Tag Archives: Michael Combs

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White-lined Sphinx Moths, also called Hummingbird Moths, are here on the Mendonoma Coast in unbelievable numbers. In past years, I'd be lucky to receive one or two sightings of these beautiful moths. In the past week or so I've received many, many sightings of them. For whatever reason, they are having a banner year - a mast year - and they are being seen in the daylight hours, which is also unusual.

Mary Lou Flint photographed one feeding on agapanthus. She said there were three or four in her garden.

And Michael Combs found one feeding on nasturtiams.

Jeanne Barry also found one in her garden.

This morning I saw two feeding in abelia, a plant loved by Bumblebees, Monarch Butterflies, and now White-lined Sphinx Moths! I'll be posting more about these beauties soon.

Thanks to Mary Lou, Michael and Jeanne (nice name!) for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

After a very foggy, drippy morning, the sun broke through, but temps are quite mild, low 60's.

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Meet Cookie, the Cooks Beach sea monster. Michael Combs recently photographed it.

Cookie looks friendly with that smile, though perhaps a little wooden.

Cooks Beach is a lovely pocket beach at the north end of Gualala, Why wouldn't a sea monster want to hang out there?

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

Windy again today with clear skies.

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That's what Michael Combs called this sight at Cooks Beach. The storm waves washed away much of the sand on the beach, leaving behind stones piled high with sand "castles."

The storms washed in a LOT of driftwood too.

Now the beach has a chance to recover and build back up its sand. Cooks Beach is a very popular pocket beach at the northern end of Gualala. Here's a link to the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy to learn more about this special place: http://www.rc-lc.org/

Thanks to Michael for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

Today is like a gift, weather-wise. Now is the time to visit, with no rain in the forecast for at least five more days.

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Michael Combs' dog, Ranger, found an unusual sighting. Michael wrote, "On Cooks Beach, our dog, Radar, was very excited by something he smelled in the surf near the shore. After a bit, I saw the tip of what was the wing of a dead Longnose Skate in the water. I dragged it to shore and took its picture."

"Including the tail, it was about four feet long, and was heavy, estimated 40 to 50 pounds. It wasn’t on the beach today, a good thing as it was starting to smell pretty bad.”

I had never seen one of these skates with a very long nose before. I sent Michael’s photo to MaryJane Schramm of NOAA. She wrote, “Cool find!  I believe this is a Longnose skate, Raja rhina, and they are found here, indeed. They're usually at deeper depths, but wildlife notoriously does not read the books we write about them.”

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

We are beginning to cloud up this afternoon. Some rain is predicted soon, our first in nearly six months. It is so very welcomed!