Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2019

Southern & Central California Wildflower Reports 5/3/19

Theodore Payne has new wildflower report today for Central and Southern California. You can find it with photos  and older reports at Theodore Payne Wildflower Hotline

The Hotline is meant to help people enjoy the unique and beautiful nature of Southern California, without diminishing that resource in years to come. We encourage people to treat these floral treasures with the respect due to all living organisms.

Flower viewing etiquette is simple:
  • Stay on the paths
  • Stand on bare ground
  • Leave the flowers unharmed
This week’s report includes
  • Sequoia National Park
  • Pinnacles National Park
  • Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest
  • Hungry Valley State Park
  • Placerita Canyon Nature Center
  • Devil’s Punchbowl Country Park
  • Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
  • Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve
  • Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
  • Environmental Nature Center
  • Elizabeth Learning Center
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2019

Antelope Valley Wildflowers 5/2/19

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve Bloom update as of May 2, 2019:

Wildflower update:

The poppies and almost all the other wildflowers have faded down to a few tiny patches due to the recent heat.  The beavertail cactus is still in full bloom, though. The Jane S. Pinheiro Interpretive Center is open through Mother’s Day, May 12th, and features a few nice exhibits related to the poppies and other wildflowers, a short film covering the same subjects, and art work created by the founder of the Poppy Reserve.  It also has poppy related merchandise for sale.  The Poppy Reserve is a nice place to hike before the summer heat settles in, with 8 miles of graded trails and a covered picnic area.

Read More…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2019

Homestead Valley Land Trust Wildflowers 5/2/19

Homestead Valley has a new wildflower update. See photos Homestead Valley May 2

NEW
– Hawthorne*, native to Europe, a large tree is ablaze with white blooms just up from the railroad tie bridge between 11 and 12 on the Homestead Trail.
– Meadow rue, delicate foliage and male and female bloom types is blooming near the steps on the Red Plum Trail.
– Small flowered nemophila, a low ground cover, blooms with small white flowers.
– White hawkweed blooms at the end of long stalks with white flowers.

Read More…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2019

Oregon Wildflowers 5/1/19

Oregon Wildflowers has new report from the past week for Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge

The following wildflowers are in bloom at Baskett Slough NRW: swaths of Rosy Plectritis and Camas, Oregon iris, Red Columbine, Tolmie`s Mariposa Lily, Larkspur, Checkermallow, and the endangered Golden Paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta).T

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2019

Its Waterfall Season at Yosemite

Now is the time to go see Yosemite waterfalls. Yosemite’s waterfalls are being described as gushing due to the above average rain and snow this past winter. Here are some resources to help you maximize your waterfall viewing.

Falcon Press books Hiking Waterfalls Yosemite National Park: A Guide to the Park’s Greatest Waterfalls

Fresno Bee article Waterfalls in Yosemite National Park CA: Where to go & when

Yosemite Conservancy’s Live Stream of Yosemite Falls

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 2, 2019

Marin Wildflowers: Nicasio Highlands 5/1/19

Marin CNPS Facebook page has a post for wildflowers at Nicasio Highlands with 22 photos at (19) Facebook

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 2, 2019

Henry Coe Wildflower Update 5/2/19

Henry Coe State Park has updated its wildflower bloom report at the Pine Ridge Association website with photos and a list of flowers now in bloom at: Henry W. Coe – Wildflower Guide.

New Website Link: Henry Coe has updated its website and changed the wildflower link. The new link is https://coepark.net/blooming 

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 2, 2019

Presentation: Weather Phenomena of the Santa Barbara Channel

Channel Islands National Park News Release

Weather Phenomena of the Santa Barbara Channel

Ventura, CA — National Weather Service Meteorologist Ryan Kittell will provide a path to understanding marine weather forecasts, observations, and phenomena associated with the Santa Barbara Channel at a May 9 at 7:00 lecture.

This information, as well as other services provided by the National Weather Service, are designed to help mariners make better weather-related decisions for a safe and memorable experience navigating the Santa Barbara Channel, one of the most biologically productive ecosystems in the world.

Before starting his 15 year career with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, California, Kittell received a master’s degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from the University of California, Los Angeles. Kittell grew up in Redondo Beach, California, where he spent much of his youth on the ocean fishing and working as a deckhand.

Kittell’s lecture will be held on Thursday, May 9, 2019, at 7:00 pm at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center, 1901 Spinnaker Drive in Ventura Harbor. The program is free and open to the public.

This talk, part of the From Shore to Sea lecture series, is sponsored by Channel Islands National Park to further the understanding of the Channel Islands and surrounding waters. The 2019 lecture series will take place at 7:00 pm on the second Thursday of the month, March through May and September through November.

This lecture can also be viewed live online, at: Shore to Sea lecture series.

Lectures are recorded and posted at: http://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/photosmultimedia/from-shore-to-sea-lecture-videos.htm

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 1, 2019

Job Opening at Jepson Hebarium

After more than 12 years of working with us at the Jepson Herbarium, Edith Summers will be retiring in mid-July.
Edith has been an essential member of our team and we couldn’t operate the workshop program, manage theFriends fo the Jepson Herbarium, or publish theGlobewith our her.
We are now looking for just the right person to join us in the office. The position is 50% time and the days of the week and hours of the day can be flexible. The incumbent will also be eligible for benefits.
I have pasted the job description below and the full announcement is now posted online at  careers.berkeley.edu.
The job # is Administrative Assistant (4723C) #26790 and it can also be found by searching the keyword “Jepson”
The first review date for applicants is May 14, 2019.
 Click read more to see job description
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 1, 2019

Anza- Borrego Wildflower Update 5/1/19

The Anza-Borrego Foundation reports

2019’s wildflower bloom has ended in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 1, 2019

Southern California Mountain Lion Multi-Media Presentations

Join Patagonia and Los Padres ForestWatch for an exhilarating multi-media presentation with Jim Williams, one of the world’s most renowned mountain lion experts. His recent book, Path of the Puma: The Remarkable Resilience of the Mountain Lion (Patagonia Books, 2018), celebrates wildlife research and the conservation of big cats from Canada’s southern Yukon Territory to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and Chile. Exploring what makes this cat so resilient and resourceful, he shares stories of magical landscapes, remarkable wildlife habitats, and the people who work to protect them.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
MAY 7 at 7:00p
Ludwick Community Center
864 Santa Rosa St
Beer by Fig Mtn Brew
Light Appetizers
Local Wines
SANTA BARBARA
MAY 8 at 7:00p
The Sandbox
414 Olive St
Food by Chef Jake O. Francis
Beer by Fig Mtn Brew
Local Wines
VENTURA
MAY 9 at 7:00p
Patagonia
235 W Santa Clara St
Hosted by Patagonia’s Great Pacific Iron Works Store
Light Refreshments + Beer by Patagonia Provisions
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 2019

Salt Point Wildflowers & Photos: Stump Beach 4/29/19

Report and photos submitted by Kathi Dowdakin

On a walk & talk with Ann Howald, botanist extraordinaire.  Overcast, then clearing to a pleasant 57 degrees and a light wind on the headlands.  Cormorants on the rocks, and some Oystercatchers too.  Plenty of Solitary Bees digging holes in the soil.  A small pool with lots of tadpoles.  The flowers are still fresh and worth the drive.  Not pictured:  checkerbloom, purple violet, bush lupines, lots of dwarfed shrubs & trees.
Kruse Rhododendron Reserve is not blooming yet, except for the yellow violets.  The Clintonia, Coral-root, and Coast Lily are still days, maybe weeks, away from flowering.
There are some Coast Lilies in bloom along Hwy 1, near MM 38.8.  Not a safe place to do anything but look at them unfortunately.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 2019

 North Orange County Wildflower Hotspots

The Fullerton Observer has a article that talks about wildflower hotspots in northern Orange County at Beautiful Bloom in North Orange County – Fullerton Observer

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 2019

Henry Coe Wildflower Update 4/30/19

Henry Coe State Park has updated its wildflower bloom report at the Pine Ridge Association website with photos and a list of flowers now in bloom at: Henry W. Coe – Wildflower Guide.

