Sightings

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The Point Arena-Stornetta Lands are achingly beautiful. Terry Pfardresher hiked there earlier this week and took these two photos at the southern end of the Lands. The first photo shows a low tide.

Southern portion of the PA-Stornetta Lands at low tide by Terry Pfardresher The rocky shoreline of the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands by Terry Pfardresher

On Saturday August 1st, there is a BIG event called Discover the Coast. Leslie Dahlhoff describes it for us:

"Don't miss it!  Discover the Coast is on this Saturday, starting at 10am.
Lots of info and food.  No Speeches!  All Free!
Open House at the Mendocino College Coastal Field Station.
Free admission to the Lighthouse.
Free Shuttle Bus all day between City Hall to the Lighthouse will
provide access for one-way hiking on the Discovery Trail.
Become a founding member of Friends of Point Arena - Stornetta Lands.
Hope to see you there."

The shuttle bus will run from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Park near the Point Arena Lighthouse or by City Hall.

The Lighthouse is open from 10 am to 4 pm.

City Hall, the Field Station, and the Discovery Trail open 10 am to 2 pm.

Here is a list of the docents who will be along the Discovery Trail:

Discovery Trail Docent Stations

  1. Beach Watch & MPA Watch, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Beach Watch Monitoring Program, and Marine Protected Area Watch

What to see: Coastal wildlife; including various nesting coastal seabirds, Harbor seals, California and possibly Stellar’s sea lions, possibly whales. Even the occasional Mola mola if you have a good eye! Also, see a demonstration of Beach Watch and MPA Watch survey activities.

Docents: Jamie Hall, Taylor Nairn, Margaret Lindgren. Meet Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary staff and volunteers involved with the Beach Watch and MPA Watch programs. Beach Watch is a twenty-one year old sanctuary monitoring project which just expanded, with the sanctuary, to include this very coastline and offshore area. Local citizens survey beaches for live and dead wildlife and coastal human uses. Beach Watch is a partner in the statewide MPA Watch monitoring effort which identifies human uses in coastal areas inside and adjacent to California State Marine Protected Areas.

  1. Seabirds

What to see: Coastal birds, possibly some whales and seals, possibly Pelagic Cormorant and Western Gull chicks.

Docent: Doug Forsell is a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seabird biologist. He spent ten years in Alaska, 4 years on wildlife refuges in the central Pacific Ocean, and 22 years working in Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Coastal waters. Doug currently conducts monthly bird, mammal, and marine debris surveys on 9 local beaches, monitors nesting cormorants, and is trying to restore the native vegetation around his home on Iversen Point.

  1. Geology : Nuclear Plant and Oil Rigs, what could have been. What to see: Recent folding and faulting, marine terraces, petroleum source rock. Observe/discuss how geology constrains land use.

Docent: Dr. Mike Lane is a Registered Geologist with the State of California. Mike has worked as a resource exploration geologist (geothermal, oil & gas, and uranium), and as a consulting geologist involved in groundwater contamination issues. During a varied career,he also served as Adjunct Faculty, teaching classes in environmental geology at Hamilton College and Mohawk Valley Community College in upstate New York.

  1. History. What to see: A view into Arena Cove from a historical site.

Docent: Julie A. Verran is a general naturalist educated at UC Berkeley, University of Nevada Reno, and College of the Redwoods Mendocino Coast. She has worked as a lab or field assistant in several fields including history, and as a news reporter/photographer specializing in nature, local history and government.

  1. Plants & Lichens

What to see: Samples and identification of local wildflowers, native plants and lichens.

Docent: Jon Thompson is a botanist and member of the Dorothy King Young Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. He has worked for the U.S. Forest Service, and as a private botanical consultant in Mendocino County. He has over twenty years of professional experience in the field of botany. Examples of local lichens will also be on display.

It will be a spectacular event, one not to be missed.

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

 

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The Salal Trail is rather hard to find. The trailhead is in Gualala Point Regional Park. After you pass the pay station, turn into the parking area on the left and park in the right side. To your left you will see the beginning of the trail.

Beginning of Salal Trail by Jeanne Jackson (Medium)

You amble down a path between Highway One and the golf course. The trail then heads west. Rick and I, along with friends C'Anna and David Bergman-Hill and our new rescue golden retriever, Sunny, recently enjoyed the trail.

We found summer wildflowers in bloom. Here David has photographed C'Anna and me finding Wight's Paintbrush.

C'Anna Bergman-Hill and Jeanne Jackson find Wight's Paintbrush by David Bergman-Hill

Here's a close-up of this native wildflower, photo by Craig Tooley.

Wight's Paintbrush by Craig Tooley

We came to the waterfall and even in the drought there is a slight trickle. When the winter rains come, the waterfall is glorious. Here's are two photos I took a few years ago. It's really a magical place.

View of waterfall on Salal Trail by Jeanne Jackson (Medium) Waterfall on the Salal Trail by Jeanne Jackson (Medium)

Finally, at the end of the trail, you come to a small beach, which is where Rick and Sunny are. This photo was taken by C'Anna.

Rick and Sunny at the end of the Salal Trail by C'Anna Bergman-Hill

We feel very fortunate Salal Trail is a public access trail. There is no other quite like it!
Thanks to C'Anna, David, and Craig 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.

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It's not easy photographing CA Quail chicks, as they always seem to be in motion. Two chicks recently came to a water dish to take a few sips, and Clay Yale had his camera at the ready.

Two California Quail chicks by Clay Yale

Here is a photo of the beautiful male, taken by Tom Eckles. The male is always on guard duty while the female tends to her covey of little ones.

Male Quail by Tom Eckles

My all-time favorite photo of CA Quail was taken by Siegfried Matull

14 Baby Quail by Siegfried Matull

14 chicks are on the bench, with Dad acting as a sentry. It looks like Mom is on the left.

Thanks to Clay, Tom, and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Tom's photography, here is his website: www.tomeckles.com

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Peter Baye noticed a group of Steelhead in the Gualala River. One of them was nearly white - a leucistic Steelhead.

Leucistic steelhead with normal colored Steelhead by Peter Baye

That's not something you see every day! Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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Peter Baye recently photographed Leopard Lilies, Lilium pardalinum, a native wildflower.

Leopard Lilies by Peter BayeThis wildflower is usually found near water. It is also called Panther Lily or Tiger Lily. Whatever you call it, it is beautiful to to see in bloom.

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