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Steve McLaughlin, publisher of the Independent Coast Observer newspaper, was at Pelican Bluffs recently. There, under a bush, he spied a Gnome!

How fun is this? Pelican Bluffs is a spectacular addition to our public open spaces in Mendocino County. Here's a look of the dramatic bluffs and a peek at one of the trails, photos taken by Allen Vinson.

The land was brought to us by the Mendocino Land Trust. To learn more about Pelican Bluffs, here is their website: https://www.mendocinolandtrust.org/trails/southern-coastal-trails/pelican-bluffs-trail/

You can download a trail map from the above link. If you go, keep a lookout for Peregrine Falcons. Just before the shutdown in March, we heard, and then saw, two Peregrines. They were giving their warning calls, so I believe they might have nested nearby. Perhaps their chicks will be fledging soon.

Thanks to Steve and Allen for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Sunny and toasty here today!

Spring doesn't know...

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Paul Kozal is an amazing photographer. He enjoys photographing the night sky and recently took this photo of the Milky Way, shining bright over Black Point Beach on The Sea Ranch.

The flowers in the foreground are non-native ice plant. They are quite beautiful in bloom in the spring and summer.

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his beautiful photo with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.paulkozal.com/

Sunny and warm today, with breezes to keep it from being too warm!

Spring doesn't know...

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Great Blue Herons are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They have a varied diet, which includes small rodents and fish. Ron Bolander photographed one that had just found dinner.

Just look at the beautiful scene with the Pacific Ocean in the background!

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

Lots and lots of wind today to go with the sunny skies.

Spring doesn't know...

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Gaily Jackson (no relation!) was at Gualala Point Regional Park last week at dusk. She saw what she thought was an Osprey with a fish. But when she trained her camera on the bird, instead of a fish, she saw a very long tail. She was seeing a seabird that you usually have to take a pelagic trip to see - a Parasitic Jaeger.

Dave Barry took a look at Gaily's photos. He wrote, “With the necklace, long pointed tail feathers, it sure looks real good for a breeding plumage, light morph, Parasitic Jaeger.”

Tim Bray agreed with the ID. He wrote, “They sometimes come in close to shore in pursuit of Terns, either Caspian or Elegant. I saw one fly up the Garcia River once when there were a number of Caspian Terns resting there. South winds also seem to sometimes bring pelagic birds in close. Great photos, classic light-morph Parasitic Jaeger. It’s always exciting to see pelagics from shore!”

This Jaeger is called parasitic because it steals fish from other birds, particularly Terns. Tim wrote further, “They follow the Terns and watch them, and when one catches a fish, the Jaeger will harass the Tern until it drops the fish, which the Jaeger then catches in midair and eats. The Jaegers don't actually harm the Terns, just make them work twice as hard for food.”

Fascinating! Thanks to Gaily for allowing me to share her photos with you here. To see more of Gaily's nature photography, here is her website: http://gailyimages.com/

Sunny, breezy, with clouds zipping by on the Mendonoma Coast today.

Spring doesn't know...