Siegfried Matull caught a male Anna's Hummingbird hovering in the air, showing the fast wingbeats of this beautiful creature.
Anna's Hummingbirds are year 'round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They are already feeding on the first blossoms of early-blooming Manzanita plants.
Siegfried Matull captured the moment a Brown Pelican landed in the Gualala River, with its reflection clear in the water. It's a lovely photo and I thank Siegfried for allowing me to show it.
Brown Pelicans are migrating through the Mendonoma Coast, heading south for warmer waters to spend the winter. They are one of my favorite birds, just wonderful to watch fly by in formation - another privilege of living on the Mendonoma Coast!
River Otters, Lontra canadensis, can be seen near the mouths of the Mendonoma Coast's rivers and creeks. There is a family of River Otters living in dens on the banks of the Gualala River. They are members of the Weasel family.
Siegfried Matull photographed a River Otter with a fish, which is their favorite food, and has kindly allowed me to share it with you.
We don't have Sea Otters this far north, for which abalone divers give thanks. River Otters can move on land and sea, whereas Sea Otters never leave the water.
Praying Mantis is the colloquial name for Mantodea. It's a beneficial insect to have around your garden as it eats flies and mosquitoes, among other insects. It has the ability to change color to camouflage itself.
This picture shows off its lovely wings, wings to make a fairy jealous!
Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share his photos here with you!
Recently Siegfried and Gretel Matull returned to their Sea Ranch home via Cazadero. That put them at the top of Fort Ross Road. They were above the fog, looking down. And to their wondering eyes they saw what Siegfried called, "a miracle fog bank" with blue sky above it.
What they were seeing was most likely a partial fog bow, also called a cloud bow, a similar phenomena as a rainbow. A fog bow is usually seen from an airplane. The Matulls were in the right place, at the right time! Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share this unusual photo.
