Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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It is said Bobcats are nocturnal but they are often seen in the daylight here on the Coast. Siegfried Matull recently photographed a Bobcat on the hunt, with one paw up in the air. Looks like the cat with the tufted ears and bobbed tail has found a tasty rodent.

Bobcat with a vole by Siegfried Matull

And the Bobcat was successful, nabbing a Vole.

Bobcat catches a Vole by Siegfried Matull

Here is one of my favorite Bobcat photos, also taken by Siegfried.

Bobcat Face by Siegfried Matull

Bobcats are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast and they bring a touch of wild nature into our lives.

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

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Sea Lions are fun to watch. They are a common sighting off the Mendonoma Coast. They are noisy, barking often. Killer Whales hunt them. Richard Kuehn got a photo of Sea Lions swimming hard and fast. Perhaps there was an Orca or two after them.

Sea Lions swimming hard and fast by Richard Kuehn

Sea Lions can look like porpoises, because when they swim fast they "porpoise" through the water. Jon Loveless photographed this action.

Sea Lions porpoising by Jon Loveless

They also gather together in rafts, which is what Rozann Grunig photographed.

Sea Lions rafting off of TSR by Rozann Grunig

It is thought they raft together for protection. They hold a flipper up in the air to either warm up or cool down - thermoregulation.

And lastly, Sea Lions are very curious. Craig Tooley was out kayaking when a group came in close to check him out.

Sea Lions seen from a kayak JUNE by Craig Tooley

Thanks to Rich, Jon, Rozann and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com To see Rozann's nature photography, here is her website: www.highway1designs.com

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Little Prince's Pine, Chimaphila menziesii, is blooming now on the Mendonoma Coast. They are fairly rare so it's a treat to see one. Ken Browning recently photographed one he found on The Sea Ranch.

One is also blooming on the Gualala Ridge. There are a few on our neighbor's property but they haven't put out a bloom yet. This native wildflower is also called Pipsissewa. It is only about two inches high and the leaves are saw-toothed.

Wildflowers like these are Mother Nature's way of seeing if you are paying attention!

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

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Usually I receive wonderful photos of newborn fawns, sometimes leaping with joy like this one.

A young Fawn leaps by Allen Vinson

Allen Vinson got this photo. He said he got it because he saw the Fawn doing this just before it took off - peeing!

Fawn peeing by Allen Vinson

Now there's something you don't see every day. Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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Pelagic Cormorants nest on rocky bluff faces. There is a colony at The Sea Ranch and another at the north end of Hearn Gulch. Craig Tooley photographed a nest full of hatchlings off TSR.

Pelagic Cormorant nest with hatchlings by Craig Tooley

Rick and I didn't know Pelagic Cormorants were nesting at Hearn Gulch but when we hiked there recently we saw these black seabirds coming and going. If you look closely you can see two Pelagic Cormorants on the rock face. Other nests were obviously on the bluff facing west as the birds were flying to and fro.

Pelagic Cormorant nest at Hearn Gulch by Jeanne Jackson (Large)

Yes, it's too bad I don't have Craig Tooley's most excellent camera lens! To find Hearn Gulch, a fairly new public access gem, park at mile marker 10.0 just north of Iversen Road in Mendocino County. To learn more about new accesses, visit the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy website at: www.rc-lc.org

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