Blue bellied lizard

Aug 5, 2025 · Point Reyes

(aka: Western Fence Lizard)

A Western fence lizard (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) takes a flying leap above the photographer, as it flees a house cat which was stalking it on a raised deck in San Luis Obispo, California, where the lizard was basking. Image by **Howcheng** on Wikipedia

I'm interested in the Western Fence Lizard because it has been found that baby ticks love to feed on them, as in they are their favorite food. Additionally, if the tick has Lyme disease, a protein in the lizard's blood kills it, and we humans don't get Lyme disease if then the tick bites us. How cool is that. It might be why there is less Lyme disease on the West Coast because there are really a lot of these lizards and it works with Aligator lizards too!

Here is more information if you don't believe me:

Nature is so fun. Today was work, but it's so beautiful here. Birds are everywhere, and walks can be had in the morning and after work.

Another Osprey nest. Here is the sound of them! Voice recording on my iPhone.

The sound of crickets in chorus in this field is absolutely tremendous. The voice recording was too poor due to the wind interfering.

Have a splendid day tomorrow.

Sending oodles of love,

Tawnia

Bird List - A mere 42 species today!

California Quail
Band-tailed Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Acorn Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Steller's Jay
California Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Purple Martin
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Wrentit
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Pacific Wren
European Starling
Western Bluebird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
California Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird