Roxanne Holmes wrote, "Somebody got a lovely 33rd birthday gift. I love it that people are willing to put such work into a piece of art that will be erased by the next tide."
"What a lovely birthday gift. The memory will last longer than any other, more traditional, present."
Roxanne found this artwork on Shell Beach at The Sea Ranch.
Thanks to Roxanne for allowing me to share her photos with you here.
The fog is pretty darn persistent today, but it's a high fog and quite mild. No wind!
Bill and Carol Frizzell discovered a Gray Fox looking up at them from a sinkhole. Bill wrote, “Carol and I were hiking along the Point Arena Headlands on Sunday, July 19, and she spotted a Gray Fox that is trapped in a 10 to 15 feet deep sinkhole east of the Lighthouse on the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands. We went back the next day and the fox was still in the hole. It appeared healthy and alert.”
Gray Foxes are excellent climbers so it’s possible the fox wasn’t trapped. It might have been a mother fox with a den. Virginia O’Roarke, Senior Environmental Scientist for the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, took a look at Bill’s photos. She wrote, “Let me know if you see the fox is still in the sinkhole and starts to look skinny or sick, as I will reach out to our local wildlife rehabilitators to assist if needed. If the fox is actually trapped, placing a large, down branch into the sinkhole would be a great solution. The fox will climb out on its own.”
Virginia cautioned not to feed the fox or to encourage it out as that could be detrimental to the fox and possibly cause harm. She wrote further, “If you need at number to call in the future for such issues, you can contact CALTIP at 1-888-334-2258 or text a message to 847-411. CDFW also maintains a reporting website at https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir.
The good news is the Gray Fox was gone when the Frissells went back to check.
Thanks to Bill for allowing me to share his photos with you here.
Foggy mornings followed by sunshine in the afternoons - that's the prescription for August, or as some call it on the Mendonoma Coast, Fogust.
It would seem very late for a nest, but American Goldfinches do nest later than most birds. And this bird could be contemplating a second clutch. In any case, Craig Tooley watched this goldfinch working on her nest.
It's just a glimpse, for sure, but a sweet photo to see. Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share it with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.ruffimage.com
Foggy at the beaches, sunny just a bit inland, mild weather with gentle breezes - nice!
Karen Wilkinson had spotted a Killdeer nest in July. The mother bird had laid her eggs in the gravel and rocks alongside the Gualala River. When Karen checked recently, she saw three Killdeer chicks.
Here's a photo of one of the parents.
These beautiful birds are plovers. They are quite graceful, I think!
Thanks to Karen for allowing me to share her photos with you here.
It's kind of a strange weather day. The fog seems to be battling with the sun. Round 1 went to the fog, round 2 to the sun, and on it goes.
There is a nest at Gualala Point Regional Park with several newly-hatched White-crowned Sparrows. Craig Tooley didn't want to disturb the nest, but he did find one of the parents bringing an insect back to the nest.
Park ranger Roberta Chan cordoned off the area where the nest is. The chicks should fledge soon but in the meantime, don't disturb the little ones in their nest! Karen Wilkinson took the photo of the nest area.
Thanks to Craig and Karen for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
It's a sunny, warm, breezy day here on the Mendonoma Coast.