We don't see these butterflies very often on the coast. Maybe they like it a little warmer! But Amy Ruegg found a California Dogface Butterfly recently feeding on native thistle!
Thanks to Amy for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Foggy this morning, sunny this afternoon - must be the coast!
Bottlenose Dolphins were seen two weeks ago, always an exciting sighting. Karen Wilkinson wrote, “Dolphins were swimming off of Black Point Beach this morning. A few things that seemed interesting: One had a bite mark on its side. I think one was swimming with a fish in its mouth. And they seemed to be swimming in the rip tide area.”
Karen sent her photos to Bill Keener, a Research Biologist, and Bottlenose Dolphin expert, at the Marine Mammal Center. Bill studied the photos and wrote, “I got two surprises – a regularly-seen female named Cepat had just been seen down in Monterey Bay at the very end of March, so they really do move around! And note that Cepat had some new low notches at that time in late March. Now she has moved all the way up to Sonoma, and we get to see her other side, which displays a new large linear semi-circular scar, which might be a huge bite mark. But I don't think so because I don't really see teeth marks there.
“Also, I think the other adult seen with her might be Papercut, another female in our catalog, but we have not seen that dolphin since it was at Pacifica in 2016. I wondered what happened to her.
Both these dolphins used to be well known in Monterey Bay, before they moved up north to the SF Bay Area, so I am sending all this to the Monterey Bay researcher to check this out. If he says anything interesting, I will let you know.” The third dolphin, the photo at the top here, is currently unknown to Bill.
Thanks to Karen for allowing me to share her photos with you here, and thanks to Bill for all the wonderful info on the known dolphins.
Heatwave inland is over. Foggy on the immediate coast today. Rick's and my house, at 640 feet elevation, is the fog line this afternoon - it's sunny in the courtyard, and foggy on the deck facing the ocean!
David Presotto photographed this Bald Eagle standing on a wad of kelp. Common Ravens and a Turkey Vulture are among his subjects!
Thanks to David for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
No fog this morning. Temps in the mid 70's with a gentle breeze. Really quite lovely here today!
Shari Goforth photographed this Western Bluebird leaving a very hungry chick behind. Hopefully the parent quickly returned with a tasty bug for this little one.
Ailene Kanbe photographed this Cliff Swallow feeding the chick on the right.
And Craig Tooley found this Violet-green Swallow nest in a hedgerow. See the open mouth in the hole? Don't worry, hungry one...an insect is coming your way.
Thanks to Shari, Ailene and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com
It's foggy here today with temps in the mid-60s! The fog is a high fog and I can see the ocean. Looks like the sun is trying to break through this afternoon. Nice to have it cool!
Lilium pardalinum, also known as the Leopard Lily or Panther Lily, is blooming now. David Munson got this close up of the beautiful flower.
This plant is native to Oregon, California, and Baja California. It usually grows in damp areas. What a treat to see!
Thanks to David for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
Last night, Saturday night, the fog held back for the fireworks show in Point Arena. And it was quite a dramatic, beautiful show. This morning the fog had moved in. Temps are in the 60s today. Considering all the terrible heat inland, this cooling fog feels like a blessing.