Tag Archives: Mendonoma coast

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Kenny Gentile was driving on Highway One just north of Elk on June 29th. There on the west side of the highway, perched on a tree, sat this beautiful, mature Bald Eagle. Kenny took over 50 photos while the big eagle watched him. One photo is on the Independent Coast Observer's web site at http://www.mendonoma.com/. Kenny kindly allowed me to post a different one here. Bald Eagles are a rare sighting on the Mendonoma Coast but two have been seen this spring and summer in the Albion area, which is not too far from Elk as the Eagle flies. We are wishing and hoping they will nest here.

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One of my favorite wildflowers - the tropical-looking Leopard Lily, Lilium pardalinum - has bloomed on the forest floor. The splash of orange is so unexpected in the world of greens and browns. It is also called Tiger Lily or Panther Lily. Its roots have medicinal qualities but I'd just rather admire this rare beauty from afar.

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A lone Gull on a fence post, the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop and a beautiful, sunny day gives one the essence of serenity, Mendonoma Coast-wise. Thanks to Carolyn André for this beautiful photo.

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Yesterday on our afternoon walk Rick pointed out the first blooms of California Honeysuckle, Lonicera hispidula, on our property in Anchor Bay. It's also known as Pink Honeysuckle. I love this climbing shrub. So do Hummingbirds, as they visit the pink blossoms for their nectar. Sometimes I see a vine climbing a tree and the leaves and blossoms are many feet above my head. This particular vine was growing in a huckleberry bush.

 Later in the summer the blooms will become brilliant orange/red berries, which are very bitter. Only the hungriest birds will eat them so they usually remain on the vine to be enjoyed by anyone passing by. The stems of this plant are hollow and they were used by Pomo Indians as smoking pipes.

It is a dazzlingly beautiful day on the Mendonoma Coast today. My best to you! Jeanne Jackson

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A beautiful Bobcat, Lynx rufus, paid a visit to Emily Nelson's place on the Gualala Ridge and Emily captured several great photographs. I've read that Bobcats prefer to eat Rabbits and Hares but they will eat anything from insects all the way up to Deer. Here on the Mendonoma Coast we mostly see them hunting Gophers.

Once in a while someone will mistake a Bobcat for a Mountain Lion, which is pretty ridiculous. Bobcats are about twice the size of a domestic cat and have a bobbed tail. Mountain Lions are three to five feet long and have a long tail. They weigh well in excess of a hundred pounds. Emily's Bobcat visitor doesn't weigh more than 30 pounds. I thank her for allowing me to share her photo here.