We see a lot of lizards in this area. This is a southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata), a little over a foot long, relaxing in my driveway. Some individuals will grow to twice this length. These reptiles eat insects and snails, occasionally smaller lizards or bird eggs. If grabbed by a predator, the tail will break off easily, enabling the lizard to escape. (However, I have seen cats temporarily distracted by the tail who then went on to capture and eat the lizard.) The tail will regenerate to some extent, but the new tail will never have the length or beauty of its predecessor. This lucky little guy still has his original tail.
We expect to see seagulls at Lake Balboa, but this raucous flock was gathered around a rather pathetic puddle in a parking lot at Victory and Owensmouth. The real attraction seemed to be an uncovered dumpster filled with garbage from a couple of nearby restaurants.
It's not unusual to find grasshoppers drowned in the pool, but this one saved itself by perching on a hose. The gray bird grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens) is native to the American southwest. We see a lot of them here this time of year. They appear in shades of gray or brown, and can be as much as three inches long. (This one was definitely that big.) They eat plants, but unlike some other species (including locusts) they do not form huge, destructive swarms. They fly rather awkwardly, sometimes crashing into people when they should be escaping.