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Craig Tooley found this little guy/gal. In the second photo Craig put a dime so we can see the scale of the California Slender Salamander. It's tiny!

You can learn much more about them on Gary Nafis' fabulous website at this link: https://californiaherps.com/salamanders/pages/b.attenuatus.html

Gary is the person who identified this little salamander for me. Thanks, as always, Gary!

And thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his 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 right along the coast, and sunny elsewhere. Must be spring on the Mendonoma Coast!

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Catherine Miller visited Pelican Bluffs recently and found these beauties, Baby Blue Eyes and California Poppies.

And Paintbrush on the cliff edge.

And Pussy Ears are having a big spring, seemingly everywhere!

Many, many more wildflowers are blooming on coastal bluffs now.

Thanks to Catherine for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

It's warming up! Breezy close to the ocean, but warm a bit inland. Many visitors are already here, getting ready for the Architectural House Tour and Mother's Day activities. Bonus sighting! Humpbacks, a mother and calf, were seen off the Point Arena Lighthouse Peninsula yesterday.

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The clouds make for a dramatic sunset and the ship on the horizon adds to the interest. Shari Goforth-Eby photographed this beautiful sight.

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

Cloudy this morning, but the sun broke through. The temps are going to rise for the weekend. I took a walk with my sister, Linda Bostwick, on the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands this afternoon and the wildflowers are amazing!

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Males approach female North American River Otters now for mating. As you can see in Perry Hoffman's photo, the male holds the female's snout in his mouth. Ouch!

More not-so-loving courtship behavior.

It can be painful for the female, and maybe that is why once mating is done she has nothing to do with the male and he is persona non grata. If you see a family of River Otters, it is the mother with her offspring.

River Otters cannot abide pollution so that fact they are thriving here on the Mendonoma Coast is a testament to the clean waters of our rivers and streams.

Thanks to Perry for allowing me to share his photos with you here. He has a photography opening at the White Cap in Anchor Bay on May 19th from 3 to 6 pm. to see much more of Perry's photography, here is the link to his website: https://magentaraven.com/

It's lightly raining this afternoon. The wildflowers are glorious now, so when the rain relents, the Mendonoma Coast will be a feast for the eyes!

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We had a lot of unsettled weather for a few days, and it continues today with rain showers now and then. On Sunday morning, I looked out and saw this rainbow.

About fifteen minutes later, I saw this beautiful fogbow.

Amazing, but true!

As I write this post this afternoon, the sun is shining brightly on the wet ground.