Tag Archives: Allen Vinson

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Green flashes are photographable  mirages. While you can see one at sunrise, I'm told, here on the Mendonoma coast most of us watch for a green flash as sunset. Over the years, coast photographers have captured green flashes. I thought I'd share some with you today.

Here is a photo taken by Don Spear. The green flash only lasts for a brief moment. If you blink, you will miss it!

Jim Grant's photo shows a double green flash. When I look at Jim's photo in full screen, I can see he also captured a green flash morphing into a blue flash, which you will see in Allen's photo below.

And here Rich Kuehn has photographed the classic green flash just beginning. The setting sun appears to narrow, becoming hour-glass shaped. What happens next is the top part appears to pinch off and it becomes a vibrant green flash.

On very rare occasions you might see a green flash morph into a blue flash, as photographed by Allen Vinson.

And the rarest of all was photographed by Ron LeValley - a green flash, no, a blue flash, no a violet flash!

Thanks to Don, Jim, Rich, Allen and Ron for allowing me to share their photos with you here. If you are interesting in purchasing Ron's photo, as Rick and I did, you can find it on Ron's website at this link:

http://levalleyphoto.com/home/

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Maria Bardini-Perkins has a visitor to her property - a Gray Fox. He/she obviously feels very comfortable and safe there. Look at this relaxed Gray Fox!

Allen Vinson also photographed a Gray Fox in the sun, this one is yawning.

We haven't had much sun recently, at least close to the Pacific Ocean. It's been quite foggy. The month of August, at least the past ten days, has lived up to its nickname of "Fogaust." You don't have to travel far, though, to reach sun. Go a mile or two east and you are out of the fog.

Thanks to Maria and Allen for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see more of Allen's nature photography, here is the link: http://allenvinson.smugmug.com/

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The Gualala River closed last Sunday. The wave action built up the sandbar across the river mouth. This happens every year, and when it does the river backs up like a bathtub with a plug in it. Allen Vinson photographed the river mouth last Sunday afternoon.

After a couple of days, this is what the Gualala River lagoon looked like - full to the brim! Charlie Ivor took these photos. The first photo shows Mill Bend. And the second photo shows the Gualala Bridge. Oh, it's wonderful to see the river so full and beautiful!

This is the perfect time to kayak or canoe on the Gualala River. To schedule your day of fun, here is the website to Adventure Rents of Gualala: http://www.adventurerents.com/

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

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One sign of spring is the appearance of the first Harbor Seal pups.Here's a photo of a newborn pup. It's important to keep humans and dogs off the beaches where these pups are born. At The Sea Ranch, near Shell Beach, docents are on the bluffs to inform people about their presence.

Here the newborn is nursing. Doesn't the mom look blissful?

And lambs appear at The Sea Ranch flock. Life is good when all you have to do is munch the fresh grasses!

I'll be sharing more photos of spring with you in the days ahead. Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see more of Allen's nature photography, here is his website: http://allenvinson.smugmug.com/

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We share the coast with Common Ravens. Many love them, and some do not. Allen Vinson recently photographed one. Look at that big beak.

They are extremely intelligent. They have many different calls and can even mimic humans. In fact, one raised in captivity was taught to say "nevermore."  Allen photographed this raven calling. If we only had sound with this photo!

To hear a few of the 33 different vocalizations Common Ravens make, here's a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Raven/sounds

Ravens eat practically anything, including carrion. Please don't feed them; they don't need our help to thrive.

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share these photos with you here. To see more of Allen's photography, here is a link: http://allenvinson.smugmug.com/