Russian River Mouth is Closing, Brown Pelicans, a Spider and a Walk

Wednesday September 9, 2015 Jenner CA.

Ray joins me today

Ray followed me into the parking lot in his truck at Jenner this morning. We put our boats in the water and paddled across to Penny Island to decide where to go today. Ray wanted to go down to the river’s mouth area so off we went, heading down along the island shoreline and paddling across to the mouth area when we got to the end of Penny Island.

The river’s mouth is closing

We pulled into where the mouth is usually open to the ocean and sat and watched things from here. The sand in front of Ray is closing the river’s mouth, except for high tides. Ray seems to be entertaining some seagulls. He’s eating something and the seagulls are interested.

Sleeping seals

There were some sleeping harbor seals across from us and lots of birds too.

Some of the birds resting across from us.

I was watching this guy

This brown pelican landed close in front of us.

As I was watching it took off.

And flew a short distance to the other side.

And landed. Amazing how much water it splashed up during the landing process.

I was also watching these brown pelicans bathing and preening. No, it’s not dead. :O)

Walk at the Poison Oak Alley trail

We stayed down at the mouth for quite a spell, then headed on up the river through the island back channel. Ray said he wanted to walk the Poison Oak Alley trail so we landed here, tied our boats to a bush and walked up the trail.

The trail goes through a lot of little micro climates. This one is brushy with some thimble berry plants mixed in and some poison oak too.

The spider

Ray spots a spotted orb weaver spider so we stop and I take some pictures.

We stopped under this tree for a good break and a bull session before turning back down the trail. Ray’s checking something out there.

We got back in our boats and headed in for the day and this was our view as we crossed over to the town of Jenner to the boat ramp.

We avoid ramp rage

There was a biologist guy with his boat on the boat ramp that we had been eyeing on the way in and Ray was about to let the guy have it when I said I think I know this guy. His name was David and he knew me so we had a chat about what he was doing and Ray sorta let him know that I get boat ramp rage. :O)  He did say he would let me know their results when they became available. I think he is from the Bodega Bay Marine Lab.

Anyway, we had a nice chat and then we went on home for the day. He did move his rig for us to get our boats.

I had a good nap then went out in the yard and puttered around, mostly cutting blackberry vines as they are growing all over the yard and will take over if I don’t.

That pretty much was my day.