no, that's not me!

I'm rather paler than that.  But I can see how there would be confusion!

I kid.  A monk seal took up beach space yesterday, and we had to navigate around it at a defined distance to get to the water.  Another one was on the next section of beach.  Regulars, according to the beach attendant.  Cool to see it!

Sonoma wildlife

If I can do a post on the flora we encountered on our Sonoma trip, then why not do one on the fauna?  Fair is fair, right?

Deer! 

So many deer.  I think we counted 15 of them across a handful of sightings.  Fantastic to see them all, including this pair grazing on low branches of trees in the yard of a home at Sea Ranch.

Turkeys! 

I told Van that I was amazed the first time I saw wild turkeys (in the UP, years ago).  They really are huge birds.  Dinosaurs!

Seals! 

Or are they sea lions?  I don't know which, or what type, but there were a number of them in the river mouth and on the sandy banks. 

I couldn't figure out why more people weren't stopping out of curiosity or to admire them.

And, saving the best for last, this beauty:  a banana slug! 

Cool!  The mascot of UC Santa Cruz.  Neat to see one making its way across some wet grass at Timber Cove.