, taken at 6:30 a.m. when the temperature is a chilly 32 degrees.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: FROSTY VIEW

 

 

East County News Service

February 21, 2019 (Julian) – Carol Faith from Julian sent in this photo of frost patterns on her window pane framing views of snow outside.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: MALLARD DUCKS LOOKING FOR LOVE IN EL CAJON

 

 

East County News Service

Photo by Robert Gehr

February 14, 2019 (El Cajon) - Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Mallard drakes are gathering together before Spring, awaiting the arrival of female Mallard ducks at the waterscape in downtown El Cajon, located at Sulzfeld Way and east Main St.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: TOBY THE T-REX SPORTS VALENTINE’S OUTFIT

 

 

East County News Service

February 12, 2019 (La Mesa) – “Toby is on the hunt for a Valentine date. The rumor is that he has his eye on a cute velociraptor,” says Jeff Phair, developer of La Mesa Summit Estates.

Phair and his wife purchased the whimsical sculptor last August and installed it at the site of the future residential project in September. Since then, Toby the T-Rex has been spotted garbed in a variety of holiday wear, also attracting artwork created by local children. 

 


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: DOUBLE RAINBOW

February 6, 2019 (Mount Helix) -- Freelanc Photographer and videographer Martin Hoffman snapped these beautiful images of a double rainbow from the backyard of his Mount Helix home, looking southeast.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: STORM CLOUDS AT SUNSET

 

 

East County News Service

February 1, 2019 (El Cajon) — Robert Gehr sent in this photo of dramatic clouds over El Cajon, glowing golden at sunset after yesterday’s storm.


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JANUARY IN JULIAN

January 25, 2019 (Julian) -- Our editor, Miriam Raftery, snapped this soothing sunset at the twilight's last glow over the mountains in Julian last Sunday.

The photo was taken out the window of the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Station on State Route 79.


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