We've had quite a year so far for Bobcat sightings. They seem to be thriving on the Mendonoma Coast. Jinx McCombs photographed one recently.
And here's a rear view look of the Bobcat.
That's a nice meadow, probably filled with tasty Gophers. This Bobcat found a good spot for its dinner.
Thanks to Jinx for allowing me to share her photos with you here.
As part of Point Arena's annual Flower Power Festival and the Wind & Whale Celebration, giant kites filled the air courtesy of Berkeley Kite Wranglers. Margaret Lindgren photographed a few of them.
It was a weekend filled with fun. And there is usually plenty of wind out on the point where the Lighthouse sits so kite flying is a perfect activity. Margaret has more photos of the kites on her blog. You can see them at her website: www.unbeatenpath.weebly.com Thanks to Margaret for allowing me to share her fun photos with you here.
On Monday a pod of perhaps twenty Killer Whales was spotted off Point Arena. Emails and telephone calls ensued as we tried to photograph the pod. They were several miles out, however, and moving FAST. Dean Schuler got this photograph from The Sea Ranch.
It was fun following them down the coast. Unfortunately for Dean, a fishing boat saw this pod and headed towards them. The pod then dove and disappeared from view.
Though this photo was not taken off the Mendonoma Coast, I thought you'd enjoy seeing this close up that Tom Eckles took from a 12 person inflatable boat in the San Juan Islands. It looks like a male with the very tall dorsal fin and a female with the smaller, curved dorsal fin.
Thanks to Dean and Tom for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see more of Tom's photography, here's his website: tomeckles.com
Mendocino Coast Audubon Society held their annual bird count on Saturday. A Sandhill Crane was spotted near Lighthouse Road, which is north of the tiny city of Point Arena. It was a great bird to add to their list as it is an extremely rare sighting here.
Two years ago a pair of these beautiful cranes appeared outside my house in Anchor Bay and they danced in the air as if just for me. No one else saw them that day and, as I'm not the most experienced birder, I don't think I would have been believed if I hadn't gotten these photos.
In the days to come birders confirmed my sighting as this pair stayed near the Garcia River flats for some weeks. You can see in my photos that the cranes were calling, though I don't remember hearing them. I think I was too excited with my sighting of a bird I had never seen before.
To hear their call, here's the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/sounds
And so we start the first day of the new year, 2013. It will be fun and exciting to see what unfolds here on the beautiful Mendonoma Coast.
We have been on "Al" watch since late last month and we were beginning to think this unique Laysan Albatross wasn't going to grace us with its presence this winter. There was a possible sighting on Dec. 6th by a visitor from Chicago but there was no confirmation by others and no photo. Nancy Morin saw Al on Saturday, Dec. 22nd and her sighting was confirmed.
Mark Ricci photographed surfer Kim Swenson interacting with "Al" in the late afternoon on Dec. 24th.
To learn more about Point Arena's most famous visitor, here's the link to the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society: http://www.mendocinocoastaudubon.org/mcas_al.html It has a schedule of Al's (or Alice's) comings and goings.
Thanks to Mark for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see a close-up photo of Al, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/12/06/al-the-laysan-albatross-returned-yesterday/