California black bear (Ursus americanus californiensis)

These are residents in the area but we rarely see them. This year was different. Possibly as it was so dry last year? For whatever reason, when the bears in the area noticed spring was coming we began seeing repeated visits. For the most part they had just as much fear of us as vice versa

California black bear
California black bear
evidence of a bear visiting
Evidence of a bear visiting. No idea what it is digging for but it revisited this spot a few times.
evidence of a bear visiting
One of several gallon vinegar bottles enjoyed by a bear
evidence of a bear visiting
And another
evidence of a bear visiting
The bear apparently did not like the microbes from the composting toilet after getting a taste
evidence of a bear visiting
A bear apparently did not like wheat bran but worked hard to discover that
evidence of a bear visiting
This was a container of rice bran which had gone bad. Once it got a taste the bear lost interest.

Animals

A lot of cool animals live here. This is a tiny fraction.
Getting photographs for most of them is a real challenge.

Ariolimax columbianus
Pacific Banana Slug

Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus)
Ariolimax columbianus

Monadenia infumata Redwood Sideband

Redwood Sideband (Monadenia infumata)
Redwood Sideband (Monadenia infumata)

Camponotus sp.
Carpenter ants

Camponotus sp.
Camponotus sp.

Camponotus modoc
Western black carpenter ants

Camponotus modoc
Camponotus modoc

Monochamus scutellatus
Spotted pine sawyer

Monochamus scutellatus
Monochamus scutellatus

Peltis pippingskoeldi
A bark beetle

conk-eater
Peltis pippingskoeldi

Platyceroides agassii
One of the many Scarab beetles

Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii

Prionus californicus
California root borer

Prionus californicus
Prionus californicus

Timema douglasi

A parthenogenic doug-fir specialist that is said to be the smallest walking stick insect.

Timema douglasi
Timema douglasi
Timema douglasi
Timema douglasi
Timema douglasi
Timema douglasi

Zarhipis integripennis
Western Banded Glowworm

Zarhipis integripennis
Zarhipis integripennis

Unidentified bug with a Piptoporus betulinus

Some sort of bug with a Piptoporus betulinus
Some sort of bug with a Piptoporus betulinus
Some sort of bug
A true bug with great camoflage

Pseudoscorpion

a pseudoscorpion
a Pseudoscorpion; common but rarely noticed
a pseudoscorpion
a Pseudoscorpion

MAYBE Lithobius forficatus
A Stone Centipede

A stone centipede MAYBE Lithobius forficatus
MAYBE Lithobius forficatus
A stone centipede MAYBE Lithobius forficatus
MAYBE Lithobius forficatus

Harpaphe sp.
Almond-scented millipede

millipede
A millipede (Harpaphe sp.)
Harpaphe sp. 2015
Harpaphe sp. 2015

Paeromopus angusticeps buttensis

Paeromopus angusticeps buttensis
Paeromopus angusticeps buttensis

 Xystocheir dissecta
Redwood Xystocherini

Xystocheir dissecta
Another millipede Xystocheir dissecta

Titiotus sp.
An endemic genus of spiders

‪Titiotus‬ sp.
‪Titiotus‬ sp.

Araneus gemma
Cat-faced spider

Araneus gemma
Araneus gemma November 2017

Uroctonus mordax
Forest scorpion

Uroctonus mordax April 2015
Uroctonus mordax April 2015

Ticks
It is almost impossible to go out during mild weather and not pick up a tick in the forest or meadows around here.

Ixodes pacificus
Black-legged tick

This is the business end of one thing about the forest that really sucks, ticks.

Ixodes pacificus
Feeding implements of an Ixodes pacificus tick (dead)

These were abundant and especially active during May-June 2015. It has been almost impossible to go out during mild weather and not pick up a tick in the forest or meadows around here right now.

Ixodes pacificus: nymph, male & female
Ixodes pacificus adult female
Adult female Ixodes pacificus
Ixodes pacificus
A male Ixodes pacificus hoping to grab some food.
Ixodes pacificus
Ixodes pacificus with adhesive membranes on claws distended.

