Sightings

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Hal Fogel had this big Buck visit his property recently. What a healthy-looking Buck!

Buck by Hal FogelJim O'Brien was also visited by one. This one's rack appears to still be in velvet, the membrane that nourished the bone underneath.

Big Buck by Jim O'BrienAnd, finally, Paul Batchelder watched this Buck use his antlers to pull away the fencing designed to keep him out!

What fence, a Buck prevails by Paul BatchelderMales moving into our area means the rut, the mating of the Black-tailed Deer, will begin soon. It usually occurs in October, so we'll be watching to see if the rut is early this year. There are signs we could have an early winter, such as acorns already on the ground. To be determined!

Thanks to Hal, Jim, and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Craig Tooley caught this little treefrog looking up, as if looking at the stars.

A Sierran Tree frog by Craig TooleyI love these little frogs, which are also call Chorus frogs. For such a tiny frog, they have a big voice. Here are two photos Craig took of a Sierran Treefrog in the daylight hours. The pads on its feet give it the ability to climb pretty much anything. They act like suction cups.

Sierren Treefrog showing foot pads by Craig Tooley Sierran Treefrog by Craig TooleyThanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

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You never know what you might see on the beach. We had some high surf several weeks ago due to the remnants of a hurricane. Marilyn Green wrote, “Here is a comical and almost friendly green crab on Pebble Beach, The Sea Ranch. I certainly enjoyed ‘meeting’ this creature.”

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I sent Marilyn’s photo to Carol Preston of NOAA. She wrote, “It is a Lined shore crab, Pachygrapsus crassipes. It is fairly common in the high tide zone. This particular one is especially beautiful.”

This small crab is found from Oregon to Baja California.

Thanks to Marilyn for allowing me to share her photo.

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Name change alert! The powers that be have split the Western Scrub-Jay into two species. Our Western Scrub-Jay is now a California Scrub-Jay. This feisty jay decided the Gray fox was an intruder and started dive bombing it. Hal Fogel photographed the event.

IMG_9026.CR2The fox decided this wasn't the place to explore, and it headed off.

Hal has been visited by Gray foxes in the past. This is one of my favorite photos of Hal's - a very intent fox!

Intent Gray Fox by Hal Fogel

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

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...of a silvery moon. That's the title Vicki Albiston gave to her recent sunset photo, which shows a crescent moon and the sunset reflecting on clouds.

By the light of the silvery moon by Vicki AlbistonWe haven't seen many sunsets recently, with all the fog covering the ocean. But the fog keeps the temperatures nice and cool, and the plants moist - something to be appreciated.

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