The Anstine Audubon site is just what you would expect
when two elderly, reclusive people own 11 acres
of scrub brush, forest and a pond for many years
longer than they could maintain
them properly.
OVERGROWN!
Anstine-Audubon Nature Preserve is an eleven-acre site
within the County of San Diego
adjacent to Vista and Oceanside.
John and Lois Anstine lived here for about 50 years.
They added to the house and built other structures,
manipulated the creek, created a pond,
tended flower beds and a small fruit orchard.
Before his passing in 1999, Anstine asked
San Diego Audubon to manage
the property as open space.
Three native plant communities are here:
Coastal Sage Scrub,
Southern Willow Riparian Forest,
and Coast Live Oak Woodland.
Nearly one 100 species of plants,
eight species of mammals, 6 of reptiles,
and more than 100 species of birds
have been observed on the Anstine Preserve.
The Audubon volunteers have created a number of trails.
Due to the height of the brush, it's hard to see where you are.
I am sure the birds love it. I saw a roadrunner twice,
but he was too fast for me to catch with the camera.
Here's a photo from their site of the pesky guy.
I kept walking.
Descending into the swampy lands
and a board bridge.
The area is prominently posted.
I noticed it a couple weeks ago and so
decided I had to come back on a Saturday morning 9-12.
It seemed dry as a bone,
but that's how some ponds environments are.
Suddenly there was a cool, green, shady oak forest.
a birding sign
and the pond.
full of birds.
some friendly, some not.
