Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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Michael Coustier was watching the action as the Western Gull managed to snag an Ochre Sea Star for his/her meal.

Michael  wrote, “Walking the Gualala Point Regional Park, I saw this Western gull wedged between a couple of rocks.  It looked...odd.  I waited for a moment for him to pop up and saw he was carrying this sea star. I watched him struggle to ingest the sea star for many minutes - it was pretty comical watching him attempt various positions to get the sea star to go down.”

MCOUSTIER@PROTONMAIL.COM
MCOUSTIER@PROTONMAIL.COM

I guess we'll have to file this one under the title, "Where there's a will, there's a way!"

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

We've had some downpours here today and have received over an inch of rain. I'll report totals with my next post!

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Bill Budge had his camera at the ready when one of the migrating gray whales breached. He wrote, “I got this photo of a gray whale breaching from our deck. He/she was probably just off Cooks Beach.”

We've seen the first mother/calf pairs. Yesterday, Tuesday, Shari Goforth found a pair just north of Gualala. In the first photo, the mother whale blows three times. In the second photo you can see a calf pressed up to its mom and giving a smaller, solo blow.

Thanks to Bill and Shari for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Another calm, beautiful day today.

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Lynn Bailey sent along a motion detector video from March 4 at the Villa del Mar main dumpster. This is in Gualala. It showed a mountain lion strolling through, a gray fox hurrying along, two more mountain lions, followed by a raccoon. The raccoon headed straight for the dumpster.

Here's a photo of a healthy-looking Mountain Lion taken by Susan Sandoval for you to see.

Here is the lone Mountain Lion:

Next is the Gray Fox:

Then two Mountain Lions:

And lastly the Raccoon:

That's a busy place! Thanks to Lynn for allowing me to share his videos with you here. the photo of the Mountain Lion was taken in a previous year by Susan Sandoval. The Sandovals and Lynn Bailey live fairly close to one another!

It's a spectacular day here today. Sunny and warm. Happy Easter and Happy Passover to those who celebrate them!

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Here is a Calypso Orchid which was photographed by Eddie Reiter. These flowers are so tiny, it's amazing we see them. But the splash of pink/purple amongst the greens and browns may very well catch your eye.

Chris Pechal found a rare white Calypso Orchid, which is a treat to see.

Karen Wilkinson found one of her favorite wildflowers, a Checker Lily.

Many more wildflowers are blooming now as we are having an early bloom.

Thanks to Eddie, Chis and Karen for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

It's sunny and warm here today, with no wind. There is a chance of rain in a few days. I hope so!

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Flying over bluffs and the Pacific Ocean, Aleutian Cackling Geese have been streaming northward in very large flocks.  Eric Zetterholm photographed this sight on The Sea Ranch.

Michael Coustier got a closer look.

MCOUSTIER@PROTONMAIL.COM

Shari Goforth got this video as the geese passed Gualala Point Island.

Aleutian Cackling Geese headed north by Shari Goforth

To hear their "cackling" calls, here is the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology"

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cackling_Goose/sounds

Thanks to Eric, Michael and Shari for allowing me to share their photos and video with you here.

It's sunny and warm here today with no wind.