Octoaster?

Many of you are probably familiar with the common intertidal sea star in this area, the Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus).  Ochre Sea Stars typically have five arms (or rays).  From time to time you might come across one with six arms, but we hadn't encountered an individual with eight arms (!) until Eric spotted this one.  Because this is a rare occurrence, we thought it would be good to document it for the record.

Here's another view showing the oral side:

 

We're still puzzling over the possible paths that could have led to an eight-armed Ochre Sea Star.

 

Turning turnstone

Not spending as much time at the coast these days, I miss seeing and hearing shorebirds migrating northward. Here's a Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala) turning blades of seaweed to look for invertebrates, and molting into breeding plumage (note the strongly contrasting feathers on the face and chest).

Your Highness

 

Eroded Periwinkle, or Flat-bottomed Periwinkle (Littorina keenae)

Highest on the shore

She waves from a rocky throne

Queen of the splash zone

 

Heading north?

 

Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia) in Bodega Harbor. [You can click on the image for a larger version.]  I learned something about Caspian Terns tonight.  I read that their farthest north breeding colony is on Neragon Island in the Bering Sea near Cape Romanzof, Alaska.  I hadn't known they nested that far north!  

Romanzof sounded familiar, and I realized there was a connection to Bodega Bay.  When Russians settled in Bodega Bay in the early 1800s, they referred to Bodega Bay as Port Rumyantsev.  Bodega Bay was one of the southernmost Russian outposts, so the Russian name for this area connects us to the northernmost breeding site for Caspian Terns.  Both were named after a Russian count — Count Nikolai Petrovich Rumyantsev.  His name turns up in many places, e.g., another example is one of our local orchids, Spiranthes romanzoffiana.  (Rumyantsev and Romanzof are versions of the same name.)

One more sand scene

During a walk not too long ago, a small insect caught my eye.  It was puzzling at first because I could see movement when it took off, but when I tried to spot the insect that had flown (once it landed), it was really hard to find.  I started to move slowly and really concentrate, and there it was.  Here's a somewhat zoomed in view:

 

Such amazing camouflage against the sand!  This fly looked mostly white when flying, but on the sand you could see strong black and white coloration (the wing veins are especially striking):

 

 

We found a few individuals, and I started to notice that some looked different.  One form had larger eyes that touched in the middle (see first photo in this post) along with a relatively short abdomen (the abdomen didn't really extend beyond the wings).  The other form had smaller eyes with a gap in the middle (see previous and next photo) along with a longer, tapered abdomen (obviously extending beyond the wings):

 

Later, after determining that these are likely stiletto flies (perhaps Acrosathe vanduzeei?), I also learned that the larger-eyed individuals are males and the individuals with longer abdomens are females.

Eric was very patient and crept up on one of the flies.  Check out this close-up!  [The fly is only ~1 cm (0.4 inches) long.]

 

 

This was my first experience with stiletto flies.  At first I thought they might have been robber flies, but that didn't seem quite right.  I'll have to do some research to learn more about this group, but I wanted to introduce you to this intriguing fly!

Color matching

 

Another local that demonstrates excellent color matching with its background, a Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea).

Masters of camouflage

Here's a fun comparison.  A wonderful grasshopper from the Bodega Dunes:

 

Below is the same grasshopper viewed from the side.  It's amazing how well the colors and markings match the sand grains.  It almost renders them invisible (especially when seen from a distance).

 

Reviewing these photos made me think of Ghost Crabs (Ocypode quadrata) from the East Coast.  Although the coloration is finer grained, the palette is similar.  They're both masters of camouflage!

 

Happy Earth Day

 

Happy Earth Day on 22 April 2020!

Here's a nice Narrow-leaved Meconella (Hesperomecon linearis) to help celebrate.  (Other names you might encounter for this species include Carnival Poppy and Popcorn Poppy.)

A glimpse of orange

 

I glimpsed a flash of orange outside of our kitchen window this afternoon and looked over to see this Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) approaching the flowers on a citrus tree.  It was only there for a few seconds, but I snapped a photo for the record.  Rufous Hummingbirds are uncommon spring migrants in Sonoma County.  They're on their way north to nest in areas between far northern California and Alaska.

 

Upside down

 

 

Sure has felt like life has been turned upside down recently.  That feeling made me think about these Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus) feeding on Sweetgum fruits back in December.

 

Looking up

 

Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) during one of our neighborhood walks.

 

Getting your steps in

 

A wonderful little millipede crossing the road.  If 10,000 steps/day are recommended for a person, how many steps/day are recommended for a millipede?  :) 

P.S.  This is probably Xystocheir dissecta.

Miniature

 

Miniature Lupine (Lupinus bicolor)

 

Peaceful pinniped

 

a silver seal rests

 at the surface of the sea

dreams of salty fish

P.S.  Do you want to try your hand at a seal haiku?  Three lines: 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables.  I bet you can come up with a good one!  :)

Springtime

 

 

A springtime scene for you!  Blufftop Lupine (Lupinus variicolor) and Silver Bee (Habropoda miserabilis).

April moon

 

Full moon photographed from Cotati on 7 April 2020.

 

Anna continues

During a neighborhood walk this afternoon, we paused briefly to check on the Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) that had started to build a nest.  She's done very well! 

 

[For a comparison, see the post called "Anna begins" on 1 April 2020.]

Below is a view from a different angle.  She's used some interesting bits of lichen and moss:

 

An Anna's Hummingbird usually lays two eggs.  The incubation period is ~16 days.  We don't want to disturb her, so we'll wait a little while, but we'll try to check in again later.

 

After April showers

 

Sunset over Cotati, 5 April 2020

 

Remembering

Recently, Eric and I were remembering our encounter with a Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) at Point Reyes last spring.  I showed some photos then (see post from 29 March 2019), but I thought I'd share a couple more:

 

 

I sure do miss going on longer hikes in different places, but I also feel lucky to have these photo memories.

 

Anna begins

 

During a neighborhood walk this afternoon (1 April 2020), we noticed this female Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) just starting to build a nest.  They can complete a nest in ~1 week (but it could take up to ~1 month), so we'll try to check on her again in a few days.