Tag Archives: Rozanne Rapozo

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Neil and Susan Silverman found a big spider in their bathtub. Laura Baker identified it as a Calisoga longitarsus. the Velvet or False Tarantula.

Elizabeth Benishin found a round hole that was the size of a half dollar on the Jenner grade. I wondered if that was hair around the opening.

Peter Baye and Laura Baker took a look. Peter wrote, “It looks like a Calisoga longitarsus, False Tarantula, tunnel to me. They are huge, fast, venomous, and aggressive if they are cornered. The neurotoxin of full-sized adult bites is much, much more painful and long-lasting than the accounts repeated anecdotally by arachnologists...far worse than bees or wasps.” And Laura added, “I think Peter's right.  The only additional comment that I'd make is that what looks very much like hair around the burrow is actually silk.”

I learned that Tarantulas are burrowing spiders. For most of the time, Tarantulas live underground in burrows. They will dig burrows themselves, using their fangs, or will borrow an abandoned burrow. Shudder!

One last sighting of this spider from Rozanne Rapozo. It was dead in the water bowl set out for dogs at Gualala Point Regional Park. It was determined it was a male.

How's that for some spooky sightings on Halloween?!

Thanks to Neil and Susan, Elizabeth, and Rozanne for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

We had rain late yesterday, 0.43 inches in my gauge. Sunny and cool this afternoon with more rain coming in late Friday. Hooray!

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Two weeks ago there was a big Supermoon to admire. Rozanne Rapozo was out with her camera documenting the beauty. She wrote, "Here’s a photo of the Super Moon rising over the eastern hills with the Totem [Serge] in the foreground." This is at Gualala Point Regional Park.

Rozanne wrote further, "And the other this morning, Thursday, at the Park to catch it setting behind the trees.”

Pretty darn gorgeous! Thanks to Rozanne for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

It's cool here today, with rain clouds moving in. The surface waters of the Pacific Ocean have changed direction, a sure sign rain is on the way. Normally the surface waters flow north to south, but this afternoon they are moving south to north due to the impending storm.

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It was a beautiful sight to behold, the big Super Blue Moon rising behind some trees. Rozanne Rapozo went out around 9 p.m. and got this dramatic photo.

Thanks to Rozanne for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

We did get rain Friday night - 0.46 inches! A nice soaking. Today, Sunday, it's clear and warm, temps in the high 70's this afternoon.

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A family of North American River Otters makes the Gualala River area their home. Rozanne Rapozo recently photographed the mother with her three offspring, called pups or kittens.

The pups will stay with their mom for about a year, or until she has another litter.

Here is a close-up of the mother.

River Otters are deemed semi-aquatic. They are equally comfortable in the water and on the land. For fun, here's a photo Catherine Miller took of River Otter prints, the prints with five claws.

Thanks to Rozanne and Catherine for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

The fog has been persistent over the ocean today, keeping temps down. No wind today, a lovely day here on the Mendonoma Coast.

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Pelagic Cormorants attache their nests to bluff faces, using their own guano as glue. Rozanne Rapozo recently photographed several nests.

Michael Reinhart found Pigeon Guillemots. They use openings in rocks for their hidden nests, much safer than the Pelagic Cormorant nests. This is a rather rare photo of a chick being fed.

Here are two Pigeon Guillemots on the water. It looks like they are talking to each other. Note the orange-red mouth!

Pelagic Cormorants are mostly silent, but Pigeon Guillemots have a whistling call that  you can hear on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at this link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pigeon_Guillemot/sounds

Thanks to Rozanne and Michael for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

It was very foggy this morning, with the sun finally breaking through mid-afternoon, a lovely cool day on the Mendonoma Coast!