Tag Archives: Fish Rocks

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Sea Lions are fun to watch. They are a common sighting off the Mendonoma Coast. They are noisy, barking often. Killer Whales hunt them. Richard Kuehn got a photo of Sea Lions swimming hard and fast. Perhaps there was an Orca or two after them.

Sea Lions swimming hard and fast by Richard Kuehn

Sea Lions can look like porpoises, because when they swim fast they "porpoise" through the water. Jon Loveless photographed this action.

Sea Lions porpoising by Jon Loveless

They also gather together in rafts, which is what Rozann Grunig photographed.

Sea Lions rafting off of TSR by Rozann Grunig

It is thought they raft together for protection. They hold a flipper up in the air to either warm up or cool down - thermoregulation.

And lastly, Sea Lions are very curious. Craig Tooley was out kayaking when a group came in close to check him out.

Sea Lions seen from a kayak JUNE by Craig Tooley

Thanks to Rich, Jon, Rozann and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com To see Rozann's nature photography, here is her website: www.highway1designs.com

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We get spoiled in the autumn here on the Mendonoma Coast. The weather can be magnificent. That is what is happening now. Craig Tooley recently photographed this beautiful scene.

As I write this, the sky is clear. Waves are crashing and the Sea Lions on Fish Rocks are barking. Autumn on the Coast is like a dream come true.

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

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Male California Sea Lions are migrating now. In recent months the males have been hanging around the females on Fish Rocks, which is just off Anchor Bay, and a few other locations. Now the males are leaving, some going only as far as The Sea Ranch. Craig Tooley photographed a magnificent male with a Common Raven looking over its shoulder.

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

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Tuesday's sunset was beautiful with the first few storm clouds we've seen in quite a while. The rain stayed off shore but the clouds always make for a dramatic sunset. This one came with a golden path.

And the sunrise painted in pastels was a vision in loveliness. Can you see the top of Fish Rocks? The sun is just beginning to light it up. It's at the bottom left of the photo below. There is an active Sea Lion colony there and on calm days - and nights - the sound of the males barking can be heard. Things will settle down soon when the males move away for the winter months and give the females and their pups a break.

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Last Thursday morning, Rick and I, along with our golden retriever, Huckleberry, took a hike at Gualala Point Regional Park. It was a breezy day and the fog had pulled back leaving us in sunshine.

This is the view from one of the trails. On the middle right is the Gualala River lagoon. On the bluffs is the town of Gualala. The rocky islands in the middle are Fish Rocks, where a large colony of Sea Lions live.

Something moved in the grasses that caught my eye. When I looked at my photograph, I found I had photographed a Praying Mantis!

Paying attention to things both big and small brings unexpected surprises!

To see one of the most popular photos on this blog, here's the link to Siegfried Matull's photo of a Praying Mantis with its wings extended: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/07/two-photos-of-a-praying-mantis-from-coastal-photographer-siegfried-matull/