Monthly Archives: January 2022

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Karen Wilkinson was the first to spot them early last Wednesday morning. She called Craig Tooley, who showed up with his camera and his talent soon thereafter. Here are a couple of photos taken by Craig.

The seabirds in the first photo are Surf Scoters. I love the photo showing so many dolphins surfing a wave together - the original surfers!

Researcher and scientist Bill Keener was able to identify six of the eleven dolphins, and one was our old friend, Sakura. Sakura was photographed off the Mendonoma Coast in 2018 and in 2020 she was seen with her calf. Here is the study of this group of Bottlenose Dolphins by Bill, just click on the link below.

Bottlenose Dolphins 2022 Jan 12 CT Bill Keener

I plan to share some of Karen's photos and videos of these dolphins soon.

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

Another lovely, clear day on the Mendonoma Coast today. 68 degrees at our place in Anchor Bay this afternoon.

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Ruth Downes noticed this female California Quail in a covey of quail under her bird feeder. Something was missing! Yes, her tail feathers are awol.

Perhaps a predator had a hold of her and her tail feathers gave way, allowing her to escape.

Thanks to Ruth for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

It's cloudy and mild here on the Mendonoma Coast today, with no wind. There should be a beautiful sunset tonight, and hopefully a 49er's win! (Sorry if you are a Dallas fan....)

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Here's what Kim Marquardt wrote about her video, “We captured some fantastic video on our Ring camera last Thursday night. At about 8:30 pm, not one, not two, but THREE Mountain Lions strolled through our property. We’re between Sunset and Fish Rock.”

Here is the video:

I believe there are two adults and a young Cougar in Kim's video. We know Mountain Lions live here. It's important, especially this time of year, to have your dogs and kitties safe inside. I've seen a study where Mountain Lions don't like the sound of human voices. When I have to take my golden retriever out at dark, I chat away!

Thanks to Kim for allowing me to share her video with you here.

It's cooler today with breezes and clouds zipping by. There was enough moisture in one cloud early this morning, as I witnessed this rainbow spilling out of a cloud.

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This calf wasn't seen off the Mendonoma Coast but quite a bit further south, off Point Vicente, which is near Los Angeles. Alisa Schulman-Janiger is a Gray Whale expert who keeps her eyes, and binoculars, trained on the ocean, just like our local whale experts, Scott and Tree Mercer, out on the Point Arena Lighthouse Peninsula. Alisa spotted this newborn calf, with its mother. Gregg Gentry, a Gray Whale Census Observer, was out in a boat when he got this photo of the calf, its body showing the fetal folds from being inside the mother. These lines, fetal folds, will fade over the next weeks.

Usually the mother whale tries to make it to the lagoons of Baja to give birth, but occasionally some will give birth on the migratory path. That's what happened here. She and her calf will continue to the lagoons.

Thanks to Alisa and Gregg for allowing me to share their photos with you here. Alisa regularly posts her sightings on Facebook at this link: https://www.facebook.com/alisa.schulmanjaniger

Another magnificent day on the Mendonoma Coast. It's sunny with no wind, temps in the 60s. And...and...Bottlenose Dolphins were seen today, a large pod of them. More on that later!

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Whatever the Common Raven on the left said, the one of the right sure responded.

What do you think the caption should be for Tom's photo?

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

Blue skies with white puffy clouds (I know, not a technical term) and mild temps. We are having a week long break from the rain and it's quite lovely today.