Cows over Tomales

Click on the words above “Cows over Tomales” to see this entire post.

Mixed weather and a back still on the mend from a bad strain 3 weeks ago means a day of exploration.

Today I drove up a road I’ve driven past hundreds of times and met several cows and a sweet view of the bay.

.

Cows over Tomales Bay
©Richard James – coastodian.org

Cows over Tomales Bay
©Richard James – coastodian.org

Cows over Tomales Bay
©Richard James – coastodian.org

.

Tomales Bay Triptych

Click the words above “Tomales Bay Triptych” to see this entire post.

.
Click on an image to see a larger version.

Oyster workers tend to bags of oysters growing on the mudflats of Tomales Bay near the mouth of Walker Creek. ©Richard James

.

A lone photographer at work on the mudflats ©Richard James

.

Sunlight refracted by raindrops, otherwise known as a rainbow over the hills east of Tomales Bay ©Richard James

.

Tomales Bay Triptych – Preston Point Sheep Grazing

Click an image for a larger version.

Do sheep belong in a wetlands area?

Sheep grazing on wetlands at Preston Point. ~ 400 meters away are millions of oysters growing in the mudflats.

.

Sheep grazing on wetlands at Preston Point. ~ 400 meters away are millions of oysters growing in the mudflats.

.

Sheep grazing on wetlands at Preston Point. ~ 400 meters away are millions of oysters growing in the mudflats.

.

Birds of Tomales Bay – White Pelican Style

Click on the words above “Birds of Tomales Bay – White Pelican Style” to see this entire post

Brown Pelicans generally dive from above to find their meal.

The larger White Pelicans generally work as a team, herding their supper.

I could watch either species all day.

Enjoy.

As usual, click on an image to see a larger version.

.

rjames-560a3557-16x9

.

rjames-560a3543-16x9

.

rjames-560a3552-16x9

.

Tomales Bay Triptych – Human Style

This pile of BBQ briquettes, napkins, toilet paper, beer bottles, gloves and other trash was pulled out of Tomales Bay at Grassy Point on the eastern shore on 13 August, 2016

This pile of BBQ briquettes, napkins, toilet paper, beer bottles, gloves and other trash was pulled out of Tomales Bay at Grassy Point on the eastern shore on 13 August, 2016


What are charcoal briquettes made of?

Kingsford Charcoal, for example, by far the most popular brand in the US, is made up of bits of charcoal, coal, starch (as a binder), sawdust, and sodium nitrate (to make it burn better). For the same reason that SPAM is cheaper than a whole ham, briquettes are cheaper to make than all-wood charcoal

.

This mess was left near the camping area known as Jack's Beach on the western shore of Tomales Bay. I picked up all the paper and liners. The poo is left for yoo.

This mess was left near the camping area known as Jack’s Beach on the western shore of Tomales Bay. I picked up all the paper and liners. The poo is left for yoo.

.

This 5-galloon bucket with seat and sack full of poo inside was found on the northeast shore of Tomales Bay, not far from oyster beds on August, 2016

This 5-galloon bucket with seat and sack full of poo inside was found on the northeast shore of Tomales Bay, not far from oyster beds on August, 2016

.

Tomales Bay Triptych – Black-crowned night heron style

Click on the words “Tomales Bay Triptych” above to see this entire post.

Happy holidays.

The weather has been sublime of late.

Water in the creeks bringing a variety of salmon, Reservoirs filled, clear atmosphere with all the dust and smoke washed out.

This bird calls the area just north of Chicken Ranch its home. I never tire of seeing it roosting in the bayside trees or perched on a piling or the rocks below.

As always, click on an image to see a larger version.

560A7422.crop.cc.cw

.

560A7416.crop.cc.cw

.

560A7409.crop.cc.cw

Tomales Bay Triptych – Western sandpiper style

Click on the words “Tomales Bay Triptych” above to see this post how it was meant to be seen.

As always, click on an image to see a larger version.

Put in at Chicken Ranch and paddled south nearly to White House Pool. Since I usually see these birds on a background of sand, they really look out of place on this large log in the bay.

Poetry in motion fairly describes their winged wandering.

IMG_4624.crop.cc

.

IMG_4658.8x12.cc

.

IMG_4668.cc

Tomales Bay Triptych – Osprey Style!

Click on the title of this post to read it and see a related header image.

It is that time of year. The osprey are back and the sky is full of birds and the sounds of birds.

It was pretty windy so these are not the finest images, but you get the idea of how beautiful these birds are.

Last week I counted 13 birds at one time over my place. Talk about some noise!

Those are not jesses in two of the images below. That bird has one talon draped with eel grass, surely picked up after a dive for dinner.

Yesterday a neighbor of mine that lives across the street from a nest recounted a story from last year.

An adult returned from fishing and dropped a fish into the nest. Both well developed chicks grabbed onto said fish and a struggle for complete ownership ensued. After a while, both birds spilled out of the nest, each firmly grasping the fish in question. After a brief fall, they both started flying away, tethered as one by the none-too-happy fish. After more struggling in mid-air, one of the birds let go and the other bird took off to find a table for one to enjoy the prize.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)