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*This post has been amended - I thought these were Krill but Tim Bray let me know I was incorrect, and Robert Van Syoc agreed. They are Mysids.* Amy Ruegg recently saw Mysids at low tide. She described them as tiny with brown bodies and two black eyes. She used a Tupperware bowl to scoop them up for a closer look. Their common name is Opossum Shrimp. They are small, shrimp-like crustaceans. They are an important food source for many fish and even great whales when they feed on rocky reef areas.

She also spotted a Shield-backed Kelp Crab which she also scooped up for a closer look. You can see tiny Mysids in the bowl too, to give you perspective.

Amy returned the Crab to his home in the kelp and the Mysids back into the Pacific Ocean.

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

We have a stretch of sunny weather here on the Mendonoma Coast. Look for the Orion meteor shower, which peaks on Oct. 21 and Oct 22nd in the early hours of the morning.

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The Point Arena-Stornetta Lands are an incalculable treasure. This year's Discover the Coast event is held this coming Saturday, October 19th. I've been asked to help lead a nature walk along with native wildflower expert, Julia Larke. We'll be meeting behind the Point Arena City Hall, and at 10 am we'll walk to the Mendocino College Field Station. There will be a shuttle bus to take you back to your car, or you can continue to hike all the way to the Point Arena Lighthouse, where there will also be shuttle rides. There are docents along the Discovery Trail and the Field Station will be open with fun sightings. Here is the poster of the event, which is free.

I hope some of you can join us! There is a chance of a few raindrops but that won't stop us!

 

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Gaily Jackson enjoys exploring along the Gualala River. Two weeks ago she photographed a bird that was difficult to identify, until Ron LeValley let us know it was a juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron.

Gaily got several nice photos of this beautiful bird. The first one below shows a larger Great Blue Heron on the left side.

Then late last week, Gaily found an adult and got this photo.

It's nice to see these Night-Herons here.

Thanks to Gaily for allowing me to share her photos with you here. To see much more of her nature photography, here is the link to her website: http://gailyimages.com/

We had a very strange wind event here late yesterday afternoon. Chris McManus, the editor of the Independent Coast Observer, is researching the phenomenon and I hope to tell you more about it later this week. Today is bright sun and cool temps!

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Several coast photographers captured the beauty of the October 12 sunset, but I thought I'd share Margaret Lindgren's, which was taken at the Noyo River.

Isn't lovely to see the sunset reflected in the river?

Thanks to Margaret for allowing me to share her photo with you here. Margaret leads hiking tours here on the Mendonoma Coast. You can find out much more at her website: http://www.unbeatenpathtours.com/index.html

The fog returned this morning, and it really cooled things down.

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I love these beautiful birds. White-tailed Kites are a joy to see. John Batchelder recently photographed an adult hovering in the air, listening for its prey in the meadow below. Watch out, Voles!

Steve Stewart got this great close up of a juvenile White-tailed Kite resting on a branch.

Their calls are a quiet chirp. You can listen for yourself at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds

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

We are having a lovely autumn day on the coast today. Cool and calm, just the way we like it!