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Autumn is a favorite time of year for many of us. A storm system with no rain moved across the Mendonoma Coast a week ago Saturday, blowing needles off trees and scattering them seemingly everywhere. The color of the sunlight has already changed to a warmer gold.

That windy weather brought a sighting of rare Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud waves, seen by Jane Simmonds. She wrote, “Looking west from our home in Annapolis on Sunday, September 15th, I saw what seems to be the fog rising in peaks and then curling a bit like a wave breaking. First time I've ever seen that.”

Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud waves form on windy days, when two different layers of air move at different speeds. The winds in the upper layer move at a higher speed and cause tops of the clouds to roll over, just like a breaking wave.clo

Jane’s sighting had me wondering about the difference between fog and clouds. I  learned there is no difference other than altitude. Fog is defined as a visible moisture that begins at a height lower than 50 feet. If the visible moisture begins at or above 50 feet, it is called a cloud.

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

Foggy at the coast today, sunny at Rick's and my place in Anchor Bay. Temps mild, in the mid-sixties.

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On Sunday Mel Smith found this Monarch nectaring on a butterfly bush in Point Arena.

And Chris Pechal found two Monarchs at The Sea Ranch. In the photo on the left, you can tell it's a male Monarch because of the two black dots on its lower wings. He is nectaring on thistle. In the other photo, the beautiful Monarch is nectaring on Coyote Bush.

These Monarchs come to the coast to feed before their journey to their overwintering sites. They live approximately seven months, and are called the Methuselah generation. We hope to see many more Monarchs in the days ahead.

Thanks to Mel and Chris for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Warm today - no fog at all. It's a spectacular autumn day!

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Suzy Worsham’s critter camera showed a big Black Bear checking out items at her place on Iversen Road several weeks ago. She wrote, “We had a visitor at our back door last night! The last time this happened was when it was also a low producing Huckleberry season back in 2022. We had so many Huckleberries last year and this year there are none.”

 

Here's is the video: Black Bear visit by Suzy Worsham

There are very few Huckleberries, and they are smaller than usual, and quite sparse. You can lift a branch where last year there might have been 50 or 60 fat berries. This year you are lucky to find one berry. There was an early heatwave that may have affected the berries, and/or the plants are taking a year off after one of the most fabulous huckleberry years ever – 2023.

Thanks to Suzy for allowing me to share her video with you here. Lions, and tigers, and...

Very foggy at the coast. Gualala was socked in for most of the day, but Anchor Bay was living up to its banana belt designation and was in sun. Sunny on the ridge, and quite mild.

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Michael Reinhart was out photographing nature when he noticed this Harbor Seal surface near some kelp.

The Harbor Seal seems to be looking right at Mike! Harbor Seals are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast.

Sara Bogard has been studying the Harbor Seals off the Point Arena Lighthouse Peninsula and adjoining Point Arena-Stornetta Lands. She will be giving a presentation entitled “Seals Beside Us” at the Point Arena Lighthouse, September 21st from 4-5pm. That's this Saturday! Cost is $5.00.

Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photo with  you here!

Very foggy close to the bluffs, but sunny up on the ridge. Cool temps, 60's.

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Craig Tooley was photographing at the Gualala River when he spotted this Great Blue Heron on a snag. Yes, it was foggy that morning!

Great Blue Herons are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast!

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

Lots of fog this morning, pulling back in the afternoon. Cool temps, low 60's. No wind. Beautiful fall colors beginning to appear.