Birds of the Mendonoma Coast

Birds of the Mendonoma Coast
February 2025

Seatherny (n.) – The serenity one feels when listening to the chirping of birds.

The Pacific coast along Sonoma and Mendocino counties is particularly spectacular. It’s formed of long stretches of precipitous cliffs, fierce rocky formations jutting up through the waves, and idyllic sandy beaches, some available for swimming and surfing, others not. The sea can churn wildly here or be placid, gentle and blue.

Fortunately, we have a reason to go there regularly. Chris’s sister lives in a home overlooking the seemingly infinite expanse of ocean and sky. To gaze on the sea everyday is the best balm I know for the soul. It puts right one’s perspective on life. It mellows the nervous system and quiets the rumbling of troubling thoughts.

The coast and the nearby wetlands attract wildlife that inhabit both water and sky. The mild year-round temperatures means there is food – flowers, seeds, insects, fish, crustaceans – available in all seasons. Although some birds migrate farther south in winter, others makes this their winter home and then return to the far north for their summer breeding. Some avian adventurers are only drop-in visitors, taking rest stops here on their long bi-annual flight from Central and South America to the Arctic.

Sometimes, while enjoying a drink or snack on the house’s deck, you can spot a whale. If you see one, it’s usually a gray whale meandering one direction or another on its north/south course. The bay that the house is perched above was created by the Gualala River. The depth of the bay drops quickly allowing the great beasts to come close to shore. Gray whales are less expressive than humpbacks, they can slip by through the waters almost unnoticed, often only revealing the slight arch in their backs and the occasional misty plume of their exhale.

Here is a curated selection of photos taken over the past few months near the Sonoma/Mendocino coastline.

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