Down in the Foothills!

Blue Oak - California Poppies  

Quercus douglasii - Eschscholzia californica

The "Other" Spenceville

This week my friend Nancy and I drove down to a Blue Oak woodland in part of the Spenceville Wildlife Preserve and Recreation Area, run by the California State Department of Fish and Wildlife. We had visited this same spot three years ago. It is a beautiful area with rounded hills covered in Blue Oaks, broad open meadows of short green grass, and beautiful wide vistas of the surrounding hills!  There are also quite a few cows!

Hartweg's Doll Lily/Inside Out Lily - True Baby Stars - Caterpillar Phacelia

Odontostomum hartwegii - Leptosiphon bicolor - Phacelia cicutaria

Unfortunately, in the meadows where there were cows, the native wildflowers were sparsely scattered. Instead there were lots and lots of blooming non-native plants thriving throughout the meadows, including Storksbill, Wild Carnation, Tarweed, Thistle, Rayless Chamomile and Hawkbit. However, in the hilltop Blue Oak forests the native wildflowers were more prevalent, perhaps because the cows stick to the lower meadows. There was Roundtooth Ookow, Caterpillar Phacelia, Wally Basket/Ithuriel's Spear, Narrowleaf Flax, True Baby Stars, White Brodiaea, and Larkspur to name a few.

 

A Field of  Blooming Goldfields! - Lasthenia californica

There was one meadow area on the preserve that looked like it had been fenced off from the cows and there were thousands of wildflowers growing there!  There were Goldfields, Frying Pans, Inside Out Lilies, Yellow Mariposa Lilies, White Brodiaea, Seepspring Monkeyflowers, Harvest Brodiaea, and many others. It was amazing to see the difference between the areas where cows were grazing and where cows weren't grazing! Wildflowers definitely did better were there weren't any cows.

California Goldfields - Roundtooth Ookow - Frying Pans

Lasthenia californica - Dichelostemma multiflorum - Eschscholzia lobbii 

On the internet, there is a LOT of information on the pros and cons of cattle grazing on public lands. It is a very complex issue, with valid arguments from both sides often on the "opposite side of the fence".

For the "cons" of grazing I suggest the following website: 

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/grazing/#:~:text=TAKE%20ACTION-,ECOLOGICAL%20COSTS,contaminate%20waterways%20with%20fecal%20waste.

For the "pros" of grazing I suggest the following website: https://www.fb.org/issue/other/grazing-on-public-lands#:~:text=Grazing%20is%20also%20critical%20for,and%20staffing%20at%20federal%20agencies.

un-named pond

There are a few creeks and one pond on the preserve. We spent some time sitting at this pond, enjoying all the bird calls and the sound of the wind in the rustling tree leaves. There were lots of Red-winged Blackbirds perching on the tules at one end of the pond, that were probably nesting there.  We also heard a California Quail calling and calling.  It was so peaceful and alive at the same time!

White Brodiaea - Yellow Mariposa Lily - Ithuriel's Spear/Wally Basket

Triteleia hyacinthina - Calochortus luteus - Triteleia laxa

We were especially delighted to see about twenty Yellow Mariposa Lilies in the preserve.  Most of them have been wiped out locally by development.  Nancy had never see one before!  We were happy that they were still growing in the area fenced off from cows!

Up on the ridge tops we encountered lots of beautiful lichen covered rocks! They were so unique and looked so old! We didn't know anything about the geology of the area, but we found the following information on the website

spenceville.org.

"The gentle rolling terrain of SWA (Spenceville Wildlife Area) varies between 230 and 1,000 feet in elevation. The soil of the area contains generous amounts of clay and is shallow in depth. Underlying bedrock consists of metamorphosed volcanic rock (Rogers et al. 1996) commonly referred to as Serpentine or Greenstone. The outcroppings of this resistant rock type have been dubbed "tombstone rock" due to its likeness to thin, slightly rounded tombstones." 

For the first time ever, I used my phone for my camera that day!  I had forgotten my camera under the seat of my car, but luckily had my cheap, $60 cell phone. It was fun using it!  I couldn't really see what I was photographing, because of the bright sunshine on the screen, but I could see just enough.  It was kind of tricky to hit the button when trying to get a close-up shot of a flower, and bird photos were out of the question due to a lack of "zoom". But, it was way lighter than my camera, fit in my pocket, and I liked the longer, narrower format of the photos!  I was also surprised at the 5MB size of the images and their saturated color and sharpness!  WOW!  I might just make a habit of using my phone in addition to my camera now!  How fun!  Hope you enjoyed the photos!

Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis

About a week before we went to Spenceville, Nancy and I drove back to Table Mountain to see how the wildflower bloom had progressed. To our delight it was still covered in billions of wildflowers, there was water flowing in the creeks, and surprisingly there were lots of songbirds!  More birds than I had ever seen before!  Without a doubt the most common bird was the Savannah Sparrow.

Savannah Sparrows spend the winter in the southern U.S. or down in Mexico. They breed across the U.S. and up into northern Canada and Alaska. Right now some of them are back on Table Mountain to breed and raise their young!  In fact we even spotted a fledgling (featured below) while we were there! The following information on their nest making habits is from the Cornell website https://birdsoftheworld.org 

"Nests are placed on the ground and well-hidden, in areas that have lots of plant litter, decayed cow dung, and reduced coverage of bare ground. Nest itself consists of two distinct parts, an exterior form of coarse grasses with an internal cup of closely woven fine grasses built within. Nests differ from those of co-occurring sparrows such as Song Sparrows by their smaller size, tendency to be covered, and typical location in grassy habitats away from woody vegetation."

Glassy Wild Hyacinth - Triteleia lilacina

 

Glassy Wild Hyacinths were abundant on the mountain that day. Their glistening centers were amazing to see with a hand lens!

Lark Sparrow -  Savannah Sparrow (fledgling)

Chondestes grammacus - Passerculus sandwichensis

We also saw one Lark Sparrow feeding on the trail! The Lark Sparrows will probably nest here. They build their nests on bare ground, or slightly above ground in a shrub, in habitats like Table Mountain. Right now is their breeding season, and males are known to give a female a twig during copulation, which she then flies off with and places in her nest! 3-6 eggs are laid per clutch, and hatch within 12 days! Both male and female adults feed the nestlings, which can fly within 9 days! I love the markings and colors of the adults! Beautiful!

Kellogg's Clarkia - Triteleia lilacina

We've seen these large, lovely Clarkia's once before on Table Mountain. 

It was a joy to see these beauties again!

Horned Lark ( female - male) - Eremophila alpestris

We saw these two Horned Larks in the same area, and I only realized later that one was female and one was male! Horned Larks prefer to live in bare or nearly bare ground, such as tundra, desert, beach or short-grass prairie. Usually they travel in flocks of several hundred birds, except during the breeding season. Right now they are pairing off, mating, and making nests. Nests are made out of dry grasses, rootlets, animal hair and feathers, in a shallow depression on the ground. The female incubates 2-5 eggs for 11-12 days. The nestlings are altricial when born, and are cared for by the parents for 8-10 days after they fledge. The fledglings can run much sooner than they can fly. They are completely independent in four weeks.

Purple Owl's Clover - Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta

The Purple Owl's Clover was just showing up in some areas when we were there.  I love their bright magenta coloration!

Western Kingbird - Tyrannus verticalis

Kingbirds spend the winter down in southern Mexico and Central America and return to the western U.S. to breed.  They use a wide variety of nesting materials, in a wide variety of sites, but in general they nest in trees or shrubs, not on the ground.  I don't know if this Kingbird will stay or move on to a different area to breed.

Canyon Delphinium - Delphinium nudicaule

Luckily the beautiful vermillion-red Canyon Delphinium was in bloom in the shaded side of a canyon. Table Mountain is the only place where I've seen these gorgeous flowers!

Western Meadowlark (adult) - Mountain Bluebird (female)

Sturnella neglecta - Sialia currucoides

Western Meadowlarks live year-round in California. They spend the winter in the lower elevations. They might nest on Table Mountain or continue up to slightly higher elevations to breed and raise their young. They are such beautifully marked birds!

Mountain Bluebirds spend the winter in the south western U.S. and northern Mexico.  They breed in the western U.S. and south western Canada, except for the coast.  In California they breed up in the mountains, so they are just passing through Table Mountain.  I didn't see any males, but we saw at least four females!

Ravine Falls

New this year we walked to Ravine Falls, which I'd never seen before! It was a lovely thin sheet of water, that dropped straight down from the edge of the canyon, creating a cool, shaded, damp refuge on sunny Table Mountain!

