A new tweed?

  

This beauty of a moth showed up at our house tonight (2 October 2020).  I spent quite a bit of time trying to identify it, but came up short.  I'll keep trying, but if this moth looks familiar to you, let me know!

Here's a close-up of the amazing scales.  Eric and I both think this mix of colors has great potential for a tweed fabric: violet, teal, indigo, and charcoal, with flecks of white.  Pretty spectacular!

  

 
P.S.  ADDENDUM (3 October 2020): I think I've figured this one out.  My best guess right now is a Subterranean Dart Moth (Feltia subterranea).

 

Scales and stones, Part 2

We were working farther north in Sonoma County this morning.  On our walk back, we had some nice views of the local lizards and stones.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Green patina:

 

Inner circle:

 

Outer circle:

 

ADDENDUM (26 April 2019): Thanks to Lotsoflux's comment/question, I recalled another time when we observed Black Oystercatchers eating sea urchins.  Here's a photo showing examples of oystercatcher prey items at a site in Mendocino County in May 2013 (clockwise from top left) — Mossy Chiton (Mopalia muscosa), Purple Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), limpet (likely a Shield Limpet, Lottia pelta), and California Mussel (Mytilus californianus).  [I positioned them for the photo.] 

 

Scales, stones, and shadows

While up on the northern Sonoma Coast this past weekend, we were having a snack on some sunny rocks when we realized we weren't alone:

 

When Eric leaned over to greet this Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), he managed to get a wonderful close-up highlighting the scales:

 

What a nice home this lizard has!  We especially enjoyed some of the smooth curves and shadows on the rock faces:

 

And check out these patterns.  There's something interesting to see everywhere you look!

 

Many thanks to Eric for sharing his photos of the lizard and rock formations. 

Overlapping

 

Scales on the underside of an alligator lizard's tail.  Aren't they beautiful?