Vaejovis puritanus
One of several scorpions that live here; species ID may or may not be right. This is an older picture of something that we only very rarely encounter.

Vaejovis sp.
Vaejovis sp.

Batrachoseps  attenuatus
 California Slender Salamander

Batrachoseps attenuatus on 3 March 2016
Batrachoseps attenuatus

Dicamptodon ensatus
 California Giant Salamander

Dicamptodon ensatus
Dicamptodon ensatus
Dicamptodon ensatus
Dicamptodon ensatus

Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus
Speckled-black salamander
Some of these are solid black and some are speckled with yellow.

Speckled black salamander; Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus
Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus
Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus
Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus
Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus on 3 March 2016
Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus on 3 March 2016

Taricha granulosa granulosa
Rough-skinned newt

Taricha-granulosa-granulosa-oct2015
Taricha granulosa granulosa

Acris crepitans
Pacific chorus frog

Pacific chorus frog
Acris crepitans

Bufo boreas
Forest toad

Bufo boreas
Bufo boreas – one of the few toads lacking any alkaloids
Bufo boreas
Bufo boreas

Diadophis punctatus occidentalis
Northwestern Ring-necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus occidentalis
Diadophis punctatus occidentalis in defensive mode

Lampropeltis getula californiae
California king-snake

california-kingsnake-IMG_1327
California king-snake (Lampropeltis getula californiae)
california-kingsnake-IMG_1331
Lampropeltis getula californiae

Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pacific gopher snake

Pacific gopher snake
Pituophis catenifer catenifer

The next individual was not seen here at home but was encountered while visiting the Shulgin farm.

Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pituophis catenifer catenifer

Thamnophis atratus hydrophilus
Oregon Gartersnake

Thamnophis atratus hydrophilus
Thamnophis atratus hydrophilus

Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
California Red-sided Gartersnake

California garter snake
Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
California Red-sided Gartersnake
Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis

Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus

Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus
a young Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus

Elgaria spp.
Alligator lizard

Elgaria sp.
Elgaria sp.

Sceloporus occidentalis
Western fence lizard

Sceloporus occidentalis; Western fence lizard

Corvus corax
Common raven

This image was taken a few miles from home in Ukiah but these live and nest here on site.

Corvus corax (common raven)
Corvus corax

Meleagris gallopavo
Wild turkeys
This is a conservationist success story. This bird species nearly went extinct due to overhunting. Reintroduction activity (largely through redistribution of existing birds)  lead to a huge rebound of the population including in many areas where it did not formerly exist. It is so common now that most people have no idea that it almost disappeared from the planet.

Meleagris gallopavo
Meleagris gallopavo
Meleagris gallopavo
Meleagris gallopavo

Melanerpes formicivorus
Acorn woodpeckers

Acorn woodpeckers' larder
A community larder of the Acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus)

Myotis sp.Bats

Myotis
Bat (I don’t know if this is Myotis californicus or Myotis yumanensis)

Urocyon cinereoargentus
Grey fox

Urocyon cinereoargentus
Urocyon cinereoargentus
Urocyon cinereoargentus
Urocyon cinereoargentus

Mephitis mephitis
striped skunk

Mephitis-mephitis_11may2014
Mephitis mephitis

Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk) &  Didelphis virginiana (Virginia Opossum)

Mephitis mephitis & Didelphis virginiana
Mephitis mephitis & Didelphis virginiana

Spilogale gracilis
Western Spotted skunk

spotted skunk
spotted skunk
spotted-skunk
Spilogale gracilis
Spilogale gracilis
Spilogale gracilis

Neotoma fuscipes
Dusky-footed woodrat AKA Pack-rat

Neotoma fuscipes
Neotoma fuscipes
Neotoma fuscipes
Neotoma fuscipes

Neotomia sonomae

Sonoma chipmunk

Sonoma chipmunks
Sonoma chipmunks Photo by Lama

Sciurus griseus
Western grey squirrel

Grey squirrel eating a Suillus
Sciurus griseus eating a Suillus mushroom in a Douglas-fir

Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
Columbian blacktail deer

blacktail deer
Odocoileus hemionus columbianus

Ursus americanus californiensis
California black bear

California black bear
California black bear