submitted by Ter Sullivan
I hiked a ten-mile loop yesterday during unseasonably cool weather. There are very few people on a weekday, and right now the flowers are heading towards their peak. Widespread displays include gold fields, seep spring monkeyflower, birds eye gilia, buckbrush, redmaids, Q-tips, Johnnytuck, cutleaf Indian paintbrush, coast Indian paintbrush, California poppy, frying pans poppy, blue dicks, Ithuriel’s spear, true baby stars, Hartweg’s checkerbloom, and spring gold biscuit root.
Be sure to print the hiking map of 17 miles of trails from the BLM web site. The trails intersect with informal trails, so bring a compass to keep on track. Some of the trails are rocky due to erosion from horse use. A good place to start is on gravel/dirt Red Hills Road just outside of Chinese Camp at the main parking area that has two picnic tables, restrooms, and lots of parking.
Red Hills Rd. Wildflowers 4/28/18
Pacific Grove Wildflower Show Today through Sunday
57th Annual Wildflower Show
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Pacific Grove Wildflower Show
Rancho del Oso Wildflower Weekend May 5 and 6, 2018
Rancho del Oso Wildflower Weekend Saturday and Sunday, May 5 and 6 10 am to 4 pm Nature Center
Rancho del Oso’s elegant wildflower event displays an impressive collection of vibrant wildflowers growing along the northern Santa Cruz county region.
Take delight with flourishing buttercups, exuberant shooting stars, blushing western wake robins and an array of other natural beauties.
This botanically captivating exhibit at the Nature Center will feature over eighty plants in bloom, including native and non-native species that are found in the western portion of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The assortment of shapes, sizes, colors and forms are a pleasure to the senses.
Join our botanist-led wildflower walks on both Saturday and Sunday at 10am and 1 pm to view them in their natural setting. Hikes start at the Nature Center deck.
Pick your hikes and enjoy!
10 am: Approximately 4.5 miles, this moderately–paced hike will begin along the Marsh Trail and climb into our scenic Skyline to the Sea Bypass Trail. We will experience diverse ecosystems, and time to enjoy the views.
1 pm: This one mile wildflower excursion will traverse several habitats along the Hoover Nature Trail. Beginning with a slight incline into gorgeous Monterey pine habitat, this loop–trail offers a stunning vista of the ocean.
Come visit the Nature and History Center y
Open Saturday–Sunday, 12 noon to 4 pm
Check us out on the Web and join us on Facebook! www.ranchodeloso.org and www.facebook.com/RDOSP
Learn about other events at Rancho del Oso in their Newsletter http://ranchodeloso.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RDO-News-33-2.pdf
Figueroa Mountain Wildflowers April 20, 2018
submitted by Helen Tarbet Recreation Technician Los Padres National Forest
Figueroa Mountain Wildflower Update – April 20, 2018
Well, I have some good news and I have some bad news. Which should I tell first? Let’s go with the good news. There are more flower varieties blooming than there were two weeks ago. Now, the dreaded bad news…while there are more varieties, with the exception of a few, there really aren’t as many as in other years. Of course, we all expected this to happen with the dry winter we had. The flowers are doing the best they can with the late rain they received. They are trying to give us the best show they can with what they had to work with, so let’s go out and see what they have for us.
Are you ready? Let’s go!
Starting at the first cattle guard and continuing to the canopy area, shiny buttercups, blue dicks, beautiful fiesta flowers, milk maids, fiddlenecks, Johnny jump-ups, fillaree, lomatium, fillaree and miner’s lettuce are in bloom. Lovely Chinese houses are beginning to bloom along this stretch, however, the milkmaids are going away quite rapidly. You can also find wild onions and a couple of royal lupine starting to come out. The field on the right before the canopy area, is also beginning to dwindle. The shooting stars are turning to seed quite rapidly, leaving that area with blue dicks, lomatium and popcorn flowers. Along the canopy area, one can still find Johnny jump-ups, blue dicks, buttercups, fiesta flowers, fillaree, popcorn flowers and fiddleneck. The milkmaids are leaving this area as well. Mustard, however, is starting.
Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve Wildflowers 4/18/18
NBC-LosAngeles writes about the wildflower bloom at Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve near Big Bear Lake where they report there are many “belly flowers” in bloom.
