Monthly Archives: April 2012

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Fly Amanitas, Amanita muscaria, usually fruit in December or perhaps January. But Ron Champoux found one sitting as pretty as you please on March 24th. As an experienced mushroom forager once said, "That's why wild mushrooms are called wild!"

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see an Amanita muscaria holiday wreath, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/12/20/a-beautiful-fly-amanita-wreath-created-by-carol-kozal/ and to see a Fly Amanita shaped like a flying saucer, here is that link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/01/15/fly-amanita-that-looks-like-a-flying-saucer/

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It was no joke! On April 1st huge swells hit the Mendonoma Coast and Robert Scarola was out with his camera to photograph them. He captured these twenty foot waves just south of Gualala Point. Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share the power of the Pacific Ocean with you here.

We have a vigorous storm headed our way, due to hit late tonight. The tall ships, the Hawaiian Chieftan and the Lady Washington, will be sailing from Bodega Bay past our coast tomorrow, perhaps in the afternoon. I sure hope the clouds will part and allow us a sighting of these elegant replicas of ships from the past.

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Spring is really here when Ospreys return. The first Osprey was sighted several weeks ago and more have followed recently. Paul Brewer photographed one of the first to arrive near his home in Gualala and has kindly allowed me to share his photo with you here.

There are two active nests on our road and they are both in the process of being rebuilt and generally spiffed up. We can see one of the nests through our scope. Yesterday, while I watched, I saw the male Osprey fly in, land on top of the female who was sitting on the edge of the nest and mate. Wow, I'm a voyeur!

It is a joy to live where Ospreys choose to nest.

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Rozann Grunig has the magic - Bobcat magic! She had this beauty saunter across the front of her property and turn around and look back at her, as if posing. Rozann got several great photos. I thank her for sharing this one with us here.

Bobcats have great hearing and vision and a good sense of smell. They usually avoid water but will swim if they have to. Climbing is where they excel. The gray in Rozann's photo is a road on The Sea Ranch!

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John Batchelder was watching a pod of Gray Whales migrating northward recently. He saw tails and backs and  a lot of spouts. He also saw several breaches. And he got a photograph of one spyhopping and has kindly allowed me to share his great photo with you here.

We've had a lot of wind lately that has made spotting whales very difficult. Hopefully conditions will get better. That would also be good news for abalone divers. There are minus tides early in the morning this Easter weekend, which is what divers look for. I'm keeping my fingers crossed - for good luck - for those of you who hunt for red treasure!