Tag Archives: Barbara Rice

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Wildflower season begins early on the Mendonoma coast. One of our longest bloomers is the Douglas Iris. Marsha Dupre recently photographed some.

Barbara Rice found Indian Warriors.

Bea Hoover photographed Wild Ginger.

And Jutta Leibrock found Common Camas.

We have had rain showers this weekend, which will be wonderful for all the beautiful wildflowers. I was told on a wildflower walk led by Julia Larke that 45 different species of wildflowers were found at our new public access spot, Pelican Bluffs. That's amazing!

Thanks to all above who have allowed me to share their photos with you here.

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This is the time of year when the fall migration of Monarch butterflies occurs. I have seen one or two nearly every time the sun comes out and warms things up. I am always thrilled to see one. Barbara Rice sent in photos of a male and a female Monarch. The male, shown below, has two dark scent spots on its lower wings. Can you see them?

male-monarch-has-two-scent-spots-on-lower-wings-photo-courtesty-of-barbara-riceThe female does not have these two spots.

female-monarch-lacks-the-two-scent-spots-photo-courtesty-of-barbara-riceThis generation of Monarchs is called the Methuselah generation. They are the ones who migrate, and they live seven months.

Here's a photo taken by Craig Tooley that appears in our book, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year. Looks like it's a female!

monarch-butterfly-with-pink-flowers-oct-by-craig-tooleyThanks to Barbara for sending in the first two photos, and 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: www.ruffimage.com

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Barbara Rice found a nice group of Leopard Lilies, Lilium pardalinum. These beautiful lilies are also called Tiger Lilies.

Leopard Lilies by Barbara RiceYou should never pick these wildflowers, as the flower head develops the seeds the plant needs for the following year.

Here's a close-up of this beautiful native with a Swallowtail butterfly feeding. This photo was taken by Peter Baye and is included in my beautiful book, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year. It also shows that native plants feed native critters.

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Thanks to Barbara and Peter for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Beautiful Monarch Butterflies migrate through the Mendonoma Coast in the autumn. Several weeks ago Siegfried Matull captured this photo of two Monarchs feeding on his sage plant.

These Monarchs are of the Methuselah generation, the generation that lives for seven months or so.

Barbara Rice studies these butterflies. She wrote, “The overwintering Monarchs, which travel through our area in the fall, will not be laying eggs on their way. In the spring they head inland to look for milkweed and lay the first eggs of the three to four generations. Native milkweed species in Sonoma County are found further inland, such as Lake Sonoma.”

What is important here on the Coast is to plant native nectar plants for butterflies. Barbara advises that long blooming species in the Mint – Sage comes to mind - and Aster families are beneficial. Even better are our native Manzanitas, as they bloom in the winter. Erysimum, also called Wallflower, is very beneficial.

Barbara adds, “Coyote Mint is a great butterfly and hummingbird plant. In a garden you can keep it blooming a long time if you ‘deadhead’ the spent flowers. Coast Goldenrod is also a good late fall Monarch plant and two local Manzanitas – Hairy Manzanita and Fort Bragg Manzanita.”

Monarch Butterflies are down in numbers due to pesticide use and loss of habitat. Anything we can do to help them is well worth doing.

Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share his photo with you here. And thanks to Barbara for her good advice.

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The coast is alive with the sounds of California Sea Lions. In the calm air, their barking calls can be heard for several miles. Juvenile male Sea Lions have recently returned to the Mendonoma Coast. And they are forming rafts in groups of twenty or more. This has been seen off of Anchor Bay, The Sea Ranch and Timber Cove. They roll to one side and hold a flipper up in the air. This helps to regulate their bodies temperature.

Barbara Rice used her camera and her scope to digascope this photo of a raft of Sea Lions with a Gray Whale spouting just behind. Many thanks go to Barbara for allowing me to share this unique photo with you here.