$100 Falls!

This waterfall is one of many small waterfalls that spill over the edge of Table Mountain when there is sufficient rainfall.  It's named "$100 Falls" because of a fake "bet" I made with a friend!  She didn't believe that there was a waterfall in this little ravine, so we made a bet and she lost!  Hence the name! This is where we saw the Kellogg's Clarkia and many other wildflowers!

What's blooming locally?

What's happening in Sierra Valley?

Check back in two weeks for the answers to these questions and more!

After 8 years of doing my blog, I've decided that I'm only going to post my blog twice monthly from now on.  My husband has health issues that need my attention, and it's hard to find the time to post my blog (it takes at least a day to create a new post). So cutting back to two blogs a month will work a lot better for now. My next post will be on the weekend of May 11th. See you then!

Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated. Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!

Earth Day!

Scarlet Fritillary - Fritillaria recurva 

Citizen Science

Since Earth Day is coming up, I thought I’d write a little about how YOU can help our planet through Citizen Science! Wikipedia defines Citizen Science as: “Research conducted with participation from the general public, as well as amateur and nonprofessional researchers for science, social science and many other disciplines. Citizen science is used in a wide range of areas of study including ecology, biology and conservation, health and medical research, astronomy, media and communications and information science.”

I have been engaged in Citizen Science ever since I started my blog 8 years ago. I participate by regularly posting my recent photos on a variety of websites. Once a photo of mine is posted (along with the date, time, and location of the photo), it becomes part of the website’s data base. By turning in my observation data, it is made available to scientists that normally couldn’t get this information on their own. In turn, amazing data bases are created for the public to use.

Yellow-bellied Racer and Sierra Alligator Lizard in combat - photo by Carl Butz 

Mountain Beaver in the entrance to its den  

photo by the cameratrapcodger.blogspot.com

Friends of mine also send me photos of their observations!  Through their photos, I get to see amazing wildlife that I've never seen!  By sharing their sightings, my "data base" is enriched!  Here are some of their photos! 

 Great Horned Owl and Fledglings - photos by Mary Abbott

One of my favorite websites is iNaturalist.org. It is a collection of millions of wildlife photos from all over the world. If you submit a photo they will identify the species for you, and your info/image becomes part of their data base! It’s absolutely amazing! Here are some more of my favorite websites that you can contribute your photos to: bugguide.net, calflora.org, ebird.org., and butterfliesandmoths.org.

Bobcat in tree - photo by Judy Marovich

Roadside Bobcat - photo by B.J.Jordan 

There is an official Citizen Science website, https://www.citizenscience.gov/, that has a huge number of ongoing Citizen Science projects that you could possibly engage in. Or just Google “Citizen Science” and you’ll be amazed at the variety of opportunities and methods available.

Just this month, a friend of mine photographed an unusual moth in her yard. No one could identify it, so I posted it on iNaturalist.org., where it was identified as a “rare” (for the area) Mendocino Silk Moth! How cool! With just a little effort a lot can be accomplished. So get out there and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us, and then share it with others!

What's Blooming?

What's happening at Table Mountain?

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated.  Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com.  Thanks!

The American Dipper Nest-Building Story!

Back in the beginning of March a pair of American Dippers built a nest on the bridge pillar featured in the photos below.  About three weeks after they built the nest it was totally gone!!! I suspected that a pair of Ravens had destroyed the nest, in their attempt to eat the eggs.  Whether it was Ravens or not, I'll never know.  But the river between the pillar and the shoreline has been way too high and fast for a person to reach the Dipper nest. So it was probably the Ravens. Surprisingly, three days after the nest was possibly removed by the Ravens, the Dippers started building a NEW nest!  In six days time, their new nest was completely built!!!  It has been in place now for seven more days!  Hopefully the Dippers will be able to raise some young in this nest! Fingers crossed! I'll keep you posted. Below are photos of the nest as it was being constructed over six consecutive days!

American Dipper Nest - Day 1

The following information about American Dipper nests, nestlings, and fledglings is from the Cornell website at https://birdsoftheworld.org. The text does not correspond with the photos, but I wanted to post what the raising of a young American Dipper entails! For more information on the actual construction of the nest, check out my blog, "Spring Sightings", on March 31, 2023.

