East County Magazine
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: PORTRAIT OF A HAWK
Printer-friendly version March 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Photographer Daren Sefcik captured the nobility of this magnificent bird of prey in a stunning close-up shot. The red-tail hawk was spotted in Indian Valley within the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Printer-friendly version
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: SMILE!
Printer-friendly version March 22, 2012 (San Diego) — Kristin Kjaero snapped this ultra close-up portrait at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in San Pasqual. “We rode the "Caravan" down into the exhibit which we’ve never done before, and got to hand feed giraffes and rhinos,” she says. “Wow, so worth the experience! They nuzzle right up to you
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: ONCE UPON A TIME IN EAST COUNTY….
Printer-friendly version March 19, 2012 (Descanso) – Nancy Manning shot this picturesque night time image of snow falling along a country bridge in Descanso, where four inches have blanketed the ground thus far. Doesn’t it resemble a scene straight out of a fairy tale? Printer-friendly version
WINTER WONDERLAND: EAST COUNTY READERS SHARE THEIR PHOTOS
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery March 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) — As a late winter storm sweeps across our region, readers in San Diego’s East County have shared some of their favorite photos of the season. Morgan La Salle shared these first two pastoral images of Pine Valley, where a blanket of white coats corrals and farmlands–serving up a
PHOTO OF THE WEEK, WITH A CHARCOAL FILTER
Printer-friendly version March 17, 2012 (La Mesa) — Mayan Avitable, our assistant editor, took this photo around midnight last week as a cutting she had taken from a neighbor’s plant generated this amazing bloom. The flower opened, filled the room with a fabulous aroma, and by morning was gone. This flower is commonly called a Night Blooming Cereus. This
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: DEER, DEER!
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery March 14, 2012 (El Cajon)–Students at Grossmont College may be surprised to see who’s hanging out just off campus. ECM editor Miriam Raftery spotted these deer grazing on a sunny slope adjacent to the community college. Printer-friendly version
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: SUNFLOWER
Printer-friendly version March 11, 2012 (Lakeside) – Jan Owens sent in this photo of her “accidental bird food” – a golden-hued sunflower that sprouted from a seed in the front yard of her Lakeside home. Printer-friendly version
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: BOBCAT IN EL MONTE VALLEY
Printer-friendly versionBy Billy Ortiz March 9, 2012 (Lakeside) – Most every day I like to drive down El Monte Rd in Lakeside. It reminds me of how it used to be in the old days with wide open fields, some farming and the best part is all the wildlife in the area–golden eagles, hawks and falcons, wild turkeys, deer and
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: FLOWER POWER
Printer-friendly version March 4, 2012 (East County) –Henri Migala sent in this close up image of sunshine-hued blooms here in East County–sure signs that Spring is in the air. Printer-friendly version
LAKE JENNINGS PHOTO CONTEST RUNS THROUGH MARCH
Printer-friendly version February 29, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Photos taken at Lake Jennings during March may be entered in Helix Water District’s Lake Jennings Photo Contest. Prizes of up to $100 will be awarded in adult and student categories. Photos can be of any aspect of the lake—wildlife, wild flowers, camping, fishing, boating, scenic views. Photographers must stop
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

Photo of the week: Jacumba sunset
April 6, 2026 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Martin Eder sent in this photo, taken along Interstate 8 just west of Jacumba near the San Diego-Imperial…

Male lion joins pride at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
East County News Service View video: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1484962496593617 March 24, 2026 (San Pasqual) — The lion pride at the Safari Park just got a little louder…

Sunrise to sunset is theme of 2026 Lake Jennings photo contest
East County News Service March 15, 2026 (Lakeside) – Lake Jennings invites you to enter your best photos taken at Lake Jennings between April 1…

Photo of the Week: Here’s the buzz!
East County News Service February 7, 2026 (La Mesa) — Kristin Kjaero snapped this photo of a honeybee pollinating flowers in her succulent garden in…
Photo of the Week: Beaver moon
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service November 9, 2025 (Mt. Helix) — Dawn Sebaugh snapped this picture of the “Beaver Moon” on November 5, The November full moon was dubbed “Beaver Moon” because it’s the time when beavers are most active building their lodges for winter, and when the fur trading season was at its peak. The name has its origins

Photo of the week: Egret at Lake Morena amid dead plants and green water
Printer-friendly version East County News Service October 3, 2025 (Lake Morena) — Karen Pearlman snapped this photo of snowy white egret searching for fish at Lake Morena, casting a reflection in the deep green waters. The visit raises a curious question: Why are all the plants in the water at Lake Morena dead? It isn’t drought, since plants further up

Exclusive: ECM obtains video showing start of Coches Fire
Printer-friendly version View video September 17, 2025 (Lakeside) — East County Magazine photographer Patrick Ward has obtained surveillance video from a Lakeside homeowner who lives next to the spot where the Coches Fire began. The video from the homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, shows vehicles on the roadway around 2:56 p.m. on September 8, 2025, followed by brush igniting

Photo of the week: Santee Fire Department’s new brush rig
Printer-friendly versionPhoto and story by Patrick Ward August 24, 2025 (Santee) – The Santee Fire Department this week held a push-in ceremony with its new home-type 3 brush engine, a symbol of the department’s commitment to safety and efficiency. The brush rig is designed to handle any emergency with precision and speed. The cost of the apparatus was

State Parks Photo Contest Running Through Sept. 30
Printer-friendly versionAnza-Borrego Desert State Park photo (left) by Karen Pearlman East County News Service July 15, 2025 (San Diego County) — California State Parks Foundation is inviting park visitors and photography enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels to capture the natural beauty, recreational activities and unique landscapes of California’s state parks. The California State Parks Foundation

Photos of the Week: Crest Celebrates Independence Day
Printer-friendly version July 6, 2026 (Crest, CA) – Paul Levikow sent in these photos from the 79th Crest Fourth of July Parade near Nancy Jane County Park. Parade watchers lined La Cresta Blvd. and Suncrest Blvd., to watch motorcycles, offroad vehicles, bicycles, classic cars, floats, and equestrians. The community event also included a live band, crafts, venders, food,
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.