It’s no secret that Humboldt has some pretty spectacular wildlife.

Lucky for us, we’re also blessed with some very talented photographers.

Local photographer Alan Peterson of Redwood Planet Media recently captured these awesome photos of the wildlife around the Arcata Marsh and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Enjoy!

After making a pass around Klopp Lake to flush the shorebirds from their perches, a Peregrine Falcon chases a flock of sandpipers. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. Photos by Alan Peterson.

A young red-legged frog in the undergrowth — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

One of Arcata Marsh’s otter families comes in close to inspect the photographer on the shore. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

A beetle crosses the path under a spruce grove. — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

American Avocets have returned to Humboldt Bay. Only a faint shadow of the rusty orange breeding plumage on their heads is still visible. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

A Brown Pelican strikes at a school of fish. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Wood sorrel is blooming in our coastal forests.

The long, slender legs of shorebirds help them feed in mud and shallow water, but they frequently suffer injuries after encounters with predators. This Greater Yellowlegs now falls one leg shy of its name. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The surface of the brackish pond ripples with jumping fish during the evening hours. Much of it is now too deep for wading birds, but the occasional egret or heron still hunts around the edges. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Sandpipers settle onto the rocks around Klopp Lake to roost. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mountain huckleberries are fruiting in our coastal forests. — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

When food can’t be found at the edges of the water, avocets will plunge their heads into the water to probe in the submerged mud. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Klopp Lake otters out for an evening feeding session. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

A young Brown Pelican leaves the islands of Klopp Lake to look for fish. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

A Great Blue Heron perches at the edge of the western pond, waiting for ideal fishing conditions. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The towering old growth redwoods in the hills above Orick pierce the clouds. — in Orick, California.

An otter family enters the western pond to do their foraging rounds. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

One of the otter pups swims along the bank. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Startled by the otters, a Pied-billed Grebe takes off running across the water’s surface. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The otters surprise the Great Blue Heron by surfacing below its perch. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The otter mother climbs up on a partially-submerged stump to inspect the nearby photographer before her pups approach. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

A slime mold spreads across a patch of moss in the undergrowth. — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

A Great Egret grabs a smelt out of the brackish pond. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The egret shakes its catch a bit too hard, dividing it in two. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The banks of fog drifting through the coastal forests have created a nice, moist environment for amphibians. — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

A Peregrine Falcon builds speed while approaching a flock of sandpipers. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

The falcon makes a sharp turn to pursue the shorebirds. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Its first pass at the sandpipers was unsuccessful, but after the Peregrine Falcon passed out of view, it flew up to the nearest electrical tower with a meal in its talons. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Before feeding, American Avocets stretch out at the edge of a tidal slough. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Some polypores shed their waste products in small droplets. This process is known as guttation. — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

A Great Egret lands in the salt marsh near McDaniel Slough for an evening fishing session. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

A banana slug makes its way up a mossy stump. — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

Wood sorrel coated with water droplets after the morning fog passed. — at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

A Marbled Godwit taking flight at the edge of the bay. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Brown Pelicans arrive on Klopp Lake after flying in from Humboldt Bay. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Western Sandpipers land on the rocks after flocking. — at Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary.