Monthly Archives: January 2022

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A small pod of Killer Whales, Orcas, was seen off The Sea Ranch recently. Jan de Vries photographed this Orca as it splashed down on its side.

These Orcas are called Transients and they prey on CA Sea Lions and Harbor Seals.

Thanks to Jan for allowing me to share his photo with you here. I have a photo I took of a particularly beautiful sunrise a little over a week ago. I took this photo from the front deck of our home in Anchor Bay. These amazing colors didn't last long, but they had me gasping in wonder.

Sunny with breezes today. Where's our rain?

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There is a special spot on the Salal Trail, a public access trail that starts in the first parking lot of Gualala Point Regional Park. Once you walk along the trail which is beside Highway One and the Sea Ranch Golf Course, you turn westward and the trail brings you to this. John Wall and his dog, Dash, recently visited the Salal falls.

Dash is a very discriminating dog, and he says this spot is just perfect!

Thanks to John for allowing me to share his photo with you here. Here is a link to a previous post that gives you a little more direction for finding this trail: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2015/07/29/enjoying-the-salal-trail/

We are in another long dry spell. Thank goodness for the early rains, but we surely could use more of the wet stuff. In the meantime, the weather is mild. There was fog over the ocean this morning, but it's pulled back now. Nothing but blue skies today!

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Michael Reinhart spotted this Red-shouldered Hawk in Point Arena recently.

Isn't this a beautiful hawk? Red-shouldered Hawks live in areas of tall trees and water. Sounds suspiciously like the Mendonoma Coast! They have loud calls which can be listened to at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at this link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-shouldered_Hawk/sounds

Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

Today started off with fog but it cleared in most places by mid-morning. A sunny, windless day was our reward for being on the beautiful Mendonoma Coast today. Lots of Gray Whales are migrating southward now. I saw multiple spouts off the Mendocino Headlands today.

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Last week the Pacific Ocean was turbulent, and big waves hit coastal bluffs, rocks and beaches. Phil Lewenthal photographed the impressive action at Salt Point State Park.

It gives me goosebumps to see the power of these crashing waves.

Thanks to Phil for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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To see a beautiful Monarch Butterfly in winter means we have a few overwintering Monarchs here, which is very good news. Judith Fisher recently spotted this Monarch at Gualala Point Regional Park.

And in Timber Cove Grace O'Malley had this Monarch feeding on her Pride of Madeira bush.

Monarch Butterflies used to overwinter on the Mendonoma Coast but their numbers have been in a tailspin...until this past autumn/winter, where Monarchs have been seen in much larger numbers. Fingers crossed and recrossed that these beauties will thrive in the future.

Thanks to Judith and Grace for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Unseasonably warm here today. 73 degrees this afternoon with low humidity. This isn't January weather...is it? Scott and Tree Mercer are seeing lots of Gray Whales headed south. They are a ways out, two to four miles, so binoculars are very helpful.