Here's what Connie King had to say about her sighting:
"Another special moment in the season of fawns … twins taking a respite in our meadow, giving us front-row seats to their cuteness!"
So sweet to see! Thanks to Connie for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Sunny and quite breezy today, temps in the mid 70's at Rick's and my place.
The Osprey chicks I watch in Anchor Bay have recently fledged, but here is a look at an active nest in Gualala. Terry Pfardresher photographed the chick in the nest with a parent perched on the edge of the nest. It's most likely the mother Osprey waiting for her mate to bring back a tasty fish.
When the male Osprey brings a fish, the mother will tear off pieces of the fish to feed to her offspring. She will also take some for herself.
Ospreys usually leave the Mendonoma Coast around the first days of autumn, migrating southward. Once in a while, one or perhaps two will stay and overwinter here.
Thanks to Terry for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Fog in places today, but sunny and quite breezy just a little ways away from the ocean.
I'll let Amy Ruegg tell the story.
Amy wrote, “Saturday night 7/27/24 while we were watching the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony, at about 10:15 or so, Sydney [the dog] barked loudly twice in a way she hadn't before and jumped to the balcony railing with a growl. We brought our brightest flashlights out and there were four sets of glowing reflective eyes shining back at us. Eric's flash photography revealed the mother Mountain Lion - huge and muscular - and three Cubs about the size of Bobcats with spots still on their coats. The lions were not fearful. They remained for maybe 15 minutes or so. We think they may have been getting a drink from the spring behind our house.
“The next morning, a gathering of Turkey Vultures was assembled on trees and ground nearby, possibly indicating the site of a kill from the night before. We think the mother Mountain Lion may have made a kill, perhaps a Fawn or other animal, then led her Cubs to the water for a drink. After several minutes, she moved leisurely on into the night.”
Amy said the Deer were absent the next day, but returned on Monday. Amy wrote further, “If you watch nature very closely, you will see these subtle clues. With the Deer back in the neighborhood, I am pretty certain the Mountain Lion family has moved on."
Amazing! Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share his photos with you here and to Amy for telling the story.
Warm and breezy today! No fog.
I have never found one of these beauties. But Chris Pechal found this blooming at The Sea Ranch recently. It's called Pleated Gentian, Gentian affinis.
I shared Chris’ photo with botanist Peter Baye. He confirmed the ID, writing, “Definitely Gentian affinis. That’s an exceptionally pure and large-spotted one. It is distributed right along the immediate coast in well-drained sandy marine terrace soils. There are some old records of it near you in Anchor Bay, and Amy Ruegg reported one from Sea Ranch.” I’ll be looking at my place in Anchor Bay. I have well-drained sandy soil!
Breezy and cooler today, temps in the low 70's.
Michael Reinhart photographed a beautiful...or, should I say, handsome...Wilson's Warbler. The black cap is the most prominent giveaway this is a male.
These small warblers nest on the Mendonoma Coast and to our north. They eat insects, usually found on leaves, though they will catch flies and other flying insects in the air. The numbers of these beautiful birds are in "steep decline," mostly due to habitat loss. The experts say the best thing you can do for them is to plant native plants in your garden.
To hear the sweet call of these birds, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wilsons_Warbler/sounds
Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
Dense fog this morning has cleared away to brilliant sunshine. Mild temps. Lots of visitors to the coast now!