The storms are bringing BIG waves!

Welcome storms have been hitting the Mendonoma Coast. Those who love big crashing waves head for the bluffs to take a look at the Pacific Ocean in action. Between storms can bring some of the loveliest weather. Janet Burch recently photographed some beautiful waves off of The Sea Ranch.

The Gualala River is running high and muddy, such a welcome sight. After our bone dry January, the rains of February have been a blessing. May they continue in March!

Thanks to Janet for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

A juvenile Cooper's Hawk is looking for an easy meal.

Drew McCalley found this young Cooper's Hawk perched on top of his bird feeder recently. The hawk wasn't looking for birdseed, that's for sure. Cooper's Hawks eat smaller birds.

If you see a hawk staking out your bird feeder, you could take the feeder down for a day or so, encouraging the hawk to move on.

Cooper's Hawks are very agile fliers and very fast! They are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast.
To hear their calls, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/coopers_hawk/sounds.

Thanks to Drew for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

Humpback Whale breaching, as if just for the Secretary of the Interior Jewell.

Ron LeValley was out on the Point Arena-Stornetta lands when Secretary Jewel visited to see this beautiful land for herself last November. The hope of many of us is for this land to be included in the California Coastal National Monument.

While Sally Jewell visited the land, three Humpback Whales started breaching. Though it was a long ways off Ron got this photo. What perfect timing - even the Whales are in agreement!

Ron enjoys going on pelagic trips and sometimes gets some fantastic up close and personal photos of Humpback Whales. Below is one such photo.

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Ron's photography, here  is his website: http://www.levalleyphoto.com/home/

Just another beautiful sunset at Anchor Bay Beach and another off of Gualala.

I will never become blasé about our beautiful sunsets - they are to be savored. Seeing the sun "set" into the Pacific Ocean is a privilege. Jerry Anon took this photo recently, capturing a moment of loveliness off Anchor Bay Beach.

Paul Brewer also photographs sunsets, often from his home in Gualala. Here is a recent photo from Paul showing waves hitting Castle Rock and the bluffs with a beautiful sunset to set it all off.

Thanks to Jerry and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/

A very hard to find winter wildflower - the Fetid Adder's Tongue.

Rick and I wanted to show our friends the hard to spot wildflower, the Fetid Adder's Tongue. Worst. Name. Ever. It is also called Slinkpod, almost as bad a name. Its scientific name is Scoliopus bigelovii.

Here we all are searching for the tiny orchid-like wildflower. Huckleberry, our golden retriever, is assisting in the hunt.

Rick was the one who spotted it. It was only about two inches high. You can see the two distinctive mottled leaves on the forest floor.

Trilliums and Milkmaids are also blooming now. We are having warm, sunny weather, which we are able to enjoy because there is a lot of rain in our forecast!

Thanks to C'Anna Bergman-Hill for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

A Sea Star reaches for its meal.

Mark Simkins photographed a Sea Star on the move. It is reaching, perhaps, for a mussel. 

Sea Stars, more commonly called Starfish, move more quickly than you might expect. They have hundreds of tube feet on their undersides. Sea Stars are in the family Asteroidea. They are related to Sand Dollars, Sea Urchins and Sea Cucumbers. 

Low tide is a great time to see some, as Peggy Berryhill photographed above.

Thanks to Mark and Peggy for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Birds are already building nests, including Anna's Hummingbirds.

Anna's Hummingbirds nest early, as early as January. They build the most exquisite nests out of spider webs, lichen and small twigs. Jenny and John Biglow found this hummingbird nest with two babies inside. Can you spot them?

Siegfried Matull found an occupied nest too. Here's the mother hummingbird sitting on the nest.

And when the female took off for a moment, Siegfried got a photo of her eggs. Look how perfect the nest is.

Thanks to Jenny and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Glass fishing floats can be found by a lucky beachcomber.

Glass fishing floats were used by deep sea fishermen in days gone by. However many are still floating in the world's oceans. Mel Smith has a collection of glass fishing balls and cylinders - a collection of a lifetime. Mel met photographer Craig Tooley at Cook's Beach recently to photograph his finds.