"The nest is a 2-part domed or ball-like structure with side entrance. Canopy of dome may overhang entrance hole to keep out water. Outer shell of moss with small amounts of interwoven grass (both stems and roots) and leaves. Inner chamber globular with woven cup or pad, composed of grass and leaves, sometimes bark.

American Dipper Nest - Day 2

Nest is well-insulated; seems adapted to control inside temperature (warm or cool, as necessary) and to keep inside dry. Thick outside mossy shell (3–5 cm thick) absorbs moisture; inside coarse grasses resist wetting.

American Dipper Nest - Day 3

Between completion of nest-building and laying of the first egg, 6–15 d lapse. Usually lays 1 egg/day, for a total of 4-5 eggs per clutch.

American Dipper Nest - Day 4

Incubation period 14–17 d . Female develops a large brood patch and does all incubation. Male carries food to female on nest, but she also feeds herself . Baby birds are altricial, and born naked except for sparse down. Chicks stay in nest about 25 d, sometimes longer. Both parents feed the chicks.

Video of an American Dipper compacting the moss in the walls of its nest!

American Dipper Nest - Day 5

Female broods regularly for about 1 week after hatching and continues to about day 16. During first few days, female broods for 5–61 min periods, leaves nest for 8–22 min periods. By day 16, nestlings nearly fill nest, so female enters nest with great difficulty and remains only a short time; only 2 brooding periods of 6 min each. Female enters nest by crawling over young birds; turns, stays in rear of nest. When male feeds young, female remains in back and young protrude heads from beneath her breast to receive food. Both parents deliver food to nestlings, the male more frequently while the female broods.

Completed American Dipper Nest - Day 6

Within the first hour after fledging, young bird moves around and takes quick steps. Starts dipping; frequency varies but increases when parents approach. Enters water, if shallow, and bathes by fluttering wings; can swim in water too deep for wading. May briefly poke head under water as if looking for food; picks at lichens and moss on rocks. Newly fledged young is active for about 1 h after leaving nest, then tires and stands still or preens. If not disturbed, typically remains within 12 m of nest. If young slips into water, it can use wings or feet to crawl out. Full flight not observed first day out of nest, but fledglings are able to flutter several meters back up to nest ledge. Parents feed young for widely varying periods (4–35 d) after leaving nest. Upon achieving independence, juveniles disperse."

Two Dipper nestlings in 2020

A Note on Nest Watching

Nest watching is fascinating but you need to be careful not to disturb the nesting birds. You also do not want to attract the attention of other birds. If you stay and watch young birds in a nest for too long, you may be noticed by their predators. Here are a few of my suggestions:

Do not check the nest every day. Wait at least three days between observations.

Do not observe the nest for more than a minute, unless at a good distance.

Conceal yourself if possible, so that the nesting birds are not disturbed, and that predators don't watch you watching.

Here are a few additional tips from the Cornell Ornithology Lab:

"Do not check in the early morning. Most birds lay their eggs in the early morning so plan on visiting nests in the late morning or afternoon. Also, most adults will temporarily leave the nest when you are near, and eggs and young nestlings can become cold quickly if left alone in the early morning.

Avoid nests during the first few days of incubation.

Do not approach nests when young are close to fledgling. When the young are disturbed during this stage, they may leave the nest prematurely. Young that fledge prematurely usually do not stay in the nest despite attempts to return them, and their survival rates away from or outside the nest are low.

When young birds are fully feathered and very alert, only observe the nest from a distance.

Avoid nests during bad weather. If it is cold, damp, or rainy, postpone checking nests until another day. Checking nests during this time can be very stressful for birds.

Do not check nests at or after dusk, when females may be returning to the nest for the night. The exception to this would be owls, which typically leave the nest at dusk."

American Robin Nest

 A Note on Nest Collecting

To my annoyance people often take the Dipper's nest mentioned above, usually after the nesting season. If they left the nest, the Dippers would possibly reuse parts of it, or "refurbish" it and reuse it the following year. What most people don't know is that it is illegal to collect migratory bird species nests. Dippers are NOT migratory birds, but I always think it is better to leave nests alone. The following information about Migratory Bird Nests is from the Fish & Wildlife Service at https://www.fws.gov/story/bird-nests.

