Tag Archives: Martin Steinpress

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Mushrooms are quite beautiful, coming in so many colors and shapes. Craig Tooley photographed a Scarlet Waxy Cap. I've seen a bunch coming up on the forest floor. I think of them as flowers in the forest.

Craig also photographed a mature Parrot Waxy Cap. They have a green top when young.

Shirley Mitchell photographed some white Coral Mushrooms.

And Martin Steinpress found a group of two delicious edibles, Hedgehog Mushrooms and Black Trumpets.

Winter Chanterelles are also up in good numbers now. Gifts from the forest!

Thanks to Craig, Shirley and Martin for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

We are having a mild day - 60 degrees - with no wind. Our walk with our golden retriever, Duffy, at Gualala Point Regional Park today was wonderful. Gray Whale spouts could be seen in the calm ocean; these grays are headed north now. Big waves were crashing onto the beach. And there were surfers outside the mouth of the Gualala River, something you don't see very often.

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Sea Stars were hit hard by a wasting disease, which began several years ago. Their demise is one of the reasons things are out of balance in the ocean. I'm happy to report healthy Stars are being seen in the intertidal zone. John Wall recently photographed an Ocher Star.

Earlier this year Martin Steinpress found baby Stars, a heartwarming sighting.

In years past, Sea Stars, formerly called Starfish, were seen in abundance. Craig Tooley took this great photo some years ago. May this become a more common sighting in the years to come.

Craig's photo appears in our book, Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year. He titled it "Sea Star party."

Thanks to John, Martin and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see more of Craig's nature photography, visit his website www.ruffimage.com

A warm, windless day so far on this Memorial Day.

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May is such a beautiful time of year on the Mendonoma coast. On a drive down Highway One a few days ago, Rick and I saw many Pacific Rhododendrons blooming along Salt Point State Park.

Pacific Azaleas are blooming now too. Martin Steinpress photographed these along the Salal Trail, a public access trail on The Sea Ranch.

And the big, splashy Andrew's Clintonia is blooming in shady forests. Andy Moore recently photographed this one. You can see a yellow Redwood Violet in Andy's photo too.

Another of my favorite native wildflowers is blooming now too, Coast Lily.

Today, Sunday, we are having spectacular weather. The wind has died down and temps are up. Yes, it is a beautiful time of year here on the coast.

Thanks to Martin and Andy for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Martin Steinpress was out on the rocks at low tide at Cooks Beach. He wrote, “I saw a few medium-size Sea Stars, including two orange ones next to a bunch of Purple Sea Urchins. I found a whole ecosystem of inhabitants beneath and between some Mussels, including these small, one-inch-diameter Sea Stars. It’s nice to see them returning to our coast in a big way.”

Sea Stars, formerly called Starfish, were devastated by a wasting disease. It’s believed to be a virus, and warmer waters might be a factor too. We have an over-abundance of Sea Urchins, causing an imbalance in the Pacific Ocean’s ecology. Sea Urchins have been eating much of the kelp, which leaves not enough kelp in some areas for the Abalones.

Sea Stars eat Sea Urchins, so we are rooting for their continued good health!

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

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It's very rare indeed to see a Tundra Swan in early autumn, but one arrived last Monday and has been seen at the Gualala River since then. Mel Smith reported he saw the swan today, paddling in the river.

Bob Rutemoeller was the first to spot the Tundra Swan while he was volunteering at the Gualala Bluff Trail on Monday. The Swan was preening itself while standing on the riverbank.

Rick Denniston spotted the swan too, this time swimming in the river.

I have never had a sighting before of a Tundra Swan in the Gualala River. We always hope to see these beautiful white swans in the winter when they migrate down to the Garcia River floodplain.

Here is a collage Anne Mary Schaefer took of two Tundra Swans flying by. Just look at those long necks!

And here is a photo Martin Steinpress took on 12/31/15 of three adult Tundra Swans swimming with Mallards in a creek north of Point Arena.

I hope we see more of these swans in the months to come. So far the juvenile swan seems happy to be at the Gualala River. Being at the Gualala River makes me happy too!

Thanks to Bob, Rick, Anne Mary and Martin for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Weather report! We had .66 inches of rain overnight at our house. The air is clear and smells so sweet, just the way we like it. Thank you, Mother Nature, for the healing rains.