Monthly Archives: March 2012

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After a long winter off Abalone season finally opens tomorrow. Whether conditions allow for safe diving is another matter.

April 1st also is the start of watching for the first Harbor Seal pups born on beaches of the Mendonoma Coast. They are very vulnerable, especially to unleashed dogs and well-meaning people who think the pups need to rescued when they don't see the mother. The pups are fine. The mother has gone to feed. If you truly think a pup is in distress, call the Marine Mammal Center at 415) 289-7350. They will send a trained local volunteer to assess the situation.

Mark Hancock recently photographed some of the year round residents off Tide Pool Beach on The Sea Ranch and I thank him for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

To see a sweet photo of a Harbor Seal pup with its mom, here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/07/27/sweet-photo-of-a-harbor-seal-pup-with-its-mom-taken-by-craig-tooley/

And to whet your appetite for abalone season, here's a link to a successful abalone hunt: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/28/ken-bailey-dove-for-abalone-off-the-mendonoma-coast-and-came-home-with-a-hubcap-size-beauty/

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The Stornetta Public Lands bring us many wonders and here's another one - a Purple Sea Urchin "meadow." Peter Baye was exploring the tide pools of the Stornetta Lands at low tide recently when he photographed these underwater beauties.

These Sea Urchins have excavated pits in sedimentary rocks and live in a big community. They grow to about four inches across and can live up to 70 years. Their Latin name is a tongue twister - Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. They are found off the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean, from Ensenada, Mexico to British Columbia, Canada.

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

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This a Raven with an attitude. Tim Gonzalez and his wife, Susan, were visiting their friends, Peggy and Mike Mee, at The Sea Ranch. They noticed this big black bird staring at something in the meadow. There stood a Gray Fox, seemingly intimidated by the stern Raven.

You can just imagine what the Raven might say to the Fox. Thanks to Tim for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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In less than 24 hours we had 4.9 inches of rain at our house in Anchor Bay. That's enough to cause flooding and, indeed, the Garcia River has flooded Highway One this morning. The seasonal creek the crosses our property was doing its best imitation of a mighty river and was running dangerously fast and very muddy. We were afraid that our golden retriever, Huckleberry, might get too close to the stream so we leashed him up.

I took these photos late yesterday afternoon after 4.2 inches had fallen. Here's Rick and Huck next to the spot on the creek where we usually can jump across - not yesterday and still not today!

 In the upper left is the path we usually take to get down to the forest floor. It was a river too!

Here Quinliven Creek rushes underneath the bridge Rick built with his son, Ron, so we could get across in times like these. This is about as close to the bridge as we've seen the creek. It was a little scary going across the bridge!

 And below you can see the creek as it looks this morning. It's lower and not so muddy but still running strong.

 And amidst all this winter-like weather, a wonderful sign of spring - a Red Clintonia emerges.

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Will Ericson was exploring the tide pools at the Stornetta Public Lands at low tide. He ducked into a cave and discovered this Sunflower Seastar, Pycnopodia helianthoides.

This Sea Star is the largest sea star in the world, growing to more than three feet across. Will said this one was more than a foot across. They eat clams and snails but prefer sea urchins. A lovely "meadow" of sea urchins was nearby. They usually have between 16 and 24 limbs. It *looks* like this one has 21.

I thank Will for allowing me to share his unusual sighting with you here.

To see more photos of the Stornetta Lands at low tide, here's a link to a previous post: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/02/18/low-tide-at-the-stornetta-public-lands-in-point-arena-breathtaking/