Natural History Wanderings

Today was the last day of the Golden Gate Audubon Field Class led by Eddie Bartley and Bob Lewis. It was a great weekend of birding, botanizing and walking in the Northern Sierra (Yuba Pass, Sierra Valley, Plumas-Eureka Valley and Gold Lakes).  The group met at Bassetts Station which is at the south end of Gold Lakes Rd. and highway 49 to check out the hummingbird feeders. At the feeders were Calliope and Anna’s Hummingbirds. which we watched and worked identifying the differences between species and genders. Also seen or heard in the area were Warbling Vireo, Wilson’s Warbler, Mt. Chickadee. To see my bird list go to Sardine Lake Bird List 6/15/14 When available I will post a link to the leaders’ lists for all of the four days which will be much more comprehensive then mine.

Next we did the short drive to Sardine Lake where we walked along the rough four-wheel drive road from the cabins to Upper Sardine Lake. Some of the more interesting sightings were close up looks of Green-tailed Towhee and Mt. Chickadees, watching a Golden-mantled ground squirrel eating a paintbrush flower and the scenic views of Sierra Buttes over the Lake. It was about a two-mile round trip.

Butterflies were also active and our best guesses were Pale Swallow Tails, a probable Tiger Swallowtail, Mylitta Crescent, Field Crescent, Northern Checkspot,Variable Checkerspot, Golden Hairstreak, Propertius Duskwing, unidentified Blues, unidentified Fritillary.

There were a good number of species in bloom but no large plant displays except for the Western Azalea near the end of the trail.

click read more to see plant list

Plant List Sardine Lake 6/15/14

Paintbrush

Deerbrush

Bear Buckwheat

Prickly Phlox

a small monkeyflower

Bee Plant

California Helianthella

Pussy Paws

Slender Penstemon

Slender Cinquefoil

another Buckwheat

Yarrow

Gayophytum

Whisker Brush

Coyote Mint or Pennyroyal

Mt. Pride Penstemon

Mt. Spirea

Western Azalea

Creek Dogwood

Related Articles

• Flowers and Birds of Plumas Eureka State Park and Carmen Valley
• Birding Sierra Valley (and a few wildflowers)
• Flowers and Birds of Yuba Pass
• Photos of Sierra Nevada Birds, Butterflies and Flowers