Natural History Wanderings

Marin County: Views, Drives, Wildflowers, Birds, and Butterflies

Yesterday I drove around Marin County showing an out-of-town relative the sights. We went to Muir Woods, the top of Mt. Tamalpais, and drove the coast highway.

I paid more attention the usual to each setting. Muir Woods really is impressive and not just the spectacular trees. If possible go there early in the morning on a weekday and you can almost have the place to yourself at least for a short while.  There was a lot of bird song and occasional bird views and I was able to find Olive-sided Flycatcher, Hutton’s Vireo, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Stellar’s Jay, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Pacific Wren, Mallard and  Swainson’s Thrush. I was less confident about Bewick’s Wren and there was plenty of sound I didn’t have a clue about. Most flowers are gone, but there is still Redwood Oxalis, Buckeye Trees, Cow Parsnip, and Sticky Monkeyflower in bloom. I was also surprised to say how much foliage there was from trilliums that must have bloomed earlier.

At the top of Mt. Tam the views were good as the fog was low and San Francisco was just peaking through the fog. The most abundant wildflowers were Chapparal Pea, Sticky Monkeyflower, and a red paintbrush. It was the first time I realized that the paintbrush was parasitic on the monkeyflower as they were always growing together. Also in bloom were lupine, Red Larkspur, Chamise and Yerba Santa. Manzanitas were already in fruit. Birds seen or heard were Anna’s Hummingbird,Wrentit, Dark-eyed Junco, possibly a Bewick’s Wren many Turkey Vultures, and surprisingly a Double-crested Cormorant flew by. Butterflies were also out and I saw Red Admiral, Tiger Swallowtail, an unidentified blue and a small dark butterfly that was possibly a Northern cloudywing or Mournful Duskywing.

Highway one was scenic as always  and we enjoyed the views and flowers at Muir Beach Overlook. The most common flowers seen on highway one and driving down Mt. Tam were Sticky Monkeyflower and Cow Parsnip. There are also California Poppies in many spots as well. I wasn’t really doing photography today but have a few quick shots taken with my compact camera.

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