Tag Archives: nest

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Richard Custer has been watching a Raven nest near the Point Arena Lighthouse. Two chicks hatched, and the parents are busy feeding them. Look how hungry these chicks are, and notice the wing feathers coming in.

Here's a beautiful photo of one of the Common Ravens at the Lighthouse, taken by Michael Deligio a few years ago. It kind of looks like a painting!

Thanks to Richard and Michael for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Wet fog this morning has led to brilliant sunshine this afternoon.

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I don't know how he finds such a wonderful sighting, but Michael Beattie once again photographs a beautiful scene. Here is a nest with the mother Great Horned Owl and her two chicks, seen north of Point Arena.

Great Horned Owls are powerful predators. They are able to take down birds and mammals bigger than themselves! But they  usually hunt for rodents. This is the owl that hoots. You can hear their call at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/sounds

Thanks to Michael for allowing me to share his photo with you here. You can see much more of Michael's photography at this link: https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Beattie-Photography-1856278251324808/

Sunny, breezy, simply beautiful here today.

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The Peregrine Falcon nest that Michael Beattie observes has three growing chicks in it. Here's a look at the chicks, taken earlier this month. You can see they are getting dark feathers now.

Here one of the parents has delivered dinner and is flying off for more.

For comparison, here is what they looked like in late May. Quite a difference!

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

The Mendonoma coast has so many micro climates. At the ocean today, it's foggy. Up on the ridge, it's sunny. Take your pick!

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This year there are two nests in southern Mendocino county that I know of. Each has three white puffballs, chicks, in the nests. Michael Beattie watches one of the nests with his long lens. Here the mother has fed her chicks and is flying away to hunt for her family.

It will be fun to watch the chicks mature. That opening in the rocks looks to be a safe place for the Peregrines.

Fun Fact: A Peregrine can reach speeds of up to 200 mph when diving down on its prey, which are medium-sized birds. To hear the "kak, kak, kak" call of a Peregrine, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Peregrine_Falcon/sounds

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

The heavy, wet fog of this morning has lifted, bringing us sunshine this afternoon.

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Three species of swallows migrate to the Mendonoma coast to nest - Violet-green Swallows, Cliff Swallows and Barn Swallows. Mark Simkins had a pair of Barn Swallows build a mud nest outside his home in Manchester this year. The parents are busy feeding their hungry chicks.

Here is a close-up of Barn Swallow chicks taken by Harm Wilkinson. Aren't they cute?

Thanks to Mark and Harm for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

It's a beautiful day on the coast. The morning fog pulled back and sunshine abounds. We have no smoke from the terrible inland fires. Here's hoping cooler temperatures will allow the firefighters to get the upper hand.