Other Animals

Photos / Sounds

What

Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

Observer

rlporter

Date

January 23, 2024 09:30 AM PST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

alan_rockefeller

Date

January 11, 2024 03:46 PM PST

Description

Growing on a well decayed Quercus agrifolia log.

Thanks to Evelyn Chea for showing me the location - it's the same log from https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/195513390

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Observer

syan1

Date

November 27, 2023 11:44 AM PST

Photos / Sounds

What

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

Observer

jmaughn

Date

October 22, 2023 10:37 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

Observer

jmaughn

Date

October 22, 2023 01:29 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Newts (Genus Taricha)

Observer

jrs3

Date

October 15, 2023 11:14 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae)

Observer

jimfet

Date

August 16, 2023 10:24 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus ssp. amabilis)

Observer

twsummer

Date

June 10, 2023 05:15 PM PDT

Description

There is another observation for the King snake: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/166735395

Photos / Sounds

What

Brandt's Cormorant (Urile penicillatus)

Observer

raddadchad

Date

November 25, 2022 01:25 PM PST

Photos / Sounds

What

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Observer

ericalsf

Date

November 9, 2022 02:11 PM PST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

kisu11668

Date

May 22, 2021 11:18 AM HKT

Photos / Sounds

What

Subconvex Oak (Quercus × subconvexa)

Observer

arbonius

Date

February 1, 2022 11:39 AM PST

Description

Our botanical hiking group was intrigued by the many conspicuously yellowed-but-persistent leaves on this "late deciduous" oak. (Perhaps "partially deciduous" would be a better phrase here...as there were also many green leaves still attached on this nearly mid-winter Feb 1st date.) There were many other deciduous oaks in the local area (presumably many were Q. lobata, and some Q. douglasii)...but they had all completely dropped their leaves by this time.

The intermediate evergreen/deciduous behavior here, together with leaf characters (i.e. lobing, somewhat shiny upper surface, paler lower surface, vestiture, etc.) suggested this was a hybrid of a deciduous and an evergreen pair of parent species in the "white oak group" (Quercus sect. Quercus). We were thinking perhaps Q. douglasii and one of the local scrub oaks (i.e. Q. berberidifolia or Q. durata). Later, @joergmlpts referred me to this nearby iNat obs...which appears as if it may actually be the same exact tree we saw. And there's also this similar-looking iNat obs 38209307 from very nearby. Both those observations were placed as Q. douglasii...but the observers indicated they suspected they were hybrids of Q. douglasii crossed with a scrub oak.

On researching things in the days after our visit, I found a likely candidate: Quercus x subconvexa. It was described by John Tucker in 1953 as a hybrid of Q. garryana (Oregon Oak) and Q. durata (Leather Oak)...both of which are vouchered from the area (indeed Tucker found individuals of each nearby). The agreement is excellent(!) between this oak and the many details of Tucker's description & extended discussion of Q. x subconvexa. Of particular note, diagnostically, are: 1) the lobing pattern of the leaves...each lobe with a short, sharp mucro at its tip; 2) the vestiture of the leaves (uniformly-densely distributed long-rayed stellate hairs abaxially vs. more isolated & widely-scattered tiny clumps of tightly-tufted short-rayed hairs adaxially); as well as the partial deciduousness and paucity/apparent lack of acorns.

And, intriguingly, this site appears to by quite near (and perhaps is! ) the type locality for Q. x subconvexa...which was described as a "north slope, elev. 1300 feet" (compare with topo map link here) and "approximately 5 miles north-northeast of Gilroy". I checked on Google Earth and the spot here fits the bill extremely well. Note also that all Tucker's many vouchers listed here are from the same locality (though the coords given there, 37.072628 -121.532169, appear a bit off...as they indicate a point in an open grassy area on a southwest-facing slope, about 750' to the south of the location of this observation). As seen in the 7th photo here, this observation is just north of two park benches and an interpretive sign along the Mummy Mountain Trail.

The strong fit between critical features of this oak with those discernible in photos accompanying 19 of Tucker's vouchers at the preceding SEINet link (see also here)...as well as the agreement with a preponderance of the many details in the nicely written paper Tucker(1953)... have me fairly-well convinced of the ID here.

