Tag Archives: Kate Bloch

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Several coast photographers got fantastic photos of the recent Northern Lights which occurred on January 19th. Mel Smith photographed this from his home in Point Arena.

Rozanne Rapozo caught this magic near her home on The Sea Ranch.

Kate Bloch used The Sea Ranch chapel to set off the lights in the sky - beautiful!

Ben Angwin's photo of the aurora, which also shows the Milky Way, will be in the Independent Coast Observer tomorrow, in my Mendonoma Sightings column.

Thanks to Mel, Rozanne and Kate for allowing me to share their wonderful photos with you here.

We had a storm yesterday which brought 0.65 inches of rain, the first rain in nearly three weeks. It was a gentle rain with not much wind - just the way we like it!

 

 

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Ben Angwin photographed a double green flash several weeks ago, on Dec. 28 to be exact. My visiting friend, Barb Bourke, and I saw it too, a real treat.

Kate Bloch got a photo of the next night's sunset, which I inadvertently missed. Kate's shows the rarest of the color, when the green flash turns to violet. Look closely at the very top of the setting sun.

Thanks to Ben and Kate for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

With our string of dry days, green flash watching in order. Two nights ago I saw a beautiful green flash, a double green flash, from Rick's and my deck in Anchor Bay. My golden retriever, Honey Bun, watched the sunset with me. Sorry, I didn't get a photo of the double green flash...it's not easy, though Ben and Kate make it look easy!

 

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Kate Bloch wrote, "Yesterday morning, my husband noticed a small crowd gathering near the post office and learned that a Bald Eagle was perched in the trees nearby.  When I first observed the lone eagle, it was largely a silhouette, shrouded in fog, high in a tree.  Shortly thereafter, it flew north, and a second eagle appeared to join it.  Both then landed in a tall tree covered in lichen. Neil and Susan Silverman also spied the eagles, and we enjoyed an extended sighting opportunity as we watched the eagles interact and become the subjects of a vigorous confrontation with a peregrine falcon.  It felt like such a gift to observe and listen to the remarkable avian life around us!"

Kate's photo shows the Peregrine approaching. On the left is a younger Bald Eagle, perhaps 3 1/2 years old. The Bald Eagle on the right is an adult, and I believe she is the Gualala River Bald Eagle.

In this next photo, the two Eagles aren't very happy!

I wondered why the Falcon was trying to drive off the Bald Eagles, especially because this isn’t yet nesting season. I learned that it could be due to intense territoriality, or protecting valuable winter food/roosting spots. Or maybe that smaller Falcon just doesn’t like Bald Eagles! I'll share one of Susan and Neil's photos next.

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

We survived another vigorous storm last night. Rain totals since Dec. 19th are 10.10 inches. Some seasonal creeks are now making beautiful waterfalls as they cascade off of bluffs. After the showers of this afternoon, we have clear weather for five days or so.

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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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Earlier this month Kate Bloch wrote,

"I was just about to email you two photos of wildlife I saw earlier this afternoon as sunset approached. Because it looked like the fog bank was a slim bank across the horizon, it seemed prudent to wait for any end-of-daylight pyrotechnics, and today certainly came to a close with a beautiful sunset and a lovely light purple flash.  I hope you had a chance to witness the display."

"And here's a photo of the green flash from September 17th, as the flash ended up with a lovely silhouette of a pelican above it."

It isn't easy to photograph a green flash but Kate has the talent and ability to do so. I thank her for allowing me to share these photos with you here.

I did see a beautiful green flash last night, Monday. It's said to be good luck to see a green flash. I hope that works for photos of green/purple flashes too!

This morning it was sunny and mild. And then...and then...the fog came up from the south. Most of the time it comes from the north. It rolled over Rick's and my house in Anchor Bay early this afternoon and the temperature dropped dramatically/