Tag Archives: Black Point Beach

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I shared with you Craig Tooley's photo from the mother/calf pairs that were seen off of Black Point Beach, The Sea Ranch. Here are two of Karen Wilkinson's photos of one of the calves. The first shows the calf beginning to breach. And the second photo shows the baleen and stubby head of the calf.

Karen took lots of photos and some videos. They are posted on her website at https://www.mpkw.com/TSR-Walks?fbclid=IwAR1PvEUBbii-4XLonK0ak74iF1vT3HovmkN5wcdtdjESdFx1qKikrdgIN2k

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

We've have fog over the ocean, clouds overhead interspersed with sunshine. Even a few drops of rain splashed down. A little bit of everything today! Tonight's sunset could be beautiful.

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It's an exciting time of year when we see the first mother/calf pairs of Gray Whales. On Monday, several pairs were seen quite close in at Black Point Beach off The Sea Ranch. A friend called Craig Tooley and he got this great photo of a calf.

You can tell this a calf born earlier this year because of his or her stubby nose/mouth area and there are no barnacles yet! Of course the size compared to his/her mom is another clue.

Karen Wilkinson is the friend who called Craig and she got some incredible photos too. I hope to post some of hers soon.

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

oh, today is such a lovely day. Warm - low 70's - and no wind.

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Janet Flink wrote, "I have participated with Bonney Ely for the last three years in Snapshot Cal Coast, which is an annual  project through the California Academy of Sciences. Here is a link to their explanation of this event. https://www.calacademy.org/calcoast

"This year we went to four local beaches during the lowest tides of the year to gather data and take photos of their “most wanted species” and any other species we found interesting or rare. I focus on invertebrates and algae.  I post the photos and data to iNaturalist for verification by other experts.  These “BioBlitzes” help contribute to the knowledge of ranges of different species and especially any non-native or invasive species."

"The first is Hermissenda crassicornis, a gorgeous Nudibranch, about two inches long and found in a tide pool at Shell Beach.  This “sea slug” breathes through the feathery gills on its back, and has a very soft body.  It’s not common on our rocky shores, due to the heavy wave action."

This nudibranch's common name is Thick-horned Nudibranch. fyi, nudibranch is pronounced "nudibrank," Why? I dunno. Back to Janet's great sightings.

She wrote, "The second is our locally common sea star, Pisaser ochraceus, from Black Point Beach.   I just found the voluptuous pose of this one to be comical!"

These Stars, which come in various colors, are called Ochre Sea Stars. They used to be called Starfish, but they aren't fish!

Janet continues, "The third photo, taken last year at Shell beach depicts two stunningly beautiful pastel-colored Aggregating Anemones (Anthopleura elegantissima) from different colonies fighting for territory underwater."

"They do this with special club-like white tipped tentacles that shoot barbs at the enemy.  You can see the white clubs of the individual on the left, which has turned itself sideways, attacking the one on the right, which looks as if it is cowering and pulling away even as it’s beginning to brandish it’s own clubs.  Toward the bottom of the sideways one, you can see a club from the one on the right“landing a punch”!"

How amazing to see and learn more about these fascinating inhabitants of the intertidal zone. Thanks to Janet for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

Another toasty warm day, with high clouds streaming in. In Point Arena yesterday, those closer to the ocean never saw the sun, but today the sun broke through the fog mid-morning.

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Mirka Knaster found this double waterfall at Black Point Beach on The Sea Ranch.

I found a pretty one at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands a few days ago. I'll share that one soon.

Thanks to Mirka for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

The day started off calm but the winds picked up this afternoon. It's sunny and cool. Rain moving in tomorrow night. What a rainy season we've been having!

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Allen Vinson timed it just right to catch the morning sunbeams at Black Point Beach on The Sea Ranch.

An award winning (or should be) photo!

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

It's sunny, breezy and mild on the Mendonoma Coast today - feels like Autumn!