Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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Peter Baye wrote, "Here are photos of the big ‘cheese wheel’ disc concretion about midway along Bowling Ball Beach’s erosion-refreshed cliffs. There is always a new view!"

"Plus, a big earthflow dropped a tree and mass of ice plant down to the shore."

"The beach is gone for now, but will probably return with months of gentle swell.” Peter wrote that the concretion disc was one of the largest he has seen, over 12 feet in diameter and only a foot thick. He described it “like a big coin.”

Bowling Ball Beach is a great place to beach comb after a storm.

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

Wild, wet storm yesterday, Sunday. Today the wind is howling! It is to be clear weather for several days ahead.

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Ron Bolander photographed this Snowy Plover at Manchester State Beach. The bird has four bands on its legs.

I'd be interested in learning why any bird needed four tags. Snowy Plovers are wading birds. Their numbers have been decreasing and their status is "Near Threatened." A flock of several dozen call Manchester State Beach home. Dogs are not allowed in that area to protect these birds. The Snowy Plover's call is a soft whistle. You can hear it at this link, which is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Plover/sounds

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

Today started out cloudy, then the sun broke through. But the wind picked up and it's blowing pretty hard this afternoon. Rain for tomorrow, Sunday.

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Chris Pechal sent in the first photo of a blooming Calypso Orchid.

Don't be deceived by Chris' photo - the flower and stalk are very tiny, only about two inches high. I always first look for the dark green leaf that lays flat on the ground.

Never try to transplant these orchids as they need a fungus in the soil to thrive. They are tiny jewels of the deep forests, forests that are undisturbed by humans.

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

After all the drenching rain and hail, we are gifted with a spring-like day. Temps hit 70 degrees today. Another sunny day is predicted for tomorrow and then some more of the wet stuff.

 

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John and Nicole Forte went tide pooling off Navigtor's Beach on The Sea Ranch. They spotted this small octopus, who's common name is Ruby Octopus or Pacific Red Octopus.

The Ruby Octopus is thought to be very intelligent, like most octopuses. They have distinctive personalities. Like all octopuses, they can change color and texture. What an amazing little octopus John and Nicole found.

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

We are having minus tides in the afternoon now, a perfect time to find a tide pool to explore!

Today we are having the calm after the storm. It's cool but absolutely beautiful. Tree Mercer tells me she and Scott are seeing lots of Gray Whales swimming northward today.

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Rick Denniston had several other photos of the Bald Eagle eating what appeared to be a huge lizard. In this photo I could see that the Bald Eagle was eating a Lamprey, an eel-like fish found in the Gualala River.

Mystery solved!

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

Another wild weather day. Early this morning, with the temperature barely reaching 40 degrees, a hailstorm hit. Here's our deck in Anchor Bay covered in hail.