Monday Sooty Shearwaters Blogging

Sooty Shearwaters - Point Reyes  2026

One of the most widespread and numerous of all pelagic seabirds, the Sooty Shearwater is an unassuming, dark brown bird with silvery flashes in the underwing. With stiff wingbeats they fly low over the ocean ("shearing" the water), using wind power to glide long distances. 

Watching the ocean from a headland or taking a pelagic birding trip are good ways to see Sooty Shearwaters. Populations are larger in the Pacific than the Atlantic, and huge flocks can sometimes be seen from shore along the California coast in fall.

Photo above (with a Nikon Z7II / 24-200mm lens) shows the flock (indeed, quite huge) as seen from a hill overlooking the ocean. Below, a crop showing individual birds.

Sooty Shearwaters - Point Reyes  2026

Drake's Bay, Headlands

Drake's Bay, Headlands - Point Reyes  2026

 Taken from high up on a bluff . . . sun trying to break through the afternoon fog. The dark specks in the bay are "sooty shearwater" birds. Dedicated post tomorrow.

Camp Sightems

Charging Apple Watch - Point Reyes  2026

Ramen, Chardonnay, Nikon, Tent - Point Reyes  2026

I like the Apple Watch for keeping track of my steps, exercise minutes and so on. But its main use for me is being able to press a button and have my iPhone beep. I'm constantly losing track of the iPhone - I need to use that function two-three times per day. 

I took a small charger with me in order to keep the watch functional. (I now have discovered that you can a) turn the watch completely off to save battery life, or b) put it into low power mode. Will have to try those options.)

Ramen meal was quite successful! I packed a small zip-lock bag with some bok choy and a few ounces of pork belly for that umami goodness.

Coast Camp Plants

Poison Oak - Point Reyes  2026

California Sagebrush - Point Reyes  2026

Photos taken with a Nikon Z7II / 24-200mm lens.

Eucalyptus / Pond

Eucalyptus - Point Reyes  2026

Pond - Point Reyes  2026

Walking past the eucalyptus to the beach. Alas, the pond that is usually off to the side had somehow enlarged itself and covered the trail! I had brought water sandals with me - mainly for wearing around the camp - but I never got around to putting them on and wading through the water.

Coast Camp

Coast Camp - Point Reyes  2026

A short mini-hike. I had hiked up to a ridge overlooking the main campground sites, with a view of the tents, the eucalyptus and the ocean.

Campsite - Coast Camp Backpack

Campsite (Coast Camp) - Point Reyes  2026

 Nice, huh? A little bit of sun breaking through the marine layer in the afternoon. 

Getting there was not that easy though. The trail erosion made it quite difficult hiking in - at one point I attempted to scooch through one of the eroded sections and ended up down on the ground. Not a fall, exactly, but still - down on the ground. Luckily two hikers (Wolfgang and Becky) were able to help me up and get me down past the bad section. 

Then, on to camp 3 unaided, and some welcome Fritos and beer.

Fritos and Beer - Point Reyes  2026

Monday Skunk Blogging

Skunk in Campground - Point Reyes  2026

As seen during this year's Coast Camp backpack. I was sitting in my campground chair when this individual wandered through. My getting up to take a photo led to a swift departure past the campground food box and into the poison oak.

Campground Chair - Point Reyes  2026

Loma Alta View (Fairfax Hike)

Loma Alta, Fog (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Finishing the hike . . . a loop that took us past the water tanks down towards Glen Drive. A nice view of Loma Alta as we descended. 

My Apple Watch gave me a number of flights at least!

Hike Stats - Marin County  2026

Nolan's Birthday!

Nolan, Mike - San Francisco  2016

Wow!

Labyrinth (Fairfax Hike)

Hanna, Labyrinth (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Hanna navigating the labyrinth, Mt. Tamalpais in the background.

Oak Trees (Fairfax Hike)

Oak Tree (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Oak Tree (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Trees seen during our hike. Photos taken with an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Doveweed / Broken Fence (Fairfax Hike)

Doveweed (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Broken Fence, Barbed Wire (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

"Doveweed or turkey mullein (Croton setiger) is a low growing, native annual that thrives in dry, disturbed, open places . . . Even from a distance it can be  recognized by the low, tidy mounds of pale green foliage, themselves evenly spaced out into large patches and fields."

Hanna noticed the Doveweed first. I continue to be intrigued by old fences and fenceposts.

Top photo and plant ID using an iPhone. Bottom photo taken with an Olympus E-M1II.

Fairfax Hike - Trail to the Top

Water Tank, Use Trail, Hanna (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

When I first approached this area last winter I started at the base of the water tank and scrambled directly up the slope in back. This time I wanted to try a "use trail" that I had noticed on a scouting walk earlier in the month. Hanna and I started up.

Midway Point on Trail, Hanna (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

It was much longer than I had realized! We finally reached a rock outcropping that proved to be the topmost point. Hanna stood on it and studied the view, somewhat reminiscent of Joe Mundy standing at the top of Mt. Agassiz in 1974.

Hanna at the Top (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026