Cathleen Crosby photographed this beautiful butterfly and asked me what kind it was. This is a new one for me, so I queried Ron LeValley. He knew what it was, especially since he also recently photographed one. It's a Western Pine Elfin Butterfly.
It looks like its feeding on wild lilac, ceanothus, which is blooming in great profusion this spring here on the coast.
Thanks to Cathleen for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Ron LeValley photographed this Harbor Seal apparently asleep in the kelp.
A fun and unusual photo for you today! Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share it with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://levalleyphoto.com/home/
It's been wild here on the coast recently. Big, beautiful waves have been rolling in. Ron LeValley photographed one powerful wave with a lot of color in it.
The mist on the top of the wave is sometimes called a "rooster tail."
We have another storm coming in on Tuesday. Yes, El Nino weather is here.
Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://levalleyphoto.com/home/
Ron LeValley had this male American Kestrel pose for him.
Here's what the Cornell Lab of Ornithology says about these small falcons:
"North America’s littlest falcon, the American Kestrel packs a predator’s fierce intensity into its small body. It's one of the most colorful of all raptors: the male’s slate-blue head and wings contrast elegantly with his rusty-red back and tail; the female has the same warm reddish on her wings, back, and tail. Hunting for insects and other small prey in open territory, kestrels perch on wires or poles, or hover facing into the wind, flapping and adjusting their long tails to stay in place. Kestrels are declining in parts of their range; you can help them by putting up nest boxes."
To hear the call of a Kestrel, here's the link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Kestrel/sounds
Thanks to Ron LeValley for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.levalleyphoto.com/home/
A Snow Bunting was seen for over a week at Virgin Creek Beach in MacKerricher State Park. Ron LeValley was one of many who got a peek at this bird and he got this wonderful photo.
Snow Buntings are birds of the high arctic and snowy winter fields. They are sometimes affectionately called "Snowflakes." What this bird was doing on the temperate Mendonoma Coast is a mystery.
To hear the call of this bird, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/snow_bunting/sounds
Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: