Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

•

Last year Mel Smith found three rare Groundcones on a neighboring property. I've been looking ever since to see if there might be a few on Rick's and my land. A few days ago, I was rewarded. I present to you this rare sighting of Groundcones, Kopsiopsis hookeri.

There is a lot of sandstone where we live, and these parasitic plants are growing in the sandy soil.

Our neighbor's property shares several other sightings with our land - matsutake mushrooms in the winter, Sugarstick, another unusual parasitic plant, and mixed forest and shrubs, which include manzanita, huckleberry, Bishop pines, Tan-oak, Redwoods, Douglas Fir, and more. Sugarsticks, Allotropa virgata, are just barely peeking through the forest duff. Here is a photo from a previous year of these beautiful plants.

There is something magical going on underneath our feet!

It's a beautiful spring day on the Mendonoma Coast. The wind has died down, and the clouds are gone. There is some much-needed rain coming in late this weekend. Fingers crossed!

•

Grace O'Malley was at the right place at the right time. A beautiful fogbow appeared just off Stillwater Cove.

Just lovely! Fogbows are also called white rainbows. Here's what earthsky.org says about them: "Fogbows – sometimes called white rainbows, cloudbows or ghost rainbows – are made much as rainbows are, from the same configuration of sunlight and moisture. Rainbows happen when the air is filled with raindrops, and you always see a rainbow in the direction opposite the sun. Fogbows are much the same, always opposite the sun, but fogbows are caused by the small droplets inside a fog or cloud rather than larger raindrops."

Thanks to Grace for allowing me to share her beautiful photo with you here. To see more of Grace's photography, here is her website: https://graceomalleyphotography.com/

ooo, it's windy here today! Sunny and mild, but very windy.

 

• 2 Comments

•

Mark Simkins and Kitty Wolfe have sightings of a Bobcat near their Manchester area home now and then.  Last week this Bobcat emerged from the foliage and sat in the sun for a bit.

Here is a photo of a Bobcat kitten Mark took a few years ago. Just look at those big paws!

Thanks to Mark for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

oh, it's a beautiful day on the Mendonoma Coast. The fog has pulled back over the ocean, and it's sunny, calm and mild. Wildflowers are beautiful now.

•

Betsy Anderson photographed a graceful Great Blue Heron at the moment he/she lifted off, a glorious sight indeed. Just look at those big wings!

Great Blue Herons can be seen fishing with their beaks. They also hunt rodents, such as gophers, in grassy meadows. In flight, these herons tuck in their necks, and their legs trail behind. Sara Bogard photographed one in flight for us to see.

Thanks to Betsy and Sara for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Fog has cooled off the immediate coast, though I'm in sun here in Anchor Bay. It's a pretty Spring day on the Mendonoma Coast.

•

Eric Zetterholm was at the bluffs overlooking Tidepool Beach at The Sea Ranch last Saturday when he saw perhaps the very first Harbor Seal pup appear. This little one headed for the water rather than resting on the sand.

And while in the water, the pup touches noses with his or her mother, a sweet bonding moment.

Docents are out on The Sea Ranch bluffs to make sure people are quiet and that they, and their dogs, stay away from the peaceful scene below. The beach is for the Harbor Seals now.

And a word of caution - many mothers leave their newborn pups on the beach while they go into the ocean to find food. The pups do NOT need to be rescued. If you believe a seal is in distress, call the Marine Mammal Center at 415 289-7325 [SEAL]. They will send a trained volunteer to assess the situation. Rarely does a pup need to be rescued. The mother returns to her sweet pup and all is well.

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

Fog is shrouding the immediate coast, but it is sunny a little ways away. I am looking out at a sea of white today; it's covering the Pacific Ocean. No wind today, which is nice.