Tag Archives: The Sea Ranch

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Last week Richard Kuehn took Rick and me to a very special spot on The Sea Ranch. We were told to be quiet as we made our way out to a point where we could observe the nesting Pelagic Cormorants on the protected bluff face. Below is a female sitting on eggs with her mate next to her.

 And a resettling of the female allowed Rich to get a photo of her eggs. It looks like four eggs are in the nest.

There were perhaps a dozen or so nests and the males were coming and going, bringing food to the nesting females. It was magical to observe them and not disturb them in any way.

To hear their calls, here's a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/pelagic_cormorant/sounds

Thanks to Rich for allowing me to share his photos and for showing Rick and me this spot. I will share a few more photos of this place soon.

Bonus sighting - the first Wild Rhododendrons have begun their bloom. Rick and I saw the first bloom yesterday, Thursday, April 25.

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There are several secluded beaches where Harbor Seal moms give birth. One of them is Tide Pool Beach on The Sea Ranch. Craig Tooley photographed the first Harbor Seal to be born this year swimming with its mom. It's wonderful to watch as the pup bonds with its mother. Harbor Seals only have one pup at a time.

Here's an unusual sighting. This is a lanugo pup. It was born premature and still has its lanugo coat. You can see it is quite hairy. This coat is usually lost before birth but in this little pup's case it is still wearing it. The pup will shed it in the days to come.

You might see a pup on the beach and think it is abandoned. It is not! The mother leaves it there while she heads back into the ocean to feed. If you think a marine mammal is in distress, do not take matters into your own hands. Call the Marine Mammal Center at 415) 289-7350 and they will send a trained volunteer out to assess the situation.

Over twenty pups have been born off The Sea Ranch so far with many more to come. It's a privilege to share the Coast with them.

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

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Robert Scarola recently photographed this beautiful tide pool.

Here's what Robert had to say:

"It's been so windy lately that Nancy and I are only going out for short walks on the shore -- stunningly beautiful. We found a quiet, calm spot out of the wind on The Sea Ranch Bluff Trail near where the Salal Trail joins it, and spent some time just contemplating the rock formations and the sheltered tide pools. You can feel all the small life here living in this green-edged pool home, waiting for the next surge of sea and nutrients. The sun made the water look like it was filled with diamonds. And actually it is rich beyond measure."

Thanks to Robert for his photo and his words!

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Sometimes a Bobcat will settle down and just enjoy enjoy the soft grasses. That's what happened outside Patty McBratney's house.

 And Patty caught this Bobcat in a big yawn. Now that's a unique photo for you today!

Thanks to Patty for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

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These photos are so beautiful. On March 23 we had such an unusual cloud show in the west and a magnificent rainbow formed inland. Paul Brewer photographed the rainbow over Gualala. It looks like a magical land.

And George Bush photographed it just as the sun was setting from The Sea Ranch.

 You can see the setting sun reflected on the houses below. Quite a beautiful event!

Thanks to George and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here. You can much more of Paul's nature photography at: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/