Helen and I have lived in Portola Valley Ranch since 1977. These images date from 2002, the early days of my digital photography, though most are from the last few years.
Portola Valley Ranch, in Portola Valley, California, is a 400-acre housing development: <http://www.pvranch.org/home.htm>. Our 200 homes are built on half of this land, surrounded by undeveloped land and woodland trails. The other half of the land is completely undeveloped, except for a set of walking and riding trails open to the public. The trails of PVR connect to a more extensive trail system in Portola Valley -- Windy Hill Open Space to the west, and Los Trancos Trail/Blue Oaks/Black Oak Trail to the south and east.
On our morning walks, Helen and I visit these trails. I often carry a camera.
Portola Valley Select
Galleries 34
Modified 10-Dec-24
697 photos
2/26/2019 One Morning at the Frog Pond -- Book
Visitors 63
44 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
Wildflower Talks
Galleries 21
Modified 9-May-21
507 photos
Coal Mine Ridge Nature Preserve of PVR
Galleries 7
Modified 27-Aug-23
147 photos
2009-2020 Coyote Encounters
Galleries 2
Collections 1
Modified 10-Dec-24
47 photos
Kite over the Frog Pond
Galleries 2
Modified 10-Dec-24
37 photos
Snow on Windy Hill: History
Visitors 81
7 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
February 2025: Egret, Heron, and Hummingbird Hunt the Frog Pond
Visitors 58
3 photos
Created 25-Feb-25
Modified 25-Feb-25
2/17/2025 Indivisible Portola Valley participates in Protest
Visitors 8
6 photos
Created 17-Feb-25
Modified 17-Feb-25
1/24/2025 News of the Day
Visitors 50
3 photos
Created 25-Jan-25
Modified 25-Jan-25
Birds Celebrate an Early Spring: PVR Trails, 12/24 - 1/25
Visitors 37
15 photos
Created 15-Jan-25
Modified 15-Jan-25
12/31/2024 Mixed Flock visits Lone Blue Oak
Visitors 27
14 photos
Created 14-Jan-25
Modified 14-Jan-25
12/12-16/2024 Frog Pond Fills, Great Blue Heron Hunts
Visitors 84
7 photos
Created 17-Dec-24
Modified 17-Dec-24
12/4/2024 The Dance of the Spider
Visitors 1
5 photos
Created 15-Dec-24
Modified 15-Dec-24
11/20-12/4/2024 Chickadee, Crows, and Great Horned Owl: Portola Valley Ranch between the Rains
Visitors 83
13 photos
Created 16-Dec-24
Modified 16-Dec-24
11/16/2024 Three Weeks on our Trails: Coyote and Diverse Birdlife
Visitors 75
9 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
11/5/2024 Three Coyotes Pose in Mader Valley
Visitors 135
12 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
9/2024 Help Choose Photos for Ranch Post
Visitors 15
11 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
9/8/2024 Fogbow -- and Looking Back
Visitors 95
13 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
8/31/2024 Loupe Loop: Along Sausal Pond with a Magnifying Glass
Visitors 3
10 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
8/5/2024 Great Horned Owls on Sweet Springs Trail
Visitors 5
21 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
6/27/2024 Howard Young Celebration at Portola Valley Town Hall
Visitors 98
12 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
6/23/2024 PV Bird Walk with Matthew Dodder
Visitors 1
9 photos
Created 25-Jun-24
Modified 25-Jun-24
6/8/2024 Sweet Springs Afternoon: Soap Plant and California Pink
Visitors 62
6 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
4/5/2024 Flowers and Raindrops: Sweet Springs Trail after the Rain
Visitors 74
12 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
3/17-23/2024 Black Oak Trail in Sunshine and Rain – Lilies and More
Visitors 84
41 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
3/2/2024 Hail, Yes – and a Story about Bucks and Bikers
Visitors 139
11 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
2/24/2024 Male Anna’s Hummingbird Shows his Colors
Visitors 40
10 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
2/20/2024 Great Blue Heron visits Overflowing Frog Pond -- and More
Visitors 158
21 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
1/14/2024 Morning at the Frog Pond
Visitors 149
8 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
1/10/2024 Frog Pond with Rainbow
Visitors 53
2 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
December 2023: Gentle Rains bring Rainbows, Mushrooms, and Mallards
Visitors 83
22 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
12/12/2023 Lifting Mist, Posing Birds
Visitors 77
11 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
12/6/2023 Rainbow over Frog Pond (Once More)
Visitors 118
18 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
11/6/2023 Good Morning World!
