As we say goodbye to the calendar year, so we say goodbye to the meteor showers until summer 2026. The Quadrantids peak on Jan. 3, though we will also see the rise of the first full moon that evening. This shower produces about 40 an hour in the eastern skies. This January full moon is also a super moon, and it is accompanied by another round of especially high tides of 6 to 7 feet in the morning hours. The Dakota tribe of the central U.S. calls this moon the “Hard Moon,” coming at a time of year when cold weather makes it difficult to survive.
As winter continues, gray whales continue to swim past us and northern elephant seals haul out on beaches. Other neighbors enjoying the rainy weather are coho salmon and steelhead trout. They have been returning to Tomales Bay and waiting for the flush of rainwater to trigger their movement into their natal streams of the Lagunitas Creek watershed. There they develop rock nests, or redds, in the creek beds to lay the eggs of the next generation. Similarly, reddish-brown-backed, bright-orange-bellied California newts are beginning their reproductive journeys, returning to their natal ponds to lay eggs. These smaller amphibians share the roads and trails, so keep an eye out.
Park roads and trails remain open on New Year’s. As you explore park beaches, red-vested winter wildlife docents are posted to provide information and help whale sighting.