In the photo below, the glass float still has its rope, which is quite rare.

After a storm, you might choose to go beach combing. May you would be lucky to find a glass fishing float nestled in some kelp.

Or one washed up in the surf.

Below is one of the glass fishing cylinders that Mel has found.

It's amazing to think that glass balls could survive for decades, riding the currents, and traveling halfway around the world to then be tossed up on a Mendonoma beach.

Thanks to Mel for sharing his collection and to Craig for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com

A rare but welcome sighting is one of a Short-eared Owl, photographed by Ron LeValley.

This medium-sized Owl is a rare sighting on the Mendonoma Coast. Ron LeValley recently photographed one.

They fly low over grasslands listening for small mammals, or sometimes birds. Yes, they find their prey mainly with their ears rather than with their eyes.

This owl must have heard Ron, as it turned and looked directly at him.

Such a beautiful bird! To hear its call, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/short-eared_owl/sounds 

I thank Ron for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.levalleyphoto.com/home/

Seasonal creeks are alive and singing!

We've had nearly fifteen inches of rain since February 1st at our place in Anchor Bay. It had been so dry, the rain was especially welcome. Seasonal creeks came to life and the sound of them is glorious. Craig Tooley photographed one this past week.

The creek that crosses our property is now running clear. Quinliven Creek brings Rick and me much joy.

A certain golden retriever loves the creek too. Here Huckleberry is leaving one of the many ponds, not caring in the least that he is soaked.

It finally feels like winter. We are having brilliant sunshine today. Mushrooms are popping up in abundance. I will share some photos of them soon.

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

A rare Sun Pillar.

Rarer than a green flash, a Sun Pillar appeared on January 24th and several coastal residents got a photo of the phenomenon. Richard Hansen took the first photo photo - a spectacular Sun Pillar.

 And Jan Jewell got this beautiful photo the same evening.

A Sun Pillar occurs when light from the sun is reflected off thin ice crystal clouds high in the atmosphere in a spot or band pattern vertically above the setting sun,an amazing event to experience.

Thanks to Richard and Jan for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see my only photo of a Sun Pillar, also called a Sun Dog, here is the link:
http://mendonomasightings.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-beautiful-sun-pillar-appeared-at.html

Steelhead were seen spawning in the Gualala River!

Paul Batchelder was by the north fork of the Gualala River, just above the green bridge, yesterday. He saw a happy sight - Steelhead headed up the river. You can see two fish on the upper left side of Paul's photos.The photos aren't the clearest, but the news sure is welcome.

To show you what the Green Bridge looks like, here are two photos taken by Kay Martin.

All the rain we have received in February has revived the Gualala and Garcia Rivers. It is a joy to see them running strong and supporting endangered Steelhead. Hooray for Mother Nature!

Thanks to Paul and Kay for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

A Belted Kingfisher as photographed by Craig Tooley.

This is a fun bird to see as it looks like it is having a bad hair day! Belted Kingfishers, Megaceryle alcyon, are seen on the Mendonoma Coast more often in the wintertime. Craig Tooley recently photographed one, this one a female.

You can tell this is a female because she has two breast bands, one gray near her neck and a brownish one further down. Belted Kingfisher females are more brightly colored than their male counterparts - something rather unusual in the birding world.

Kingfishers mostly eat fish and they fish by either plunging directly from their perch or by hovering over the water. They breed far to our north.

To hear their call, here is the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/belted_kingfisher/sounds

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo of this fascinating bird. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

The sunset last night...was amazing!

The color in the sky was truly remarkable last night. The sky almost appeared to be on fire. This photo was taken from our front deck in Anchor Bay and not cropped or changed in any way. A panoramic camera would give you the full impact of this beautiful sunset but this photo does show you a great deal of the beauty which evolved in front of our eyes.

Paul Brewer was photographing the sunset, too, from his perspective in Gualala, a few miles south of me.

A treat for the senses!

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/

Is it possible to get the perfect wave photo?

Photographers on the Mendonoma Coast love to photograph the beautiful waves. We are always searching for the perfect wave. Here are several photos taken recently. The first is from Paul Brewer.

