Tag Archives: Bob Rutemoeller

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John Meyer photographed an Elegant Sheep Moth, Hemileuca eglanterina, a few weeks ago. They are day flying moths, and they fly fast and close to the ground.

Bob Rutemoeller found two of these moths mating.

Yes, x-rated Sightings today! Why are they named sheep moths, you might ask? Apparently because they were seen in pastures where sheep were grazing.

Thanks to John and Bob for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

oh, what a beautiful day today! Temps in the low 70's with just a gentle breeze. And the promise of a little rain late Friday/early Saturday.

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Fringed Corn Lilies, Veratrum fimbriatum, are endemic to the Sonoma and Mendocino Coasts, actually the Mendonoma Coast! It is a California rare plant. Recently Bob Rutemoeller found several just beginning to bloom.

They are found in moist areas and are a treat to find. The leaves, so beautiful earlier in the year, are now often riddled with holes. Native plants feed native insects.

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

The smoke from the northern fires left our area late Thursday afternoon. A small splattering of raindrops happened early this morning, leaving everything smelling fresh and beautiful. If this afternoon's gorgeous clouds stick around for the sunset, it could be amazing!

 

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There is something going on underground at Rick's and my place and an adjacent neighbor in Anchor Bay. Fungi and plants are weaving their magic for some rare and unusual wildflowers. The rarest of them is the Small Ground Cone, Kopsiopsis hookeri. They are mostly dried up now, but a single one barely pushed to the surface a few weeks ago. They are known to be symbiotic with the plant Salal. The new Small Ground Cone kind of looks like a turtle emerging from the sandy soil.

Nearby there are Gnome Plants, Hemitomes congestum. They come up in different places, but in the same general area. Fungi in the area is Matsutake and Queen Boletes. This photo of a newly emerged plant was taken by Bob Rutemoeller.

And just across from the Gnome Plants, a single California Pine Foot, Pityopus californicus. This photo was taken by Craig Tooley.

I have a couple more to show you, but on another day!

Thanks to Bob and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. I sure wish I had 3-D glasses that would let me look into the ground and see all the connections going on down there!

Drippy fog this morning, enough to show .001 in the rain gauge. The sun is trying to break through this afternoon. The fog has lifted and the Pacific Ocean is still there! Yay!

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A huge storm is slamming into Northern California today, Sunday. It was more than enough to fill the Gualala River to the brim and then for the river to breach the sandbar. Bob Rutemoeller braved the rain to get these photos late this morning.

You will see the river opened at the far southern point. Here are two more photos of the raging Gualala River, with downed trees being swept out to sea. Steelhead will also be swept out to sea to begin the next stage of their lives. In the days ahead, different Steelhead will be entering the river, to make their way upriver to spawn.

And this is just what you shouldn't do when the river is opening - walk on the sandbar.

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

A massive storm system arrived late yesterday. Early this morning I found 4.95 inches in our rain gauge. Since then another two+ inches has fallen and it's still pouring as I type this. So, seven inches and counting! Wow!

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Bob Rutemoeller wrote, “I first thought this might be a Whimbrel but after looking up info online, I think it is a Long-billed Curlew. We had walked from Kinney Road along the beach to the Garcia River. There are lots of Kelp piles on the beach, and also lots of Jellyfish.”

Diane Hichwa confirmed the ID of this big shorebird. Just look at that long thin beak!

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

oh my, it's terribly windy here today, Monday. I hope it calms down soon.