Natural History Wanderings

Antelope Valley just posted its: Latest Poppy Reserve Researcher Field Notes for 2/20/16

The filaree is in bloom and is the predominant flower. Also in bloom are slender keel fruit, goldfields, mustard, fiddleneck, and the speckled milkvetch (loco weed) has green leaves but no buds as yet. The Joshua tree to the west of the visitor center has three buds. Grasses are up around 10 inches and are going to seed. There were a couple of poppies in bloom in front and west of the visitor center.

On the Tehachapi Vista Point Trail just prior to the grape soda lupine I spotted 5 poppies starting to bloom. The grape soda lupine plants are looking healthy but not buds yet.Met a couple who had just walked the Poppy Trail North Loop on the west side and they stated they did not find any poppies in bloom.

Poppy Trail South Loop – found the tiny forget-me-nots, filaree and did find a few poppies in bloom.Poppy plants are still forming their rosettes and there must have been more germination after the January rain as some of the rosettes are only 1-inch across and the ones from the October rain are 3 to 4-inches across. The larger rosettes have one to two buds forming in the center of the rosette.

Lizards and Darkling beetles are out. Spotted ravens, horned larks and heard meadow larks.