Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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A Mendonoma sunset is something to be savored. This is what John Wall saw from his Sea Ranch home last week. Isn't beautiful?

I asked John if those were Brown Pelicans resting on the island and he said yes! Brown Pelicans are now headed southward. They are being seen here in very large numbers.

Bonus photo from John! Dash, the dog, points out a vole or gopher. What a dog!

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

Smoke from fires far to our north drifted in overnight...ugh. And it's quite warm, over 80 degrees at Rick's and my place in Anchor Bay. Cooler weather is predicted and even a chance of sprinkles on Friday. So, hopefully the smoke will be fleeting.

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Amaryllis belladonna, fondly called Naked Ladies, are native to South Africa. But this ornamental seems to love the Mendonoma Coast, and begins blooming this time of year. One person told me they are a reminder that Autumn is coming.

Christine Haas found some blooming at The Sea Ranch. She wrote, "These Naked Ladies in the field across the street at the intersection of Leeward and Backpack were just stunning. A clump alone in the middle of the field, almost all of them gazing west towards the sunset. The color is exquisite - much more vivid than in lower Sonoma County. It’s got to be that fresh, clean air! And maybe the magnificent views! I mean, who wouldn’t want to be one of these Naked Ladies?”

These bulbs sprout leaves in the spring but they have long died back. So the tall stem with multiple pink flowers is "naked" of leaves. And they are fragrant. I love 'em!

Thanks to Christine for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

No fog today - yes, even Point Arena had sun this morning as attested by my sister, Linda Bostwick! It's sunny and very breezy, temps in the mid 70s.

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This is the beautiful sight Gary Levenson-Palmer saw in Irish Beach - a dramatic sunset. It looks rather like a painting!

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

Sunny and warmer today, and the breezes picked up this afternoon. Many Humpback Whales are being seen off our coast. Here's a report from Friday by Scott and Tree Mercer of the Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study:

Friday August 25,2023. Point Arena Peninsula and Saunders Reef.
Foggy, overcast morning but with 4 plus miles of visibility.
NW 8,
Bright sun by noon.
23 humpbacks stretched from the California Coastal Monument to NNW of the Lighthouse.
Lots of breaching, some chin slams, flipper slaps.
None seen at Saunders Reef.
Also
1 Northern harrier
Unknown oyster catchers
hundreds of pelicans both southbound in groups up to 30. Many other pelicans circling and diving for food over the humpbacks.
2 osprey.

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Mike Petrich and Karen Wilkinson were out looking for birds. Mike wrote, “There have been a variety of inhabitants on the coastal beaches and rocks the last few days. Always looking for a new bird, Karen spotted two new species (for us) this week. Her Bird of the Day is at 187 and over the weekend we photographed a Ruddy Turnstone in breeding plumage and the large flock of Sooty Shearwaters."

We’re hoping for more new sightings since we are running out of ‘known birds’ for the website!”

This Ruddy Turnstone is just coming out of breeding plumage. To see Karen's fantastic bird of the day website, here is the link: http://www.mpkw.com/BirdOfTheDay

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

It's a beautiful, mild day here on the Mendonoma Coast today, with no wind. Huckleberries are ripe and ready for picking, which what I did with several friends earlier today!

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It turns out there are two juvenile Great Horned Owls at the southern part of The Sea Ranch. Eric Zetterholm wrote, “I saw the two young owls together on the rooftop of what I think are airplane hangers at the TSR airstrip. It's been foggy at sunset for the past week but on a couple nights the owls were extremely kind in landing in shorter trees close to the roadside. One owl flew to a treetop just before us, almost as if to greet us."

"I’m very surprised at how close I have been able to get with Sydney [the dog] on leash walking up the street. The owls seem to favor the Timber Ridge side of the airstrip and most evenings are starting out with calls coming from the trees around the sag pond there. I’m very much enjoying having owls in walking distance from the house.” Eric got a cute photo of the two owls from the back."

Their fluffy feathers show they are juveniles. And their screaming to be fed also is a big clue!

To see the photo of these two owls from the front, check out today's Independent Coast Observer Community News newspaper! To subscribe, here's the website: https://mendonoma.com/subscribe.htm That way you'd also get to read my weekly column, Mendonoma Sightings!

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

It was quite warm here yesterday, but it cooled off nicely today. Fog is coming up from the south, which is a little unusual - it usually comes from the north.