Sightings

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On Christmas day, Mel Smith spotted and photographed perhaps the first appearing Slink Pod, Scoliopus bigelovii.

This wildflower is a member of the Lily family. Its distinctive leaves are just barely showing. But they will grow in the weeks ahead. They are mottled, so if you see them in the spring, long after these exquisite flowers, then remember where they are so you can look for them next winter. Here's a photo of the leaves, taken by Craig Tooley a few years ago.

Thanks to Mel and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Clouds are pouring in and the surface water of the ocean is  now flowing northward - all signs that a storm is on the way!

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Let's face it, 2021 was a tough year for us humans. But the beauty of Mother Earth continued unabated. Carl Shapiro photographed this rainbow last Monday, from The Sea Ranch. Such beauty!

Look how green and lush the coast looks after all the wonderful rain we've had!

Michael Beattie also photographed a magnificent rainbow, this one appeared near Point Arena about ten days ago.

Thanks to Carl and Michael for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Breezy and very chilly on the Mendonoma Coast today. Several dozen Gray Whales were spotted yesterday, Thursday, headed south. Looks like the southward migration has begun in earnest. Many thousand of Grays still to swim by, headed for the birthing lagoons off Baja California. You can see some photos of the whales seen yesterday on Shari Goforth-Eby's blog at this link: https://mendonomagraywhale.com/migraytions-blog-home/f/the-southbound-migration-is-in-full-swing

Happy New Year! May 2022 be a better year for us all.

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Drew Fagan noticed this group of mushrooms on a stump at his Gualala area home. He put together this collage of what we think are Laughing Gym, Gymnopilus junonius, non-edible mushrooms.

You will see Drew labeled them as they aged. It's interesting that no animals ate these mushrooms. Perhaps they are toxic to animals too. It's also fun to note the grasses growing in Drew's collage. We've had a LOT of rain and the grasses are abundant and lush.

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

The rains have moved out for a few days, though it's still quite cold. It's nice to see sunshine today!

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Ron Bolander was at Gualala Point Regional Park photographing birds between storms. He found this gorgeous male American Kestrel. I love how one feather is lifted by the wind.

Ron also found a Bald Eagle soaring through the air.

ah, to be able to fly!

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

Today is very cold...brrr....and lightly raining. We added another .20 inch of rain yesterday for a season to date total of 33.85 inches. After tonight's rain, we are suppose to get a break until late Sunday. With the King Tides this weekend, and New Year's Eve, this weekend would be a great time to be here on the Mendonoma Coast.

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John Sheafe has a pretty good fish story for you today. He wrote, "This big fish is a six pound Copper Rockfish, aka Lingcod impersonator. My sweetie, Kathleen, was screaming up a storm. She was certain she was going to win the five dollar bet for catching the first Lingcod as the Copper Rockfish was fighting hard and taking line. Shortly thereafter I  had a similar experience. For me it was two Vermilion Rockfish I had on my line at the same time. In all my years, I have never caught two Vermilions at the same time.”

John told me his and Kathleen’s colorful catch was from a new, secret spot north of Gualala.

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

Today, Monday Dec. 27, is showery and VERY cold. Well, cold for the California coast! It's barely 40 degrees, breezy, with brief downpours, some with hail in them. Will it snow tonight? I will report back! We received 3/4 of an inch of rain overnight and the total season to date is 33.60 inches. I hear the drought breaking!