Tag Archives: Ron Bolander

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A friend of Ron Bolander told  him about this thrasher at his property on the ridge behind Anchor Bay. These relatives of mockingbirds are not usually seen close to the coast - they are birds of chaparral. But the friend told Ron this bird had been here for months.

Ron played me a recording of this bird's song and it is quite unique. You can hear it at this link at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Thrasher/sounds  Like mockingbirds, thrashers also mimic other bird calls.

I'll be looking and listening for this bird...once the storms are behind us.

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

It's a-storming today! And it's cold enough for hail. I just took a photo of a lurking storm cloud offshore - yikes!

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As you can see, Bobcats hunt in grassy meadows. They are listening and looking for rodents. In Ron Bolander's photo, you can clearly see the tufted ears of this beautiful creature.

Bobcats are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast and they are often seen in the daylight hours, such as when Ron got this photo.

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share it with you here.

Cold fog right on the coast but warm sunshine just a bit away. Rain is in our forecast for next week!

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Ospreys fish in the ocean and in rivers for fish. Their other name is Sea Hawks. Yep, the Seattle Seahawks are named after an Osprey...I presume! Ron Bolander was out with his camera and he was ready when this Osprey flew by with its catch.

If you know what kind of fish this is, I'd love to know. So would Ron. See how the Osprey has positioned the fish? It's the best aerodynamic position for the big bird to fly with the fish.

This is a good time to see and hear Ospreys on the Mendonoma Coast. The chicks have fledged and they are beginning to fish for themselves. To hear the distinctive call of an Osprey, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/sounds

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photo with you here. And get well soon, Ron!

The heat has left the immediate coast and the fog has returned. We also have some high clouds drifting through, making it a little humid today. Temps in the low 70's. Yay!

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I love watching Ospreys fish, with their talons ready to grab one.  But in this case an ocean wave tossed this fish onto the sand and all the Osprey had to do was pick it up!

Ron wrote, "When the wave receded this fish must have offered itself to the Osprey. This was photographed on the bluff opposite Gualala Point Island."

Gualala Point Island is off the north end of The Sea Ranch. You can view it by the public access trail that begins at the southwest corner of Gualala Point Regional Park. There are lots of nesting seabirds on the island!

Thanks to Ron for a great photo and for allowing me to share it with you here.

Big fog bank over the ocean, and foggy in places. Sunny by mid-morning in Anchor Bay, temps in the mid 70's. Bonus sighting - two adult Gray Whales were seen yesterday in the approximate area the Blue Whale was seen the day before.

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Ron Bolander wrote, “At Gualala Point Regional Park, on Saturday morning, there seemed to be a little more bird activity.  Between Western Bluebirds, Pygmy Nuthatches and Yellow-rumpled Warblers, there were some better photo opportunities. I was able to get this picture of a ‘Butter Butt’ just as it grabbed this insect, in midair.”

To hear their warbling call, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/sounds

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his great photo with you here!

It's a beautiful spring day here today, though breezy. Northwest winds in the spring? They bring UPWELLING in the ocean, which ignites the entire food chain.