Sightings

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Here's the story from Susan Stephens: "On Tuesday, Dec 3rd, I was still sleeping when I thought my subconscious told me it heard a thump against a window.  I didn’t wake up since I was in that 'twilight sleep' and forgot about that happening when I actually did wake up.  About 10 a.m. I went out the front door to go for a walk.  I saw something out of the corner of my right eye and it was this little cutie sitting there about 5 feet from the glass front door on the cement apron in front of our garage."

"I was so amazed I froze, not wanting to scare it, then squatted down and gently talked to it to see if I could get a response.  It just sat there staring back at me.  I got goose bumps looking into its big open eyes, then finally each eye blinked individually.  It didn’t appear to be injured, both wings looked in good shape and there were no feathers on the ground.  I very slowly backed up and went into the house to get my camera hoping it would still be there when I returned.  It was and that’s when I took the photos. My neighbor, Mary and I looked at where the owl was and decided it probably had flown into the reflection of the glass front door and was dazed. Then the little owl turned its head about 2/3 around and look in a different direction and suddenly flew into another outside corner area by the garage. Mary and I walked over to its new location and then it flew up and made a sharp right up and over the garage and out of our sight. It headed towards a forested area. We walked over in that direction and looked around but didn’t see it again. Happily, I guess it was okay!"

These tiny owls are forest dwellers and quite nocturnal. What this owl was doing near a meadow on The Sea Ranch is a mystery, but we are glad he/she recovered and flew back to the forest.

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

Wow, we had a pretty vigorous rainstorm come through today, and the ocean is roaring! I love (near) winter storms.

 

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Birders think this could be an irruption year for Red Crossbills, when these finches wander into areas they aren't usually seen. They follow their food source, which is seeds found in cones from pines, Douglas firs, hemlocks and spruce trees. Just look at their beaks, specially made to open cones. Nicholas Pinette recently photographed a male.

The females are yellow, and Nicholas was kind enough to send a photo of one in for comparison to the male.

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

After yesterday's rain, it's turned cold! Well, cold for the Mendonoma coast. Clouds are zipping by and the ocean swells have been big. No rain predicted for the next couple of days.

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The Ernest Bloch Bell Ringers at Gualala Arts Saturday, December 14, 3 pm.
Bell Ringers Holiday Concert for the Coast.


The Ernest Bloch Bell Ringers will present their annual Holiday Concert for the Coast concert on Saturday, December 14 at 3 pm in the Coleman Auditorium of the Gualala Arts Center. This concert is sure to get you in the holiday spirit. The concert is scheduled for Saturday, December 14 at 3 pm. Tickets are $15 advance, $5 additional when purchased the day of. Tickets available at Gualala Arts and Dolphin Gallery, and at BrownPaperTickets.

It should be great! I'm on the back left row. I've enjoyed ringing the bells over the years but one year, just a month before a big concert, my golden retriever, Huckleberry, pulled me over in a parking lot and I broke my wrist. I was forced out of my comfort zone and had to switch with our then conductor, Sita Milchev. What I found out was that I LOVED conducting, and I've been doing it ever since.

Rainy on the coast today with BIG crashing waves.

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Margaret Lindgren was on the bluffs at Gualala Point Regional Park when she saw a Gray Whale very close to the surf break.The person on the beach is pointing to the whale.

In this next photo the whale is spouting and you can see some of his body on the left.

Here again the whale spouts.

And then the Gray Whale spyhopped!

Spyhopping is when the whale's head comes up vertically from the ocean. We think the whale is either looking around, or listening for the surf break. Or maybe you have a theory!

Thanks to Margaret for allowing me to share her photos with you here. Margaret leads fabulous nature hikes here on the Mendonoma Coast. Her website is: http://www.unbeatenpathtours.com/index.html

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I find hummingbirds difficult to photograph unless they are resting on a branch. Michael Reinhart obviously has no trouble photographing one on the wing.

And here the little Anna's Hummingbird rest on a branch.

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

Storm report: We received 2.80 inches at our house in Anchor Bay. Today we are bathed in sunshine.