Tag Archives: Connie King

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Connie King wrote, “I thought you might enjoy seeing this shot of pollen-laden bees feasting on a Matijilla Poppy from our yard today. Can you believe those bright yellow thighs!?! Or maybe that’s what the ‘bees knees’ is all about.”

I checked with entomologist Mary Lou Flint. She wrote, “Definitely Honey Bees. Nice shot of their well-filled pollen baskets! It’s amazing how much pollen, and nectar, they can carry in their ‘saddle bags,’ apparently up to 30% of their weight.”

Honey Bees are not native here but they are used to pollinate many crops. As several people on the Mendonoma Coast have hives of these bees, they are often seen in our gardens, feeding on flowers. I am also seeing them at the small waterfall in our courtyard. They are coming for water!

Here is one of our native bees, a Yellow-faced Bumblebee, photographed by Paul Brewer.

Thanks to Connie and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Good news! Several Monarch Butterflies were seen today, one in Timber Cove and another in Gualala. Fingers crossed that we see many more in the days and weeks ahead. Today is a spectacular day of blue skies and warm temps. The fog is AWOL and the air is clear from Saturday's wonderful rain.

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Connie King captured this moment of peace, a young Buck asleep in the grass.

This young buck is living lightly on the land at The Sea Ranch. Thanks to Connie for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

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Ken Fischer saw this fire rainbow several weeks ago. He said it only lasted about two minutes.

Horizontal rainbow by Ken FischerFire rainbows are also called circumhorizontal arcs. These rainbows are caused by the refraction of the sun in ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.

Here's a larger one, which was taken by last year by Connie King.

A Circumhorizontal Arc, aka a Fire Rainbow by Connie KingA beautiful phenomenon to behold!

Thanks to Ken and Connie for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

No rainbows today - there is nothing but oh-so-blue sky here on the coast. It already feels like the holiday has begun!

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This fire rainbow, or more properly, a circumhorizontal arc, appeared and several coastal residents got a photo of it. Donna Woodbury photographed it from Anchor Bay Beach. In Donna's second photo the fire rainbow is at the bottom and a portion of the halo around the sun appears. A halo can often predict rain.

Fire Rainbow at Anchor Bay Beach by Donna Woodbury Halo around the sun and a fire rainbow at Anchor Bay Beach by Donna Woodbury

Connie King capture it from The Sea Ranch.

A Circumhorizontal Arc, aka a Fire Rainbow by Connie King

Peggy Berryhill only had her phone camera but she captured it too. She said the colors were much more vibrant that what her photo shows.

Fire Rainbow by Peggy Berryhill

And lastly Christina Chapman got this photo, which also shows the halo around the sun.

Halo around the sun and a fire rainbow by Christina Chapman

A circumhorizontal arc occurs when the sun is refracted through ice crystals.

Thanks to Donna, Connie, Peggy, and Christina for allowing me to share their photos with you here.