"Most bird nests are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 U.S.C. 703-712) implements four international conservation treaties that the U.S. entered into with Canada in 1916, Mexico in 1936, Japan in 1972, and Russia in 1976. It is intended to ensure the sustainability of populations of all protected migratory bird species. This law says: “No person may take (kill), possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such bird except as may be permitted under the terms of a valid permit…” Under the MBTA it is illegal to destroy a nest that has eggs or chicks in it or if there are young birds that are still dependent on the nest for survival. It is also illegal for anyone to keep a nest they take out of a tree or find on the ground unless they have a permit to do so issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service."

Wild Turkeys (3 females) - Meleagris gallopavo

New Arrivals!

It's Springtime and migratory birds are arriving every day, and wildflowers are blooming! Almost every day something surprises me, like these three American Turkeys in my neighbors' yard!  We have never had turkeys in our neighborhood! They usually inhabit the foothills! I was surprised how camouflaged they were in the blackberry thicket. It will be interesting to see if they stick around!

Although Wild Turkeys usually inhabit the local foothills, they have been documented in the Sierra up to 10,000' in elevation! They are not native to Calfornia but were introduced from Mexico in the early 1900's. They were also introduced as late as 1997 into the higher elevations of Sierra, Nevada, and Placer Counties, by the CA. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Wild Turkey Federation. This has proven to be a detrimental introduction, as the turkeys compete with the native grouse and quail. They do not stay during the winter snows, so they must walk quite a distance to their winter habitat in the foothills! Perhaps the drier, hotter, drought years have driven them to higher elevations. The following information is from the Cornell website allaboutbirds.org.

"Wild Turkeys get around mostly by walking, though they can also run and fly—when threatened, females tend to fly while males tend to run. At sundown turkeys fly into the lower limbs of trees and move upward from limb to limb to a high roost spot. They usually roost in flocks, but sometimes individually. Courting males gobble to attract females and warn competing males. They display for females by strutting with their tails fanned, wings lowered, while making nonvocal hums and chump sounds. Males breed with multiple mates and form all-male flocks outside of the breeding season, leaving the chick-rearing to the females, The chicks travel in a family group with their mother, often combining with other family groups to form large flocks of young turkeys accompanied by two or more adult females."

White-crowned Sparrow (male) - Zonotrichia leucophrys

Recently arrived from the foothills or perhaps Mexico! He will mate and raise his young here in our neighborhood.

Meadowlark (adult) - Sturnella neglecta

Recently arrived from the foothills or the central valley of California! This Meadowlark won't stay here and nest.  It will probably migrate over to Sierra Valley to raise its young.

Black-headed Grosbeak (male) - Pheucticus melanocephalus

Recently arrived from Mexico! These lovely Grosbeaks will stay and raise their young here, or perhaps at a little higher elevation in the area.

Brewer's Blackbird (male-female) - Euphagus cyanocephalus

Recently arrived from the foothills or central valley of California! These Blackbirds raise their young right in our neighborhood every year!

Sicklepod Rock Cress - Boechera sparsiflora

These lovely, pink Sicklepod Rock Cress flowers popped up this week! They are about two feet tall and are one of the early bloomers in our area.

Oregon Grape - Berberis aquifolium

Oregon Grape is an early blooming shrub that is in full bloom right now.

It attracts lots of native pollinators.

Western Rue Anemone - Enemione occidentale

These delicate little flowers can be found on damp shady slopes. 

Currently there are lots of them growing on the forest floor.

Grand Hound's Tongue - Adelinia grandis

The name Grand Hound's Tongue, refers to the large pointed leaves of this plant.

What's happening on the Canyon Creek Trail?

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more.

Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated.  Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com.

The Blooming Foothills!

Bird's-eye Gilia and Goldfields 

Gilia tricolor - Lasthenia californica

This week we had three gloriously beautiful sunny days, so we decided to explore the foothills! On Wednesday we went to North Table Mountain Ecological Preserve with our friends Rod and Rochelle, and it was covered in wildflowers! It wasn't peak bloom yet, but there were billions of Goldfields, lots of Bitterroots, tons of Meadowfoam, Volcanic Onions, Blue Dicks, Plantains, Bird's-eye Gilia, Poppies, Violets, Popcorn Flowers, Pink Woodland Stars, and some Lupines!  

