Tag Archives: Siegfried Matull

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Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. It is traditional to serve turkey on Thanksgiving. President Obama pardons a turkey this time of year and the turkey lives the rest of its life in luxury on a farm. Here on the Mendonoma Coast, we have wild Turkeys. There is some debate whether they are native or introduced. Either way, they are here and they add color to our surroundings. Siegfried Matull photographs them at his Sea Ranch home.

Below you will see a group of Tom Turkeys displaying. There has to be some lovely Peahens close by.

 And here you will see a close up of a Tom Turkey.

 Siegfried tells me this Tom Turkey was attacking him! Siegfried lived to photograph another day.

Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share his photos with you here. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
To see another photo of Siegfried's, this one showing a Turkey flying out of a hedgerow, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/03/01/wild-turkey-flying-out-of-a-hedgerow-and-photographed-by-siegfried-matull/

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Siegfried and Gretel Matull very much enjoy watching the wildlife near their Sea Ranch home. Siegfried often captures photos when the parents bring their young ones near. He recently photographed a mother Raccoon with her cubs.

 Siegfried also sent in the photo below, which he says is his favorite of all his Raccoon photos.

Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share his photos with you here. These bring a smile to my face and I hope it does the same to you!

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It is amazing how easily Harbor Seals can perch on a rock. Sometimes a wave comes along and sweeps one or two into the Pacific Ocean. Siegfried Matull captured a group of Harbor Seals, one of which just got swept off and is climbing back up. Yes, it is a young one, a pup.

You can see how the other two Harbor Seals lift their tails and heads as they balance on the slippery kelp-covered rock. Great photo from Coastal Photographer Siegfried Matull and I thank him for allowing me to share it with you here.

To see another of Siegfried's Harbor Seal photos, this one of two of them crowned with kelp: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/24/a-photo-of-harbor-seals-crowned-with-kelp-by-siegfried-matull/

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Siegfried Matull photographed a juvenile Western Scrub Jay all "puffed up." He caught the bird molting - growing in its new feathers. For instance, the gray feathers on its head are being replaced with blue ones.

Jays completely molt once a year, an activity that takes place in times of low stress - after nesting and before migration. Other birds that have a complete molt are Chickadees, Flycatchers, Hawks, Hummingbirds, Owls, Swallows, Thrushes, Vireos and Woodpeckers. It's an amazing phenomenon, don't you think? To completely replace each and every feather, that is a lot of energy expended.

To learn more about molting and much, much more about birds, here's a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: cornell lab of ornithology

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

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Thom Matson recently spotted a big, beautiful Bobcat outside his house on The Sea Ranch. It appeared to be hunting for a gopher or some other rodent.

You can see the fog hanging over the Pacific Ocean. Yes, we've been having very foggy mornings this week.  The dark masses on the ocean are some patches of the abundant summer-time kelp just offshore.

Below is one of my favorite photos of a close-up of a Bobcat, taken by Siegfried Matull.

Thanks to Thom and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here.