October 15, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)—Jake Christie of East County snapped this shot of yesterday’s solar eclipse, shot through a welder’s mask.

October 2, 2023 (Jamul) -- Fabrice Borel of Jamul snapped a photo of this beautiful bobcat, which was so close he says he thought it might jump into his vehicle.

California, where hunting bobcats has been illegal since Jan. 1, 2020, now has an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 bobcats, according to the California Fish and Wildlife Dept. 

September 28, 2023 (Lakeside)--Helix Water District announces the winners of the 2023 Lake Jennings Photo Contest, with this year’s first place in the adult category going to photographer Billy Ortiz of Lakeside for his image “Reflection.” (Photo, left)

July 22, 2023 (Campo) – Mary Simmonds snapped this dramatic image from Campo of a SpaceX rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on July 19.

The Falcon 9 rocket launched 15 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit.

You can also view video of the rocket taken by Henri Migala at these links:

July 5, 2023  (Lakeside) – Shiloh Ireland sent in these photos of spectators and participants celebrating our nation’s birthday at the Lakeside Patriotic 4^th of July Parade yesterday.

By Shiloh Ireland

May 13, 2023 (Lakeside) - Lakeside Rodeo, which is Lakeside's largest event of the year along with the parade, was Thursday through Sunday, April 27^th. - April  30^th. And the annual Lakeside Western Days Parade rolled out on April 29th^. and it too was a fun-packed venue and family event.

ECM was at Texas Roadhouse Restaurant in El Cajon and spoke with and photographed the 2023 Rodeo Lakeside Queens, Emily Cullins, Miss Rodeo Lakeside and Junior Miss Rodeo, Stella Erb, who were greeting guests and signing autographs. They were at the rodeo and signed autographs and rode in the parade.

Photo by Miriam Raftery

April 1, 2023 (Spring Valley) – With Aztecs men’s basketball advancing to the “final four” for the first time in the team’s history, Aztec players Nate Mensah (left) and Matt Bradley (right) stopped by Valley Farms Market in Spring Valley earlier this week to meet shoppers and pose for pictures with fans, as well as with the store’s owner, Derek Marso (center).

March 15, 2023 (La Mesa) -- Chuck Cibulka snapped this photo of a beautiful Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on pink lantana blooms in La Mesa.

March 4, 2023 (Lakeside) – No, that’s not a penguin at Lindo Lake in Lakeside. Here’s how photographer Shiloh Ireland described this startling image.  “I took out the camera and thought I would look for something unusual. Well, the animal world is amazing. I was able to take many shots of a mammal with a bird, the heron hanging out in harmony with the squirrel.  Nature is beautiful."

East County News Service

February 27, 2023 (Roland) -- A rare hailstorm pelted much of San Diego County on Saturday night.  Pat Bennett of Rolando sent in these photos, stating, "I have lived in San Diego for 55 years and have never seen more than a few hailstones fall. Tonight, my garden, deck, patio furniture and roof were covered with it!"

East County News Service

February 27, 2023 (Ramona) – Looking for wildflowers? You don’t have to go all the way to Anza-Borrego.  Henri Migala took these colorful photos of a hillside abloom in orange and yellow daisies along the Old Julian Highway in Ramona yesterday.

If you’ve found a great place to view wildflowers locally this spring, send your photos and the location to editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

East County News Service 

February 13, 2023 (Lakeside) – Shiloh Ireland Photography sent in this image of a hummingbird nesting on his Lakeside property. 

Hummingbirds build their tiny nests with twigs, moss and spiderwebs.  They can measure as little as an inch in diameter when built, but can stretch to accommodate growing chicks once the eggs hatch.  Because the nests are fragile, hummingbirds typically need to build a new nest each year, though if in a sheltered spot, nests are sometimes revisited year after year.

East County News Service

Photo, left, by Alex Tardy, National Weather Service: car is swept away by floodwaters beneath overpass in Fashion Valley, where the river topped flood stage at 13 feet yesterday morning.

January 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Torrential rains that doused our region caused roadway flooding and rockslides, filled reservoirs, and resulted in multiple rescues.  Here are photos, provided by our readers, social media users, and public agencies.

East County News Service

December 26, 2022 (Lakeside) – Scott Lagace snapped these photographs of a Bald Eagle, our national bird, over the holiday weekend at Lake Jennings in Lakeside. Though no longer federally endangered, Bald Eagles are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act as well as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. They remain rare in San Diego County, however, where there are only a handful of nesting pairs, making such a sighting a special thrill.