Peter Baye photographed this rare wildflower. It's a Phantom Orchid, Cephalanthera austiniae.
Peter hasn't seen one in seven years so he was very pleased to discover it. This orchid needs a fungus in the soil to survive, just like the Calypso Orchid. It is found in the shade of conifer forests.
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
Peter Baye found some lovely wildflowers in the Annapolis area. The first is Bristly Jewelflower, Streptanthus glandulosus. It's a member of the mustard family
Next is the lovely Bird's-Eye Gilia, Gilia tricolor.
Bird's-Eye Gilias are members of the Phlox family. Both of these flowers are California natives. They should never be picked - just enjoy their loveliness in the wild.
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photos with you here.
I love these little green frogs. They can change color, though, to adapt to their environment but they can't turn white. Ann Marie Meyer photographed one on a Calla Lily.
Below is a photo of a Treefrog that has changed its color to a blue/gray. It was taken by Susan Ruschmeyer.
When the male calls for a mate, the sound is so much louder than you'd expect from such a tiny frog. Peter Baye captured a photo of the voice sac in action. Amazing photo!
Thanks to Ann Marie, Susan and Peter for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
The Gualala River is as low as I've seen it. I recently took this photo showing the closed mouth of the river.
Kayakers were spotted in the lagoon, where the water is deep enough to paddle.
There are many demands on this wild river. To learn about more about the Gualala River, here is the website for Friends of the Gualala River: http://gualalariver.org/river/default.html.
The Navarro River doesn't have the water demands that have caused the low levels in the Gualala. Here's a recent photo taken by Peter Baye of ruppia, an aquatic plant, in the full lagoon of the Navarro.
The ruppia is a good sign, a sign of a healthy river, according to Peter. I thank Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
Here's Peter Baye's experience recently on a kayak trip on Ten Mile River, north of Fort Bragg.
“Will Erickson and I found innumerable small crabs covering the eelgrass beds of the estuary, and running over the bottom on the flood tide as though stampeding! We estimated at least 50 per square yard. They looked like little Dungeness Crabs, and it turns out that’s exactly what they are! The eelgrass beds seem to be a nursery.”
A Dungeness Crab nursery, how wonderful is that? Dungeness Crab from the waters off the Mendonoma coast is delicious. Knowing that there are so many baby crabs in the estuary is like having money in the bank!
Ten Mile River is found ten miles north of the mouth of the Noyo River in Fort Bragg.
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.