Sightings

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Tina Doughty noticed this rather scary-looking spider weaving a web near her front door in Gualala. After learning that this spider is harmless - really a good guy in the spider world - she let it be. Her friend, Megan Wilson, photographed the spider, which they named Charlotte Moonface. They became so enchanted with this spider that they brought flies for it to eat.

The Orb Weaver Spider family has more than 10,000 different species and they make up about 25% of the entire spider population. They are among the most colorful spiders and, as you might guess from their name, their beautiful webs are oval.

Thanks to Megan for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

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Last Friday and Saturday the Mendonoma Coast experienced offshore breezes and there was a green flash each night at sunset. Tom Eckles manged to photograph Saturday's Green Flash. I am quite jealous as I have tried and failed to capture this phenomenon. I console myself with the fact Tom is a professional photographer. Thanks, Tom, for allowing me to share your photo here. Yes, the Green Flash is NOT a myth!

To see more of Tom's photography, here is the link to his website: www.tomeckles.com

To see a photo of the Green Flash by Richard Kuehn, here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/02/07/the-green-flash-was-photographed-by-richard-kuehn/

And one more Green Flash photo on this site, this one by Frank Vaskelis: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/04/28/the-green-flash-its-not-a-myth/

And perhaps you'd like to learn how to make a green flash cocktail! Here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/01/01/dawn-of-the-new-year-as-photographed-by-coastal-photographer-craig-tooley-and-the-green-flash-cocktail/

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Last night's nearly full moon shone like a beacon in the cold, clear night sky on the Mendonoma Coast. The full moon tonight should be just as bright as there isn't a cloud in the sky today. Exactly one month ago Joni Goshorn got a lovely photo of  February's full moon with a raptor in a tree.

Thanks to Joni for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

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Last night's sunset was lovely with layers of pastel colors. The sun was setting into a fog bank and it's rather unusual to see such color with fog.

A bit of loveliness from me to you today from the Mendonoma Coast!

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Emily Nelson photographed a Mantid, or Praying Mantis as we call them. It's such a unique insect and always a treat to see.

It's no fun for the male who mates with a female. Yes, with most Mantis species, she eats him after the deed is done! This is to provide her and her developing young nutrients. Other than mating males, this insect eats other insects and very small mammals. It is able to camouflage itself by changing its color to the surroundings.

Here's a link to two other photos of this unusual critter: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/07/two-photos-of-a-praying-mantis-from-coastal-photographer-siegfried-matull/

The weather over the weekend was calm and Gray Whale sightings poured in. Saturday and Sunday there were numerous sightings of mother Gray Whales and their Calves headed north. One person saw ten whales in a short period from Point Arena. On Sunday I saw a mom with a calf, always a heartwarming site - big spout, little spout. Today fog obscures much of the ocean and the portion that can be seen has white caps. Gray Whale sightings will have to wait another day!