Tag Archives: Craig Tooley

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Craig Tooley recently trained his camera on a beautiful bird, which is called a Western Meadowlark.

They can be found in grasslands and meadows, pastures also. They are members of the Blackbird family and they are insect eaters. In other words, you won't find this robin-sized bird at a seed feeder. They have a flute-like call, which you can hear at this link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Meadowlark/sounds

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

We had a nice wet storm overnight, Friday night. There was 1.60 inches in our rain gauge. And mushrooms will be in our immediate future. More rain tonight!

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This little squirrel, also called a Chickaree Squirrel or a Pine Squirrel, was looking right at Craig and his camera.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

They eat pine seeds, acorns, berries and other fruits, and they are waiting for the first mushrooms to appear, as they eat them too.

Actually two people have found edible mushrooms recently, Boletus eduilis and Oyster mushrooms. But it's been too dry since our first two storms for many mushrooms.

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

We had a beautiful sunrise this morning, as clouds have been streaming by. Bonus pic taken by me. See the big moon in the upper right. A lovely way to start the day.

There are a lot of clouds this afternoon so we could have a spectacular sunset!

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Craig's wife, Rita Peck, looked out their window and saw this little owl taking a bath in one of the water bowls they leave out for wildlife.

Craig spotted the Pygmy Owl again, this time perched on a branch and looking very clean from its bath!

I love these little owls and I thank 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: http://www.ruffimage.com

Sunny and cold this morning with clouds drifting in this afternoon. We have rain forecast for tomorrow - hooray!

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Snowy Plovers are always a treat to see. Craig Tooley recently photographed one near a piece of kelp.

Snowy Plovers are small plovers who inhabit sandy beaches and bare ground. They are most often seen at Manchester State Beach, where they nest in the sand. Their numbers are declining so we do all we can to protect them. Since they are so exposed, leashing your dog during breeding season is a must. One of their calls is a whistle sound which you can listen to at this link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Plover/sounds

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

We are having a stormy day today. This morning we were graced with rainbows, the first we've seen in months. We've had a few good downpours of blessed rain. We hope it's the beginning of much more wet stuff!

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Black Phoebes are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. Craig Tooley recently photographed one perched on a branch.

I had one perch on the railing of our deck recently, giving its distinctive chirp. You can listen to its calls here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Phoebe/sounds

Black Phoebes are flycatchers, so you shouldn't be surprised that they eat insects that they catch in the air. Here's a fun fact from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's website:

"The male Black Phoebe gives the female a tour of potential nest sites, hovering in front of each likely spot for 5 to 10 seconds. But it’s the female who makes the final decision and does all the nest construction."

Of course it's the female who makes the final decision!

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, including his Pics O Joy during the pandemic, here is his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

Another sparkling, spectacular day today. Cold, windy and even wet weather is predicted beginning Friday. Bring it on, Mother Nature!