---Comments on Individual Photos of the Series---

2nd Photo: Thumbnail is 16 mm wide. Together with Photos 8-10 here, one gets a sense of the relatively large size of the leaves here...presumably reflective of parentage from the relatively large-leaved species Q. garryana.

6th Photo: Tree-like habitus of Q. x subconvexa at center of photo (it looks like a 2nd smaller individual may also be present to the right).

8th Photo: Abaxial side is shown in the two duller leaves still attached to the twig (at upper right-center & at lower right ); and also for the detached leaf at lower left...all other leaves here exhibit the shinier adaxial side.

9th Photo: View of adaxial (upper) side, with mm scale.

10th Photo: View of abaxial (lower) side, with mm scale.

11th Photo: Pale abaxial side at left vs. shinier adaxial side at right.

12th & 13th photos show detail of abaxial sides. Though it's difficult to make out in the photos (but much better discerned under a well-lit stereo-view dissecting microscope), the abaxial hairs here are somewhat dense and "stellate". In particular, most these stellate hairs had 5-7 relatively-long & straight rays...each ray centrally-attached to the base of the (compound) hair and radiating outward & slightly upward. The attachment of the rays was visually very subtle to perceive under a stereo-view dissecting scope at 40X magnification and could easily be overlooked. I wasn't able to discern it with a hand lens.

Photos / Sounds

What

California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum)

Observer

ericalsf

Date

January 16, 2022 03:23 PM PST

Description

Ulistac's pair of mated CA Thrashers are courting again- In these photo you will see that the male is trying his best to impress the female. Note his uplifted tail and head. He also beat his wings rapidly and chirped, and when on the ground, he also prances while staying in this form.

Photos / Sounds

What

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus ssp. oreganus)

Observer

karelle

Date

July 14, 2021 10:00 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer ssp. catenifer)

Observer

owicki

Date

June 8, 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Description

Gopher snake inside a cliff-swallow nest high on the exterior wall of the Lucy Evans Baylands Interpretative Center in Palo Alto, CA. This was an impressive climbing feat. A ranger says they see this predation most years.

Photos / Sounds

What

Microseris Stem Gall Wasp (Antistrophus microseris)

Observer

arbonius

Date

April 19, 2021 03:23 PM PDT

Description

Globular stem gall on Microseris sp....most likely M. douglasii...but based on my photos, I'm currently unable to verify species using the Jepson eFlora key. The nodding heads and phyllaries in this CalPhotos image are a good match, though there is also a record of M. bigelovii from the locale.

[As an aside, I found it amusing that the adaxial dark-red mid-ribs of the tepals in the Brodiaea terrestris...seen growing in the background in both photos...matched so well with the similar mid-ribs of the Microseris phyllaries. ;-].

Beyond James Bailey's iNat post under Antistrophus microseris, the only reference I could find for a stem gall on Microseris is in:

McCracken, Isabel; Egbert, Dorothy (1922). "California gall-making Cynipidae, with descriptions of new species". Stanford University Publications, University Series, Biological Sciences. 3 (1): 5–70.

...where the original description of "Aylax microseris" is given on pg. 47. The species is referred to as Antistrophus microseris on this Wikipedia page...a name change also recognized on iNat.

The gall is described as "an irregular stem swelling" of "diameter 10-20 mm" and "length 20-30 mm", and is illustrated in Plate 1, Fig. 10 (to view, scroll down 3 pages from here). The gall here doesn't seem particularly irregular to me, and Fig. 10 shows longitudinal veins I see only vaguely intimated in the photo...but overall the match seems the best current alternative out there. The locale here is only a few miles from the type locality of Aylax microseris.

Photos / Sounds

What

Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

Observer

anudibranchmom

Date

April 2021

Place

Private

Description

The first time they've been seen outside the den. SEVEN kits and their harried mom, who appears in the background in the first photo. On private property in Northern California.

