The Natural History of Bodega Head

    Gray Hairstreak ( Strymon melinus ), laying eggs among mint flowers in our garden, 2 August 2026.  

More warm air temperatures = more butterfly sightings.  Today (8 March 2026) I was in Cotati and came across a few Mourning Cloaks ( Nymphal...

      Air temperatures reached at least the high 60s in Bodega Bay today (7 March 2026).  I started seeing butterflies zipping by in the mor...

    Air temperatures reached a balmy 65-70 ° F in Cotati yesterday (1 February 2026).  I took a quick look for butterflies in the afternoon....

    I helped out with the Western Sonoma County Christmas Bird Count today (28 December 2025).  It was a very calm and warm day at the coast...

      Satyr Anglewing ( Polygonia satyrus )       Close-up of a California Darner ( Rhionaeschna californica )   Both photos from Cotati on ...

    Wow!  When Claire started to ask me if I could help with a moth i.d. today (1 May 2025), I had no idea she would be taking me to see thi...

    It warmed up quite a bit in Cotati today  — at one point our outdoor thermometer was reading ~80 ° F (~26 ° C).  Butterflies were defin...