Sightings

•

Shari Goforth-Eby was at the Point Arena Lighthouse Peninsula when she spotted some rippling on the ocean. It was the first clue Gray Whales were approaching. As she watched, the calf breached and then breached ten more times. Yes! Ten. More. Times!

I wish I had seen that. But fortunately for us, Shari got this great photo of one of the breaches. Thanks to Shari for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

This is the time to see Gray Whales mothers and calves, but we've had a lot of fog. Today was no different but the fog did recede in the afternoon.

•

Pam Ryan was out last Sunday to observe bird life at Gualala Point Island, which is found off the north end of The Sea Ranch. The public access trail from Gualala Point Regional Park gives you an up close view. The one Western Gull is sitting on her nest while her mate is standing close by. They don't seem to be bothered by the young Brown Pelicans.

 

These pelicans have brown heads and white tummies, signifying they are juveniles. Born off the Santa Barbara coast, they have arrived a little earlier than usual this year. Perhaps their food source to our south has become too scarce. In any case, it's wonderful to see them.

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

It's a cool day today. The fog has pushed inland, and there are high clouds too.

•

 

Signs of spring are seemingly everywhere, and new life adds to the magic. It doesn’t get more magical than having a white Fawn arrive. Roxanne Holmes wrote, “This normal-colored Doe had two fawns this year. One is the typical dark hue with light spots, and the other is almost white with barely perceptible lighter spots. It seems to me that you have explained that this is an occasional occurrence, and that the light one will darken as it matures.”

We have had several white Fawns over the years, and it’s always a startling sight, almost like you can’t believe your eyes. These rare Fawns are considered “towheads” and will eventually color up. But they will never reach the coloring of a normal-colored Fawn. We believe there is a Buck with a recessive gene that causes this anomaly. This little Fawn born on The Sea Ranch needs to survive its lack of camouflage.

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

Lots of cool fog over the ocean and some coastal bluffs, but sunny elsewhere. Breezy and beautiful!

•

Michael Reinhart found these two Western Bluebirds in fields of Johnny Tuck, Triphysaria eriantha ssp. Rosea, a native wildflower blooming in profusion at Black Point on The Sea Ranch. Here is the male posing in the wildflowers.

And here is the female.

So beautiful to see. Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photos with you here. And thanks to Mary Sue Ittner for the ID of the wildflowers.

It's foggy over the ocean, but sunny most places this afternoon. At my place, temps are in the mid 70s. Nice!

•

Craig Tooley found this little guy/gal. In the second photo Craig put a dime so we can see the scale of the California Slender Salamander. It's tiny!

You can learn much more about them on Gary Nafis' fabulous website at this link: https://californiaherps.com/salamanders/pages/b.attenuatus.html

Gary is the person who identified this little salamander for me. Thanks, as always, Gary!

And thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

It's foggy right along the coast, and sunny elsewhere. Must be spring on the Mendonoma Coast!