Tag Archives: Hal Fogel

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Hal Fogel had this big Buck visit his property recently. What a healthy-looking Buck!

Buck by Hal FogelJim O'Brien was also visited by one. This one's rack appears to still be in velvet, the membrane that nourished the bone underneath.

Big Buck by Jim O'BrienAnd, finally, Paul Batchelder watched this Buck use his antlers to pull away the fencing designed to keep him out!

What fence, a Buck prevails by Paul BatchelderMales moving into our area means the rut, the mating of the Black-tailed Deer, will begin soon. It usually occurs in October, so we'll be watching to see if the rut is early this year. There are signs we could have an early winter, such as acorns already on the ground. To be determined!

Thanks to Hal, Jim, and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Name change alert! The powers that be have split the Western Scrub-Jay into two species. Our Western Scrub-Jay is now a California Scrub-Jay. This feisty jay decided the Gray fox was an intruder and started dive bombing it. Hal Fogel photographed the event.

IMG_9026.CR2The fox decided this wasn't the place to explore, and it headed off.

Hal has been visited by Gray foxes in the past. This is one of my favorite photos of Hal's - a very intent fox!

Intent Gray Fox by Hal Fogel

Thanks to Hal for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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Rough-skinned Newts spend time in creeks and ponds, and also on land. Richard Kuehn recently photographed one swimming.

Swimming Rough-skinned Newt by Richard Kuehn

I find them occasionally in our courtyard where we have a fountain. It's fun to see them flash their orange underparts. Peggy Berryhill photographed this one below.

Rough-skinned Newt by Peggy Berryhill Rough-skinned Newt in attack position bt Hal Fogel

The photo above, taken by Hal Fogel, shows a newt in an attack position. Rough-skinned Newts have a toxin in their skin so it's best to not handle them. Garter Snakes are the only creatures that can eat this particular newt.

Thanks to Rich, Peggy and Hal for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Two photos of strangely colored Jays came in. One, photographed by Hal Fogel in The Sea Ranch, is of a Western Scrub Jay. The second is a Steller's Jay that Fred Leif photographed in Timber Cove. It is thought these two are partially leucistic, a birding term for albinism.

Both birds were shunned and even chased away by others of its kind. I think there is great value in being "one of a kind."

Thanks to Hal and Fred for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Looks like this Gray Fox got to close for a pair of Steller's Jays. They buzzed the poor Gray Fox until it slunk off. Hal Fogel captured the event.

Thanks go to Hal for allowing me to share his action shot with you here.
To see a photo of a pair of Gray Foxes in a more peaceful situation, here's the link to Siegfried Matull's photo: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/06/13/a-mated-gray-fox-pair-as-photographed-by-siegfried-matull/