Needless to say, I have a gazillion more photos, if you need a bigger dose of this cuteness: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmVeV8vG

Photos / Sounds

What

Porcelain Crabs (Family Porcellanidae)

Observer

chilipossum

Date

March 23, 2021 12:42 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

California Turret Spider (Atypoides riversi)

Observer

chilipossum

Date

December 19, 2020 08:49 PM UTC

Photos / Sounds

What

Sponges (Phylum Porifera)

Observer

eleanormella

Date

December 12, 2020 03:02 PM PST

Photos / Sounds

What

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Observer

katiesan

Date

November 21, 2020 09:43 AM UTC

Description

This bald eagle swooped down on a flock of American Coots and some other waterfowl, isolated one coot, and proceeded to hunt it. The coot ducked under the water on each pass. Then a second bald eagle arrived, and they double-teamed the coot. One eagle finally succeeded in getting the coot. The second eagle then attacked the first eagle carrying the prey.

Photos / Sounds

What

Human (Homo sapiens)

Observer

sqshemet

Date

November 22, 2020 02:58 PM UTC

Photos / Sounds

What

Mites and Ticks (Subclass Acari)

Observer

virusmanbob

Date

November 1, 2020 02:45 PM PST

Photos / Sounds

What

Oaks (Genus Quercus)

Observer

edwardrooks

Date

October 8, 2020 03:35 PM PDT

Description

Live Oak, Blue Oak, Valley Oak, Black Oak, in that order, two by two.

Photos / Sounds

What

Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

Observer

crow

Date

July 30, 2020 10:15 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)

Observer

virusmanbob

Date

June 3, 2020 06:21 PM PDT

Description

apologies to those of you who saw this before. I had to delete and reload this observation. I did this because there were tow copies of the picture and I could not figure out how to delete one and keep the other.

Other Animals

Photos / Sounds

What

Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

Observer

ahaislip

Date

May 10, 2020 10:54 AM PDT

Description

They washed up on the shore alive there embryos out of the egg

Photos / Sounds

Observer

jmaughn

Date

September 23, 2019 06:00 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Newts (Genus Taricha)

Observer

asbuuu

Date

April 7, 2019 11:33 AM PDT

Description

Slow moving lizard found at the base of a costal redwood. Roughly 7-8” from head to tail. Strange bony look throughout body.

Insects

Photos / Sounds

What

Insects (Class Insecta)

Observer

cae1

Date

March 28, 2019 12:07 PM PDT

Description

Parasite on jumping spider. Saw one of these yesterday too: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21675294

Photos / Sounds

Observer

cae1

Date

March 27, 2019 01:36 PM PDT

Description

The larva? On the back of the spider.

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Striped Kelpfish (Gibbonsia metzi)

Observer

prickly_sculpin

Date

December 26, 2018 05:04 PM PST

Photos / Sounds

What

Moon Snails (Family Naticidae)

Observer

jmaughn

Date

March 5, 2019 07:38 PM PST

Description

A Fossil about the size of a golf ball. I went with Moon Snail for the ID because frankly I can't think of what else this could be.

Photos / Sounds

What

San Francisco Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis ssp. tetrataenia)

Observer

jmaughn

Date

February 2019

Description

Using a San Francisco Alligator Lizard as a pillow. There was no predation occurring here. The snake never acted aggressively towards the lizard. They just slept like this until the lizard wandered off.

Photos / Sounds

What

San Francisco Lacewing (Nothochrysa californica)

Observer

cae1

Date

February 2019

Description

Orange on head, black and white stripes on thorax and abdomen. Observed on bird-of-paradise leaf. Garden is in an oak/bay woodland.

Photos / Sounds

What

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Observer

jmaughn

Date

February 25, 2019 02:35 PM PST

Description

Being harassed and eventually driven off by wild Turkeys

Photos / Sounds

What

Rhododendrons and Azaleas (Genus Rhododendron)

Observer

samaytrivedi11

Date

January 5, 2019 03:34 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common × Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula × islandica)

Date

December 6, 2018 11:18 AM PST

Description

Barrow's x Common Goldeneye Hybrid

Photos / Sounds

What

California Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis ssp. coturniculus)

