Tag Archives: Craig Tooley

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It takes a talented photographer to get a photo of an insect while flying! Craig Tooley wrote, “I was out looking for little creatures the other day and thought this one was an interesting bee, or fly, or wispy creature. I thought you might enjoy seeing it. They move so fast, a lot of times you don't get a good look at these impressive little creatures. Where did it get those sunglasses?”

I sent Craig’s photo to entomologist Mary Lou Flint. She wrote, “It’s a Syrphid Fly, sometimes called a Hover Fly or Flower Fly because it hovers over flowers to feed on pollen and nectar. These are wonderful beneficial insects. Their larval stages are little maggots that feed on aphids and sometimes other soft-bodied insects. They can clean up an aphid infestation in a jiffy! The adults resemble bees or wasps, and this mimicry may protect them from some predators. However, as you can tell from Craig’s photo, they only have one pair of true wings, thus they are called Diptera. The rear wings have been reduced to knobs called halters. Bees and wasps have four full wings.”

I also learned these important pollinators, unlike bees and warps, do not sting!

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

It's sunny and breezy today!

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Betsy Anderson came across this unusual Douglas Iris a few weeks ago. I never seen an Iris with four petals.

Amy Ruegg took a look at Betsy's photo and wrote, “This Iris looks to me to be a deformed Douglas Iris with extra tepals. In horticulture, cultivating for more petals than normal in a flower is desirable. I have seen this happen in other species on occasion. I have also seen an unusual trillium with four leaves. Perhaps it’s the four leaf clover of the Iris blossom!”

Here's a look at a "normal" Douglas Iris, taken by Craig Tooley.

It's possible the warm weather we had this past winter might have prompted this anomaly. Here's a look at the Trillium Amy mentioned.

Sometimes Mother Nature is just having fun! Thanks to Betsy, Amy and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Clouds are pouring in as another storm is headed our way. Precursor showers arrived late this afternoon. My season to date rain total is 46.60 inches. A "normal" year is 50 inches so things are looking good here on the Mendonoma Coast.

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Cliff Swallows have arrived and are busy building their nests of mud. You can see these beautiful swallows working hard at the north end of the Gualala Community Center building, along the entrance road to the post office. Cliff Swallows nest in colonies. Here is a photo Robert Scarolo took some years ago in a tunnel at The Sea Ranch.

Diane Hichwa further explains. She wrote, “Our Barn Swallows build individual nests [hidden from each other]. Tree Swallows build in cavities in trees or boxes, and may be harder to find! Violet-green Swallows use nesting boxes.” Our largest swallow, the Purple Martin, uses nesting cavities in trees that other birds have made, such as woodpeckers.

Here is the beautiful Violet-green Swallow photographed by Craig Tooley.

And there is one more swallow species that returns here in the spring. Ron Bolander wrote, “I was out photographing at Gualala Point with my  usual Saturday group of friends. We all photographed these Northern Rough-winged Swallows in this tree. It was nice to capture this image on a beautiful day in the park.” Diane tells me this type of swallow is found near a river, as they nest in the river’s banks.

All of these swallows leave our area in the late Summer or early Fall. They are insect eaters, eating over a hundred insects a day, each one of them. In the Winter there aren’t enough insects for them to survive here, so they fly to warmer climes to our south.

If you are lucky enough to have swallows build a nest under your eves or in a light fixture, as happened one year at Surf Super’s entrance doors, think of the benefits these swallows bring by keeping the insect population under control. If you are worried about the mess the baby birds make, you can take a cardboard box and cut the sides off, leaving an inch or so. Tack that up under the nest to catch the waste, and when the birds have fledged, take it down and dispose of it. Remember that migratory birds, and their nests, are protected by law.

Thanks to Robert, Craig and Ron for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Craig Tooley recently photographed a Northern Mockingbird here on the Mendonoma Coast. We don't see Mockingbirds very often on the coast.

Before Rick and I moved here 26 years ago, we lived in Walnut Creek. We regularly had a male Mockingbird in the spring singing his myriad of songs to attract a mate. I was sad that they weren't residents of the coast. But maybe they might be expanding their territory? Time will tell!

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

Today on the coast is nothing short of spectacular - bright blue skies, a gentle breeze and temps in the mid-70s. I know it won't last, but it sure feels good for today!

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Maria Wilson took a three minute video of many dolphins last Saturday. Maria wrote, “I took this Saturday morning. It finishes with a whale joining the gang! We live near Iversen Point [north of Gualala] and this was just outside Island Cove.” I sent Maria’s video to Bill Keener of the Marine Mammal Center. He wrote, “Cool video of a large group of Risso’s Dolphins. And that looks like a Gray Whale surfacing near the end of the clip.”

In the video you will see a few of the dolphins breaching. Here is a photo Craig Tooley took of Risso's Dolphins a while ago.

They are known for traveling in big pods - they must like each other's company!

Thanks to Maria for allowing me to share her video and 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

It's a beautiful day, breezy and mild. We received .60 inches of rain Monday night, which was wonderful. 37.50 inches season to date at my place. 50 inches is a "normal" rainfall year.