Natural History Wanderings

Today we went to Mt. Burdell to see flower bloom and birds. We went in the south side of Mt. Burdell entering from San Carlos Way and did a two mile cross country loop through Grasslands, Serpentine, and Oak Savannah. The most impressive plant was the large displays of Limnanthes douglasii var. douglasii / Douglas’s Meadowfoam up the hill and slightly to right of the entrance gate. Lots of bird activity and sound in the Oaks. Although I was unable to identify a number of the bird songs or calls, I was surprised by how many  birds I was able to identify by sound.

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Bird List:

California Quail X

Wild Turkey X

Turkey Vulture 11

Red-tailed Hawk 1

Mourning Dove  X

Anna’s Hummingbird  2

Acorn Woodpecker  3

Nuttall’s Woodpecker  1

Steller’s Jay  X

Western Scrub-Jay  2

American Crow  X

Common Raven  X

Oak Titmouse  X

Western Bluebird  2

American Robin  1

Northern Mockingbird  3

European Starling  3

Lark Sparrow  2

House Finch  X

Lesser Goldfinch  X

View Bird  checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22472653

Plant List:   A=Alien

Layia  chrysanthemoides TidyTips

Hypochaeris sp Cat’s Ear A

Taraxacum officinale Dandelion A

Phacelia distans Fern-leaved White Phacelia

Lotus tenuis Small-flowered Bird’s-foot Trefoil A

Trifolium sp.

Vicia benghalensis Red-purple Vetch A

Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak

Quercus lobata Valley Oak

Erodium sp. Filaree A

Sisyrinchium bellum Blue-eyed Grass

Limnanthes douglasi iDouglas’s Meadowfoam var. douglasii

Sidalcea malviflora Perennial Tall Checkerbloom

Lewisia rediviva Bitter Root

Taraxia ovata Suncups

Castilleja attenuata Valley Tassels

Castilleja densifloraOwl’s clover

Triphysaria versicolor Butter-and-eggs

Eschscholzia californica California Poppy

Platystemon californicus Cream Cups

Mimulus guttatus Monkey-flower

Ranunculus californicus California Buttercup

Dichelostemma  capitatum Blue Dicks

Triteleia laxa Ithuriel’s Spear

Butterflies:

California Ringlet

unidentified Blue