New Website Link: Henry Coe has updated its website and changed the wildflower link. The new link is https://coepark.net/blooming 

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 2019

CNPS Field Trips May 2019

May Field Trips:

(for more information on trips go to chapter websites; also check out late trip postings at chapter websites)

Bristlecone (Mono, Inyo and NE Kern counties) http://bristleconecnps.org/index.php

  • May 10-13, Rare Plant Treasure Hunt, Conglomerate Mesa
  • May 24, Friday, 9am-1:30pm: Lower Rock Creek,
  • May 25, Saturday, 8am: Northern Owens Valley Springtime Botany,

East Bay CNPS http://www.ebcnps.org/

Marin CNPS http://www.marin.edu/cnps/

  • Sunday, May 5   10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Mt. Tam: Boot Jack to Old Stage Rd.

Milo Baker (Sonoma county) http://milobaker.cnps.org/index.php/events/field-trips

  • May 19, Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve with Peter Warner
  • May 30, Hood mountain

Read More…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2019

Oregon Wildflowers 4/28/19

Oregon Wildflowers has new reports from the past week for

  • Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge
  •  Canemah Bluff Nature Park
  •  Dog Mountain
  •  Lacamas Park

See reports at Oregon Wildflowers

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2019

Marin Wildflowers: Ring Mountain and Pt. Reyes 4/28/19

See photos from recent trips to Pt. Reyes and Ring Mt. at the Marin CNPS Facebook page at (18) Marin Native Plants

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2019

May 2019 Birding Field Trips

May 2019 Golden Gate Audubon Birding Field Trips

For more information on any of the trips below go to http://goldengateaudubon.org/field-trips/fieldtrips/

  • Note time and place Dawn Chorus Bird Walk, Big Leaf Picnic Area, Tilden Park, Berkeley
    Friday, May 3, 5:30–7:30 a.m.
  • Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Friday, May 3, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
  • Beginner Bird Walk! El Cerrito Sunday, May 5, 8:30–10:00 a.m.
  • San Francisco Botanical Garden Sunday, May 5, 8:00–10:30 a.m.
  • Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, Oakland Friday, May 10, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
  • Chain of Lakes, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco Sunday, May 12, 8:30–11:00 a.m.
  • Contra Costa Spring Birding, Part 1 (Walk will be followed by an afternoon walk at Valle Vista, see below)
  • Mitchell Canyon, Mount Diablo State Park, Clayton Sunday, May 12, 8:30 a.m.–noon
  • Contra Costa Spring Birding, Part 2 (Walk preceded by a morning walk at Mitchell Canyon, see above)
  • Valle Vista Staging Area, Upper San Leandro Reservoir, Moraga
  • Sunday, May 12, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
  • Hilltop Lake Park, Richmond TUESDAY, May 14, 9:00–10:45 a.m.
  • Vollmer Peak Trail, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Friday, May 17, 7:30–11:00 a.m.
  • Corona Heights, San Francisco Friday, May 17, 8:00–10 a.m.
  • Pine Canyon at Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area, Walnut Creek Saturday May 18, 8:00–11:00 a.m.
  • Valle Vista Staging Area, Upper San Leandro Reservoir, Moraga Saturday, May 18, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
  • Fort Mason Community Garden, San Francisco Sunday, May 19, 8:00–10:00 a.m.
  • California Historic Nursery Park, Fremont Sunday, May 19th, 8:00–10:00 a.m.
  • Briones East Bay Regional Park, Lafayette Thursday, May 23, 8:30 a.m.–noon
  • Alameda Creek-Coyote Hills Regional Park by bicycle, Fremont Saturday, May 25, 9 a.m.–about 2:00 p.m.
  • Redwood Regional Park, Bridle and Stream Trails, Alameda County Sunday, May 26, 8:00–
  • Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park, Oakland Wednesday, May 29, 9:30 a.m.–noon
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2019

