-
Kestrel on a Bush
What a treat for an American Kestrel to let me approach her as she perched on a natural coyote brush perch. I’m usually happy just to get a moment with one of these ferocious little raptors on a fence post before it inevitably takes wing. When she alighted on a nearby bush and then stayed…
-
Evening Bobcat
A Bobcat emerges for its evening hunt. It’s always such a thrill when a Bobcat trusts you enough to walk towards you. Some want nothing to do with humans, some need a painstakingly slow approach to warm up to you, and some don’t mind if you saunter in their general direction. In every case the…
-
Juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron
A juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron standing uncharacteristically tall. I’m more used to seeing them all coiled up on themselves, but this young fellow was craning to look over the bank of the lagoon.
-
Coyote After the Rain
A Coyote standing on a hillside during a break from the rain. If it’s raining on the weekend, I’ll almost certainly be out in a nearby park looking for wildlife. Most of the animals are smarter than me, so I don’t see as much as I would on clear days, but the parks are much…
-
Burrowing Owl Surprise
I was exploring off the beaten path when I heard a sudden fluttering. To my chagrin, I had completely missed a burrowing owl skulking somewhere in the underbrush, and it was now glaring at me from atop a rock. These owls are tiny, topping out at about 9 inches tall. Unlike most owls, the females…
-
Tule Elk Morning Scene
A young Tule Elk surveys its future territory on a cold misty morning. Tule Elk are the smallest subspecies of elk, and are found only in California. On its own, that narrows this photo down to just a few possible locations. If you know the Bay Area, can you spot the detail that tells you…
-
Elephant Seal
Ernest the Elephant Seal has an important Point Reyes beach safety message. An underrated aspect of the beaches in Point Reyes is that they’re mostly closed to pets. Dogs are absolutely precious and an important member of every family that welcomes them, but they mix very poorly with shorebirds and other marine life.
-
Red-Tailed Hawk Vista III
I’m a firm believer that there’s no landscape that can’t be improved by the addition of a California Quail. In the winter, the quail of Point Reyes abandon their high perches to the wintering hawks. Red-Tailed Hawks make an acceptable substitute for quail while the quail are laying low. This Red-Tailed Hawk was giving a…
