Tag Archives: Craig Tooley

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Rozann Grunig saw this Anna's Hummingbird feeding on Watsonia and captured this beautiful photo.

Anna's Hummingbirds are only found on the Pacific Coast. They are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They weigh no more than a nickle.

When the sun hits the throat of a male Anna's, the beautiful iridescent reddish feathers are revealed. Craig Tooley's photo shows this.

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

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Leopard Lilies, Lilium pardalinum, are wonderful to find. They grow on tall stalks and can have multiple blossoms. They grow where water is nearby. You might find some growing alongside the Gualala River.

Craig Tooley took this closeup of one. They are sometimes called Tiger Lilies. Legend says if you smell a Tiger Lily you will get freckles.

Frank Drouillard took the photo below, which shows a Leopard Lily about to bloom. It also shows the leaves. This plant was well over two feet tall.

Thanks to Frank and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To much more of Craig's Coast photography, here's the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

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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

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Craig Tooley was at The Sea Ranch photographing the group of Pelagic Cormorant nests. He was startled to see a nest with eggs unattended.

 You will see three eggs in the nest. The nests are made on steep cliffs, facing the ocean.

And here the parent has returned to care for the eggs. Several nests now have babies and I'll share that with you soon.

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

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There are several secluded beaches where Harbor Seal moms give birth. One of them is Tide Pool Beach on The Sea Ranch. Craig Tooley photographed the first Harbor Seal to be born this year swimming with its mom. It's wonderful to watch as the pup bonds with its mother. Harbor Seals only have one pup at a time.

Here's an unusual sighting. This is a lanugo pup. It was born premature and still has its lanugo coat. You can see it is quite hairy. This coat is usually lost before birth but in this little pup's case it is still wearing it. The pup will shed it in the days to come.

You might see a pup on the beach and think it is abandoned. It is not! The mother leaves it there while she heads back into the ocean to feed. If you think a marine mammal is in distress, do not take matters into your own hands. Call the Marine Mammal Center at 415) 289-7350 and they will send a trained volunteer out to assess the situation.

Over twenty pups have been born off The Sea Ranch so far with many more to come. It's a privilege to share the Coast with them.

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