Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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The rain we received a little over three weeks ago continues to pay dividends with mushrooms appearing on the Mendonoma Coast. Patty Davenport found this group of Boletus edulis, King Boletes, with a Banana Slug feasting at what she called the "breakfast bar." King Boletes are delicious edible mushrooms that are a treat to find.

Roxanne Holmes photographed a non-edible mushroom, a Dyer's Polypore.

This mushroom's job is to decompose dead wood. Dyers of yarn covet these as when young, like this one, they dye yarn yellow/orange. When mature, they dye yarn a warm brown.

Other mushrooms are appearing now, a welcome sight!

Thanks to Patty and Roxanne for allowing me to share their photos with you  here.

The fog pulled back today, showing us the Pacific Ocean for the first time in a few days. Temps climbed a bit too, low 70's. It's a beautiful autumn day here on the Mendonoma Coast.

 

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The long-lived generation of Monarch Butterflies has arrived on the Mendonoma Coast. These are the butterflies that migrate south, living up to seven months, and they are known as the Methuselah generation. They are looking for plants on which to feed. So nectar plants, particularly native nectar plants, are very important to them here on the coast. Here are some recent photos of these large, beautiful butterflies.

These photos were taken in different locations and the Monarchs are feeding on different flowers. The photos were taken by, starting with the top -  Tempra Board, Craig Tooley, Eric Zetterholm, and Grace O'Malley.

I thank all these photographers for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

The best way to report your sightings of Monarch Butterflies in the autumn is to either send them to me and/or post your sighting on iNaturalist. The experts monitor Monarch sightings on iNaturalist. You will be contributing to their study of these butterflies that have struggled mightily in recent years. Here's hoping this will be a good year for the Monarchs.

Once again, the day started off gray and cold, with a moist fog bank greeting the dawn. It pulled back somewhat but it is still over the Pacific Ocean and may well in on the immediate coast in places. Temps in the low 60's.

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Grace O'Malley noticed this Doe standing quietly in the grasses, looking at her.

What a beautiful sight, with the Pacific Ocean in the background!

This is the time of year for the rut - the mating season - of the Black-tailed Deer. Bucks have been seen chasing Does, so the game is afoot!

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

There is a big fog bank at the immediate coast. I can see fog drifting up Fish Rock canyon at times. The temps are in the low 60's today with no wind. Happy Autumn day to you!

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The Gualala Bald Eagles, a mated pair, have been AWOL from the area for a while, so it's wonderful to see at least one of them has returned.

Eric Zetterholm found this mature Bald Eagle perched on a branch at the river recently.

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

Once again, fog covers the ocean, keeping temps nice and cool, but cutting down on marine sightings! It's a beautiful Autumn day here on the Mendonoma Coast.

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Brown Pelicans are migrating south, and they rest and fish off the Mendonoma Coast. Jon Shiu recently photographed some of the action, and he was happily surprised that he also captured the blow, the exhalation, of what we think is a Humpback Whale.

Scott and Tree Mercer of Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study have been chronicling the Humpback Whales here in September and so far in October. They have a wonderful symposium tomorrow and here are the details:

We are presenting The FOURTH ANNUAL OCEAN LIFE SYMPOSIUM on Friday, October 7 from 9AM TO 4PM. Hosted by KGUA FM 88.3. streaming on the internet and presented live on KGUA’s YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
SCHEDULE:
9AM to 10AM- Tree and Scott Mercer, Introducing the Symposium.
10AM to 11AM- Dr. Stacy Ann Robinson, Professor, Colby College in Maine.
11AM to noon- Jack Barkowski of Moss Landing Marine Laboratory.
Noon to 1PM - Laura Crane of Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wells, Maine.
1 PM - 2 PM - Howard Garrett of Orca Network in Washington.
2 PM - 3 PM- Dr. Lei Lani Stelle, Professor at University of Redlands, Redlands, California.
Since this symposium is live streamed, you can tune in anywhere in the world!
Thanks to Jon for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
Lots of fog covering the ocean today, and the temps are nice and cool.