Tag Archives: Gualala River

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This past week or so, Brown Pelicans have been seen in breeding plumage. Their heads are dusted in yellow and their gular pouch - their throat pouch - has turned orange/red. Kate Bloch got this photo of a Brown Pelican in the Gualala River, which shows you this transition.

These breeders will head south to their traditional breeding grounds, which are West Anacapa and Santa Barbara islands. Birders wonder if they will expand their breeding grounds northward, perhaps even the Mendonoma Coast. We’ll be watching!

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

Since Nov. 16th we've had 2.74 inches of rain and the season to date is 12.74. Mushrooms are popping up seemingly everywhere! We've had a nice wet start this year. But now we take a pause and the forecast is clear of any storms through Thanksgiving. This afternoon is bright sunshine after some residual cloud, though it's on the cool side in the mid 50's.

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A BIG sandbar has closed the Gualala River to the Pacific Ocean for months. Of course the river seeps through the sandbar, but much of the water backs up in the lagoon. Steelhead and other fish that were trapped in the river can now enter their next stage of life. I went by to check the river Thursday around noon and this is what I saw - a closed but very full river!

Others reported the river breached the sandbar at 4:45 p.m. and I went early on Friday to check it out. Here's what I saw.

A friend joined me, Vicki Robinson, and she asked, "Is that a Bald Eagle?" Sure enough, an adult Bald Eagle was on the sandbar to the left of the new opening - was she watching the newly opened river? ha, she was probably looking for a tasty fish.

Here's a video I took:

Open Gualala River 11.14.25 by Jeanne A Jackson

It was a gentle opening this year. Here's what Dave Jordan wrote on Friends of Gualala River's website: "The river mouth started to breach around at 5 pm Thursday, on a rising high tide, which equalizes tide and lagoon water levels quickly, minimizing the gradient and energy . . . quiet breach conditions. It’s the low tide breaches that are like dramatic dam bursts. Surely the fish were satisfied with the relatively low-turbulence but turbid breach."

To learn much more about the Gualala River, here is the website for FoGR: https://gualalariver.org/

On their website home page is an up-to-date weather report, a feature that might come in handy for some of you.

It's sunny and warm today - 74 degrees - but the barometer is low and falling. Another storm is headed our way for tomorrow.

 

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Teresa Denniston caught the contrail of a jet (see upper left corner) in the early morning sky. The Gualala River and the lights of houses on the bluffs are basking in the soft golden glow.

A beautiful photo of a beautiful place! Thanks to Teresa for allowing me to share it with you here.

Big windy storm overnight. The day before brought .66 inches of rain, and last night 1.55 inches at Rick's and my place in Anchor Bay. Total season to date is 6.96 inches. I'm wondering if the Gualala River will breach the sandbar today. I checked this morning but it was still closed.

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Shari Goforth found this bald eagle hunting. She saw all the gulls take flight but the brown pelicans stayed in place. It's very rare for a bald eagle to take a much bigger brown pelican, but gulls are much easier pickings.

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

The past weekend and today, Monday, have been warm with very little wind - perfect autumn days!

 

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Mel Smith was hiking alongside the Gualala River when he came across this Redwood stump amidst second and third generation trees. Mel titled it "Still reaching for the sky!"

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

Today is a perfect autumn day here on the Mendonoma Coast. Sunny with a few clouds and a light breeze.