January 09, 2012

Coho Salmon now spawning in Lagunitas Creek


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photo by Donald Kinney

This is my creek. The mighty and beautiful, and mighty-beautiful Lagunitas. "La-goo-ni'-tas" -- the word means "little lagoons" in Spanish, so I'm told.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

For the past few days I've been watching "Mom" here, dressed smartly in red and gold, guarding eggs that she has deposited in the gravel creek-bed.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

And here she is again, watching her beau kick up a little sediment as he goes about the important business of fertilizing her eggs.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

So, after depositing 2500 to 5000 eggs, and after "Jack" has had his day, "Mom" here will have completed her three year life cycle and die. A year in the creek as a juvenile, and two years at sea--always able to "sniff out" the particular stream or tributary of her birth.


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5 comments:

Leovi said...

Beautiful pictures, I love those colors excellent fish of the Lagunitas, performed with great delicacy. Greetings.

John @ Beans and I on the Loose said...

Very nice capture of the salmon. Well done Donald.

Nancy Ewart said...

Beauty and the cycle of life - gorgeous photos.

photowannabe said...

Beautiful. I always think its so amazing they can find their way back "home".

Civic Center said...

That's quite a life. Ditto the comments on amazing photos.

 
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