The Mendocino Headlands were alive with wildflowers when Peggy Berryhill took this photo.
The cloud show is nice too! To learn more about the Mendocino Headlands State Park where there are lots of great hiking trails, here is the link: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=442
Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Sunny and breezy - typical spring day on the Mendonoma Coast!
Scott and Tree Mercer, of the Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study, sit out on the bluffs near the Point Arena Lighthouse most days, looking for Gray Whales and other marine life. The beginning of the southward bound Gray Whale migration was late this year, which caused concern. But yesterday, and again today, Gray Whales are passing by in big numbers. Yesterday the Mercers spotted 63 Grays Whales, and today by 2:00 p.m. they have seen 42. Here's an aerial photo of three migrating Gray Whales taken by Craig Tooley several years ago.
Here's a panoramic view of the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands taken by Peggy Berryhill. It's a great place to whale watch!
Thanks to Craig and Peggy for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com
You can follow the Mercer's daily posts on their Facebook page, which is: https://www.facebook.com/Mendonoma-Whale-and-Seal-Study-1421926098039236/
Quite cloudy today, temps in the low 50s. Rain coming late tomorrow.
Peggy Berryhill was traveling along the coast when she saw this beautiful sight at Elk - the iconic, much photographed sea stacks.
And out over the Pacific Ocean, sunbeams pierced the fog.
We are more likely to see sun rays, also called God's rays, from storm clouds but no such luck. Storms are staying way to our north bringing foggy right along the coast and mild sunny weather elsewhere. If you are suffering from the intense cold in many parts of the country, the Mendonoma coast could be the perfect antidote!
Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to share her photos with you here.
Peggy Berryhill told me this young Brown Pelican recently posed for her.
I love these prehistoric-looking birds. We are privileged to watch their migrations every year. Young Brown Pelicans, with brown heads and white tummies, are still flying northward. Peggy saw them feeding in the mudflats of the Russian River, along with American White Pelicans and Great Egrets.
Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to share her photo with you here. Peggy is the Co-founder and General Manager of the radio station KGUA 88.3 FM. She hosts a weekly program called "Peggy's Place." I am one of her guests every month. I'm usually on the third Thursday of each month, 9 am to 10 am, but this week I will be on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 9 am to 10 am. You can listen in live at: http://kgua.org/
The small green (usually green) treefrog we see on the Mendonoma coast is called a Sierran Treefrog. Dan Lewis had one hiding out in his BBQ and it looks like the treefrog was in the process of changing from green to a rusty red.
Dan wrote, “This little guy loves to hide under our BBQ cover on our back deck at Enchanted Meadows. The deck is over six feet off the ground. I have placed the frog into the garden or in the bushes five times now, and he keeps coming back. I have to make sure it’s not in the BBQ before I light it up.”
Sierran Treefrogs are excellent climbers. They have suction-like cups on the ends of their fingers and toes. Here's a photo John Shiu took of a treefrog showing its fingers.
Peggy Berryhill got a surprise while at Gualala Point Regional Park recently. She reached out to get a bag for her dog's waste. When she pulled the bag out, she found a little treefrog.
Thanks to Dan, John and Peggy for allowing me to share their photos with you here.