Tag Archives: Mel Smith

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Mel Smith photographed an Earthstar, a uniquely-shaped mushroom that grows on the Mendonoma coast.

Craig Tooley photographed a Scarlett Waxy Cap, a mushroom that makes me think of flowers growing in the forest.

Craig also found a group of Shaggy Manes. This mushroom is edible when young, but they quickly melt away into an inky puddle.

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

We are having sunny, warm weather today. And tomorrow, Thursday, is supposed to be a bit warmer. We should be seeing more mushrooms appearing if they didn't drown in all the rain we've had!

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We soared past 50 inches of rain at our place in Anchor Bay. That's our average rainfall for the entire year! So it's not a surprise that waterfalls would be flowing beautifully now. Mel Smith took a hike on the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands recently and photographed this waterfall.

Mel was out on a rare sunny day, as we've had storm after storm roll in. This weekend is predicted to be sunny and mild, a perfect time to visit the coast. To find this waterfall, here is a link to a previous post with directions: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/06/15/a-hidden-waterfall-on-the-stornetta-public-lands-in-mendocino-county/

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

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Mel Smith photographed this red Crab, which was inadvertently caught by a fisherman at the end of the Point Arena Pier.

I sent Mel’s photo to Carol Preston of NOAA. She wrote back, “It’s a Kelp Crab, Pugettia producta. It has two color morphs, red or olive green. This is a red color morph.” Mel said he has seen the green ones, but this is his first sighting of a red Kelp Crab.

Thanks to Carol for her expertise, and thanks to Mel for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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Mel Smith went to see if any of the beautiful white Tundra Swans had returned to the Garcia River area. He first looked at Hunter lagoon off of Biaggi Lane, and then at Brush Creek lagoon but found no Swans. The last big storm had washed away the sand, and drained the wetlands in both places, at least for now.

Mel then went to Hathaway Creek, which is found on the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands and found the fields flooded. There he saw four Tundra Swans, the first of many, we hope.

Here's a photo from a few years ago of two Tundra Swans in flight, taken by Anne Mary Schaefer.

In years past, there have been hundreds of these swans in the floodplains of the Garcia River. We hope more will return to overwinter on the southern Mendocino coast.

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

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Mel Smith took visiting family members to the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands. He hoped to be able to show them the waterfall, but it is still falling into a crack in the bluff. Nonetheless, this spot is perfect for a photo with the Lighthouse in the distance.

the-waterfall-is-hidden-at-the-point-arena-stornetta-lands-by-mel-smithThe waterfall appears on the right side. Perhaps with all the rain in our forecast the waterfall will again cascade off the bluff. This is what it looks like when it does - beautiful, don't you think? I took this photo a few years ago.

stornetta-lands-waterfall-by-jeanne-jacksonThanks to Mel for allowing me to share his photo with you here.