•

Judy Mello wrote, “This is a Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra. This species of zebra is on the endangered species list, with less than 6,000 left in the world. She/he already has its dewlap under its neck and the classic zipper pattern on its tail.” It looks like Mom is keeping a close eye on her little one.

Several more births are expected this summer at the preserve and several more animals will be joining the herd from San Diego Safari Park in June.

A visit to B. Bryan Preserve in Point Arena would be a unique thing to do. By reservation you can be there when the animals are being fed. They also have several guest cottages for rent. It's beautiful there - like you've entered another world. To learn more about the preserve, here's the link: http://www.bbryanpreserve.com/

•

On a quiet, secluded bluff face on The Sea Ranch there is a colony of nesting Pelagic Cormorants. With nests attached to the steep sides of the bluff, the colony is very special to see. Craig Tooley recently witnessed the parents exchanging places, giving him a chance to see and photograph the babies in the nest.

These shy seabirds attach their nests of grass, twigs and seaweed to the bluff face with their own guano. They dive from the surface of the water for fish, which they chase down underwater.

I thank Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. It's something not all of us would be able to see for ourselves.

To see much more of Craig's beautiful wildlife photography, here's his website: ruffimage.com

•

Andy Moore photographed what he thought was an Osprey perched on top of a tree, overlooking the White Barn at The Sea Ranch.

But when I zoomed in on Andy's photo I found he had photographed a White-tailed Kite.

This is such a beautiful hawk. They hover in the air while they hunt for small mammals. The meadows at Gualala Point Regional Park are a good place to see one. To hear the sounds of a White-tailed Kite, here's the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds

Thanks to Andy for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see more of Andy's photography, here is his website: http://www.andystreasuretrove.com/

•

Lately the Mendonoma Coast has had so much wind that we wouldn't be able to see a whale even if it were just offshore. The Pacific Ocean is filled with whitecaps. But several weeks ago Kathy Bishop spotted a mother Gray Whale with her calf quite close in. As she was photographing them, the calf breached.

Kathy said she knew it was the young calf because the mother was covered with barnacles. What a great photo! Thanks to Kathy for allowing me to share it with you here.

•

Vancouveria hexandra, Inside-out Flower, is blooming now in moist forest under Douglas-fir. Its petals are swept back as if it's turning itself inside out.

The flowers look like white shooting stars! Peter Baye recently photographed this flower alongside one of the reaches of the Gualala River. I thank him for allowing me to share his photo with you here.