Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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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.

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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.

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Michael Reinhart trained his camera on a beautiful male Anna's Hummingbird. As the sunlight shone on the little bird, the iridescent colors were revealed.

Mike also photographed a male Allen's Hummingbird, the feisty cousin of the Anna's.

Allen's Hummingbirds numbers are in decline, whereas the Anna's seem to be thriving.

Thanks to Mike for giving us these close-up views of these vibrant hummers.

A beautiful, sunny day on the Mendonoma coast today. Windy on the bluffs with lots of white caps on the ocean. Mary Heibel met me at the Point Arena Lighthouse gates and showed me a wildflower I hadn't seen before, Wallflowers. More on them in another post!

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Ospreys returned to the Mendonoma Coast several weeks ago. They got busy rebuilding their stick nests. Ospreys mostly eat fish, and it's a treat to see them dive for a fish feet-first. Steve Bennett photographed a successful Osprey.

Notice how the Osprey carries the fish. They always fly with the head of the fish positioned to the front. It's more aerodynamic that way.

I love the calls of Osprey. I've been hearing them every day since they returned. To hear their whistling calls, here is the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/sounds

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

Cool weather has returned. We had fog today. It burned back around 2 pm here in Anchor Bay.

 

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Many  native wildflowers are quite small. It's Mother Nature's way of seeing if you are paying attention! Amy Ruegg is definitely paying attention. Here are some of the beauties she found recently. The first is Hound's Tongue, Cynoglossum grande, a member of the Forget-me-not Family.

Redwood Violets, Viola sempervirens, are blooming now too.

The lovely Wild Ginger, Asarum caudatum, joins in the chorus.

And Amy also found Douglas Iris, Iris douglasiana, one of the coast's larger wildflowers.

Thanks to Amy for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

Another warm day with no wind. It's easy to spot Gray Whale spouts on the ocean. Changes are afoot though, with cooler temps and the possibility of some wet stuff in a few days.