Tag Archives: Teresa Denniston

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Wednesday, Dec. 7th, was a beautiful, clear day with nary a white cap on the ocean. That morning, at low tide, the Gualala River breached the big sandbar at the far north end. Teresa and Rick Denniston had been watching the scene from their home, Serendipity, overlooking the river and ocean. On Tuesday, the river rose to the middle of the sandbar and then receded a bit. On Wednesday morning, the full-to-the-brim river would have its way.

With more rain headed our way, the river should stay open for a while. Steelhead that were trapped in luxury in the river during the summer and autumn months were swept into the next phase of their lives, life in the ocean. Other Steelhead will be arriving to enter the river to spawn. It's not surprising the one of the Bald Eagles was seen, probably hoping for an easy fish dinner.

Harbor Seals and CA Sea Lions also pay attention to this yearly event!

We are fortunate to be able to watch the Gualala River so easily. It's an important part of the fascinating Mendonoma Coast!

Thanks to Teresa for allowing me to share her photos with you here. Serendipity can be rented. You can learn more at this link: https://www.coastinghome.com/rns/vacation-rental/gualala/ca/serendipity  I just looked at the photos on their website, and I saw my book, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year, on their table. Nice!

It's raining today with a big storm coming in Friday night into Saturday. I found Matsutake  mushrooms this morning and many other mushrooms are up now.

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Teresa Denniston got this lovely photo of the sun shining on a Bald Eagle resting on a snag near her Gualala house.

Last Sunday, Eric Zetterholm got a photo of the Gualala Bald Eagle pair mating! It is in today's Independent Coast Observer, in my Mendonoma Sightings column. Eric said the two eagles were very loving towards each other. Nice to see.

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

We are between storms today. Clouds are pouring in as I write this. After tonight's storm, we are heading for what looks like a dry spell.

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It was a high tide and high swell event, so the breach wasn't dramatic. I, and others, watched as it slowly opened to the Pacific Ocean for the first time in months, as the big sandbar had kept the river closed. It opened at the extreme far north end. Teresa Denniston photographed the river the next morning.

Here's what you shouldn't do when the river is breaching the sandbar.

Those people were very fortunate that the sandbar they were sitting on didn't give way. The best place to watch the river open is from the Gualala Bluff Trail.

As I watched on Sunday, bull kelp that had been swept into the closed river by the high tides, was swept out to sea. Steelhead and hopefully Coho Salmon were also swept out to sea to begin the next stage of their lives. Other fish will be entering the river to spawn. There are lots of comings and goings on the Gualala River!

The river did close again two days later, but with all the storms stacked up over the next week, the river will once again open. We are fortunate that it is so easy to observe the fascinating Gualala River.

Thanks to Teresa for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

Clouds are piling in after a sunny morning. Rain is in today's forecast, with a bigger storm due Sunday. Batten down the hatches!

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Rick and Teresa Denniston have a beautiful home overlooking the Gualala River and the Pacific Ocean. They named it Seredipidity and it's available to rent. When they come up to stay for a while, intending to work on the house, the great wildlife sightings distract them! First, they saw several Gray Whales. Here's a photo showing the back of one of them.

Then they were distracted by this lovely Doe and a young Buck looking up at them.

Finally, they were charmed by the sight of a family of California Quail, including four of the chicks.

Hard to get work done, that is for sure!

Thanks to Teresa and Rick for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see Serendipity, here is the link: https://rentals.coastinghome.com/rns/vacation-rental/gualala/ca/serendipit

Our heat wave is over, thank goodness. The fog returned and burned off at the coast by noon. ahhh....

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Rick and Teresa Denniston noticed this Peregrine Falcon perched in the snag usually occupied by the two resident Bald Eagles.

Two Peregrines have been seen near Arena Cove recently. We had several successful nest on the Mendonoma coast this year. Tomorrow I will show you a few photos of a Peregrine who had just fledged.

Thanks to Rick for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

It's foggy, no, it's sunny, wait, it's foggy again. That's the weather report on the immediate coast. Warm, though, with very little wind. Rick and I walked at Gualala Point Regional Park late this morning with our rescue golden retriever, Duffy. Put these words to the tune "The Twelve Days of Christmas." This is what we saw.

Three bucks with antlers, Two Brown Pelicans, and an island full of many, many birds.

Gualala Point Island was nearly covered in birds today. Common Murre chicks are getting ready to fledge by leaping off the island into the ocean, following the sound of their fathers' voices. Good luck, little Murre chicks!