Light at the horizon near sunset, 3 December 2022

Cockerell's Dorid (Limacia cockerelli), a beautiful nudibranch photographed by Eric on 25 November 2022.  I've shown this species on the blog before, but this is a much better photo!  Thanks, Eric!

 

Some of the patterns and the amazing variation between individuals reminds us of snowflakes.  And speaking of snow...it's in the forecast for Cotati on Saturday morning! 

Two Bald Eagles perched in a cypress tree near the Bodega Bay post office today (29 November 2022).

The eagle on the left was often looking out at the harbor, and in this position its white head feathers were splayed out in the back:

 

Okay, so this is a story about some photos that didn't quite work out.  And a follow-up when I was surprised when the same species showed up in a couple of other photos and I hadn't even realized they were there!

I was trying to photograph this small amphipod (Thorlaksonius sp., formerly Pleustes sp.) resting on algae.  They have an unusual shape — rounded at one and and pointed at the other — which makes them look like snails.  (Indeed, it's thought that this amphipod has evolved to mimic snails to avoid attention from visual predators like fish.)

I wasn't having much luck with the first one (above), but then I found another so tried again.  Still not a great photo as I was only able to photograph it from above:

 

Here's one while I was trying to photograph a Ten-tentacled Sea Anemone (Halcampa decemtentaculata):

 

Later I was trying to photograph a sculpin.  Can you find the amphipod in the photo below?

 

Yes, that's it, sitting on the back of the fish.  It's small, with red, white, and pink stripes, and it's resting on the wide pale stripe in the middle of the fish.

Hmmpph!  I'll have to keep my eye out for them the next time we're at this site.  And I learned a lot about the variable color patterns of this amphipod species, even if I missed them in the field.

A couple of Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus) at Point Reyes on 25 November 2022.

 

Eric had good luck with spotting interesting shrimp last night (25 November 2022).  Here's another one -- with red/maroon background colors and bright blue spots scattered across the abdominal segments.  We think this is probably a Heptacarpus species, but I'm not sure which one.

And here's an even closer view of those beautiful blue spots!

 

American Badger (Taxidea taxus) resting on a mound of freshly dug soil around sunset a couple of nights ago.  I rarely see badgers, so I almost couldn't believe my eyes. I love the striped facial pattern and the grizzled fur.  [You can click on the image for a slightly larger view.]

Eric and I are hoping you get to spend some time with family and friends this weekend.  

We'll be sending out thanks to all of the plants and animals and landscapes around us, and to you for tuning in to the Natural History of Bodega Head!

While doing some surveys during the low tide this afternoon (22 November 2022), Eric kept spotting these very small sea spiders (pycnogonids).  This species, Pycnogonum stearnsi, is common in this area, but we don't often see juveniles.  The ruler above shows millimeter markings, so this sea spider was only ~3 mm long.  (The sea spider is crawling across a purple sponge.)

Here's another photo  — with one individual of a more typical size (~8-10 mm long) and another small juvenile to the right:

 

Although the light was dim, this profile view is helpful for identifying a young Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris).  Note the pointed snout and the dense and relatively thick eyebrow whiskers.  Photographed off Bodega Head on 20 November 2022.

A couple of quick shots from a shorebird survey in Bodega Harbor today (18 November 2022).

Above, a mixed flock, mostly Dunlin and Least Sandpipers.  (They were trying to evade a Peregrine Falcon.)

Below, a Wilson's Snipe -- it's a distant shot, but after 18 years of doing these surveys, it's the first time I've seen a Wilson's Snipe on the tidal flats.  In this area, I more often I encounter them in freshwater wetlands (for an example, see this post from last February).

 

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), Bodega Head, 12 November 2022

Sunset layers on 10 November 2022