• 1 Comment

•

Menka Sethi wrote, “A Bobcat recently sauntered through my backyard and into the abutting Mill Meadow. Wanting to share this with neighbors, I pulled out my phone camera. In a split-second, a Raven dive-bombed the Bobcat, and the Bobcat flipped upside down, landed back on four paws, and took off into the meadow. Did I imagine this? No - there on my phone was the image of a Bobcat seemingly floating above the meadow with four paws pointed toward the sky.”

A one-in-a-million photograph by The Sea Ranch's Community Manager!

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

There was an error in my previous post - it was an Allen's Hummingbird, not an Anna's. Sorry about that! Thanks to all who wrote in to correct the post.

This morning felt very autumn-like, with breezes and sun. Then this afternoon clouds have moved in, and temps are very mild, mid-60's.

• 4 Comments

•

Michael Reinhart caught this Allen's hummingbird taking a short rest.

Fun Facts: Allen's Hummingbirds live an average of 5 years. They only weigh about 0.11 ounces. Hummingbirds are the only birds known to fly backward.

Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

Sunny this morning but the fog rolled in this afternoon. It feels like autumn today, temps in the low 60's.

•

Karen Wilkinson wrote, “Have you ever really seen a flower?  Walking the Gualala River to find wildflowers in bloom is a beloved pastime.  Sharing it with botanical buddies is even better.  The closer you look at a flower, the more exquisite they become. Take this Scarlet Monkeyflower, if you touch the stigma with the tip of your finger, it closes up.  I think this is connected to the way it gets pollinated, but I'm not sure why.  What I am sure about is that this flower is my new favorite.” Karen got a nice photo of an Anna’s Hummingbird coming in for nectar and another showing the stigma and anthers touching the hummer’s head.

I asked Botanist  Peter Baye why the stigma, the part of the flower that receives pollen during pollination, would close. He wrote, “Had to look this one up! Fortunately there was some new research just published this year on it by Lila Fishman and colleagues at the University of Montana. Closure of the stigma lobes in monkeyflowers are interpreted as a means of maximizing cross-pollination over less advantageous self-pollination.”

Peter also wrote, after looking at Karen’s beautiful photos, “It is wonderful to see photos of observant naturalists rediscovering the Gualala River bed, and not just a stone's throw from Highway 1! It needs to be rediscovered constantly, as its never the same two consecutive years! I know people love the Russian River, but frankly, the native biological richness of the Gualala has more to offer explorers.”

Very interesting to learn about this! Thanks to Karen for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

While it is hot, hot, hot inland, a fog bank is keeping things cool along the Mendonoma Coast. Temps have been in the mid sixties. Nice!

•

Allen Francis got this great photo of a Yellow-faced Bumblebee collecting pollen. You can even see the blur of her wings!

It's amazing she can still fly with so much pollen on her, and she was going for more! These native bumblebees are important pollinators. She is a good reason not to use pesticides in your garden!

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

After a very warm day yesterday, today - Wednesday - a fog bank is keeping it nice and mild.

• 1 Comment

•

Janet Pierucci found this spiderweb adorned with the morning mist - spiderweb jewels.

Jim Corbett wrote, “Down by Anchor Bay beach, I happened to be in the right light this morning to appreciate this beautiful spider’s web that’s connected to a lemon tree and patio cover. It bends to the breezes off the beach and catches goodies along the way; a tiny ecosystem at work.”

The ability to create a web from a substance in their body, and the web then catches their food, is quite amazing. Mother Nature must rate spiders high on her list.

Thanks to Janet and Jim for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

It's sunny and breezy today. Warm temps are predicted for Tuesday through Thursday. Our typical September heatwave. Bonus sightings: Humpback Whales have been seen off the Mendonoma Coast for the past several days!