Momentary

  

A momentary glimpse of the sky at the end of the day on 24 January 2024.

Pinky

  

Okay, this isn't a recent photo, but I've been busy working on a presentation about sea stars...so here you go!  A young Short-spined Sea Star (Pisaster brevispinus), photographed on 23 May 2015.

Walk in the rain

 

During a short walk at Point Reyes today (20 January 2024), I looked down to see this newt crossing a path covered in pine needles.  My guess is Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa), but let me know if you have a different opinion.

 

 

It was a fairly wet day today — a good day for amphibians!  

 

Solo sola

  

A beautiful Sunburst Anemone (Anthopleura sola) photographed by Eric on 19 January 2024.

First steps?

  

Ah ha!  It was tucked low among the grasses, but I spotted my first Footsteps-of-spring (Sanicula arctopoides) starting to flower on 16 January 2024.    

Out after the rain

  

We had to move some material on the ground today (15 January 2024), and look who was underneath!

Nice to see this beautiful Sierran Treefrog (Pseudacris sierra)...and it reminded me to check our rainfall totals.  So far we've received ~12 inches of rain, or about 38% of the average annual total.  Frogs have been quite vocal throughout our neighborhood.  Have you been hearing them in yours?

Cephalopod surprise

  

We had to work late in the field tonight (time and tide wait for no one!), but we had a brief reward with an octopus sighting!  

P.S.  Thanks to the folks who spotted the octopus and to Eric for getting a photo!