Monarch Butterflies, the essence of loveliness, are seen on their migration

Monarch Butterflies migrate in the fall. I have seen two or three over the past several weeks. I wish  could report that we were seeing many of these beauties but that isn't the case. This butterfly needs milkweed to feed on as a caterpillar. It would be a good idea to plant some in your garden to help this striking butterfly.

Wendy Bailey photographed a Monarch, the king of Butterflies, and has kindly allowed me to share it with you here.

To learn about Monarchs, here is a link to a great web site:
http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/

The first Boletus edulis just found by Rozann Grunig and the Gualala River is full to the brim

I thought this Saturday would be the first day of Boletus edulis, or King Boletes, but I just received this photo by Rozann Grunig of a beauty found this morning in Sonoma County. It's almost as big as the pineapple. Game on for bolete season!

We spent some time watching the beautiful Gualala River yesterday and again today. It is still closed to the Pacific Ocean but it could open any time. The river will break through the sandbar soon and I would dearly love to be there when it happens. I'm told the sound is amazing. Juvenile Steelhead are in the river's lagoon, waiting to go on their next journey. You can see the ocean waves washing over the sandbar in the photos below.

There are lots of wonderful things going on here on the Mendonoma Coast this week! My best to you, Jeanne Jackson

Wild mushrooms are appearing as if by magic now on the Mendonoma Coast!

With our early rains comes early mushrooms! On a walk in the forest yesterday Rick and I found Golden Chanterelles, Cantharellus cibarius, Oyster Mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Turkey Tails, Trametes versicolor. Many tiny mushrooms appeared this morning and four round puffball mushrooms joined them. Boletus edulis, King Boletes, can't be far behind. Let the wild mushroom frenzy begin!

These Golden Chanterelles look almost white in this picture.

Growing on a Tan-Oak snag, these Oyster Mushrooms will get bigger in the warm days to come.

Perhaps you know the name of this mushroom? It's some type of puffball. Note the bite taken out of its side.

A surprise in the forest - a Fringed Corn Lily Blooming

On a walk along the Gualala River last Saturday with friends, we can across a rare wildflower blooming in the forest. It is the Fringed Corn Lily, Veratrum fimbriatum. It is only found in Sonoma and Mendocino counties so it is a treat to see. You will see in the photo that the lovely flower attracted a lot of interest from photographer Nan Brichetto and Karen Tracy!

The leaves are quite handsome but are long gone in the autumn. Here's a link to see what the leaves looked like in spring. http://mendonomasightings.blogspot.com/2011/04/fringed-corn-lily-leaves-rare-mendonoma.html
We had a lot of rain from yesterday's storm, three inches recorded at our house. I don't think it will be long before the Gualala River opens to the Pacific Ocean. Stay tuned!

A rainbow photographed by coastal photographer Carolyn André

The early rains continue as yet another storm hits the Mendonoma Coast. But a storm's aftermath gives us a chance for rainbows out on the Pacific Ocean. Carolyn André recently photographed one at The Sea Ranch and has kindly allowed me to share it with you here.

Wild mushrooms should be making an early appearance this year!

The Gualala River - a beautiful, wild river on the border of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties

With the recent rains, the Gualala River is full. Since the river is still closed to the Pacific Ocean, the lagoon has expanded into the floodplains. It's a lovely sight to see. On a walk yesterday I took several photos of this wild river. When we receive enough rain, the river will break through the sandbar. And waiting for the river to open are Steelhead!

To see an albino Steelhead spotted in the Gualala River in July, click on this link: http://mendonomasightings.blogspot.com/2011/07/albino-steelhead-found-in-gualala-river.html

And to learn more about this beautiful river, the web site of Friends of the Gualala River has it all. http://www.gualalariver.org/

The elusive Western Spotted Skunk on the Gualala Ridge - a photo by John Bower

In the six years of writing Mendonoma Sightings in the Independent Coast Observer, I've only received one photo of a Western Spotted Skunk, Spilogale gracilis, and it was taken through a window. Until now, that is! John Bower found this little Skunk in a trash bin on the Gualala Ridge. After its close-up, John tipped the bin over so it could get out.

 A few old-timers erroneously call this Skunk a Civet Cat. It does move like a cat and is about the size of a house cat but it is indeed a Skunk. If it starts stomping its front paws, back away - fast! It can spray just as well as its bigger brother, the Striped Skunk.

In the winter they eat rodents, adding vegetation and insects to their diet in the summer. Fruit and berries in the autumn are also eaten by this Skunk. Thanks to John Bower for allowing me to share his photo with you here!