One of my favorite summer wildflowers is the Leopard Lily, Lilium pardalinum. Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner found a nice group of them recently.
Never pick these beauties, just enjoy their splash of color wherever you might be fortunate enough to see them.
Thanks to Mary Sue and Bob for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
Rick pointed it out to me, a completely built Paper Wasp nest in a tree which is along the parking area of our home in Anchor Bay. You can see the small wasps on the outside of their beautifully constructed nest.
The wasps are not as aggressive as yellowjackets or hornets, though they will defend their nest! Luckily the nest is quite high so we will leave it be. Paper wasps are important pollinators and they eat other insects that might be pests in the garden. Something is chewing on my tomato plants' leaves...hint, hint!
A few years ago, a Paper Wasp colony took over a birdhouse on our property, and completely covered the wooden portion. Craig Tooley came over to photograph it.
They create their paper nests by mixing their saliva with dead wood and plant stems to form this papery material. It's quite beautiful, don't you think?
Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. This photo of the birdhouse is included in our book, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year.
Will Ericson has been exploring the Wheatfield fork of the Gualala River and some of its tributaries. He found these rare beauties, a colony of California Fawn Lilies, Erythronium californicum.
Will also found a stand of old-growth Redwood trees in his wanderings.
And while he was there, he startled a Spotted Owl from its roosting place, a thrilling sighting of this endangered little owl.
Thanks to Will for allowing me to shared his photos with you here!
Ron LeValley captured this photo sight. Look through the opening in the rocks and you will see a mother Harbor Seal with her pup.
Harbor Seal pups have been weaned from their mothers, much to their dismay. They now are fishing for themselves. Tide Pool beach at The Sea Ranch, which is closed during pupping, is now back open.
Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://levalleyphoto.com/home/
It's been downright hot if you get a little ways away from the bluffs and beaches, though today it cooled off a bit. Butterflies have been flitting through, delighting our senses. Recently Mary Hunter photographed a Pale Swallowtail Butterfly.
This beautiful butterfly was feeding - nectaring - on Mary's lavender blossoms. Pretty as a picture!
A close relative is a Western Tiger Swallowtail, with similar markings. This butterfly is feeding on a native wildflower, Leopard Lily, and was taken by Peter Baye.
Thanks to Mary and Peter for allowing me to share their photos with you here.