Kate Bloch has been able to watch and photograph several Harbor Seal births on beaches off The Sea Ranch. She also got this cute photo of a pup taking her first swim.
The little pup was sticking close to mom!
Thanks to Kate for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
It's foggy and cool on the Mendonoma Coast today!
Harbor seal moms give birth on rocky beaches on the Mendonoma Coast. If you have a long lens on your camera, like Kate Bloch and Rozanne Rapozo, you can safely get some great photos. I love these two of the mother and her newborn bonding. The first photo is by Rozanne.
And the second photo was taken by Kate. In each photo the pup is bonding with his/her mother. They learn each other's scent and vocalizations. It's very sweet to see.
Thanks to Kate and Rozanne for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
It's been mostly cloudy today with temps in the high 50's. Lots of wildflowers appearing now!
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!
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!
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.