4 x 4

 

Western Bittercress (Cardamine oligosperma), 28 February 2019.  (This is one of the first species to flower on Bodega Head.)

6 in 48

Just a quick picture of Salmon Creek viewed from the Bodega Highway (opposite Valley Ford Road) around midday today (26 February 2019):

 

About 6 inches of rain have fallen in Bodega Bay during the last 48 hours.  This brings the annual rainfall year total to ~32 inches.

Sunset pool

 

It was fairly rainy and windy today, and I didn't get a chance to take any photos.  So here's a sunset picture from before the storm, taken last week on 19 February 2019.

Waiting

Before I took this picture last month, I hadn't realized how much a chiton could look like a sea anemone!

 

The chiton (in the center of the photo) is a Veiled Chiton (Placiphorella velata).  It might be difficult to spot at first, but it's nestled next to an Aggregating Anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima). 

Below is a side view of the chiton where can see how the setae (bristles) at the head end look similar to the tentacles of the anemone:

 

Placiphorella is an unusual chiton.  While most chitons are grazers, this species is predatory.  It raises its veil (as in the photo below), waits for prey to pass underneath, and then clamps down quickly to capture it.  The bristles above probably help to camouflage the chiton, making it harder for prey to recognize a possible predator.

 

I first introduced Veiled Chitons back in 2012 (was it really that long ago?).  If you'd like to learn more about them, check out the post called "A veiled threat" from 21 August 2012. 

 

Up in arms?

 

Somehow I missed them when I was taking this picture in the field, but when I was reviewing photos, I noticed two peanut worms (Phascolosoma agassizii) extending their introverts up between the arms of this juvenile Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus). 

The visible parts of the peanut worms are tubular and grayish with black stripes.  If you'd like to learn more about peanut worms, you can review the post called "Introducing the introvert" on 31 January 2013.

Peach-colored polyps

 

A nice look at the feeding polyps (gastrozooids) of a local hydroid, Hydractinia sp.  Photographed in the low intertidal zone on 19 February 2019.

 

Snow Moon

I've been waiting to see the full moon tonight, but so far it's been hidden behind clouds.  So here's a Moonglow Anemone (Anthopleura artemisia) to help celebrate the Snow Moon.  

 

Photographed on 19 February 2019.

All together now

I had to do some intertidal field work this afternoon (18 February 2019).  When I finished, I looked around a bit.  I was starting to focus on this chiton (Lepidozona cooperi), when I noticed something intriguing next to it:

 

My first thought was that the striped object might be the arm of a brittle star.  But when I was able to see it more clearly, I realized it was a polychaete worm.  

I think we've seen this worm before — for example, see the post called "Ruler worm?" from 1 May 2013.  However, this individual appears to be broader.  When I zoomed in, I could see that it's possible she has lots of cream-colored eggs inside?

 

I'll have to ask around for some help with the identity of this intriguing worm.

P.S.  In case you're wondering, the white spiraled animal at the head end (left side) of the worm is a foram (Foraminifera).  The bright pink animal in the same location is a bryozoan (Eurystomella bilabiata).  The paler pink in the lower left corner of the second photo (and above and to the right of the chiton in the first photo) is coralline algae.

Simultaneously

 

Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) among grasses and lichen-covered rocks.  Somehow the bluebird seemed to both blend in and stand out.

Weather views

Yesterday, the light was interesting everywhere you looked.  Just for fun, here are three views of the ocean during a brief 10-minute period around mid-day.  [You can click on the images for larger versions.]

 Squall on the horizon:

 

River runoff in the waves:

 

 

Sliver of light:

 

No stone left unturned?

It was a dramatic weather day on Bodega Head (15 February 2019).  Several intense squalls passed over, with some producing small hail.  For the record, here's a photo and a video taken at ~1:15 p.m.  The largest hailstones were ~5 mm across.

 

The video below is ~20 seconds long.  (If you can't see the video player, click here to go to the web page.)

 

Hail 15 Feb 2019 from Jackie Sones on Vimeo.

River from Hawaiʻi

Okay, so that was some rain today — an impressive atmospheric river event!  I drove out to work at the coast around 8 a.m. this morning, but it was a little sketchy — lots of water on the roads.  After looking at the precipitation pattern, it makes sense that the creeks were overflowing at that time.  Here's the rainfall data from the Bodega Ocean Observing Node:

 

Note the peak around 5-6 a.m., and that around that time it rained ~1 inch in 1 hour!  The total for the 24 hours around this morning's rain event was ~4 inches (!). 

I decided I didn't want to drive through more water on the way home.  So I took a few quick wave pictures for the record, and then headed east.  The offshore buoy was reporting swells of ~16 feet this morning.

 

 

On the way home, I stopped briefly in Bodega to take a few photos of Salmon Creek where it crosses under the Bodega Highway.

Here's the view looking downstream:

 

And two views looking upstream:

 

 

 

In the view above you can see that the water level in the creek was quite high relative to the road.  This photo was taken ~9:30 a.m.

