Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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A little over two weeks ago, we had over four inches of rain in some places on the Mendonoma Coast. So we aren't too surprised that the first Boletus edulis, also called Porcini,  have popped up in moist areas. The person who took these photos wants to remain anonymous so I called him/her "a mushroom lover." Here is the proof.

Hopefully more will appear in the days ahead!

Thanks to mushroom lover for allowing me to share these photos with you here.

It's beautiful on the Mendonoma Coast today, a slight breeze and mild temps. Sunsets have been exquisite lately - I love Autumn on the Coast!

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Joel Chaban photographed this Great Blue Heron recently. He/she was probably landing or getting ready to lift off. But I think the heron might just be dancing!

Great Blue Herons are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast.

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

It's very foggy and cool on the coast today.

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Bobcats, the cat with the tufted ears and short, bobbed tails can sometimes be seen in grassy meadows. Mike Reinhart spotted one looking at him through the grasses at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands.

Fun Fact: the markings on a Bobcat's coat are unique to itself, just like our fingerprints!

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

The weather is...well...it's perfect! Yesterday Humpback Whales were seen. There are quite a few Humpbacks off the Mendonoma Coast right now. By the beginning of November they will be migrating southward and we won't likely see them until next summer. Get to a bluff near  you!

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On Sunday Sept 18, we had a vigorous storm that dumped quite a bit of rain on the Mendonoma Coast. I've previously written that we got 4.55 inches at our place in Anchor Bay. Last Tuesday morning I drove down to the iconic spot at Gualala Point Regional Park to take this photo of the mouth of the Gualala River. This part of the river is called Mill Bend.

The river had been quite diminished so it's wonderful to see it so nice and full. You can see the big sandbar at the mouth that "closes" the river to the Pacific Ocean. With enough rain, this sandbar will be breached, always an exciting event. But for now, the river is still "closed."

I hope you enjoy one of my photos for a change.

Heavy, drippy fog along the coast for much of the day, though the ridge had blue skies.

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Amy Ruegg had a rare sighting and a touching experience recently. She wrote, “Sydney [the dog] and I visited Pebble Beach  an hour or two before sunset. The tide was fairly low and several sea creatures were visible. We shared the beach with only one other, a young woman by herself. She had stopped and was looking very closely at something as I approached. She excitedly pointed at the water’s edge—a squid! There it was about six inches long, swimming along looking up at us with a surprising intelligence. We couldn’t believe it!"

“We chatted as we took pictures with our phones and enjoyed watching the lovely creature zip up and down with the wave action. She introduced herself, Pam, and shared she was on a solo journey to nourish herself after her husband filed for divorce. She said she almost drove past the beach access but something told her to turn around. She was entranced by the beauty and abundance of life on Pebble Beach. The squid kept looking up at us. I felt the special little squid was trying to tell her that magic happens! She was on the right path. It’s not just the sightings that bring us joy, but the deeply meaningful moments when Nature speaks to us like a guardian angel.”

I do believe there is great healing in Nature. From walks in the forest, which is sometimes referred to as forest bathing, to an encounter with a special squid, there is comfort to be had.

After searching my database for a previous squid sighting, I came up empty. This is the first squid sighting in the 17 years of writing my Mendonoma Sightings column in the Independent Coast Observer! I sent Amy’s photo to Bob Van Syoc. He wrote, “ Wow, that’s a very special sighting.  It’s Doryteuthis opalescens, sometimes called the market squid here.  I think the name “opalescens” is more descriptive of them in life as they can neurologically activate chromatophores (color and light producing areas) on their skin to  produce pulsating waves of color and light up and down their bodies!  One of the most captivating things I’ve seen was pairs of mating squid making those lovely color and light patterns.  The females lay finger-sized capsules of eggs masses in bunches after mating.  Like all cephalopods, they die soon after mating and reproducing a single time.  Doryteuthis opalescens does tend to reside further south, they are common around Monterey Bay.  But it’s not unheard of for them to show up on our coast.  Thanks for sharing the photos and the special experience Amy had with her new friend.”

This squid’s other common name is Opalescent Inshore Squid, which I’ve chosen to use rather than Market Squid.

Thanks to Amy for allowing me to share her photos with you here. What a great sighting!

Today is sunny, warm and calm, ie, no wind! This is forecast to be the warmest day of the next seven days. The Pacific Ocean looks to be flat calm, which can be deceptive, I know.