Natural History Wanderings

Yosemite Nature Notes reported today on the area west of Yosemite:

“…the foothills and Merced Canyon west of Yosemite are greener and greener with buckeye leaves still emerging. Redbuds are pinking, getting ready for their startling color show soon. Popcorn flower dominates at ground cover level, poppies are coming along, false goldfields and fiddlenecks are looking good. The Hites Cove Trail is well worth a stroll now…”

The Yosemite National Park Now in Bloom page on the park website also has a posting about the Merced River Canyon.  It describes what flowers you might see on Highway 140 from Mariposa to El Portal, reports on flowers  blooming at Hite Cove and says the redbuds are starting to bloom.