California Redwoods

Redwoods at Montgomery Woods in Mendocino County

Woolly Bear caterpillar

Woolly Bear caterpillar crawling at the edge of a road

Islands in the Big River

Grassy islands in the Big River [which is not, in fact, particularly big] near the town of Mendocino

Bryozoa of Lake Mendocino

These curious creatures are known as Bryozoa, or moss animals. You'll find them in the summer months, when they build colonies around submerged twigs and rocks, where they filter food out of the water. Though they look like giant lumps of jelly, healthy ones actually feel quite hard and solid.

Note: They can be startling to encounter with bare feet when one is not expecting it.

Snake tracks

When you walk on dirt roads, it's always interesting to look at the ground and see what else has been along besides you. The above picture shows the distinctive imprint of some kind of snake that crawled across through the dust.

Peacock challenging a sparrow

Taken at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Ukiah. This male peacock is showing off the splendor of his tail feathers to a distinctly unimpressed sparrow.

Velvet Ant on Yerba Santa

Despite the name, these creatures are not ants at all, but a kind of wingless wasp. They may look cute and cuddly, but their other name is "Cow Killer" for the intensely painful sting they can deliver! The young feed on insect larvae, and the adults drink nectar instead.

Bird Skull

A skull from some kind of bird, weathered clean by the elements on the shore of Lake Mendocino, Ukiah

Baby coots

These adorably ugly little birds might look like Halloween decorations, but they're actually baby coots - in a few more months they'll be sleek-feathered and black.

Spotted Sandpiper chick

Tiny fluffy Spotted Sandpiper chick near the ponds at the Ukiah Wastewater Treatment Plant. There were at least three of them, running around while their mother kept a careful eye on them.

Young white-tailed kites

These juvenile white-tailed kites were photographed at the Ukiah Wastewater Treatment Plant. There were three of them perched in the top of the elder bush, waiting for mama to come back and feed them.

Pond Turtle

A somewhat wary turtle retreats inside its shell at the Eel River

Hawk taking flight

Hawk taking flight from the top of a dead oak tree in Eight Mile Valley, Cow Mountain, Ukiah

Jellyfish

An adorable little jellyfish swimming up Big River near Mendocino.

Teasel

Teasel seedhead growing by the side of the creek at McKee Park near Potter Valley

Jimson Weed

White and purple Jimson Weed blooming along the edge of the Eel River.

Red dragonfly

A bright red dragonfly waiting on its perch for some hapless small insect snack to fly by.

Blue damselfly

An electric blue damselfly perched on a stone by the stream's edge

Moth mullein

Moth mullein growing near a creek's edge. The name comes from the hairy stamens in the flower's center, which could be said to vaguely resemble a moth's furry antenae

Wild sunflowers

Wild sunflowers blooming in a field in Lassen County, California.

Mount Lassen

A lake with Mount Lassen in the background - California's most recently erupting volcano.

Sunset

Looking West towards the mountains, from I-5 near Redding in California.