Sightings

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One of the birds that migrates into our area in the spring is the Wilson's Warbler. Craig Tooley recently photographed one.

Wilson's Warbler perches by Craig TooleyIt looks like it is wearing a black toupee! This warbler often raises its tail and flips it from side to side. You can hear its whistling call at this link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wilsons_Warbler/sounds

This small songbird eats insects and berries.

Wilson's Warbler by Craig Tooley

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com

Craig is going to be at the Four-eyed Frog Bookstore in Gualala this coming Saturday at 2 pm. He will show tips on how to take wonderful nature photos, especially the ones that are in the book we did together, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year.

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Laura Baker found this rare beauty, a Phantom Orchid, Cephalantheru austinae. If you look closely, there is a Click beetle on top.

Phantom Orchid, Cephalanthera austinae, with a click beetle by Laura BakerHere's what Laura said about this flower:

"The Phantom orchid is well-named since it is pure white except for some yellow in the flower parts. It has an interesting and complex relationship in the forest ecosystem as a mycotroph. The orchid gets its nutrition from a fungus which, in turn, must get its food in the form of sugars from green plants. In this case, most likely the Douglas fir tree under which this orchid bloomed.”

A treasure in the forest! Thanks to Laura for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

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If you visit Gualala Point Regional Park, the drive in will take you to this view spot. With the Gualala River lagoon, the town of Gualala on the right, and the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, Mike Nelson captured a beautiful sight.

The Gualala River lagoon by Mike NelsonThis was taken a week ago Friday, when an unexpected storm brought significant rain to the Mendonoma Coast.

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

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Barbara Rice found a nice group of Leopard Lilies, Lilium pardalinum. These beautiful lilies are also called Tiger Lilies.

Leopard Lilies by Barbara RiceYou should never pick these wildflowers, as the flower head develops the seeds the plant needs for the following year.

Here's a close-up of this beautiful native with a Swallowtail butterfly feeding. This photo was taken by Peter Baye and is included in my beautiful book, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year. It also shows that native plants feed native critters.

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Thanks to Barbara and Peter for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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John Batchelder spotted this fawn at The Sea Ranch. It is mostly white, but has some color on its back.

Nearly-white Fawn by John BatchelderThis isn't the first time we've had a white fawn born on the Mendonoma coast. It seems there is a Buck or two with a recessive gene for this condition. It is considered to be a tow-head, and the fawn will eventually color up, similar to a human child being born with blond hair, but it turns to brown as the child grows older.

Here is a photo by Gerda Rudolph of the white fawn born in 2014. You will see it had a normal-colored sibling.

2014 White Fawn and its normal-colored sibling by Gerda RandolphAnd this photo by Roland Coombs is one of my favorites!

White fawn by Roland CoombsThanks to John, Gerda and Roland for allowing me to share their photos with you here.