Observers logged 37 research-grade sightings across Sonoma Valley in the past week — from the ridgelines of Sonoma Mountain and Trione-Annadel to the creeks of Glen Ellen. Here is a gallery of what is out there right now.

Brush Rabbit seen in Sonoma Valley
Brush Rabbit — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Great Blue Heron seen in Sonoma Valley
Great Blue Heron — Sonoma Dev. Center. © chase2000, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Great Egret seen in Sonoma Valley
Great Egret — Sonoma Dev Center. © chase2000, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Wild Turkey seen in Sonoma Valley
Wild Turkey — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Western Fence Lizard seen in Sonoma Valley
Western Fence Lizard — Santa Rosa. © afreiden, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Pacific chorus frog seen in Sonoma Valley
Pacific chorus frog — the valley. © afreiden, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Gray Hairstreak seen in Sonoma Valley
Gray Hairstreak — Sonoma Hwy, Glen Ellen. © jenniferlchandler, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Gulf Fritillary seen in Sonoma Valley
Gulf Fritillary — Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood. © marimariposa, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Manzanita Leafgall Aphid seen in Sonoma Valley
Manzanita Leafgall Aphid — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Red Cone Gall Wasp seen in Sonoma Valley
Red Cone Gall Wasp — Sifford, Glen Ellen. © jzupan, CC0, via iNaturalist.
Toyon Gall Thrips seen in Sonoma Valley
Toyon Gall Thrips — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Chinese Mystery Snail seen in Sonoma Valley
Chinese Mystery Snail — the valley. © shasz, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Sonoma Shoulderband Snail seen in Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Shoulderband Snail — the valley. © shasz, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Bigleaf Maple seen in Sonoma Valley
Bigleaf Maple — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Blue Elder seen in Sonoma Valley
Blue Elder — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
Buckbrush seen in Sonoma Valley
Buckbrush — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
California Spikenard seen in Sonoma Valley
California Spikenard — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.
California black oak seen in Sonoma Valley
California black oak — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood. © shxx60, CC-BY-NC, via iNaturalist.

Also logged this week

  • Common Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis) — Oak Island Cir, Santa Rosa (reptile)
  • California buckeye (Aesculus californica) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • California scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • California sweetshrub (Calycanthus occidentalis) — Sonoma Hwy, Glen Ellen (plant)
  • Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Childing Pink (Petrorhagia nanteuilii) — Brushy Peaks Trail, Kenwood (plant)
  • Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Deerweed (Acmispon glaber) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Fragrant Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium beneolens) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Hairy Ceanothus (Ceanothus oliganthus) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Hayfield Tarweed (Hemizonia congesta) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Naked Buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Peak Rushrose (Crocanthemum scoparium) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)
  • Roughleaf Aster (Eurybia radulina) — Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood (plant)

For the record: more than 184,062 wild observations and museum specimens have been logged in this stretch of the valley over the decades, according to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Sightings from research-grade observations on iNaturalist; photographs used under their Creative Commons licenses, credited to the observer. Records are community-submitted and identifications may be revised. Please observe wildlife respectfully and keep to the trails.

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