Tag Archives: rare sighting

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This medium-sized Owl is a rare sighting on the Mendonoma Coast. Ron LeValley recently photographed one.

They fly low over grasslands listening for small mammals, or sometimes birds. Yes, they find their prey mainly with their ears rather than with their eyes.

This owl must have heard Ron, as it turned and looked directly at him.

Such a beautiful bird! To hear its call, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/short-eared_owl/sounds 

I thank Ron for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.levalleyphoto.com/home/

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Karen Tracy and a friend were walking on the bluffs recently when they came across this beautiful Elegant Sheep Moth, Hemileuca eglanterina. It is a Silk Moth and a California native. This moth only appears in the summer and is a rare sighting.

With its pink wings highlighted in black and its yellow body, this is one beautiful moth. No surprise, this California native feeds on native plants, which include Ceanothus and California Coffee-Berry.

Thanks to Karen for allowing me to share her photo with you here. To see another photo of this moth showing two mating, here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/16/elegant-sheepmoth-a-beautiful-and-rare-moth-photographed-by-patricia-mcbratney/