Sightings

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Beverly Naso watched as three River otter pups played on rocks off of the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands.

Three River Otter babies playing on the rocks by Beverly NasoA curious Western gull flew over to watch the scene and the three pups stopped playing to watch it. Perhaps they were thinking of making a meal of the gull!

A Western Gull watchs three young River Otters by Beverly NasoRiver otters look cute, but they can be feisty. They cannot abide pollution in the water, so the fact that they are here is a testament to our clean waters.

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

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Margaret Lindgren, who owns Unbeaten Path Tours, recently led a tour out on the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands at low tide. Here are three photos of the beautiful scenery, and the Point Arena Lighthouse in the distance.

Low tide at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands by Margaret LindgrenThe bluffs at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands by Margaret LindgrenThe arched rocks at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands by Margaret LindgrenThis Saturday, August 6th, there is a special event at the Lands:

3rd Annual Discover the Coast

The Friends of Point Arena-Stornetta Lands, the Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers and the Bureau of Land Management invites you to the 3rd Annual Discover the Coast, on Saturday August 6, from 10am to 2pm at Point Arena City Hall, from 10am to 4pm at the Point Arena Lighthouse, and a screening of the documentary “Dancing Salmon Home” at 6pm at the Coast Community Library.

Enjoy a day of discovery at the Point Arena - Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument, the Mendocino College Field Station and the Point Arena Lighthouse. Explore the Discovery Trail, exhibits and food booths.   Free admission, parking and shuttle.

To learn more about Saturday's event, here's the Friends of the Lands website: http://pointarenastornetta.org/

Thanks to Margaret for allowing me to share her photos with you here. To visit her website, here is the link: http://www.unbeatenpathtours.com/index.html

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Mark Simkins photographed the setting sun through trees near Manchester recently.  The sun looks huge!

A magnificent sunset at Manchester by Mark SimkinsSeeing the sun set "into the ocean" is one of the privileges of being on the Mendonoma coast.

We've had a lot of fog since last Saturday. But the fog lifted this afternoon and blue skies are now the rule.

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

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Peter Baye wrote, “I found a new rare plant at the Stornetta Lands along the P’da Hau [Garcia] River estuary last week, Humboldt Bay owl’s clover, Castilleja ambigua, subspecies humboldtiensis.”

Humboldt Bay owl's-clover, Castilleja ambigua humboldtiensis, by Peter Baye

This plant is found in tidal marsh locations and was originally thought to be endemic to Humboldt Bay, hence its common name. But it’s been found in Mendocino County at Big River. And now it’s been found at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands.

Peter wrote further, “The surprises of the Stornetta Land’s varied habitats have only been open to botanical exploration for a few years. Perhaps more botanical gems await discovery!”

Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here. I look forward to new discoveries in the special Stornetta-Point Arena Lands.

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Here on the Mendonoma Coast we celebrate our lack of light pollution. That allows for some wonderful night sky views. Allen Vinson is the latest coast photographer to try his hand at photographing the Milky Way and he got a bonus "shooting star." Allen said this first photo was a 20 second exposure.

Milky Way by Allen Vinson

Allen took another photo which shows some of The Sea Ranch.

The Milky Way over The Sea Ranch by Allen Vinson

I asked Allen how he photographed this. He wrote,

"The Sea Ranch Lodge is in the lower left.
The photo info is:  ISO 3200, f/2.8, 15 second exposure, 14 mm lens.
I read up on how to photograph the Milky Way, and on a dark night, a 30 second exposure is recommended.  Here, the moon may have been getting close to rising.
Rather than time lapse, which I have used to record the changing clouds every 20 seconds over a 3 hours period so it plays back in just a couple of minutes, this is a long exposure."

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his beautiful photos with you here. To see more of Allen's nature photography, here is the link: http://allenvinson.smugmug.com/