A noticeable Red Tide occurred last Wednesday, 8/3/11, and was seen from Bodega Bay all the way up to The Sea Ranch. This was caused by an algal bloom. Craig Tooley photographed it and has allowed me to post two photos here.
To see more of Craig's photos, go to:http://ruffimage.com/
Yesterday I showed you the first three of the five pictures Allen Vinson took of this encounter. Here are the last two.
Two Heermann's Gulls ganging up on a Brown Pelican, trying to steal its catch.
But it looks like this time the Gulls did not prevail. Find your own fish, Heermann's Gulls!
Many thanks to Allen for allowing me to share this interesting story!
Allen Vinson was in the right place at the right time...and had his camera! Allen photographed a Brown Pelican plunge diving off of The Sea Ranch this week.
First the dive.
Next the catch.
Then two Heermann's Gulls want their share.
Tomorrow I'll show you the outcome!
A beautiful member of the Lily family, the Red Clintonia, Clintonia andrewsiana ,usually is in full bloom around Mother's Day here in the United States, which is the first part of May. If the flower doesn't get eaten by a Deer, the flowers will turn into striking cobalt-blue berries.
Rozann Grunig photographed one this past week at The Sea Ranch and has allowed me to share it here. You will also see below a photo by Frank Drouillard showing the red bloom.
I love finding this shade-loving wildflower in the forest. You probably won't be surprised to learn that another name for this plant is Blue Bead Lily.
A lovely white butterfly with black/dark brown markings was feeding on the blossoms of a succulent. I found the ID on Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site - http://butterfly.ucdavis.edu/ - a wonderful place to look at all the many butterflies that grace us with their presence.
The butterfly in my garden was a Pine White, Neophasia menapia. As their name implies, these beauties visit Pine trees, laying their eggs on pine needles. Welcome to my garden, Pine White!
