A Northern Pygmy Owl, as photographed by Alexandra Pierce.

Bob Yeager wrote, “Our friend, Alex Pierce, took this wonderful photo of a Northern Pygmy Owl while she and her husband Donald were on vacation at Sea Ranch a couple of weeks ago.” In receiving Alex’s permission to share her photo, Alex wrote, “I love going to [the coast] and photographing birds and everything nature.”

I love owls, and Pygmy Owls are a treat to find. Rick and I had one land on our deck railing some years ago. Did you know they have false eyes on the back of their head? That's what I photographed!  Quite an interesting feature Mother Nature gave this tiny owl, a little help from predators.

Their calls are a high pitched hoot and you can hear it for yourself at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/sounds

Thanks to Alex for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

We are having a two-day heatwave for today and tomorrow. It's quite warm away from the ocean, and even toasty in downtown Gualala. The Pacific Ocean is all riled up today - huge breakers and the mist from them is drifting across Highway One. I was told by Ron at Surf Market that the ocean is riled up because of a storm in the Gulf of Alaska. Wow!