Tag Archives: Michael Coustier

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Michael Coustier wrote, “[Last] weekend, the wife and I were in the Gualala Point Regional Park enjoying a walk and maybe hoping to see some whales. I was busy scanning the horizon with my camera when my wife (using binoculars) says, "What’s that bird on the edge?" I struggled for a minute to find what she was pointing out, but eventually found the bird - a pretty common Red-tailed Hawk. What was less common was watching him fly off with his lunch snack.”

The short tail and color of the rodent looks like the hawk caught a vole.

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

Another lovely, dry day here today, with no wind. Temps close to 70 degrees!

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Such a treat to hear a Pileated Woodpecker and an even better treat to get a photo of the largest woodpecker on the Mendonoma Coast. Here's Michael's story:

"I first heard her on the prior Thursday night, never actually seeing her.  I spent the next five nights going back to the same spot. I heard her a few times and it wasn't until last Wednesday I actually found her."

MCOUSTIER@PROTONMAIL.COM

"It took me about six hours of standing in the same spot over those five nights with enhanced hay fever and three ticks.  She is the largest woodpecker in the USA and she was found behind RCMS.” RCMS is our medical clinic in Gualala.

Michael got two other photos I'd like to share with you. The first is a Red-shafted Northern Flicker.

MCOUSTIER@PROTONMAIL.COM

And here is a Red-shouldered Hawk with a juvenile Gartersnake for his/her meal.

 

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

To hear the call of a Pileated Woodpecker - and it's impressive! - you can listen at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

It's a beautiful day here today with gentle breezes. There are many, many visitors here for the holiday!