Natural History Wanderings

DesertUSA posted two reports for southern California:

Figueroa Mt. 3/5/12 “Went up to Figueroa Mountain today, as well as the Santa Ynez Valley. Top of Figueroa Mountain had virtually no wildflowers. The hillside which was carpeted by poppies & lupine 2 years ago barely has grass covering it. Before the road turns to dirt, there were some lupine & poppies on the side of the road, but just enough to use a macro or a telephoto lens on. There was one patch of only lupine about 100 feet up the hillside about 500 yards before the road turned to dirt which was worth hiking up to.”

Santa Monica Mountains 3/2/12/ “Santa Monica Mountains are starting to bloom! In Topanga Canyon SP, the Parker Mesa Overlook trail is roughly 6 miles from Trippet Ranch and it’s starting to bloom. Some of the lovelies I saw today from the trail were; Sticky Monkey Flower, Chia, Prickly Phlox, Purple Nightshade, Stinging Lupine, Greenbark Ceanothus, Popcorn Flower, Blue Larkspur (only one and not easy to spot), Wishbone Bush, Wooly Blue-curls, Periwinkle, Windmill Pink, Chaparral Pea, and all kinds of pollinators!”

See more photos and more reports at http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca.html