Tag Archives: Mark Simkins

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In all the years I've been doing my Mendonoma Sightings nature column in the Independent Coast Observer, I have never received a photo of a Bobcat kitten...until now! Mark Simkins and Kitty Wolfe had two Bobcat kittens visit their Manchester property recently.

Bobcat kitten exploring by Mark Simkins Bobcat Kittens roam by Mark Simkins Bobcat Kitten by Mark Simkins Bobcat Kitten has big feet by Mark Simkins

The young Bobcats already have the same marking on the back of their ears and on their bobbed tail as their parent have. Take a look at the paws - just like a puppy, you can tell by their feet that they will get bigger.

Thanks to Mark for allowing me to share his wonderful photos with you here. To see Mark's photo of an adult Bobcat "meditating," here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2013/10/05/a-beautiful-photo-of-a-meditating-bobcat-by-mark-simkins/

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Bobcats are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. Mark Simkins and Kitty Wolfe have meadows near their Manchester home,  which gives them a great chance to see Bobcats.

April Bobcat by Mark Simkins (Large)

You can see gopher holes in Mark and Kitty's meadow and gophers are Bobcats favorite meal. You can clearly see the tufted ears of this Bobcat.

Thanks to Mark for allowing me to share his photo with you here. Now if Mark can just get me a photo of Bobcat kittens!

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Most local Abalone divers have not gone out yet, as conditions are pretty rough. Wind and swells make it tough on divers. That hasn't stopped some visitors to the Mendonoma Coast though. There are divers in the water today.

To whet your appetite, here is a photo taken by Mark Simkins from late last year. Randy Jones got a 10.5 inch Abalone. So that's why he looks so happy!

Below is a photo Craig Tooley took showing the beautiful iridescence in the inside of the shell.

Please be safe and give the Pacific Ocean the deference she is owed. To read Jack Likins important article on why divers die in their search for red treasure, here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2013/05/21/why-abalone-divers-die-in-their-hunt-for-red-treasure/

Thanks to Mark and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig Tooley's nature photographs, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

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Mark Simkins photographed a Sea Star on the move. It is reaching, perhaps, for a mussel. 

Sea Stars, more commonly called Starfish, move more quickly than you might expect. They have hundreds of tube feet on their undersides. Sea Stars are in the family Asteroidea. They are related to Sand Dollars, Sea Urchins and Sea Cucumbers. 
Low tide is a great time to see some, as Peggy Berryhill photographed above.
Thanks to Mark and Peggy for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Mark and Kitty Simkins are lucky people. They are regularly visited by a Bobcat at their place in Manchester. Mark thought this Bobcat looked like it was meditating.

What a beautiful animal! They hunt for gophers and other rodents in grassy meadows. Looks like the Simkins have plenty of gophers to keep this cat with the tufted ears and bobbed tail well fed.

Thanks to Mark for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

To see one the most popular photos on this blog, a photo of a Bobcat, here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/04/19/a-beautiful-bobcat-as-photographed-by-tom-osborne/