Margaret Lindgren photographed this big wave splashing up onto the rocky bluff.

And Robert Scarola took this photo of a big wave coming in. That Gull better watch out!

Thanks to Robert, Margaret and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
To see more of Paul's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/
And Margaret's website for coastal hikes is: http://unbeatenpath.weebly.com/

The Russian River was closed to the ocean last week.

Siegfried and Gretel Matull stopped at the mouth of the Russian River in Jenner. They found the river closed but the Harbor Seals and Gulls didn't seem to mind.

 The wave action was dramatic at times and Siegfried got this photo of a crashing wave.

Rick and I had driven down the coast last Thursday and saw the river was about to flood the deck of the visitors' center. On our way back home, we saw this fellow getting ready to manually open the river - a dangerous task indeed.

We had to go down to Bodega Bay on Monday and saw that the river was at least four feet lower than it was the previous Thursday. Yes, the river was once again open to the Pacific Ocean.

Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

A big storm hits the Mendonoma Coast and the Gualala River finally opened.

We have had over seven inches of rain so far from the big storm. The creek that crosses our land has come to life. And this morning the Gualala River finally received enough rain to open to the Pacific Ocean, the first time in many months.

You can see the big opening in the sandbar. The river is running muddy and fast! It was raining hard when I took this photo today.

 

Here is Quinliven Creek - it is always wonderful when it comes to life. I love the many cascades.

It's a rare day when I send out two Mendonoma Sightings blogs in one day but I just had to tell you the news. This is sure to help put a dent in the drought. Hooray for Mother Nature!

A White-tailed Kite spots its prey!

Allen Vinson photographed this White-tailed Kite at the moment it spotted its lunch. When you look at this photo is it any wonder that birds remind us of angels?

 Allen took the photo below on a sunny day. The Kite looks like an ornament in the tree.

White-tailed Kites are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They have the ability to be motionless in the air by facing into the wind. This is called kiting and is indicative of this Kite.

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

One of the Bald Eagles paid a visit to Anchor Bay Beach, plus a magnificent wave.

Anchor Bay Beach is a wonderful place to see wildlife, watch the sunset and admire the waves. Donna Woodbury enjoyed a visit recently and was rewarded with the sighting of a Bald Eagle. She showed the big bird to Jerry Anon and he took this photo.

Jerry also caught a beautiful photo at Anchor Bay Beach of what he calls a glass wave. Just beautiful!

Thanks to Donna for sharing her sighting and to Jerry for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

A Roosevelt Elk? On the Mendonoma Coast?

Jeff Ward and the Jerrold Baker family were driving down Highway One south of The Sea Ranch. They could hardly believe their eyes. It was a big Roosevelt Elk.

Here's what Jeff had to saw about their extremely rare sighting:

“We were heading south on Highway One from Gualala. All of a sudden Jerrold yells, ‘What is that?!’ It was a Roosevelt Elk! The Elk was in a full sprint at about 35 mph running on the west side of the highway. It leaped over two barbed wire fences dividing the pastures, completely clearing the fences by four feet on each side, incredible to see.”
As Jeff and the Bakers watched in awe, the Elk jumped another fence and was then running south in the northbound lane of the highway. Fortunately there was no traffic and the Elk veered east and disappeared into the forest.
Jeff continued, “My guess is the Elk’s weight was approximately 650+ pounds. The rack was level to my windshield on a Dodge 2500 3/4 ton 4x4 truck and the spread of the points was about 3 ½ feet.”

These huge elk are normally found to our far north, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. What it was doing on the Mendonoma Coast is a mystery. The much smaller Tule Elk can be seen at Point Reyes to our south.

Thanks to Jeff for allowing me to share his photo and sighting with you here.

A rainbow cloud, as photographed by Don Spear

Sometimes you look in the sky and can't believe what you are seeing. That was the case when Don Spear saw this rainbow cloud.

On another day he saw this unusual cloud formation.

Cloud watching is a Coast tradition! Thanks to Don for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

To see a rare and unique cloud formation, here is the link to a cloud falling out of a cloud:
http://mendonomasightings.blogspot.com/2011/05/rare-cloud-phenomenon-cloud-falling-out.html