Mary Sue Ittner was photographing the wildflower Sea Thrift when this lovely butterfly landed on a blossom. It's a Bramble Hairstreak Butterfly, Callophrys dumetorum. This small butterfly is only found in coastal California.
We don't see this butterfly very often so it's a treat to see Mary Sue's photo.
Thanks to Mary Sue for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
It's another hot day on the Mendonoma Coast but today isn't windy. A cool down starting tomorrow.
Another unusual plant appeared recently, one I have never seen before. It's Pyrola aphylla and has a rather silly common name of Leafless Wintergreen. It's blooming on the forest floor now. Craig Tooley came by several weeks ago and photographed the plants, which were just barely beginning to bloom. Craig's close-up of the bottom of the cluster shows several new shoots coming up and extremely small leaves.
More recently Mary Sue Ittner and Amy Ruegg, along with others, came over to see them too. You can see by Mary Sue's photo that most of the blossoms have opened up.
And here's Amy's closeup of the beautiful flowers. Pyrola aphylla are perennial herbs and native to California.
For me, the amazing thing is, I've never seen them on Rick's and my land before, and we've been here over 27 years. What a welcome surprise!
Thanks to Craig, Mary Sue, and Amy for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
Another foggy, cool day near the coast!
Coast Lilies, Lilium maritimum, are having a wonderful bloom this year. Mary Sue Ittner enjoyed seeing one with a Bumblebee sleeping inside of it.
This particular flower is pale compared to others seen. Here are Coast Lilies as photographed by Beth Roland, blooming on the Gualala Ridge.
And Amy Ruegg photographed these beauties on The Sea Ranch.
They are taller than usual this year, possible due to the ample rains after several years of drought. The wildflowers seem to be celebrating by blooming as big and bountiful as they can.
Thanks to Mary Sue, Beth and Amy for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
The fog was cool and drippy this morning, as fog is wont to be. But it has pulled back and warm weather has poured in. It should be sunny for the holiday weekend here on the Mendonoma Coast.
Michael Reinhart found these two Western Bluebirds in fields of Johnny Tuck, Triphysaria eriantha ssp. Rosea, a native wildflower blooming in profusion at Black Point on The Sea Ranch. Here is the male posing in the wildflowers.
And here is the female.
So beautiful to see. Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photos with you here. And thanks to Mary Sue Ittner for the ID of the wildflowers.
It's foggy over the ocean, but sunny most places this afternoon. At my place, temps are in the mid 70s. Nice!
Mary Sue Ittner recently photographed this lovely butterfly, an Acmon Blue.
This butterfly is mainly found in California. Going by my records, it's a pretty rare sighting for our coast!
Thanks to Mary Sue for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
The fog disappeared early this morning. Sunshine and gentle breezes rules the day!