Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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Allen Vinson photographed an Osprey with its catch of the day, a fish! The Osprey looks very intent, don't  you agree?

Steve Woolson photographed an Osprey flying near Salal Creek on another sunny day. You can tell it was windy by the white caps on the ocean.

Ospreys usually stay on the Mendonoma Coast until the first of autumn. Then they leave, migrating far to our south. One or two have been known to stay here and overwinter, rather than migrate. We'll have to see if that happens this year.

Thanks to Allen and Steve for allowing me to share their photos with  you here.

Foggy coast-side, sunny when you move a bit inland, and quite mild. No smoke smell, but the sunlight has a red tinge to it, so some smoke particles are here.

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This is something you don't see very often, if at all. But here is photographic evidence, this time by Lloyd Kreuser. He saw a Western Scrub Jay perched on the back of a fawn. If you look closely, you can see the jay has some of the fawn's hair in its beak.

Last month Eric Zetterholm photographed a Cowbird on the back of a Doe. You can view that post at this link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2020/07/19/eric-zetterholm-photographed-a-hitchhiking-bird-a-rare-photo/

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

Early morning fog has given way to brilliant sunshine. No smoke from the wildfires and I'm happy to tell you that Highway One to our south has reopened.

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This wildflower blooms in the summer months, and it's not a common flower to see. King's Gentian, Gentiana sceptrum, is native to California, though it is found in other areas. Craig Tooley photographed the beautiful flower several weeks ago.

The blossom doesn't open any further than this, I'm told. They grow in moist areas, wetlands and bogs.

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

The fog rolled in, and the smoke from the wildfires is gone here on the Mendonoma coast. Our house at the 650 foot elevation has been the fog line today. The side facing the ocean is in fog and the side facing east has been in intermittent sunshine. The coolness is welcome and is helping those fighting the fires.

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John Harmon spotted this sweet sight, a Doe nuzzling her Fawn in the early morning light.

John captured a beautiful moment here on the Mendonoma Coast. I thank him for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

Smoke from the wildfires arrived yesterday but it has abated some this afternoon. I just received the most welcome news that Highway One has reopened to our south this afternoon!

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If you follow these blog posts or read my column in the Independent Coast Observer, you know that we have had a mated pair of Bald Eagles in Gualala for the past several years. We've been wishing and hoping they would have a chick and it looks like they did this year. Steve Woolson photographed the family near Salal Creek, which is very close to the Gualala River. The fledgling is eating a bird that one of the adults caught for him/her.

The fierce-looking mother is on the right. You can make out a few stray dark hairs on her head. A totally white head denotes a mature bald eagle. She was obviously mature enough this year to hatch an egg and nurture her chick. The father had been seen diligently fishing and then flying upriver with his catch. We believe the nest is in the watershed of the Gualala River.

So, how about this goo - no, great - news?! We need it, right? Thanks to Steve for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

We have no smoke from the wildfires here, as the wind is pushing it southward. In fact, if you didn't read or listen to the news, you'd never know anything was amiss if you were on the Mendonoma Coast! It's sunny and breezy today. Many Humpbacks were seen today too.