Sightings

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This is the time of year we see fledglings, chicks who have left their nest. Ruth Alexander photographed several Northern Flickers recently, one even perched on her window sill, looking in the window. We think this photo shows a juvenile  male.

Here is a photo by Paul Brewer of an adult, which has red on its cheeks rather than the light color in Ruth's photo.

If you look closely at a flicker's chest feathers, they look like little hearts.

Thanks to Ruth and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/

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Marilyn Green was prepared with a piece of paper and a penny, as perspective is important. Her mission was to find the tiniest shells and photograph them.

They are quiet beautiful, aren't they? Marilyn didn't keep them; she returned them to the beach, perhaps to be discovered by a child.

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

Once again the fog has draped itself over the Mendonoma coast. It is, of course, sunny when you head eastward a bit, but for many of us fog is what we have woken up to today. Yesterday, the sun came out on the immediate coast around noon. With the car show happening at the Gualala Arts Center, I was happy for them that the fog cleared. LOTS of vintage cars in town and LOTS of car fans too.

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This photo wasn't taken on the Mendonoma coast, but inland Mendocino county. But it's such a great photo that I wanted to share it here.

Jack tells me the Osprey is bringing a bluegill to the nest. Looks like this nest holds the mother and two chicks.

The Ospreys we watch through our spotting scope are really getting big. I won't be surprised if one fledges soon.

Thanks to Jack for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

As much of the country bakes in heat and humidity, we are fortunate for the fog bank that cools us off today. It's hovering right at the bluff edge. A walk at Gualala Point Regional Park felt mystical earlier today.

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Michael Beattie photographed one of three Gray Fox kits under the deck of the Pacific Community Charter School in Point Arena.

The kits love to play and wrestle with each other. Having a family under a deck or woodshed is guaranteed to give  you many hours of fun watching their antics.

Thanks to  Michael for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

Sunny and breezy seems to be the name of the weather game these days. The sunrise this morning was spectacular but very fleeting. If someone got a photo of it, I hope to share it here.

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Ray Douglas recently photographed this lovely dragonfly, a Flame Skimmer.

Ray and I wondered about the yellow color at the top of the dragonfly's wings. Dragonfly expert, Kathy Biggs, to the rescue. She said Ray photographed a female.

For comparison, here is what I believe is a male. He nicely landed on a sprinkler head and I got this photo.

I wrote an article for Sonoma Magazine's summer edition about where to see dragonflies. You can read it at this link: http://sonomamagazine.ca.newsmemory.com/?selDate=20190701&editionStart=Sonoma+Magazine&goTo=040

Thanks to Ray for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

It's sunny and warm at our place in Anchor Bay, though a fog bank lurks over the ocean!