Monthly Archives: April 2012

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On Sunday Rick and I were at Cook's Beach with friends. The fog was hovering just offshore. Several large groups of Brown Pelicans shot by, all white-headed adults. I'm told the brown-headed juveniles are still building their strength up for the northward migration. We should be seeing the young ones in the weeks to come. Some of the adults are still in their stunning breeding plumage. Brown Pelicans are one of my favorite birds and it is always a joy to see them.

Cook's Beach is a lovely pocket beach just north of Gualala. To learn how to find this beach, here is the link to a previous post: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/02/12/cooks-beach-a-beautiful-pocket-beach-just-north-of-gualala/

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What brings you contentment? For a sheep on The Sea Ranch Robert Scarola believes it is spring grass.

And looking at the happy expression on this sheep's face, I would have to agree with Robert. I thank Robert for allowing me to share his photo with you here. There's a web site to see where the flock is on TSR. It is: http://thesearanchsheep.com/

If  you'd like to add a caption for this photo, click on Comments below to do so!

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One of the joys of living on the Mendonoma Coast is sharing the Coast with Ospreys, spring into autumn. Pairs are busy rebuilding nests and mating. Soon the female will be sitting on eggs. The males are busy fishing and Steve Wilcox recently captured a beautiful photo of one passing by with a fish in its talons.

That's a pretty good size fish this Osprey got. And it looks like the Osprey is looking right at Steve, perhaps warning him off his catch. Thanks to Steve for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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A Turkey Vulture with its wings outstretched is an amazing sight to see. Allen Vinson recently photographed one on The Sea Ranch with the Pacific Ocean and big sky as a backdrop. Nice view, Turkey Vulture!

Turkey Vultures take sun baths to warm up and also to kill any bacteria left from their jobs as Mother Nature's garbage collectors. I don't want to think where we'd be without these carrion eaters doing their jobs.

May we all do our job to help clean up Mother Earth. Happy Earth Day today and every day!

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Yesterday we jumped into summer and the warm weather continues today. Of course there are pockets of fog in the usual places - hello, Point Arena! - but the fog will hopefully burn off for everyone.

There were a lot of happy faces as sun shone and David Wayne Floyd photographed the beach action at Anchor Bay Beach yesterday.

This morning with the favorable low tides, abalone divers were hitting the water. A crab boat is working the water south of Fish Rocks this afternoon. Today there is no wind!

Commercial fishermen are awaiting the opening of the Salmon season, which is May 1st south of Point Arena, I believe. Life on the Mendonoma Coast is like a dream, a dream from which you don't want to wake up.