Monthly Archives: January 2013

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On Monday a pod of perhaps twenty Killer Whales was spotted off Point Arena. Emails and telephone calls ensued as we tried to photograph the pod. They were several miles out, however, and moving FAST. Dean Schuler got this photograph from The Sea Ranch.

 It was fun following them down the coast. Unfortunately for Dean, a fishing boat saw this pod and headed towards them. The pod then dove and disappeared from view.

Though this photo was not taken off the Mendonoma Coast, I thought you'd enjoy seeing this close up that Tom Eckles took from a 12 person inflatable boat in the San Juan Islands. It looks like a male with the very tall dorsal fin and a female with the smaller, curved dorsal fin.

Thanks to Dean and Tom for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see more of Tom's photography, here's his website: tomeckles.com

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Our temperatures have moderated but we've had some very cold temps here on the supposedly temperate Mendonoma Coast. In the upper reaches of the Gualala River, Peter Baye photographed Rime deposits, frozen river fog.

Works of art, brought to you by Mother Nature...and Peter Baye!

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Burrowing Owls are a rare sighting on the Mendonoma Coast. Ron LeValley recently photographed one at MacKerricher State Park. Here's what Ron had to say about his sighting: "My gallery partner Ken called and told me about this Burrowing Owl hanging out near the old Haul Road just south of Ward Avenue in the state park. These birds mostly live in the Central Valley but a few winter on the north coast each year. These are only about 8 inches tall, but they stand taller!"

 Tim Moulton photographed a young one at The Sea Ranch several years ago.

To hear the call of this special Owl, here's the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Burrowing_Owl/id

To see much more of Ron's wildlife photography, here's the link to his website: http://www.levalleyphoto.com/home/

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Jim Garlock was traveling north when he spotted this Bobcat with what looks like a gopher in its mouth.

Bobcats are Mother Nature's rodent hunters. Thanks to Jim for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

To see a very popular Bobcat photo on my blog, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/04/19/a-beautiful-bobcat-as-photographed-by-tom-osborne/

It's raining hard this afternoon, welcome news after the dry weather we've been having.

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C'Anna Bergman-Hill was visiting relatives on January 9th. She and her husband, David, observed this beautiful double rainbow in between Point Arena and Anchor Bay.

A little later this was the sunset they witnessed. Just beautiful!

Clouds are filling the sky as the first storm in several weeks is approaching. We can use the rain. Seasonal creeks are running low and wild mushrooms have mostly been missing in action. It's time for some wet stuff!

Thanks to C'Anna for allowing me to share her photos with you here.