sightings: shorebirds

where: moonstone beach shoreline, cambria, central coast of California
when: november
ramblers:   susan, dave, and anne

earthlings sighted:

Black Turnstones

Long-Billed Curlews

(now THAT's a long bill, curlew!)

A Great Egret

A small group of Killdeers

and a contemplative Seagull

 It's a beautiful and crazy planet.

Go forth and ramble!

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Susan Faye on Pinterest

destination: fishhawk falls/ lee wooden county park, oregon

destination: Fishhawk Falls at Lee Wooden County Park, Oregon
where:  4 1/2 miles northwest of Jewell along Highway 202 in Clatsop County
ramblers: Susan, Dave, and Mary
season: Autumn, October
field notes: It's mushroom season in the pacific northwest! The county park is nicely maintained with a small parking area and an easy, short trail along Fishhawk Creek that leads to the waterfall. Pictured here is just a sampling of the charming mushrooms currently on view along the trail. More mushroom pics here.

Fishhawk Creek in Autumn

A secret Fairy Door in moss-covered tree...

The lower part of Fishhawk Falls

mushrooms galore!

 Fishhawk Falls/ Lee Wooden County Park is 25 1/2 miles southeast of Astoria, or 4 1/2 miles northwest of Jewell along Highway 202 in Oregon.

It's a beautiful and crazy planet.

Go forth and ramble!

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Susan Faye on Pinterest

Sightings: Baskett Slough in Autumn

where:  Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 10995 Hwy 22, Dallas, OR
when: late october
ramblers: susan and mary

earthlings sighted:

Canada Dusky Geese are back!

A Great Blue Heron

Hawk (Red-Tailed? Any hawk experts out there?)

Sandpipers

The tiniest toadstool

Red Winged Blackbirds,  Mrs. and Mr.

A second Great Blue Heron, posing right next to the road!

 It's a beautiful and crazy planet.

Go forth and ramble!

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Susan Faye on Pinterest

earthlings: fungi: mushrooms

where: Fishhawk Falls trail at Lee Wooden County Park, Clatsop County, Oregon
ramblers: susan, dave, and mary
season: autumn
field notes: just a sampling of the charming mushrooms currently on view along the short trail that leads to Fishhawk Waterfall.
 

 

Fishhawk Falls/ Lee Wooden County Park is 25 1/2 miles southeast of Astoria, or 4 1/2 miles northwest of Jewell along Highway 202 in Oregon.

 It's a beautiful and crazy planet.

Go forth and ramble!

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Susan Faye on Pinterest

earthlings: fauna: arachnid

earthling sighted: the tiniest white garden spider.

location: a small sunflower in our backyard garden, willamette valley, oregon.

This miniscule earthling from the arachnid clan was about the size of an aphid and a perfect, glowing snowy white color. 

According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, "Oregon may have at least 500 species of spiders, but there is no current comprehensive list".  Which probably explains why I had no luck identifying this teeny tiny fellow.

 

 I think his most charming feature are those beautiful sky blue eyes...

Any arachnid experts out there?

 Let me know if you recognize this little guy in the comments section of this post. Thanks!

 It's a beautiful and crazy planet.

Go forth and ramble!

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Susan Faye on Pinterest

destination: haystack rock marine garden

What: Haystack Rock Marine Garden and National Wildlife Refuge at Cannon Beach, Oregon.
   
Where: Haystack Rock is located off of the Oregon Coast Hwy (U.S. Route 101),  about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of downtown Cannon Beach and is about 80 miles (130 km) west of Portland.   

Ramblers: Susan, Mary and Emilia

Season: Spring 

Haystack Rock is an impressive monolith that towers 235 feet over the beach. It is home to nesting seabirds in the spring and summer,  and to tidepool creatures all year long. The tidepools at the base of Haystack Rock are accessible by foot, but  only during low tide.

You can check daily times for low tides at Cannon Beach HERE

 

The Haystack Rock Awareness Program is a mobile environmental education program that visits the beach during low tides in the spring and summer months.

Trained, knowledgeable, and friendly volunteers are happy to point out easily missed wonders such as....

...Nudibranchs!  (small, fancy sea slugs) like this Opalescent Nudibranch which is swimming upside down.  This particular one was spotted by Emilia, after we were educated as to what to look for.

The area surrounding Haystack rock was designated as a Marine Garden in 1990 and as part of a National Wildlife Refuge in1976. All climbing is prohibited on Haystack Rock- as is operating low flying aircraft (including gliders) near the rock. This protects the seabirds (especially ground-nesting seabirds) that nest on the rock.

TIDEPOOL ETIQUETTE: "No poking, prodding, prying, removing, eating, squashing, stomping, kicking, licking, collecting, crushing or otherwise injuring plants and animals." Check out the Tidepool Etiquette page to learn more.

Birds that nest on Haystack Rock include Western Gulls, Tufted Puffins, Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, and Black Oystercatchers.

To learn more about this beautiful sea garden visit the

 Friends of Haystack Rock page.

[ It's a beautiful and crazy planet.

Go forth and ramble!]

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Susan Faye on Pinterest

earthlings: fauna: insect: dragonfly: flame skimmer

scientific name: libellula saturata
aka: flame skimmer dragonfly, firecracker skimmer dragonfly
habitat:  ponds, streams, hot springs in the Western United States.
sighting: in our backyard, willamette valley, oregon.
(we are lucky to have two different neighbors close by with small ponds in their yards).

all photos copyright Susan Faye 2015

This beautiful earthling often visits our backyard in the late afternoon when tiny bugs are abundant in the warm air.

He has a few favorite perches where he quietly waits for tiny insects to pass by, then he swoops and grabs them in mid-air.

 

Here he is chewing up his tiny tasty treat. Yum!

Mother Nature certainly outdid herself on the wing design, don't you think?

 It's great to be a winged thing!

 

For more information, visit  

BugGuide.net: Flame Skimmers

( It's a beautiful and crazy planet.

Go forth and ramble! )

Follow me!

Susan Faye on Pinterest