The low-to-the-ground flora spring up in the mountain area’s “Pebble Plains.”
Read article at Wildflower Fans Big Bear’s Belly Plants Are Back
Marin County Wildflowers: Carson Ridge & Azalea Hill 4/13/18
The Marin CNPS Facebook page has a new post for Carson Ridge and Azalea Hill in Marin County with photos showing the following in bloom on 4/13/18
- Leptosiphon androsaceus – lavender linanthus
- Calochortus umbellatus – Oakland star-tulip
- Claytonia gypsophiloides – rosy pink Claytonia
- Leptosiphon acicularis – needle-leaf Linanthus
- Iris douglasiana “var. major” – multi-colored Douglas Iris
- Arctostaphylos montana ssp. montana – Mt. Tamalpais Manzanita
- Calystegia collina ssp. oxyphylla – serpentine morning-glory
- Sanicula bipinnatifida – red-purple sanicle
- Sisyrinchium bellum – blue-eyed-grass
- Eschscholzia californica – Ca. poppy
- Ceanothus jepsonii – serpentine buckbrush
- Plagiobothrys nothofulvus -Popcorn flower
See photos and older posts at Marin Native Plants.
Swallowing 64 Pounds Trash Kills Whale
New York Times reports
A young sperm whale that washed ashore on the southeast coast of Spain in February most likely died after being unable to digest more than 60 pounds of plastic trash, fish netting and garbage bags in its stomach and intestines, scientists said this month.
Read full story at 64 Pounds of Trash Killed a Sperm Whale in Spain, Scientists Say – The New York Times
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Sperm Whales, Swallowing Trash Kills Whale
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 4/17/18
Photos taken on 4/17/18 at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden.
Wildflowers Around California (4/14 to 4/17)
Where to photo in California (Calphoto) has the following update for April 17 for North Table Mt.
On April 16 the valley was pounded by huge black cold thunderstorms producing much hail. … revisited April 17 and found many species ragged, especially the poppies and goldfields with piles of ice about in grasslands through mid day. Even though it was a sunny warm by afternoon day, poppies were still so affected by the cold storm that only about 5% opened. At this point still very much worth a visit especially for those that have never visited. Beware of all the soft muddy trails so be prepared with footwear. Ought to have some images up on my site in about a week.
Botanical Wanderings in California has photos for
- 4/15 along Hostetter Fire Rd in La Tuna Canyon.
- 4/13 Merced River Canyon
- 4/17 Morse Canyon, high above Etiwanda CA in the foothills
- 4/14 Spitler Peak Trail
- 4/15 Kern County Granite Foothills
- 4/15 nice patch of Calochortus catalinae along Hwy 150 between Ojai and Carpinteria.
California Wildflower Report has photos for
- April 15 Lupinus excubitus var. excubitus (Grape Soda lupine)- Near Sawmill creek, ~4,000 ft, Eastern Sierra Nevada
- April 16 San Simeon Bay Trail
- April 16 North Table Mt. (likely taken before hail storm mentioned above)
- April 15 Sand Canyon, near Ridgecrest
Homestead Valley Land Trust Wildflowers 4/18/18
Homestead Valley Land Trust has a new report for April 18. See map and photos at Homestead Valley Land Trust
NEW
– Common yarrow with its white cluster is blooming up on the ridge.
– Figwort, a great plant for insects blooms with a small maroon flower.
– Hawthorn, native to Europe, is blooming next to the creek on the Homestead Trail near 11.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows.
– Shortspur seablush is blooming with white puff flowers on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Small flowered nemophilia is blooming with small white flowers in forests.
– Tomcat clover with purple flower circles is blooming on the Ridgewood Rock.
Anza-Borrego Wildflowers 4/17/18
Anza-Borrego State Park reports on April 17, 2018
With only about an inch of rain this winter, conditions have not been good for a very impressive display of annual wildflowers this spring. But at the Visitor Center, ocotillos are still blooming, and a careful observer can find a few cactus blossoms here and there. Our palo verde trees are starting to show their delightful yellow flowers, and the desert willow has gorgeous purple-and-pink orchid-like blooms!
A drive along Highway 78 west of Tamarisk Grove campground is worthwhile, for the agave stalks in bloom there.
Day Use Fees: developed campground areas $10 per car, every day; Visitor Center $10 per car, Fri-Sat-Sun and Holidays.