Visitors 69
3 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
10/31/2023 Halloween Froggies
Visitors 8
7 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
10/21-23/2023 Atmosphere
Visitors 43
28 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
1/12/2023 Birds Come Out Between Rainstorms
Visitors 87
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
1/19/2023 After Rain
Visitors 93
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
2023 Bluebirds and More with Toyon Berries and More
Visitors 0
0 photos
Created 20-Feb-23
Modified 20-Feb-23
12/20/2022 Leo Gonzalez -- 10 Years at Portola Valley Ranch
Visitors 5
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
10/14/2023 Eclipse from Portola Valley
Visitors 22
1 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
12/2/2022 Frosty Morning: Eagle Trail to Frog Pond
Visitors 123
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
9/26/2023 Singing in the Rain
Visitors 107
8 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
1/4/2023 Western Bluebirds Gather Around Toyon Berries
Visitors 0
0 photos
Created 19-Feb-23
Modified 19-Feb-23
10/30/2022 Oktoberfest at the Ranch
Visitors 11
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
10/23/2022 Dancing Crescent Moon
Visitors 46
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
9/16-17/2023 Watch-Quail and Watchful Buck
Visitors 0
2 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
8/24/2023 Encounter with Red-shouldered Hawk
Visitors 5
8 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
10/13/2022 Wild Visitors near our Home
Visitors 3
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
9/26-27/2022 Jupiter at Closest Approach
Visitors 22
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
10/4/2022 Wild Rose
Visitors 23
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
8/16/2023 Ugly View: Corte Madera School from the Frog Pond
Visitors 12
3 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
7/10/2022 Heron Scratches an Itch
Visitors 13
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
8/5/2023 Boulders Dumped in Frog Pond Park from Corte Madera School
Visitors 5
5 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
2/6/2022 and Earlier: Springtime Awakens from Deep in the Soil
Visitors 47
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
7/31/2023 School Construction Worker Drives Through the Frog Pond
Visitors 179
6 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
11/14/2021 Banana Slug
Visitors 0
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
7/20/2023 Sweet Springs Trail: Settling in to Summertime
Visitors 17
42 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
6/21/2023 Soap Plant Blossoms Each Evening
Visitors 79
15 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
6/5/2023 Wildflowers on Sweet Springs Trail: the Second Wave
Visitors 75
40 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
10/9/2021 Rainbow over the Frog Pond
Visitors 1
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
5/4/2023 Photobombed by Jackrabbits: Encounter with: Quail
Visitors 148
19 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
12/10/2022 Coyote in the Frog Pond in the Rain
Visitors 169
42 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
7/21/2021 Eagle Trail (with Mystery Flowers)
Visitors 79
0 photos
Created 23-Jul-21
Modified 23-Jul-21
6/16/2021 Hayfields Trails
Visitors 92
0 photos
Created 21-Jun-21
Modified 21-Jun-21
6/15/2021 Father Bluebird watches Fledglings -- Crow Lurks Nearby
Visitors 73
0 photos
Created 18-Jun-21
Modified 18-Jun-21
6/10/2021 Threatened Redwood at the Fire Station
Visitors 103
0 photos
Created 12-Jun-21
Modified 12-Jun-21
6/9/2021 Strange Plant in Frog Pond
Visitors 0
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
6/4/2021ff Bluebird Feeds Young at Bluebird Box
Visitors 54
0 photos
Created 12-Jun-21
Modified 12-Jun-21
4/30/2023 Columbine on Sweet Springs Trail
Visitors 104
7 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
5/22/2021 Birds in the Grass
Visitors 125
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
May 2021: Fawns around Portola Valley Ranch
Visitors 40
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
12/31/2022-1/2/2023 Corte Madera Creek in Full Flow along Eagle Trail
Visitors 228
21 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
5/8/2021 Fuillers Teasel, French Broom: Exotics at the Frog Pond
Visitors 3
0 photos
Created 15-May-21
Modified 15-May-21
11/5/2022 Autumn Feast: Cedar Waxwings Binge on Madrone Berries
Visitors 89
41 photos
Created 30-Oct-24
Modified 30-Oct-24
6/4/2022 Welcome Party for New Residents of PVR
Visitors 10
0 photos
Created 7-Jun-22
Modified 7-Jun-22
5/15/2022 Lunar Eclipse from Portola Valley Ranch
Visitors 6
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
9/30/2022 Waning Moon, Mystery Object: Portola Valley Star Party
Visitors 51
0 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
4/6/2023 Cooper's Hawk Devours Prey
Visitors 7
5 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
3/11/2023 Hummingbird Showoff on Windy Hill
Visitors 102
9 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
3/15/2021 Blue Oak Forest: Deer, Lichen, Rainbows
Visitors 70
0 photos
Created 18-Mar-21
Modified 18-Mar-21
3/7/2023 Female Anna's Hummingbird Drinks from Blossoms of Hound's Tongue
Visitors 124
8 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
2/25/2023 Anna's Hummingbird Displays His Finery
Visitors 119
5 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
Sheltering in Place: 2020 in Portola Valley
Visitors 74
0 photos
Created 11-Feb-21
Modified 11-Feb-21
2/25/2023 Anna's Hummingbird in Full Display
Visitors 64
98 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
2/24/2023 Snow on Windy Hill
Visitors 500
24 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
11/19/2022 Coyote Pair Visit Frog Pond
Visitors 238
13 photos
Created 10-Dec-24
Modified 10-Dec-24
12/10/2020 and earlier: Valley Oaks in Mader Valley