Natural History Wanderings

submitted by Randy

Tuesday 3/11 at Hetch Hetchy:

Because of the Rim Fire last year, the only trail available is the one from the dam to Wapama and Rancheria Falls. (The trail to Poopenaut Valley is closed.) It’s early in the season, but in the moist areas we found many red maids (Calandrinia ciliata), filaree (Erodium cicutarium), and a few harlequin lupines (Lupinus stiversii), which are just getting started. Some of the larger pools of flowing water still contain Sierra newts (Taricha sierrae).

Wednesday 3/12 at Hite Cove:

The first mile or so of the Hite Cove trail has many patches of tufted poppies (Eschscholzia caespitosa), blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys nothofulvus), fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), and red maids (Calandrinia ciliata) in the sunnier areas, and Henderson’s shooting star (Dodecatheon hendersonii) in the shadier areas, with clusters of baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii) where the conditions are right. The western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) are starting to bloom in earnest along the trail and in the Merced River canyon. If mosquitoes bother you, be prepared, because they’re coming out in force along this trail