If you would like to receive updates as different wildflowers start coming into bloom, we suggest that you check back here, or join the email list of our nonprofit partner, Anza-Borrego Foundation.
You can also call our Wildflower Hotline at 760-767-4684.
Endangered Species Act Success – Kirtland Warbler
Center for Biological Diversity News Release
Endangered Species Act Success: Recovering Kirtland’s Warbler Songbird in Michigan Proposed for Delisting
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed removing Endangered Species Act protections for the Kirtland’s warbler based on the rare songbird’s growing numbers and ongoing management of its habitat.
The warbler declined to a low of just 167 singing males in 1987. But by 2015 more than 2,300 were found in Michigan, Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Ontario.
Posted in Birds | Tags: Endangered Species Act Success, Kirkland Warbler
Article On Where To See Bay Area Wildflowers
The California Blog has an article Places to See California Wildflowers This Spring that lists wildflower locations and trails throughout the Bay Area. You should note that the article doesn’t distinguish between native wildflowers from invasive aliens wildflowers such as non-native mustards.
2018 Lyrid Meteor Shower Starting; Peaks April 22
EarthSky reports
The annual Lyrid meteor shower is starting! It’s active each year from about April 16 to 25. In 2018, the peak of this shower – which tends to come in a burst and usually lasts for less than a day – is expected to fall on the morning of April 22, with little or no interference from the waxing moon.
No matter where you are on Earth, expect the greatest number of meteors to fall during the few hours before dawn.
All in all the Lyrid meteor shower prospects look pretty good for 2018, though meteor showers are notorious for being fickle and not totally predictable.
In a moonless sky, you might see from about 10 to 20 Lyrid meteors an hour at the shower’s peak on the morning of April 22. In 2018, the waxing moon will set before the primetime morning hours.
Those predicted maxima assume you are watching in a dark, country sky.
Read more and see photos illustrations at The Lyrid meteor shower is starting | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky
Posted in Astronomy | Tags: Lyrid meteor shower
Hungry Valley/ Gorman Wildflowers 4/15/18
Hungry Valley OHV has a new wildflower report for 4/15/18
The warm weather is bringing out the wildflowers! The Gorman Hills are showing patches of orange from the poppies blooming and yellow splotches from the coreopsis and goldfields. Purple patches of lupine and globe gilia are beginning to show, too. The next few weeks should be spectacular, so watch the weather and start thinking about a trip this way.
The park is starting to bloom also and it is well worth a drive through the park this coming weekend, so come on up! The weather is predicted to be in the 70s over the weekend, with another cold spell possibly bringing snow and rain between now and then!
The roadsides are showing an abundance of yellow with the bladderpod and the goldenbush blooming throughout the park. If you come into the park from the Smokey Bear entrance, there’s a large showing of goldfields in the southern end of the park near the South Kiosk, and in the yucca flats area between Lane Ranch Campground and Aliklik Campground. Tidy tips, fiddleneck, and blazing stars are in full bloom in this area, too. Yucca buds are starting to come up at the yucca flats area, and a wide variety of other flowers are also starting to show. If you look closely, you can see the red stalks of the scarlet bugler and the Indian paintbrush, both adding a nice red contrast to the yellow and white flowers blooming in this area.
North Table Mt. and Bear Valley/Walker Ridge Wildflowers 4/14/18
Where to photograph in California (Calphoto) had the following wildflower updates for North Table Mt. Ecological Preserve and Bear Valley/Walker Ridge
Visited Table Mountain on Friday, and it was marvelous, covered in a wide variety of flowers, very colorful, often dense, intoxicating from the lupine, very satisfying. Creeks and waterfalls are flowing nicely too, lined with Mimulus, meadowfoam and clover. Maybe I was just lucky, or stayed far enough away from the immediate parking area, but I didn’t see a single person crush a zillion wildflowers in the making of a selfie. Someone said that they thought it had peaked the previous week, so if you’re thinking of going, go now. And remember that you need to order a pass online and print it out before going.
On the suggestion of some CNPS people there, I checked out Bear Valley and Walker Ridge the next day. It’s still early at Walker Ridge, a few Ceanothus, redbud and paintbrush in bloom. Bear valley was patchy – a few areas of dense flowers, a few areas of scattered blooms, and in between lots of green and thatch.