More rain is coming tonight, and there's a Flash Flood Watch in effect until 10 a.m. tomorrow, so watch the forecasts and stay safe!

Half and half

 

There were some interesting clouds around midday today (12 February 2019).  (This one reminded me of a blimp, or maybe a fish?)

Sunset rainbow

 

Sunset rainbow, Bodega Head, 11 February 2019

This rainbow filled the sky!  I couldn't get the whole thing in one shot, but here's a portion of it:

 

Snownoma

This morning I was driving from Sebastopol to Cotati when something off to the east caught my eye.  Was that snow on Sonoma Mountain?  After doing some chores, I decided to go take a look.

 

Sure enough, there appeared to be remnant patches of snow at higher elevations.  (Not having been there when it fell, I don't know if this could have been accumulated hail.)  The patches were still substantial, so I could gather enough to make small snowballs!  By the way, Sonoma Mountain reaches an elevation of ~2400 feet (~730 meters).  It was ~10 degrees colder up there; my car thermometer read ~43°F (~6°C).

It was a beautiful day to be on Sonoma Mountain.  Scanning to the north, there were quite a few snow-covered peaks.  Below are two examples:

 

I have to admit that I spend so little time in the inland portions of Sonoma County that I'm not totally sure about identifying all of the peaks.  Perhaps some of you can help?

My best guess for the above is Cobb Mountain.  Cobb Mountain is at the Sonoma County/Lake County boundary.  At 4483 feet (1366 meters), Cobb Mountain-Southwest Peak is the highest point in Sonoma County.  Here's a closer view (with two ravens flying by in the distance):

 

I learned something fun about Cobb Mountain today.  Both sides eventually drain to the Pacific Ocean, but they do it in very different ways.  The western slopes feed into the Russian River (via Big Sulphur Creek), while the eastern slopes feed into the Sacramento River (via Putah Creek) and then to San Francisco Bay.

Now here's a different peak:

 

My guess for this one is Mount Saint Helena.  It reaches an elevation of ~4342 feet (~1323 meters). 

While snow-watching this afternoon, I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in the distance:

 

Let me know if you can confirm or correct the identifications of these snowy peaks!

 

Storm clouds

 

Lots of storm clouds passing by Bodega Head today (9 February 2019).

 

Looking back

 

Young Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) occasionally appear on local beaches at this time of year.  Sometimes they look behind themselves by leaning over backwards (as in the photo above).  

Note the dark coloration overall, the large head, big eyes, and dark whiskers — features that help distinguish it from its smaller and grayer relative, the Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina).

Happy Lunar New Year!

 

A day late, but here's a crescent moon from 6 February 2019, a day after the lunar new year began (and two days after the new moon)!

 

Gold-rimmed -- Part 2

Okay, so here's the mystery photo from the post called "Gold-rimmed" on 2 February 2019:

 

A few people guessed the identity of this animal correctly.  But if you need a little more help, the images below show broader views: 

 

 

 

This is the Red-striped Barnacle (Paraconcavus pacificus).  Branched feeding appendages (called cirri) extend upward, emerging from between the opercular plates and the gold-rimmed membrane that connects the plates.

 

Stephanie found this Red-striped Barnacle at Dillon Beach on 1 February 2019.  We appreciated hearing about this sighting, as we've been wondering if Paraconcavus would continue to be seen in northern California after the warm-water years of 2014-2016.  

 

This barnacle often grows on sand dollars, so keep your eyes open for it where sand dollars wash ashore.  (Interestingly, Stephanie found this barnacle on a large clam shell.) 

 

Here's one more view of this beautiful barnacle:

 

 

Many thanks to Stephanie for her observation and helping us document a live Red-striped Barnacle north of San Francisco!

Approaching from the west

Well, I know I owe you some more photos of the mystery close-up from 2 February 2019.  But...there was a football game to watch yesterday, and there was some interesting weather today.  So I'll show a few seascapes tonight and then I'll get back to the mystery tomorrow.

Today the weather forecast called for showers with local gale force wind gusts...and they weren't kidding!

At one point while I was sitting at my desk today, the sky darkened noticeably.  I went out to see what was happening.  [You can click on the images for larger versions.]

 

Storm clouds over the ocean and rain showers approaching Bodega Head from the west:

 

Soon after I stepped outside, the temperature dropped, the wind picked up, and I knew I better put on a rain coat!

 

I went back inside to see if this squall was visible on the radar (below).  Bodega Head is hidden by the red patch below and to the left of Sebastopol.  (Rain intensity increases from green --> yellow --> red --> purple.)

 

By the way, did you notice the small patch of blue just above and to the west of Sebastopol?  That indicates possible snow in the Cazadero area!  I'm curious — did anyone see snow up there today?

 

(Radar maps from Accuweather.com)

Gold-rimmed

A mystery close-up for you...can you guess what this is?