Observer

slpeterson66

Date

August 2015

Description

On Wednesday, August 26, 2015 at 1:45 pm, H.T. Harvey & Associates ecologist Maya Goklany and I discovered three California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus; black rail) chicks, accompanied by a single adult black rail, just off the main boardwalk, northwest of the parking lot at Alviso Marina County Park in Alviso, CA, located in Santa Clara County. We were making a quick visit to the park to scan the salt ponds for migrating birds. The black rails were encountered on the way back to the parking lot just off the western side of the boardwalk. Unknown, loud, peeping calls were first heard by us at approximately 1:45 pm. Upon investigation of the area where the peeping was coming from, we saw three, very small (~ 1.75 “), black, down-covered chicks approximately 2-3 feet from the west side of the boardwalk, climbing over the matted down, dead stalks of bulrush, found on either side of the boardwalk. The chicks were seen on the north side of the tidal channel that runs underneath the boardwalk. I noted at least two other peep vocalizations coming from the south side of the tidal channel, approximately 40 feet from where we saw the three chicks. The chicks were moving southwest to northeast and appeared to be responding to a repeated high, single-note, clicking, wet sounding “kwip” vocalization that seemed to originate directly from underneath the boardwalk. We looked directly below along the west edge of the boardwalk and could see the back of a small, sparrow-sized bird that was partially hidden in the shadows of dead bulrush stalks. I used my binoculars (Eagle Optics Ranger ED 8x42) to focus on the back of the bird which was approximately 5 feet down from the top of the boardwalk and could make out a dark back, speckled with white, and what appeared to be a dark rufous-colored nape. The bird was turned with its head hidden by the bulrush stalks towards the north, with its tail pointing towards us. I was able to get a 4-5 second look, at which point the bird turned its head towards the approaching chicks. The head and bill appeared small and dark. The bird then disappeared quickly into the heavy bulrush cover towards the west. A pair of faint “growl” vocalizations were then heard, at which time the peeping and other vocalizations stopped. Based upon the quick look that I had within heavy vegetated cover, I was quite certain that we had just observed a black rail adult and its chicks. Neither of us had a camera with us at the time, so we were not able to get a photo or audio recording at the time. I informed colleagues at the HTH office when we got back and then I revisited the location later that afternoon at 3:00 pm, but did not observe any chicks or the adult. I did hear growl-like calls at 4:05 pm, and then left the site at 5:00 pm.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
I returned to the boardwalk sight location the next morning at 6:40 am. I set up my camera (Canon Powershot SX30 IS, 14.1 mp, 35x optical zoom) on a tripod on the boardwalk next to the location where we had first spotted the black rail chicks and adult, in order to record any calls or photograph the birds themselves. I started recording video (video upon request) at 6:46 am, which captured repeated, clicking, “kwip” calls, coming from the west side of the boardwalk, which I had heard the previous day. The calls continued for the next three minutes, at which point, my second video (video upon request) captured two adult black rails fly out of a clump of bulrush in opposite directions, on the west side of the boardwalk, with the calls becoming quicker and more frequent. The adult black rail that flew out of the frame of the video to the south (left frame) then flew back to the spot where the other adult bird was located. Out of the left-frame of the video, to the south, I observed one black rail chick briefly on top of the matted down bulrush. The adult birds then appeared to forage in this area for the next two minutes. The birds then disappeared into the heavy bulrush vegetation, continuing to call, which I was able to follow to the other side of the boardwalk. On the east side of the boardwalk, I observed two adult black rails, male and female, brooding three chicks. Video capture starting at 6:54 am (video upon request) shows one chick moving towards the adult male and then climbing underneath the adult’s breast. Directly to the left of the adult male was the adult female who was brooding two chicks underneath her breast feathers as shown in a subsequent video (video upon request). Both adult birds remained in this position, silent, brooding chicks for the next 10-12 minutes. At approximately 7:15 am, the adult male bird got up and moved underneath the boardwalk to the west. The chick that was underneath him moved into the vegetation towards the back of the female and disappeared. I am not certain if this chick followed the male or not. I did not capture this on video. I then started to hear the “kwip” calls from the west side of the boardwalk. Video capture (video upon request), starting at 7:29 am, and subsequent videos (videos upon request) showed the adult male bird foraging in the same area where they were foraging earlier. He continued to call as he foraged. The female adult bird continued to stay on the ground on the east side of the boardwalk. At one point she moved deeper into the vegetation, while I was watching the male forage on the west side of the boardwalk. I was quiet and still and did not lean over the marsh to avoid disturbing the rails, and they did not seem perturbed by my presence.
We had decided not to publicly announce the previous day’s observations (e.g., on the South-Bay-Birds listserv) to avoid having too many birders and photographers disturb the birds. However, we alerted a few Santa Clara County bird records-keepers whom we could trust not to disturb the birds, to assist with documentation of the record. County records-keeper Bill Bousman arrived to the site at ~8:00 am. We both observed both adults on the east side of the boardwalk sitting and preening, presumably with their chicks underneath them. At ~8:50 am, Bill and I watched the adult female stand up, preen and move off to the northwest. When she moved we saw two chicks underneath her. The second adult, who had moved underneath the boardwalk, was then seen walking west to east very fast and disappearing into the vegetation. During this period both adult birds continued to give their “kwip” calls. After 9:00 am, the adults and chicks were not heard nor seen again. Richard Jeffers arrived at 9:30 am. I then left the location at 9:45 am.
I returned that evening at 6:15 pm to try and relocate the birds. It was very windy, and there was a lot of foot traffic on the boardwalk at the time. At 6:56 pm I heard 3 short “kwip” calls, northwest of the boardwalk. It sounded somewhat distant. At 7:33 pm I heard a short growl call on the west side of the boardwalk. No other activity was noted, and I left the site at sunset.