Brief Updates Around California 4/15/18
Botanical Wanderings – California has photos from a number of locations:
- Kern County Granite Foothills
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
- An oak chaparral canyon above Alta Loma, Caa
- Hwy 150 between Ojai and Carpinteria.
California Wildflower Report has photos from these locations
- North Table Mt.
- Cypress Street Coastal Trail, Fort Bragg
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Native Plant Sale 4/21/18
REGIONAL PARKS BOTANIC GARDEN
SPRING SALE OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS
Saturday, April 21, 2018 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Friends-only sale 9 a.m.–10 a.m.
(Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden memberships can be purchased at the door starting at 8:30 a.m.)
Featured are California native shrubs, trees, and perennials
Horticultural advice gladly given!
Wildcat Canyon Road (between Anza View Road and South Park Drive)
Near the Brazilian Room in Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley
bgarden@ebparks.org (510) 544-3169
Please bring boxes or a small wagon to carry your plants home.
Rain or Shine!
Posted in Garden | Tags: Native Plant Sale
Mt. Burdell Wildflowers 4/15/18
Today we went on a wildflower walk at Mt. Burdell sponsored by the Marin Open Space District and Marin Chapter of the California Native Plants Society. It was led by Shannon Burke, naturalist for the Marin Open Space District. Many species are in bloom although there are not many large displays. The walk was in celebration of Native Plant Week. To see more Native Plant Week activities in Marin County go to https://www.cnpsmarin.org/nativeplantweek
Favorite plants of the day were Bitteroot/Lewisia rediviva and Striped Coralroot/Corallorhiza striata.
Click read more below to see my list of what I saw today. To see a more detailed plant list for Mt. Burdell go to https://www.cnpsmarin.org/images/pdf/MT_BURDELL_TOTAL.pdf
Antelope Valley Wildflowers 4/15/18
Antelope Valley reports
As of April 15, we don’t have a lot of flowers blooming due to the late winter rains, and the flowers we do have are fading after last week’s heat. There are only a few small poppies blooming along the trails. The goldfields and lacy phacelia are in bloom but have started fading. A few belly flowers such as forget me nots and rattlesnake weed can be found along many of the trails.
See photos at Current Photos
Assorted California Wildflower Updates 4/15/18
Botanical Wanderings – California has a number of new posts with photos for
- Warner Springs by Anza-Borrego
- Weir Canyon Wilderness Park in Anaheim, CA
- Lake Hodges near Poway, CA
See these posts and more at Botanical Wanderings – California
Anza-Borrego Wildflowers 4/13/18
Borrego Wildflowers has a number of recent reports
04/13/2018 Pct Warner Springs to Eagle Rock We needed to check out some plants along the route and added the northern part of the PCT.
A couple of great finds along the route California broomrape, Orobanche californica feudgei and Little redstem monkeyflower, Mimulus rubellus.
We combined the bloom count with the 04/10 hike.
Species in bloom above 3000 feet: 73.
04/12/2018 Salvador canyon south fork The goal was to find Stream orchid, Epipactis gigantea in bloom, first we found plants without any sign of bloom, but a bit further a couple of them in good bloom.
This might be the biggest bunch of them in and close to the park.
We were very pleased to find a blooming female Borrego bedstraw, Galium angustifolium borregoense.
The bad a lot of wind and wind gusts, so that limited the amount of pictures.
Species in bloom below 3000 feet: 73.04/10/2018 Pct Warner Springs to Eagle Rock A nice cooler hike along a creek, next over grassland.
Adding a lot of new plants to our list.
Species in bloom above 3000 feet: 52.
See photos and older reports at Borrego Wildflowers
Marin County Wildflowers: Big Rock 4/14/18
The Marin CNPS Facebook page has a new post for Big Rock with photos including Leptosiphond, Cream Cups/Platystemon californicus, Oakland Star Tulip//Calochortus umbellatus, Baby Blue-eyes/Nemophila menziesii, Butter and Eggs/Triphysaria versicolor ssp. faucibarbata, and Goldefield/Lasthenia californica
See photos for above post and older posts at Marin Native Plants.
