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It's the time of year for us to witness the vanguard of the Gray Whale migration. Scott and Tree Mercer spotted one of the first groups last Sunday, nine Gray Whales, swimming purposefully south. These are the pregnant females hurrying to their birthing lagoons off Baja.

Emily Jordan was out on a boat excursion and near the Point Arena buoy when she spotted these Gray Whales.

We have had a group of subadult Gray Whales feeding off the Point Arena coast, seen nearly every day. They are probably what Emily photographed. Beautiful photos of these cetaceans that we love so much.

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

We have a storm coming in later today, the first rain in many days. We are looking forward to it!

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I can't choose! Here is Alan Reinke's striking photo.

Tricia Shuster captured this lovely sight.

Carolyn Andre was out photographing it too and found this beautiful color.

No, I just can't choose! Friday's sunset was one to remember.

Thanks to Alan, Tricia and Carolyn for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Zak Rudy has been fortunate to observe a pair of Peregrine Falcons mate and nest near Timber Cove over the past several years. Zak has seen the male, who he says is waiting for his mate to arrive. The sun was shining brightly on the chest feathers of the world's fastest animal.

Here's another photo Zak took a week or so earlier when the skies were cloudy.

Thanks to Zak for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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Matsutakes, a prized edible mushroom, are up. Alex Kun found a nice haul on the Sonoma coast.

Rick and I found some too, near our place in Anchor Bay. They come up in the same place, year after year. They grow in sandy soil and they smell like cinnamon.

King Boletes, Boletus edulis, another choice edible, are also still appearing. Remi Alexander photographed Patrick Hillscan with two nice mushrooms.

This morning Rick and I found two big Boletes growing on our land. It's rather puzzling with the dry, low humidity weather we've been having. We did receive over nine inches of rain in November, and that was apparently enough for the 'shrooms!

Cece Case photographed two beautiful Coral mushrooms.

Some Coral mushrooms are edible, but I just like to enjoy their beauty where they grow.With more rain, we should be seeing many more of these intricate fungi in the forest. No rain is  predicted until the 20th.

Thanks to Alex, Remi and Cece for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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It's so wonderful to continue to see two mature Bald Eagles at the Gualala River. Ken Bailey photographed this one last week on Tuesday at the Gualala River.

One of the eagles likes to perch on a snag near the river mouth. You can see the snag from the north end of the Gualala Bluff Trail, behind Trink's Cafe.

Thanks to Ken for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see more of Ken's photography, including stunning underwater photography, here is his website: http://www.seadreams.org/