Sightings

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Cream Cups, Platystemon californicus, are blooming now. They are members of the Poppy family and are found on sunny  areas. This year we are having a wonderful bloom of them, as Ron LeValley found out.

Mary Sue Ittner also recently photographed them, from a different angle.

Their sunny faces are sure to make you smile! We are smiling on the coast today as the strong winds that blew for the past two days have moved on. It's a perfect time to enjoy all the spring beauty on the Mendonoma coast.

Thanks to Ron and Mary Sue for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://levalleyphoto.com/home/

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Alder Creek is at the northern border of Manchester State Park. It is also where the San Andreas earthquake fault heads out to sea. Bonney Ely recently photographed the creek, full with all the rains we have had this year.

Alder Creek Road used to be our public access road to the north end of the park, but it washed out some years ago. I sincerely hope the County of Mendocino will consider rebuilding this road, but currently it seems to have been abandoned. Here is a photo Mary Sue Ittner took of the abandoned road.

Yes, you can walk in from Highway 1, but it is a long hike. Ceanothus, wild lilac, is blooming on the left.

Thanks to Bonney and Mary Sue for allowing me to share their photos with you  here.

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Paul Brewer's wife, Jacquie, called out for him to get his camera quick! There in a tree by their Gualala home was an immature Bald Eagle.

Robert Keiffer and Ron LeValley took a look at Paul's photo and determined this is a one-year old Bald Eagle, an immature. They can fly great distances, so we have no idea if this eagle was born near here, or somewhere much further away.

Here is a photo Chris Beach took of the two mature Bald Eagles, presumably a mated pair, that have been thrilling us with sightings by the mouth of the Gualala River.

And we have news that there is a confirmed Bald Eagle nest north of Gualala, on private, remote land. I was told there was an active nest last year, and again this year. Perhaps we will have a nest discovered in the watershed of the Gualala River too. These are exciting developments for those of us who love these magnificent birds of prey.

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

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Mary Sue Ittner recently photographed the bluffs at Black Point Beach while on a hiking jaunt with the Thursday Ramblers. This is a  wonderful place to see native wildflowers, and some non-native, very colorful flowers too. The flowers in the foreground are native wildflowers called Goldfields, Lasthenia californica.

Goldfields are blooming in profusion on many coastal bluffs. The Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands are another good spot to see them. They are members of the Sunflower family. Here is a close-up photo Mary Sue took of these flowers.

Thanks to Mary Sue for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

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David Wickland photographed a Harbor Seal mother with her newborn pup.

The mother touches her nose to her pup's face, bonding.

The afterbirth is coveted by many birds, as it is very nutritious. A group of Turkey Vultures moved in to squabble over who gets to eat it.

As we learn more about Nature, we learn how connected everything is. It's a wonder to behold.

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