Photos / Sounds

What

California Vole (Microtus californicus)

Observer

stevecollins

Date

July 22, 2009 11:18 AM EDT

Description

California Voles seemed fairly numerous at Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

Pigeon Point, CA

Photos / Sounds

What

Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Observer

anudibranchmom

Date

July 22, 2018 08:09 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)

Observer

hfb

Date

July 10, 2018 08:55 AM PDT

Description

Mother and 2 cubs

Photos / Sounds

What

North American Mountain Lion (Puma concolor ssp. couguar)

Observer

atflory

Date

May 2018

Photos / Sounds

What

California Pink Glowworm (Microphotus angustus)

Observer

libbing_life

Date

June 18, 2018 08:26 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant Rock Scallop (Crassadoma gigantea)

Observer

kestrel

Date

June 14, 2018 07:05 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii)

Observer

antnat

Date

April 28, 2018 10:18 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

American Badger (Taxidea taxus)

Observer

jprbelli

Date

March 19, 2014

Description

I followed this badger to a burrow, and waited for it to emerge. I sat down still, and it seemed pretty tolerant.

Photos / Sounds

What

Skates (Order Rajiformes)

Observer

anudibranchmom

Date

January 4, 2018 07:41 PM PST

Description

Hahaha - iNat thinks this is a raccoon... That said, I have NO idea what this thing (possibly cartilage?) is from. Shark, ray, fish, bird? Found in a tidepool channel, so perhaps washed in from elsewhere. All suggestions and speculation most welcome!!

Photos / Sounds

What

Arboreal Salamander (Aneides lugubris)

Observer

plainsashchalaca

Date

November 27, 2017 07:48 AM PST

Description

I found two (likely male) Arboreal Salamanders fighting to the death after a night of rain.

Photos / Sounds

What

Purple Fuzz (Punctularia atropurpurascens)

Observer

mizgreenejeans

Date

November 5, 2017 01:48 PM PST

Description

No photoshopping - This is THE Color! Seems to me I observed something like this last year that developed into something like Turkey Tail?

Photos / Sounds

What

Oriental Tortellini Snail (Philine orientalis)

Observer

anudibranchmom

Date

October 2017

Description

Twenty delivered to CAS (total about 150 for the day) to determine species.

Photos / Sounds

What

Florida Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni)

Observer

nancyasquith

Date

September 24, 2017 02:01 PM PDT

Description

Not sure of ID but not w. pond or red-eared. a little earlier there was another turtle on the "island" that I think was a western pond--see photo #2

see w. pond turtle observation at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/8094952

PS: I sent a note to MidPen OSA because this is disturbing.

Photos / Sounds

What

Octopuses (Order Octopoda)

Observer

rebeccafay

Date

August 8, 2017 08:07 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Owlet Moths and Allies (Superfamily Noctuoidea)

Observer

dsacer

Date

May 22, 2017 05:45 PM PDT

Description

Found in gravel under a Chinese Elm.

Tape measure units are cm

Will hopefully be able to show the adult in a few weeks to confirm ID.

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale)

Observer

leptonia

Date

April 18, 2017 09:16 AM PDT

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