The Chinese New Year begins with the new moon of Jan. 31. This year, the zodiac animal honoree is the tiger, which is described as having a dynamic personality—fiery one moment and calm the next. This description seems to apply to male northern elephant seals, which challenge and spar with one another, then settle back onto the sand to nap. A larger group of seals featuring females, males and pups is best seen from Chimney Rock. As of this writing, the parking area at Drakes Beach affords views of several large males. As they arrive and rest, they may block passage onto the left beach area, which remains open at this time; look for closed signs before making your way onto the sand and stay at least 25 feet away from any seal you encounter.
Other creatures bent on mating at this time of year are local striped skunks, with a white stripe running down their back. They are in the weasel family, related to the red long-tailed weasels you may see dashing across the lighthouse stairs. Typically, skunk breeding begins in February and kits are born about nine weeks later. They are nocturnal and therefor susceptible to being injured on the roads—a reminder to drive carefully.
Wildflowers—in January! Milkmaids, a small, rosy-pink, four-petaled flower, one of the very first, have been blooming on Portola Avenue. Pink manzanita bells and flowering currants are also bringing a tantalizing hint of spring.