Natural History Wanderings

Updated with links to high quality slideshows

We drove to Pt. Reyes on Lucas Valley Road which had many California Buttercups in bloom.

At Pt. Reyes we hiked out to Abbott’s Lagoon. Along Abbott’s Lagoon trail many species are in bloom although only Manroot or Wild Cucumber and California Poppies  were in large numbers.

White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds were in full song today. Water birds were mostly absent. Turkey Vultures were about the closest thing to a Raptor today. Even gulls were scarce. The usual deer were around.

The most flowery area was the headland south of the area by the bridge at the end of the trail. There are Goldfields, Buttercups and Pussy Ears (Calochortus tolmei) and many other flowers at the top including some small displays and views. The trail up is short but steep and slippery in places. Be careful as there is plenty of Poison Oak up there as well. (There is also Poison Oak along the sides of the Abbott’s Lagoon trail in places as well.)

Check out the sand dunes for more flowers as the sand is a different habitat with many other species in bloom.

After Abbott’s Lagoon we drove north to the Tule Elk area and not only saw elk but added Yellow Bush Lupine and Cow Parsnip to plant list. Also good patches of a small lupine just before the parking lot at the end of the road.

We stayed overnight at the Pt. Reyes Seashore Lodge, which has nice grounds including  large trees and a stream running along the back creating excellent bird habitat. Before breakfast we saw 14 different bird species including a Black Night-crowned Heron, a Great Blue Egret hunting, a Hairy Woodpecker and Collared Dove and Band-tailed Pigeon that we don’t often get to see except up here.

It was extremely windy during the night and most of today. This didn’t stop us from going to Chimney Rock, which is one of the windiest places on the West Coast and it kept its reputation. The wind basically took out flower photography and although there was less in bloom than previous years there were still many species to see. The best flower areas are out near the point and in field right next to the parking lot. Fortunately, Pussy Ears Calochortus tolemeii was fairly plentiful and doing well.

Many birds were taking shelter but we did find thirteen species including two Great Horned Owls in the trees near the house and two species of loons.

The highlight of day was the Elephant Seals. There are now over eight hundred Elephant Seals including over 300 on the beach by the lookout. There are also a number of Elephant Seals right next to the Historic Lifeboat Station Building. You will see how close in the photos below.

To see a high quality slideshow of some of these flowers with large photos go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandysteinman/sets/72157633209401577/show/  (Click on icon bottom right of page for full page photos)

To see a high quality slideshow of the elephant seals with large photos go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandysteinman/sets/72157633214092696/show/  (Click on icon bottom right of page for full page photos)

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 Click read more to see flower and bird lists

Abbott’s Lagoon Bird List April 7, 2013: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13671716 

Pt. Reyes Abbott’s Lagoon Plant List April 7, 2013

California Poppy (coastal form)

Fiddleneck

Salmonberry

California Blackberry

Checkermallow

Manroot or Wild Cucumber (two species)

Candy Stripe

Big Marsh Buttercup

Yellow Monkeyflower

Field Chickweed

Common Chickweed

Marsh Willowherb

Douglas Iris

Red-berry Elderberry

Common Owl’s Clover (coastal form)

Blue-eyed Grass

Fragrant Dune Lupine and two other Lupine species

Pussy Ears (Calochortus tolmei)

Foot-steps-of-Spring

Early Hog-fennel

Pt. Reyes Blennosperma

Tomcat Clover

Ballon Clover

two unidentified vetch or pea plants (one purple, one white and pink)

Goldfields

Johnny Tuck

Suncup

Red Maids

Popcorn

Beach Suncup

Beach Dandelion

Sea Rocket

Yellow Sand Verbena

Beach Layia

Sea Thrift

Small Blue Gilia

Dwarf Plantain

Small Flowered Linanthus

Miner’s Lettuce

Thrift

Blue Linaria – Linaria canadensis var. texana

Alien plants included

Radish, Mustard, Fillaree, Cutleaf Geranium, Scarlet Pimperne

Point Reyes Seashore Lodge Birdlist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13684341

Chimney Rock Bird List: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13684341

Chimney Rock Plant List 4/8/13

Angelica hendersonii                                                           Coast Angelica

Arabis blepharophylla                                                         Pink Rock-cress

Armeria maritima                                                                 Thrift, Sea-pink

Calochortus tolmiei                                                              Pussy-ears star-tulip

Calystegia purpurata ssp. purpurata                              Morning-glory

Camissonia ovata                                                                  Sun-cups

Castilleja wightii                                                                   Wight’s Paintbrush (pale yellow)

Castilleja subinclusa ssp. franciscana                            Franciscan Paintbrush (red)

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. repens                                   Blue-blossom

Cerastium arvense                                                                 Spring-snow

Claytonia perfoliata                                                               Miners’ Lettuce

Delphinium   decorum                                                          Coast Larkspur

Erigeron glaucus                                                                    Seaside Daisy

Erysimum menziesii ssp. concinnum                               Wallflower

Eschscholzia californica                                                     CaliforniaPoppy

Fragaria sp                                                                              Strawberry

Grindelia stricta var. platyphylla                                       Dune Gumplant

Heracleum lanatum                                                              Cow Parsnip

Iris douglasiana                                                                     Douglas’ Iris

Lasthenia californica ssp,. californica                            Goldfields

Lasthenia  californica ssp. macrantha                           Giant Goldfields

Lupinus nanus                                                                       Sky Lupine

Marah fabaceus                                                                     Man- root, Wild Cucumber

Mimulus guttatus                                                                 Seep Monkey-flower

Ranunculus californicus                                                      California Buttercup

Rubus ursinus                                                                       Native Blackberry

Rumex salicifolius                                                                Willow-leaf Dock

Sanicula arctopoides                                                            Footsteps-of-Spring

Sidalcea malviflora                                                               Checkerbloom

Sisyrinchium bellum                                                             Blue-eyed-grass

Stachys ajugoides var.  rigida                                             Dry-land Hedge-nettle

Triphysaria eriantha var. rosea                                         Johnny Tuck

Viola adunca                                                                          Blue-purple Violet

Wyethia angustifolia                                                            Mule’s Ears