Sightings

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My neighbor has a spring box and there is always water on the ground. That's where a large group of Western Labrador Tea is now blooming in profusion. The leaves have an unusual fragrance to them. Reny Parker in her Wildflower of Norther California's Wine Country & North Coast Ranges describes it as "between turpentine and strawberries." I find it leans more towards the turpentine than the strawberry. This plant has medicinal qualities. Native peoples used it to treat the common cold, headaches and the aches and pains of arthritis.

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The late rains have coaxed The Prince to bloom. Agaricus augustus is a delicious, meaty wild mushroom with a wonderful almond odor. I found one lone Prince on our road this past week but Jacquelynn Baas of The Sea Ranch hit the big time and sent me a photo to prove it. In fact she has found so many Prince mushrooms that - get this - she is tired of eating them fresh and is going to dry this batch. I can only shake my head in admiration.

Jacquelynn is an accomplished writer and you can find out more about her books at this link: http://www.amazon.com/Jacquelynn-Baas/e/B001IU0Q28/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

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A beautiful male California Quail decided that the view from on top of our Goldfinch feeder would make a good vantage point to watch for danger. He didn't bother the American Goldfinches as they continued to feed. Is there another bird as beautiful as a male Quail?

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Drew Fagan has an art studio at his place in Gualala. It affords him some might fine wildlife viewing. Recently he watched an encounter between a Bobcat and a Gray Fox. The Bobcat apparently got too close to the Fox's kits. The Fox chased the Bobcat off but before that happened, Drew caught the beautiful Bobcat hunting something in the grass - possibly a small rodent - and snapped this photo. A big thank you to Drew for allowing me to share it here.

If you'd like to see Drew's art, here's his web site: http://www.drewfagan.com/

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While Foxglove isn't a native plant - it is native to Europe - it seems at home on the Mendonoma Coast. It blooms at the same time as our native Wild Rhododendrons and Azaleas and is a member of the Figwort family. It's Latin name is Digitalis, which means finger-like. Its blossoms are the perfect size for putting one's finger inside. It has a well-known medicinal use, which strengthens and regulates the beating of the heart. The plant itself is poisonous so don't eat it, just enjoy looking at its beauty!