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Somewhere on the Mendonoma Coast, there is a Barn Owl family. Paul Brewer, sworn to secrecy about the location, was invited to photograph the chicks. He shared this photo with Sightings.

Looking closely at Paul’s photo, you can see bits of down, white fluff, on its head and shoulders, but the owlet has a heart-shaped face and its flight feathers can be seen. I think he/she is about seven weeks old. At this age, the owlet will be flapping its wings to get ready to take its first flight soon.

Barn Owls don't hoot - they scream. If you'd like to hear their call, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Owl/sounds If you have pets, keep the volume low!

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photo with you here. When you are in Gualala, stop in at The Dolphin, which is across from Trink's. Many of Paul's nature photographs are on display there.

oh my, it's a lovely day here today. No wind and mild temps. There is a fog bank forming over the ocean, so perhaps this warm weather won't last long.

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Mylitta Butterflies, Phyciodes mylitta, are small and colored orange, blank and with white edges. I am seeing one or two every day at my place in Anchor Bay. But Laura Baker topped me big-time with her sighting many of these elegant butterflies on a flowering bush at her place in Annapolis.

Here's a close-up for you to see, taken by Craig Tooley.

Life gets a little better when a butterfly comes your way! Thanks to Laura and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

It was foggy this morning, but the fog had pulled waaay back. That yellow thing...oh, yes, I remember!...the sun has appeared.

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The largest woodpecker on the Mendonoma Coast is the Pileated Woodpecker and Eric Zetterholm recently had one visit his The Sea Ranch home.  Eric wrote, “The fallen trees around our neighborhood from the January storms have attracted a Pileated Woodpecker to hang around a bit. Most often we can only hear it in the morning along with the Acorn Woodpeckers and Quail that are in greater numbers this spring. I had two chances to get pictures of  the Pileated in the last week during the evening sunset lighting that just gets through the thinned-out trees.”

These big woodpeckers have a very distinctive call. You can hear it at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share his photos with  you here.

There is a high fog here today, but the temps are mild.

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David Newhouse has watched Fish Rocks for many years. Fish Rocks is off Anchor Bay in Mendocino County. He wrote, "The first picture  taken in the early 60’s is hard to see but there is no opening on the right side although it is hard to see."

"The second photo taken a couple of years ago shows the opening on the right side of the island."

"The last photo taken after the last storm shows where the rock over the opening has collapsed. Shows the force of nature over time."

The pounding storms take their toll, that's for sure. Thanks to David for allowing me to share his photos with  you here.

No pounding ocean today. The drippy fog pulled back early this afternoon, and a sunny afternoon was our gift. Temps in the mid-sixties.

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When you find the native Western Azaleas in bloom, take a nice sniff as they have a lovely fragrance. Craig Tooley recently photographed the beautiful blossoms for us to see.

They really are works of art...as created by Mother Nature!

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

Another very foggy morning but it has lifted this afternoon. Can the sun be shining on us soon?