We call them “mute” because they’re comparatively quiet. If you’ve ever experienced the clamor of Tundra Swans banking toward the wetlands, “mute” will seem an appropriate designation for these travelers. But they’re not silent as the name suggests. They’ll hiss and utter caw-like calls. Overhead, they render melodies, pushing air into songs and squeaks with
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Bull Kelp – Nereocystis luetkeana
I never appreciated kelp until, 1) I first saw this particular monster of a kelp, and 2) I saw close-ups of kelp shot by better nature photographers than I — capturing the golden palette of this gargantuan plant.
Here’s what I know about bull kelp:
It’s the ocean’s mammoth seaweed — an annual
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Hugh and I had another knucklehead-versus-wildlife encounter this past week with a family on the Mendocino coast. We hiked over an unpopulated bluff and saw a mom and kids chasing a young sea lion across the rocks for a photo op. Their actions were forcing the young animal away from her resting spot, as she
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