Antelope Valley Wildflowers 4/27/19

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve Bloom update as of April 27, 2019:

Wildflower update April 27, 2019: The poppies and many other wildflowers have faded down to a few patches due to the recent heat, but some flowers such as the grape soda lupine and beavertail cactus are in full bloom. The Jane S. Pinheiro Interpretive Center will be open through Mother’s Day, May 12th.  If you are looking to find the exact location of a particular flower or plant, our staff can point you to the right trails when you arrive.  For regular bloom updates, visit www.Facebook.com/PoppyReserve, our website www.parks.ca.gov/PoppyReserve, Twitter @PoppyReserve, or call our Wildflower Hotline at (661) 724-1180.

Please note, the City of Lancaster’s annual Poppy Festival is located at Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park (fmr. Lancaster City Park), not at the Poppy Reserve.

Please remember, visitors must stay on OFFICIAL TRAILS only; photos in the flowers are not allowed in the park. Walking in the poppies creates dirt patches and may result in a ticket. DO NOT walk where others have already damaged the habitat; it will compound the damage and leave a scar for years to come.

Commercial and student filming/photography requires a permit. No dogs, bikes on trails, drones, or picking flowers.

Poppies open up in mid morning, and curl up in the late afternoon/evening or if it’s cold, so check the weather forecast before leaving.  The weather can change suddenly and it is frequently windy here during the spring.  This is a DESERT grassland, so drink water often.  Note that it can be very windy here in the spring.

Current Photos

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2019

California Wildflower Tipline Updates

California Wildflower Tipline Reports

  • 4/26/19 Fields of sky lupine at Quail Hollow County Park, Ben Lomond. A few pink variety which I haven’t seen before. 4/26/19
  • 4/27/19 Grape soda lupines are quite impressive right now on the eastern Sierra, these stands are along Division Creek south of Big Pine,

See photos and older reports  at California Wildflower Tipline

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2019

Anza-Borrego State Park Wildflowers 4/26/19

Anza Borrego State Park reports on April 26, 2019

Although the show of annual wildflowers is over, shrubs, trees, and a few cacti are still blooming at the Visitor Center. Palo Verde trees and spiny desert senna are blooming with abundant yellow flowers. Ocotillo are still looking great in many locations! Check out Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley, on highway S-2, for yucca and agave. Higher-elevation Culp Valley may still have annual flowers in bloom.

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2019

Regional Park Botanic Garden Photos

A few quick iPhone photos taken yesterday at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2019

An Emperor Penguin Colony in Antarctica Vanishes

The New York Times reports

The Antarctic’s second-largest colony of emperor penguins collapsed in 2016, with more than 10,000 chicks lost, and the population has not recovered, according to a new study.

Many of the adults relocated nearby, satellite imagery shows, but the fact that emperor penguins are vulnerable in what had been considered the safest part of their range raises serious long-term concerns, said Phil Trathan, the paper’s co-author and head of conservation biology with the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, England.

Read full story at An Emperor Penguin Colony in Antarctica Vanishes

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 27, 2019

Anza-Borrego Wildflowers 4/25/19

Borrego Wildflowers most recent report

Bloom prediction, updated April 26 2019
When will the low desert bloom peak? It peaked by the end of March and we are now way past peak bloom.
Bloom is still good between 2000 and 5000 feet.
Even at lower elevation, there are still interesting plants to be found, but it sure is warm.

Check out Tom Chester bloom report

Additional info:
Anza-Borrego Desert Facebook
Anza-Borrego Desert SP Bloom page
ABDNHA Bloom page

April/25/2019 Thimble loop west

It’s hot, so high is the best place to hike.
Nice fields of bigger Phacelia distans | Common phacelia and Eschscholzia californica | California poppy.
Bloom is late this season, so unfortunately we missed a lot of flowering plants.
Species in bloom above 3000 feet: 67.