Bird's-eye Gilia and Goldfields in the WIND! 

Gilia tricolor - Lasthenia californica

The sky was filled with solid gray clouds and a strong wind was constantly gusting from the south, which made photographing the flowers a bit difficult!

Bitterroot and Goldfields 

Lewisia rediviva - Lasthenia californica

North Table Mountain Ecological Preserve is a butte that is a prairie-like expanse of flowering grassland, interspersed with tiny creeks, valleys, and waterfalls! The top of it is capped by an ancient lava flow. It is one of the few places in California that has never been impacted by agricultural crops. Some cattle are allowed to graze there in the wet months, but apparently cause little impact on the native wildflowers. It became an ecological preserve in 1993, when Francis Carmichael, a local rancher, sold 3,315 acres of it to the State of California, to be managed by the California Department of Fish and Game. 

Bitterroot is the largest, showiest wildflower on Table Mountain, and one of my absolute favorites!  This year there were lots of them scattered across the rocky, volcanic mounds throughout the preserve.  The flowers are up to two inches across, with numerous stamens, and a white style with 7-8 branches!  They grow right on the ground, with numerous, thin, succulent leaves 

Prairie Woodland Star 

Lithophragma parviflorum var. trifoliatum

To our delight we came across one clump of beautiful, pink Prairie Woodland Stars!  At 14" tall, they towered above the other wildflowers!  The more commonly seen Woodland Star has tiny white flowers. These flowers were medium sized, about half an inch wide.  We were so lucky to see these uncommon flowers!

Small Creek, Volcanic Mounds, Goldfields and Rusty Popcorn Flowers 

Lasthenia californica -   Plagiobothrys nothofulvus

Right now there are numerous small creeks flowing on the preserve.  The water was brackish and warm to the touch, but no newts were present.  In years past I have seen California Newts, and their eggs in the streams.  The Rusty Popcorn flowers pictured above have yellow centers when they first open, then fade to white as they age.

California Newt and eggs with larvae - 2017 - Taricha torosa

California Newts congregate in the water to mate and lay their eggs.  You can see lots of eggs with tiny white larvae in them in the photo above.  The larvae hatch into gilled aquatic larvae, about an inch long, which transform into little terrestrial newts that crawl onto land when the streams dry up!

Red Maids - Calandrinia ciliata

These lovely magenta Red Maids are another one of my favorites! They are low-growing plants, like a lot of the wildflowers on this butte!

Fields of California Goldfields - Lasthenia californica

California Goldfields were by far the most numerous, blooming wildflowers this week.  In the next few weeks successions of blooms will happen, carpeting Table Mountain in a variety of colors, including orange, blue, purple, white, and magenta.  We plan to come back again soon!

On Monday, my husband and I went down to the South Yuba River State Park to see what was happening. Unfortunately, due to a winter washout/landslide, the main trail along the South Yuba River is closed for this year!  RATS! So instead we hiked up the hill away from the parking lot, and found several kinds of wildflowers in bloom, oak trees leafing out, and Redbud flowering! It was gorgeous!

Pipevine Swallowtail - Battus philenor hirsuta

We also saw several Pipevine Swallowtails flitting through the forests and feeding on flower nectar. These butterflies lay their eggs on Dutchman's Pipe plants. The larvae can ingest the leaves of the Dutchman's Pipe, without being affected by the toxic aristolochic compounds they contain.  In fact the toxins are absorbed into their bodies, and make them unpalatable to predators! The scientific name of the Dutchman's Pipe is Aristolochia californica. It is one of the earliest blooming plants in the oak woodlands.

Springtime trees - Redbud and Oak

Cercis occidentalis - Quercus sp.

Such beauty!

 

Ithuriel's Spear - Lupine sp. - Dutchman's Pipes

Triteleia laxa - Lupinus sp - Aristolochia californica

Some of the wildflowers we saw were Blue Dicks, Popcorn Flowers, Fiddlenecks, Poppies, Buttercups, Iris, Vetch, Ithuriel's Spear, Lupine, and a few Dutchman's Pipes.  

Spring is just starting at the South Yuba River State Park. The grassy green fields will soon be filled with a wide variety of wildflowers.  We'll be back again soon, to enjoy the changing blooms!

What's happening at the Dipper nest?

What new birds have arrived?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

Your questions and comments are always welcome.  Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!