Sightings

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Paul Brewer photographed this Bushtit, seemingly posing just for him.

Bushtits are small songbirds. I love how they look for insects, oftentimes upside down! They often can be found with the flocks of Chestnut-backed Chickadees that we also have in our area.

Bushtits don't really have a song. Their calls are a high chipping sound. You can listen to their calls at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bushtit/sounds

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

Today's weather report is the same as yesterday - sunny and breezy!

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We've been waiting and waiting for the mouth of the Gualala River to close. Rick and I checked the river late yesterday and it was still open, though the spillway had narrowed. Later this morning we found it closed and the lagoon filling up. Here are some photos from today, taken from the Gualala Bluff Trail.

The very long, skinny spillway that flowed south, and then emptied west into the ocean, stayed open until today. This was an unusual configuration of the river mouth.

With the river "closed" to the ocean, the lagoon will fill up, like a bathtub. Kayaking will be stellar now!

Sunny and breezy here on the Mendonoma coast today!

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Shawn Doebling had a Bobcat sighting recently. Shawn wrote, “We live off  Fish Rock Road in Gualala. This is the first time we’ve seen one here. Do you know how to tell if it’s male or female?” Looking at Shawn’s photos we believe the Bobcat is a male.

Male Bobcats are substantially bigger than females.  Adult males weigh between 20 and 30 pounds and are about three feet in length. Females can be about two feet in length and weigh only 11 pounds. You only see males and females together during courtship and mating. Then the male takes off, leaving the female to care for her young. So, if you see a Bobcat bringing food back to a den, you can be sure it’s the female.

Thanks to Shawn for allowing me to share this Bobcat photo with you here.

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Don Chigazola noticed this young Red-tailed Hawk perched in a tree on an oh-so-sunny day.

When the hawk took flight, Don was ready with his camera.

And we have lift-off!

To hear the call of a Red-tailed Hawk, here is the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/sounds

Thanks to Don for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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It is calm and sunny here today, and butterflies are being seen, always a joy. Tamarrah LeFeber recently photographed a Pale Swallowtail feeding on blackberry blossoms.

Pine White Butterflies have also appeared. They circle around the Bishop Pine trees at our place. Here's a photo Drew Fagan took of one feeding on lavender.

The website davesgarden has some interesting information on butterfly legends. "Native American's had many beliefs about butterflies and one of the most prevalent across a number of nations was the one that butterflies make wishes come true. It was said that if you whisper your wish to a butterfly and then release it, it will take your wish to the Great Spirit, who will then grant the wish. Since butterflies are silent, only the Great Spirit (who hears and sees everything) can hear each wish." To read more, here is the link to the website: https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/4949

Thanks to Tamarrah and Drew for allowing me to share their photos with  you here.