Northwestern Fence Lizards look like little dragons! Amy Ruegg recently photographed several basking on rocks.
In looking at Amy's photos, I'm wondering if the top one could be pregnant.
Thanks to Amy for allowing me to share her photos with you here.
It's sunny with strong winds today. Looks like the spring winds have arrived. And they bring upwelling in the Pacific Ocean, igniting the food chain.
Steve wrote, "On a Memorial Day weekend walk at Pelican Bluffs with friends, I encountered this lizard on the trail. They're great photo subjects - they don't move a muscle!”
Steve’s wife, Nancy, told me this type of lizard is often bitten by ticks. There is a protein in the lizard’s blood that cleanses the tick of Lyme disease. They also eat ticks and other invertebrates such as insects and spiders. Perhaps a cure for Lyme disease will come from studying how this lizard is able to neutralize it. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Thanks to Steve for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
It's already heating up on the Mendonoma Coast. Point Arena puts on their annual fireworks tomorrow night, Saturday, at the Pier. And the parade is Sunday at noon. The weather should be great if you like it warm.
Jason McKinney found this fellow in his tool bucket. I sent Jason's photo to Gary Nafis. Gary has a fabulous website called California Herps, a guide to California amphibians and reptiles - http://www.californiaherps.com/index.html Gary identified Jason's lizard as a male Northwestern Fence Lizard. Females do not have this much color.
Fence Lizards eat spiders and insects. Thanks to Jason for allowing me to share his photo with you here.