Sightings

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Marilyn Green found this object washed up on a beach at The Sea Ranch.

Bob Van Syoc knew what it was. I found it eerily beautiful. Bob wrote, “Very beautiful indeed! This is the shed exoskeleton of a Barnacle.  Barnacles live inside a permanent calcareous shell attached to the bottom, but inside of the shell they also have a chitinous exoskeleton (like crabs and shrimp) as they are crustaceans. To grow they must shed their old exoskeleton and then form a new larger one. The shed exoskeletons float around and some wash ashore.”

So, inside the Barnacles' shell is an exoskeleton. And they outgrow it and have to shed it. Who knew? Lucky for Marilyn and me, Bob knew!

Thanks to Marilyn for her ability to spot small, unusual items and for allowing me to share her photo with you here. Also thanks to Bob for his expertise.

Cool this afternoon, with a breeze. We have rain coming in starting tomorrow night. Happy first full day of spring!

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It's rather startling to see this, but it is a treat. Grace O'Malley photographed a Sun Halo. What's interesting in Grace's photo is the pyramid shape in the middle of the Halo.

A Sun Halo is a ring or light that forms around the sun as the sunlight refracts off ice crystals present in a thin veil of cirrus clouds. It often predicts rain within the next 24 hours.

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

No Sun Halo today. We actually saw some fog form out on the ocean, and that is a harbinger for spring! It's been sunny with light breezes and temps in the 60s. Perfection!

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Michael Reinhart recently got a nice photo of a Hairy Woodpecker.

Here's what the Cornell Lab of Ornithology says about these woodpeckers:

"The larger of two look alikes, the Hairy Woodpecker is a small but powerful bird that forages along trunks and main branches of large trees. It wields a much longer bill than the Downy Woodpecker's almost thornlike bill. Hairy Woodpeckers have a somewhat soldierly look, with their erect, straight-backed posture on tree trunks and their cleanly striped heads. Look for them at backyard suet or sunflower feeders, and listen for them whinnying from woodlots, parks, and forests."

To listen to their one-note call, scroll down till you see Calls Pacific: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hairy_Woodpecker/sounds

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

Another beautiful day here, though cooler. Temps in the low 60s with a few drifting clouds.

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Remember the Ochre Star missing two arms that Roxanne Holmes photographed? She's been keeping a watch on the Star and it has begun growing two new arms.

Those two purple-ish stubs are the new arms beginning to grow. I believe they will be the same orange color of the Star when they are grown. I'll have to ask Roxanne to continue to photograph this Star so we can find out!

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

wowza, it's warm here on the Mendonoma Coast today, in the 70's with no wind. The Pacific Ocean is like a lake. It's a magnificent day on the coast!

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California Quail might be pairing up now. Paul Brewer had this male and female quail visit his garden in Gualala. The more showy male is on the left.

CA Quail are mainly seed eaters, preferring to eat on the ground. So if a Jay knocks seed out of your bird feeder, the positive might be that these beautiful birds might arrive to eat the seeds.

I've seen CA Quail take dirt baths, a fun thing to watch!

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is the link to his website: https://paulbrewer.smugmug.com/

Today was clear but windy, temps in the low 60s.