Sightings

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Karen Wilkinson recently photographed a Harbor Seal eating an Octopus.

The Harbor Seal looks pretty happy about it too!

Here is one of my favorite photos of Harbor Seals, which was taken by Siegfried Matull some years ago. These two came up under kelp - and they look like they are wearing crowns of seaweed.

Thanks to Karen and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Another beautiful day here on the Mendonoma coast. Even Point Arena, notoriously foggy during the summer months, is seeing nothing but sunshine!

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Craig Tooley photographed this native plant several weeks ago. It's called Twinberry, Lonicera involucrata.

The dark "twin" berries are encircled by maroon bracts, giving them quite a distinctive look. The berries are said to be terribly bitter, so we'll just enjoy their beauty on the bush.

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 website:

The fog pulled back in the Gualala/Anchor Bay area today, and we are having a lovely day with gentle breezes. sigh...

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Craig Tooley photographed these two Bucks practicing their fighting skills using their antlers.

The mating season of the Black-tailed Mule Deer begins around the start of autumn - it's called the rut. For now peacefulness reigns. But all bets are off during the rut!

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 website: www.ruffimage.com

The Mendonoma coast is draped with cool, moist fog this morning. It's suppose to clear up and warm up for the coming weekend. For now, we celebrate the moisture the fog brings.

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With the Serge, a ceremonial hitching post structure, in the foreground, the sunset is beautifully framed behind it. Paul Brewer captured this lovely sight.

Gualala Point Regional Park is such a treasure. The Gualala River is just to the north of the park, and the town of Gualala just north of the river.

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/

It's a beautiful, cool day here today, with lots of visitors celebrating the Labor Day holiday.

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Hundreds of young Brown Pelicans have been migrating northward. These hatched-this-year pelicans have brown heads and white underparts. They are accompanied by a few older pelicans. The adult pelicans have white heads and brown underparts. They are also accompanied by dark gulls, Heermann’s Gulls. These smart gulls let the pelicans find fish for them, sometimes even stealing it out of a pelican’s mouth.

When there is forage fish in the water, many birds feast. Craig Tooley photographed a feeding frenzy by Gualala Point Island with Brown Pelicans and several types of Gulls. Brown Pelicans plunge dive, beak first, for fish. It’s quite a sight.

Brown Pelicans also rest in rivers and on offshore rocks. Paul Brewer wrote, “There was a congregation of Brown Pelicans behind Breaker’s Inn having a spa day [on the Gualala River.] I got a few interesting shots from the Gualala Bluff Trail when they all decided to fly at once. They did that twice while I was there. They enjoyed their spa day, but all headed north about 6:30 pm.”

We almost lost Brown Pelicans due to the pesticide DDT, which made their eggshells so thin that they broke when the mothers sat on them. Since DDT was banned, the pelicans have recovered in numbers. To see them flying just over the bluffs is a thrilling sight.

Thanks to Craig and Paul 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. And to see more of Paul's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/