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Ron Champoux found several Death Caps, Amanita phalloides, growing on The Sea Ranch. They are big, beautiful, and quite deadly if consumed.

ron-champoux-with-a-death-cap-mushroom-by-jill-silliphantRon's smiling, but he knows not to eat it! I used to be afraid to touch one of the deadly three mushrooms, but at a mushroom forage with David Arora, I saw him handle a Death Cap without a care in the world. So Ron isn't putting himself in harm's way by handling this Death Cap. Still, I'd wash my hands thoroughly to be on the safe side.

We have rain coming in tonight, after a string of six days without the wet stuff. And you know what rain brings - mushrooms, and hopefully they will be the edible kind.

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

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Michelle Welch was amazed to see a huge rainbow embracing the town Gualala. It felt like a blessing.

rainbow-over-gualala-by-michelle-welch-1024x576As rainbows goes, this is sure a big one! Below is a rainbow photo taken by Craig Tooley. It appears in our book, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year.

rainbow-jan-by-craig-tooley

Thanks to Michelle for allowing me to share her photo with you here. And thanks to Craig too. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

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Klaus Doebler and Kirsten Lenzing of Germany are visiting the Mendonoma coast.  And they have timed their visit between storms, when the coast shows of its immense beauty. Klaus noticed this young Buck in the forest near where they were staying.

a-buck-in-the-forest-by-klaus-doeblerIt's a serene moment, one that can touch your senses.

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

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Paul Brewer photographed a recent sunrise and sunset at Jenner. Jenner is where the Russian River empties into the Pacific Ocean.

jenner-sunrise-12-12-16-by-paul-brewer jenner-at-sunset-12-12-16-by-paul-brewerJenner is also where a pair of Bald Eagles has been spotted for the past several years. We think there is an active nest, as a juvenile was seen there too.

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

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Tom Eckles looked out his window in Gualala and he saw this beautiful Peregrine Falcon in the distance.

peregrine-falcon-by-tom-ecklesA good place to see a Peregrine is at Gualala Point Regional Park. Peregrine Falcons have been seen there looking for a meal of a tasty Duck. To hear the call of a Peregrine, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Peregrine_Falcon/sounds

To see more of Tom's photography, here is his website: http://www.tom.eckles.com/