Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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The Point Arena Lighthouse has a feline Guest Relations Manager and Rodent Control Specialist named Arena Mina, according to Lighthouse Executive Director Mark Hancock. He wrote, “Arena Mina was lounging in her office doorway when a Great Blue Heron landed in the field outside and proceeded to start hunting gophers. ‘That’s actually one of my jobs, but there are enough to go around out there,’ Mina said.'

Mina continues, ‘In any event, after one failed attempt, the heron strolled away towards the Lighthouse and ultimately out beyond the fence-line to the bluff where it was finally successful. One less for me!’”

It's nice to know there is no competition between Arena Mina and that hard-working Great Blue Heron! Thanks to Mark for the cute story and for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

The Point Arena Lighthouse and surround grounds, plus the Point Arena-Stornetta Land abutting it, is one of my favorite places on the coast. Here is a link to learn more about our favorite lighthouse: http://pointarenalighthouse.com/

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Mary and Dard Hunter had a Chestnut-backed Chickadee nest in their birdhouse. Can you see the chick peeking out the hole?

Mary took this photo, headed into town to do a few errands, and by the time she returned, her husband, Dard, told her the chicks had fledged!

Here's a close-up of one of these beautiful, little birds, taken by Dorise Ford. It's unusual for a chickadee to be at a seed feeder, as they are insect eaters. Maybe this chickadee was just resting!

Here is a map showing their range.

image of range map for Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Rick and I also had a family of these chickadees this year in a birdhouse we had attached to a tree. Now we are hearing the fledglings in the trees. They travel in fairly large groups, sometimes accompanied by Pygmy Nuthatches. I love their chirping calls, one of which is "chick-a-dee-dee."

Thanks to Mary and Dorise for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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John Landon and family from Bozeman, MT were vacationing here at the end of June. John wrote, “One afternoon we hiked a short distance into a Sonoma coast cove to hunt for beach glass and abalone shells. We spotted an aerie on the cliff face above the cove with two well-feathered Peregrine Falcon babies. Also, on the cliff face above the beach was a just-fledged Peregrine on top of a Tan-oak.”

The Landons watched the parents feeding their offspring and encouraging the other two chicks to fledge. John came back the next day to find the nest empty. He brought his long lens and got some wonderful photos of one of the fledglings.

Peregrine Falcons used to be a rare sighting, but we have had successful nests for the past several years. It's good to see them thriving here on the Mendonoma Coast!

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

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Rick and Teresa Denniston noticed this Peregrine Falcon perched in the snag usually occupied by the two resident Bald Eagles.

Two Peregrines have been seen near Arena Cove recently. We had several successful nest on the Mendonoma coast this year. Tomorrow I will show you a few photos of a Peregrine who had just fledged.

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

It's foggy, no, it's sunny, wait, it's foggy again. That's the weather report on the immediate coast. Warm, though, with very little wind. Rick and I walked at Gualala Point Regional Park late this morning with our rescue golden retriever, Duffy. Put these words to the tune "The Twelve Days of Christmas." This is what we saw.

Three bucks with antlers, Two Brown Pelicans, and an island full of many, many birds.

Gualala Point Island was nearly covered in birds today. Common Murre chicks are getting ready to fledge by leaping off the island into the ocean, following the sound of their fathers' voices. Good luck, little Murre chicks!

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A rare plant has bloomed near Rick’s and my home in Anchor Bay, last year and this year too. We took wildflower aficionados Mel Smith and Linda Bostwick to see the spiky maroon and white flower last weekend. There, growing in sandy soil and forest duff, was a Sugarstick, Allotropa virgata.

Here's a closer view of the flowers - they are quite beautiful.

Sugarsticks, also called Candysticks, are parasitic plants. They feed on fungi in the soil. The two places I’ve found them have Matsutake mushrooms in the fall. If you have known Matsutake spots, look and see if you might also have Sugersticks. Last year’s flowers are still standing as leathery thin stalks.

Interesting that they seem to be associated with Matsutake fungus!

We have had cool, foggy weather on the Mendonoma coast this week. The sun finally appeared mid-afternoon. There are lots of people here with their fancy cars, as there is a car show on Saturday at Gualala Arts. It's free and lots of fun. Here is a link to the Gualala Arts Center about the event: http://gualalaarts.org/2018/07/10th-annual-gualala-arts-auto-show-8th-annual-pinewood-derby/