Tag Archives: Craig Tooley

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You don't often get to see a photo of one of our beaches taken from an airplane. Craig Tooley was up taking photographs for a seabird survey and he took the time to photograph Cook's Beach for us. Thanks, Craig!

To learn how to find this beautiful pocket beach, brought to us by the fine folks of the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy and other partners, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/02/12/cooks-beach-a-beautiful-pocket-beach-just-north-of-gualala/

And to see more of Craig Tooley's coastal photos, here's the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com/

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This wildflower is so rare and precious that the location is kept secret - even from me! I do know it is growing on private property in northern Sonoma County. But we are lucky that Massomeh Roberts photographed it so we can enjoy looking at it here.

 Last year Craig Tooley photographed the group of these Trilliums a little earlier in their development, showing the younger white blossoms.

Thanks to Craig and Massomeh for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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This is the first photo of an American Badger sent in to Mendonoma Sightings in the six plus years I've been doing the column, so you can see how rare it is to see an American Badger. This juvenile Badger had apparently fallen down a cliff and was unable to climb back up. Craig Tooley and Rita Peck, trained in wildlife rescue, were called after members of our ambulance service had seen it alongside Highway One in Sonoma County.

Craig said the little fellow - or gal, we don't know for sure - was VERY feisty. An man employed by the Park Service happened by and helped Craig and Rita get the Badger in a box. They climbed the steep cliff and let the Badger go in the grassy meadow - a successful wildlife rescue!

Below is a photo of a Badger mound that was seen on The Sea Ranch in 2007 and photographed by Dibby Tyler. The Badger was never seen.

To see more of Craig Tooley's wildlife photos, here's the link to his website: http://ruffimage.com/

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Craig Tooley and Rita Peck were headed towards the beach when they saw a Striped Skunk digging away in the sand. Craig thought it might be digging a tunnel.

 But I think the skunk was digging for its breakfast. Perhaps some tasty sand fleas.

When the skunk came up for air, it noticed Craig and Rita and began to head their way. They hastily reversed directions, as you might imagine.

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

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Robert Scarola couldn't believe what he was seeing - a Harbor Seal precariously perched on a rock, apparently asleep. Those must be sweet dreams as the Harbor Seal looks so happy.

Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share this smile-inducing photo with you here.

Harbor Seals will be giving birth to pups in April. Here's a link to see a mom and her pup by Craig Tooley :http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/07/27/sweet-photo-of-a-harbor-seal-pup-with-its-mom-taken-by-craig-tooley/

And to see a spectacular photo of Harbor Seals crowned by kelp, here's the link to Siegfried Matull's photo: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/24/a-photo-of-harbor-seals-crowned-with-kelp-by-siegfried-matull/