Sightings

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Neil and Susan Silverman found a big spider in their bathtub. Laura Baker identified it as a Calisoga longitarsus. the Velvet or False Tarantula.

Elizabeth Benishin found a round hole that was the size of a half dollar on the Jenner grade. I wondered if that was hair around the opening.

Peter Baye and Laura Baker took a look. Peter wrote, “It looks like a Calisoga longitarsus, False Tarantula, tunnel to me. They are huge, fast, venomous, and aggressive if they are cornered. The neurotoxin of full-sized adult bites is much, much more painful and long-lasting than the accounts repeated anecdotally by arachnologists...far worse than bees or wasps.” And Laura added, “I think Peter's right.  The only additional comment that I'd make is that what looks very much like hair around the burrow is actually silk.”

I learned that Tarantulas are burrowing spiders. For most of the time, Tarantulas live underground in burrows. They will dig burrows themselves, using their fangs, or will borrow an abandoned burrow. Shudder!

One last sighting of this spider from Rozanne Rapozo. It was dead in the water bowl set out for dogs at Gualala Point Regional Park. It was determined it was a male.

How's that for some spooky sightings on Halloween?!

Thanks to Neil and Susan, Elizabeth, and Rozanne for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

We had rain late yesterday, 0.43 inches in my gauge. Sunny and cool this afternoon with more rain coming in late Friday. Hooray!

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Two weeks ago there was a big Supermoon to admire. Rozanne Rapozo was out with her camera documenting the beauty. She wrote, "Here’s a photo of the Super Moon rising over the eastern hills with the Totem [Serge] in the foreground." This is at Gualala Point Regional Park.

Rozanne wrote further, "And the other this morning, Thursday, at the Park to catch it setting behind the trees.”

Pretty darn gorgeous! Thanks to Rozanne for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

It's cool here today, with rain clouds moving in. The surface waters of the Pacific Ocean have changed direction, a sure sign rain is on the way. Normally the surface waters flow north to south, but this afternoon they are moving south to north due to the impending storm.

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A week or so ago David Lichtman noticed this Buck swimming up the Gualala River. This photo is a still from the video David took.

You can see David's video here: IMG_1277

In David's video, you can sense the purposefulness of this Buck. Maybe he's looking for a particular Doe! It is the mating season of the Black-tailed Deer.

Thanks to David for allowing me to share his photo and video with you here.

I thought you might enjoy seeing a photo compilation that Allen Francis put together from my Sightings presentation last Sunday at Gualala Arts. It was great fun to be able to share such wonderful Nature photos and tell the stories about the photos.

A beautiful cool day here on the Mendonoma Coast. We have some rain coming in late tomorrow! I'm wondering when the first mushrooms might appear...

 

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October 11th and 12th saw the Northern Lights appearing off the Mendonoma Coast. Paul Kozal was at the ready!

Paul went to the White Barn at The Sea Ranch. Along with the Northern Lights, he photographed the setting Moon and the Milky Way. Yes, Paul is an over-achiever! And we're all thankful for that. Such beauty!

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Paul's photography, here is the link to his website: https://www.paulkozal.com/ or visit his gallery, Studio 391 in Gualala.

We had some rain showers this morning and beautiful rainbows too. This afternoon it's sunny with some clouds and a chill wind. The forest smells wonderful from yesterday's rain. A little over 1/4 inches. More to come!

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I will be hosting a special Sightings presentation this Sunday, October 27th at the Gualala Arts Center at 4 pm. I'll be showing a slideshow my favorite, most unusual and rarest Sightings photos. This is a fundraiser for the ICO Community News, our local weekly non-profit newspaper where I write my Mendonoma Sightings column. There are no tickets, just bring your donation check made out to the ICOCN. Donation acknowledgement letters will be available.

The Four-Eyed Frog Bookstore folks will be there also. Some of my favorite reference books on nature will be for sale, along with my Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year book, and my four children's books, Sunny Loves Spring (and Summer, Autumn and Winter!) on the California Coast. I'll be happy to inscribe the books after the slideshow.

Hope to see some of you there! Here's a bonus photo - this morning's sunrise taken by me. Another beautiful day on the Mendonoma Coast!