Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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Steve wrote, "On a Memorial Day weekend walk at Pelican Bluffs with friends, I encountered this lizard on the trail. They're great photo subjects - they don't move a muscle!”

Steve’s wife, Nancy, told me this type of lizard is often bitten by ticks. There is a protein in the lizard’s blood that cleanses the tick of Lyme disease. They also eat ticks and other invertebrates such as insects and spiders. Perhaps a cure for Lyme disease will come from studying how this lizard is able to neutralize it. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

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

It's already heating up on the Mendonoma Coast. Point Arena puts on their annual fireworks tomorrow night, Saturday, at the Pier. And the parade is Sunday at noon. The weather should be great if you like it warm.

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Lynda Opperman and Howard Curtis noticed this tiny nest with two Anna's Hummingbird chicks inside.

This is a very good reason why you shouldn't prune bushes or trees during nesting season! Isn't the nest exquisite? The mother hummer builds it with lichen, moss and spiderwebs. The nest expands as the chicks grow because of the spiderwebs. Good planning, mother hummer!

Some years ago Siegfried Matull photographed an Anna's Hummingbird nest. Here it is with two eggs. The mother has lined the inside of the nest with feathers and other soft materials.

Here the mother is sitting on her eggs.

And here are her two chicks.

This is a wonderful time of year, bursting with new life, here on the Mendonoma coast.

Thanks to Lynda and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Eric Duff recently photographed the sky at Cooks Beach. He actually capture a  circumhorizontal arc, also sometimes called a fire rainbow, and a halo around the sun.

These are both formed because of ice crystals in the atmosphere. They refract and reflect the light. Very wonderful photo. Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share it with you here.

The fog pulled back and we are having a sunny, mild day on the coast. Much warmer weather for the holiday weekend.

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Rick and Teresa Denniston had an exciting time watching a mother Deer with her Fawn at their Gualala home. Rick wrote, “We have been dealing with a lot of family drama today. This Doe and Fawn showed up two hours ago. The Fawn was very high energy, running back and forth all over the property, occasionally stopping to nurse."

“The Fawn got tired, went up to a big rock below our bedroom, curled up in the tall grass, and went to sleep. Mom must feel that the baby was safe, because she has been gone for over an hour and a half.”

Deer do leave their fawns in safe places so they can feed for themselves. Rick wrote further, “About an hour after sunset, the mom showed up and guided her baby off the property. Easiest babysitting ever!”

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

Oh my, it was hot yesterday. It reached 97 degrees at our house in Anchor Bay, about 20 degrees above normal. Early this morning the blessed fog rolled in, a 40 degree swing in temperature. Living in the coast, fog can roll in suddenly. A friend once told me, "Embrace your inner fog!" That works for me.

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This male Western Bluebird took quite an energetic bath at the birdbath Pat and Bill Mutch put out in their garden.

Putting water out for wildlife is sure to bring you fun sightings like this.

Thanks to Bill for allowing me to share his photo with you here. I had a happy discovery this morning - a Chestnut-backed Chickadee nest in a nesting box we put up earlier this year. I will try to get some photos to share.