Natural History Wanderings

It may be approaching the middle of July but the Bay Area wildflower season is not over. Many flowers are in bloom at Abbott’s Lagoon at Pt. Reyes.

We hiked out to the lagoon, then went up to the bluff  just before the bridge and continued a short distance along the fence at the top,  and then down and over to the dunes. Except for the Gentian which was still in bud and very close, most of the summer flowers were out and blooming.  There are many species to be found and I listed all the ones that I was able to ID (with help) on the plant list below. Many birds were active today as well  but my bird list is rather small as my attention was mainly on the flowers. There were also mule deer and brush rabbits as well. It was a foggy day creating good light for wildflower photography when the winds slowed down. For a larger, higher quality slide show click on: Flickr Slideshow

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Click Read More for a detailed plant list,  and bird list .

ABBOTT’S LAGOON Plant list for July 11, 2011

I used the  Marin CNPS list for Abbott’s Lagoon for reference.   It  can be found at the following link: (http://www.marin.edu/cnps/ABBOTTS_LAGOON_PUBLIC_TRAIL2009.html).  I have only listed the plants I was able to identify (with much assistance) .  All errors are mine.  Includes off-trail area to North of the trail as far as edge of the freshwater lagoon, the sand-dunes and the bluffs to the S. of the bridge. This ridge to the East of, and overlooking, the brackish lagoon, is especially rich in coastal wildflowers in April and May.  List 1B plants are rare, threatened or endangered species, decimal additions are more recent clarifications of the estimated degree of rarity, 1B.1 being the rarest.    Alien species, or weeds, are marked  *.  All other plants are Californian natives.

ANACARDIACEAE (SUMAC FAMILY)
Toxicodendron diversilobum            Poison Oak

APIACEAE/UMBELLIFERAE (PARSLEY FAMILY)
Angelica hendersonii                        Coastal Angelica
Conium maculatum                            Poison Hemlock            *
Heracleum maximum                        Cow Parsnip

ASTERACEAE/COMPOSITAE (SUNFLOWER/COMPOSITE FAMILY)
Achillea millefolium                                     Yarrow
Agoseris apargioides                         Seaside Dandelion
Anaphalis margaritacea                        Pearly Everlasting            *
Artemisia pycnocephala                        Beach Sagebrush
Baccharis pilularis var. pilularis         Coyote Brush
Carduus pyncocephalus                            Italian Thistle                   *
Centromadia corymbosa                         Tarweed
Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale            Cobweb Thistle
Cirsium quercetorum                                Brownie Thistle            *
Cirsium vulgare                                          Bull Thistle                    *
Cotula coroponifolia                                 Brass Buttons
Eriophyllum staechadifolium                       Lizard Tail
Erigeron glaucus                                               Seaside Daisy
Eriophyllum lanatum var. arachnoideum            Woolly Daisy
Eriophyllum staechadifolium             Lizard Tail
Grindelia stricta var. platyphylla            Dune Gumplant
Lasthenia californica                        Gold Fields
Madia sp.                                               Tarweed

BORAGINACEAE (BORAGE FAMILY)
Plagiobothrys or Cryptantha  sp.      Popcorn

BRASSICACEAE/CRUCIFERAE (MUSTARD FAMILY) coroponifolia
Brassica rapa                                    Field Mustard            *
Cakile maritima                                 Sea Rocket            *
Raphanus sativus/ R. raphanistrum            Wild Radish            *

CARYOPHYLLACEAE (PINK FAMILY)
Silene scouleri ssp grandis               Pink–flowered Catchfly            *

CONVOLVULACEAE (MORNING-GLORY FAMILY)
Calystegia purpurata ssp. purpurata            Trailing Morning-glory

CRASSULACEAE (STONE-CROP FAMILY)
Dudleya farinosa                                    Sea-bluff-lettuce

FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (PEA FAMILY)
Lathyrus latifolius                                Everylasting Pea
Lotus scoparius                                    Deer-weed (prostrate form on dunes)
Lotus sp.                                                 a yellow lotus
Lupinus arboreus                                 Yellow Bush Lupine
Lupinus bicolor                                    Coastal form Annual Lupine
Lupinus chamissonis                         Fragrant Dune Lupine

GENTIANACEAE (GENTIAN FAMILY)
Gentiana affinis var. ovata                        Coastal Gentian  (in bud)

LAMIACEAE/LABIATAE (MINT FAMILY)
Monardella undulata var. undulata            Curly-leaved Monardella            LIST4.2
Monardella villosa var. franciscana            Franciscan Pennyroyal
Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata            Large-flowered Self-heal
Stachys chamissonises            Marsh Hedge-nettle
Stachys  rigida            Dryland Hedge-nettle

LILIACEAE (LILY FAMILY)
Triteleia laxa                                                Ithuriel’s Spear
LINACEAE (FLAX FAMILY)
Linum  bienne                Narrow-leaved Flax                              *

MALVACEAE (MALLOW FAMILY)
Sidalcea calycosa ssp. rhizomata            Pt. Reyes Marsh Checkerbloom            LIST1B.1

NYCTAGINACEAE (FOUR O’CLOCK FAMILY)
Abronia latifolia            Yellow Sand-verbena

ONAGRACEAE (EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY
Camissonia cheiranthifolia                        Beach Suncup
Clarkia davyi                                                Small-flowered Clarkia

PAPAVERACEAE (POPPY FAMILY)
Eschscholzia californica                        California Poppy, coastal yellow

PLUMBAGINACEAE (LEADWORT FAMILY)
Armeria maritima ssp. californica   Sea Thrift

POACEAE/GRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY)
Briza spp.                                                Rattlesnake Grass            *

POLYGONACEAE (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY)
Chorizanthe cuspidata
Eriogonum latifolium                        Coast Buckwheat
Polygonum paronychia                    Sandy Knotweed
Rumex crispus                                    Curly Dock

PORTULACEAE (PURSLANE FAMILY)
Claytonia sibirica                                    Candy Flower

PRIMULACEAE (PRIMROSE FAMILY)
Anagallis arvensis                                    Scarlet Pimpernel            *

RANUNCULACEAE (BUTTERCUP/CROWFOOT FAMILY)
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhyncus            Large Marsh-buttercup

ROSACEAE (ROSE FAMILY)
Potentialla anserina ssp. pacifica     Cinquefoil

SCROPHULARIACEAE (FIGWORT FAMILY)
Castilleja exerta ssp. latifolia            Central Coast form Showy Owl’s Clover
Mimulus guttatus                                  Monkey-flower
Scrophularia californica                     Bee Flower

ABBOTT’S LAGOON Bird list for July 11, 2011

As my focus was mainly on flowers today I am confident a serious birder would have had many more species.

California Quail
American Goldfinch
Brewer’s Blackbird
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Gulls (not identified to species)
White Pelicans
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Scrub Jay
Red-winged Blackbird (heard)
Wrentit (heard)

For more information on Pt. Reyes and Abbotts Lagoon click on this list:  Pt. Reyes Posts on Natural History Wanderings

Related articles

• Abbott’s Lagoon Wildflower Report 6/25/11 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
• Point Reyes Wildflower Report: Abbott’s Lagoon and Kehoe Beach 5/9/11 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)