Robert Goldberg photographed this Buck with a nice big rack recently. The Buck was looking at Robert through the window of his Sea Ranch home.
You will see the Buck's antlers are in velvet. Velvet is the soft membrane that nourishes the growing bones underneath. If you could touch it, you'd find it is hot!
Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
It's cooler today - temps in the 70's at Rick's and my place, and no wind. Very lovely.
Janet Flink wrote, "I have participated with Bonney Ely for the last three years in Snapshot Cal Coast, which is an annual project through the California Academy of Sciences. Here is a link to their explanation of this event. https://www.calacademy.org/calcoast
"This year we went to four local beaches during the lowest tides of the year to gather data and take photos of their “most wanted species” and any other species we found interesting or rare. I focus on invertebrates and algae. I post the photos and data to iNaturalist for verification by other experts. These “BioBlitzes” help contribute to the knowledge of ranges of different species and especially any non-native or invasive species."
"The first is Hermissenda crassicornis, a gorgeous Nudibranch, about two inches long and found in a tide pool at Shell Beach. This “sea slug” breathes through the feathery gills on its back, and has a very soft body. It’s not common on our rocky shores, due to the heavy wave action."
This nudibranch's common name is Thick-horned Nudibranch. fyi, nudibranch is pronounced "nudibrank," Why? I dunno. Back to Janet's great sightings.
She wrote, "The second is our locally common sea star, Pisaser ochraceus, from Black Point Beach. I just found the voluptuous pose of this one to be comical!"
These Stars, which come in various colors, are called Ochre Sea Stars. They used to be called Starfish, but they aren't fish!
Janet continues, "The third photo, taken last year at Shell beach depicts two stunningly beautiful pastel-colored Aggregating Anemones (Anthopleura elegantissima) from different colonies fighting for territory underwater."
"They do this with special club-like white tipped tentacles that shoot barbs at the enemy. You can see the white clubs of the individual on the left, which has turned itself sideways, attacking the one on the right, which looks as if it is cowering and pulling away even as it’s beginning to brandish it’s own clubs. Toward the bottom of the sideways one, you can see a club from the one on the right“landing a punch”!"
How amazing to see and learn more about these fascinating inhabitants of the intertidal zone. Thanks to Janet for allowing me to share her photos with you here.
Another toasty warm day, with high clouds streaming in. In Point Arena yesterday, those closer to the ocean never saw the sun, but today the sun broke through the fog mid-morning.
Mike Petrich wrote, “Here are a few new pics of the piebald deer (and twin and parent). This morning I found them on the trail (they blocked our path) and I had the camera so I crouched down and snapped a few pics."
"The good news is that they seem to be healthy and active in the area. They are very comfortable around me and my camera, which worries me a little, but so many deer in these parts are less skittish than other parts of the coast.”
This white fawn is considered a tow-head and will continue to color up. Live and prosper, white fawn...and your sibling!
It's warm away from the ocean, but very breezy.
The largest woodpecker on the Mendonoma Coast is the Pileated Woodpecker and Eric Zetterholm recently had one visit his The Sea Ranch home. Eric wrote, “The fallen trees around our neighborhood from the January storms have attracted a Pileated Woodpecker to hang around a bit. Most often we can only hear it in the morning along with the Acorn Woodpeckers and Quail that are in greater numbers this spring. I had two chances to get pictures of the Pileated in the last week during the evening sunset lighting that just gets through the thinned-out trees.”
These big woodpeckers have a very distinctive call. You can hear it at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds
Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share his photos with you here.
There is a high fog here today, but the temps are mild.
Signs of spring are seemingly everywhere, and new life adds to the magic. It doesn’t get more magical than having a white Fawn arrive. Roxanne Holmes wrote, “This normal-colored Doe had two fawns this year. One is the typical dark hue with light spots, and the other is almost white with barely perceptible lighter spots. It seems to me that you have explained that this is an occasional occurrence, and that the light one will darken as it matures.”
We have had several white Fawns over the years, and it’s always a startling sight, almost like you can’t believe your eyes. These rare Fawns are considered “towheads” and will eventually color up. But they will never reach the coloring of a normal-colored Fawn. We believe there is a Buck with a recessive gene that causes this anomaly. This little Fawn born on The Sea Ranch needs to survive its lack of camouflage.
Thanks to Roxanne for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Lots of cool fog over the ocean and some coastal bluffs, but sunny elsewhere. Breezy and beautiful!