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 27, 2019

Southern California Wildflower Reports 4/26/19

Theodore Payne has new wildflower report today for Central and Southern California. You can find it with photos  and older reports at Theodore Payne Wildflower Hotline

The Hotline is meant to help people enjoy the unique and beautiful nature of Southern California, without diminishing that resource in years to come. We encourage people to treat these floral treasures with the respect due to all living organisms.

Flower viewing etiquette is simple:
  • Stay on the paths
  • Stand on bare ground
  • Leave the flowers unharmed
This week’s report includes
  • Sequoia National Park
  • Pinnacles National Park
  • Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest
  • Hungry Valley State Park
  • Placerita Canyon Nature Center
  • Los Angeles County Department of Parks & Recreation Wildlife Sanctuaries
  • Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
  • Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve
  • Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
  • Environmental Nature Center
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 27, 2019

Global Big Day—4 May 2019

Last May, more than 30,000 people took to fields and forests around the world, noting more than 7,000 species in a single day—Global Big Day. In only 4 weeks, birding’s biggest day is coming back. Wherever you are in the world, you can be a part of birding’s next world record!

On 4 May, will you join more than 30,000 others and become a part of Global Big Day? You don’t have to commit to birding for 24 hours—an hour or even 10 minutes of watching birds makes you part of the team. Visit your favorite spot or search out someplace new; enjoy a solo walk or get some friends to join in the Global Big Day fun.

How to participate

  • Get an eBird account: eBird is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders. It’s what allows us to compile everyone’s sightings into a single massive Global Big Day list—while at the same time collecting the data for scientists to use to better understand birds. Sign up here. It’s 100% free.
  • Watch birds on 4 May: It’s that simple. You don’t need to be a bird expert, or go out all day long. Even 10 minutes in your backyard will help. Global Big Day runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone. You can report birds from anywhere in the world.
  • Enter what you see and hear on eBird: You can enter your sightings via our website or—even easier—download the free eBird Mobile app. You can enter and submit lists while you’re still out birding, and the app will even keep track of how far you’ve walked, so you can focus on watching birds. While you’re downloading free apps, try out the Cornell Lab’s Merlin Bird ID app for help with identification. Please enter sightings before 8 May to be included in our initial results announcement.

Read more at  Global Big Day—4 May 2019 – eBird

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2019

Texas Hill Country Wildflowers 4/25/19

Texas Wildflower Report has an update on bluebonnet bloom in the Texas Hill Country.

The sun is setting on the bluebonnet bloom in the Texas Hill Country. Mason County is probably the last location where you will find some blooms still looking good enough for a photo this week.

See photos and older reports at Texas Wildflower Report

 
 
 

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2019

Trump Administration Puts Offshore Drilling Plan On Hold 

NPR reports

The Trump administration is postponing controversial plans to greatly expand oil and gas drilling off of the nation’s coasts, following a recent setback in court and months of pushback from coastal communities.

Last month, a federal judge in Alaska ruled that President Trump exceeded his authority when he signed an executive order to lift an Obama-era ban on oil and gas drilling in parts of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

Read full story at  Trump Administration Puts Offshore Drilling Plan On Hold After Setback In Court : NPR

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2019

Upcoming Oregon Wildflower Events/Shows

From Oregon Wildflowers

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2019

Vietnam’s Empty Forests

The New York Times reports on although Vietnam is very rich in species, it is also one of the countries where wildlife is under great threat.

Vietnam is a treasure house. It is one of the world’s hot spots of biological diversity, according to the science research. There are 30 national parks in a country a bit larger than New Mexico, and about as many kinds of animals as in those pre-eminent safari destinations, Kenya and Tanzania.

In Vietnam, national parks are primarily in name only, and poaching (often practiced by park rangers) and worse has decimated wildlife.”

Read full story at Vietnam’s Empty Forests – The New York Times

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