Sightings

•

We have been on "Al" watch since late last month and we were beginning to think this unique Laysan Albatross wasn't going to grace us with its presence this winter. There was a possible sighting on Dec. 6th by a visitor from Chicago but there was no confirmation by others and no photo. Nancy Morin saw Al on Saturday, Dec. 22nd and her sighting was confirmed.

Mark Ricci photographed surfer Kim Swenson interacting with "Al" in the late afternoon on Dec. 24th.

To learn more about Point Arena's most famous visitor, here's the link to the Mendocino  Coast Audubon Society: http://www.mendocinocoastaudubon.org/mcas_al.html  It has a schedule of Al's (or Alice's) comings and goings.

Thanks to Mark for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see a close-up photo of Al, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/12/06/al-the-laysan-albatross-returned-yesterday/

•

Rich Kuehn had the most beautiful sighting in front of his The Sea Ranch home - a storm cloud with a rainbow, a crashing wave and Black-tailed Deer on the bluff.

It's a "peace on earth, goodwill towards all" moment. Rick and I, with family and friends, including Rich Kuehn, will be celebrating Christmas today and tomorrow. So please allow me to wish you and yours Merry Christmas. And if you do not celebrate Christmas, perhaps you can simply enjoy this beautiful photo of this Coast that we love so much. Thanks to Rich for allowing me to share it with you here.

•

Robert and Nancy Scarola were walking the public access bluff trail at The Sea Ranch when they saw a Gray Whale.

Robert swears the whale was smiling at them. The whale's head is on the left and its flipper is on the right. The small round objects in Robert's photo are Bull Kelp. There are just a few strands left in the ocean now as recent storms have ripped them from their holdfasts. Some sink but others are tossed up on the beach where they provide food and shelter for various creatures that live on the beach.

A big storm has just passed through. Our seasonal creeks are doing their best impression of mighty rivers this afternoon. We've had 23 inches of rain so far this season, which is an amazing amount.

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

• 2 Comments

•

The wild weather that has been hitting the Mendonoma Coast gives us a chance for rainbow. Drew Fagan recently caught a brilliant one with a faint second one to the left of it.

And here's a bonus rainbow I took a year ago in December. It was too big to catch the entire rainbow with the camera I have. 

May you have a rainbow day soon! Thanks to Drew for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see Drew's artwork, here is the link to his website: http://drewfagan.com/

•

Mark Simkins noticed a covey of California Quail, Callipepla californica, huddled under a bush during a recent rainstorm.

Here's another photo of California Quail - this time they are eyeing their metal brother on the right. Paul Batchelder caught this cute photo.

The Quail's topknot looks like one feather but it's actually six feathers that overlap. You can find out much more about these beautiful birds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at this link: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Quail/lifehistory

Thanks to Mark and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here.