The new moon that rises on June 6 presides over a period of many of the lowest daylight tides of the year. This first batch of extra low tides occurs in the early mornings.
Many shrubs, particularly coyote brush, are festooned with blobs of white froth that look like human spit. Nestled within these blobs are the nymph and adult stages of annulate spittlebugs, protected from heat and predators. The blobs are made as the bugs pierce the stems and plant juices seep out. The spittlebugs’ use of plants is not considered harmful.
The insect world is particularly active as the weather warms, and many species are hatching. In turn, bird species such as swifts and barn swallows are seen in the early evenings swooping through the air and feeding on flying insects.
The beaches are slowly being reshaped with the annual summer pattern of sand pushed back onto beaches. Typically, winter waves scour sand off beaches, exposing rock formations and shipwreck debris. The sand rests in offshore sandbars and is then returned to the beach in the summer months, recovering the rocks and debris.
Lupine is the latest blooming species that reminds us that summer is nearing. Buckeye trees are also flowering, sending up spikes of palest pink and brown flowers.