Channel Islands Native Garden Plant Sale
Posted in Garden | Tags: Native Plant Sale
California Wildflower Updates 4/14/18
Botanical Wanderings – California Public Group | Facebook has new posting with photos from
- Weir Canyon Wilderness Park in Anaheim, CA
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- Lake Hodges near Poway, CA
St. George & Zion Nat. Park Utah 4/13/18
submitted by Ter Sullivan
It’s early spring at the 3000-ft elevation of the fastest growing town in the state, where desert marigold and apricot mallow are reaching their full bloom. Snow Canyon State Park ($6) is a must-see if you go in the next two weeks. You’ll receive a detailed full-color trail map with your paid admission. Even if you’re not a hiker, the spectacular geology is worth the trip. Most of the land near St. George is under BLM management, and the hiking trails are clearly marked. At the present time, expect full flowering of desert tobacco, Utah milkvetch, brittlebush (on the Nevada side of Hwy 15), and desert marigold. Later spring flowering is likely three to four weeks away at higher elevations in Zion National Park, about an hour and twenty minutes from St. George. Only a few early flowers are in full swing in Zion, including golden forget-me-not, western wallflower and Draba. A few cactus flowers are just beginning their show, particularly claret cup and mojave prickly pear. There’s plenty to do for plant enthusiasts, and I recommend the free app “Plants of Utah” that includes 3300 species with an easy-to-use artificial key. You’ll want the National Geographic map of Southeastern Utah, as well as one of the many good hiking guidebooks. –Ter Sullivan
National Park Service To ‘Modestly’ Raise Entrance Fees
NPR reports
The Interior Department is abandoning a plan to more than double entrance fees to some of the country’s most popular national parks, opting instead to apply a “modest” fee increase to 117 parks beginning this summer in an effort to raise funds for park maintenance.
Rea story at National Park Service To ‘Modestly’ Raise Entrance Fees In Plan To Cut Repair Backlog : NPR
Posted in Park | Tags: National Park Fee Increases
Oregon Wildflowers 4/12/2018
Oregon Wildflowers has the following new reports
Crooked River Ranch, Central Oregon (4/11)
Melinda Walker reports that wildflowers are blooming on the Scout Camp Loop at the Crooked River Ranch. Please see her photos in the Facebook group.
Memaloose Hills, Columbia River Gorge (4/10)
Darvel Lloyd reports that conditions look good at this location, and that balsamroot should be excellent within a week. Please see his photos in Facebook group.
Mitchell Point, Columbia River Gorge (4/9)
Amy Lynn Matteson reports that calypso bulbosa are blooming in forested areas, and that grass widows, glacier lily, chocolate lily, and balsamroot are blooming at the point. Please see her photos in the Facebook group.
Mount Pisgah, Eugene (Arboretum) (4/12)
Brandon Corder reports that a number of wildflowers are blooming in the Arboretum. Please see his photos in the Facebook group.
Mount Pisgah, Eugene (Trail #1 to summit) (4/7)
Laura Osinga reports that the following are blooming along Trail #1 to the summit: Fragaria, Cardamine nuttallii, Nemophila, Oregon fawn lily, Trillium albidum, Shooting star, Common Camas, and Cynoglossum grande. Please see her photos in the Facebook group.
North Umpqua Trail, Southern Oregon (4/12)
Lucas Knutter reports that a number of wildflowers are blooming on the Jessie Wright Segment of the North Umpqua Trail. Please see his photos in the Facebook group.
Rowena Plateau, Columbia River Gorge (4/8)
Lidia Montel reports that balsamroot is starting to open up at Rowena Plateau. Also blooming: Upland Larkspur, Yellow Bell, Western Buttercup, Paintbrush, Columbia Desert Parsley, and still some glacier lilies. Please see her photos in the Facebook group.
Silver Falls State Park, Silverton (4/8)
Amy Lynn Matteson reports that the wildflowers are blooming at SFSP, including Chickweed monkeyflower, Cardamine nuttallii, Viola sempervirens, and Trillium ovatum.
Upper Table Rock, Medford (4/9)
Steve Storm reports that many wildflowers are blooming here, including: Oregon fawn lily, Forktooth ookow (Dichelostemma congestum), Spring Gold (Lomatium utriculatum), and Upland Larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum). Please see his photos in the Facebook group.
Mori Point, Pacifica Wildflowers 4/12/18
California Wildflower Report has a posting with photos of flowers in bloom at Mori Point in Pacifica at https://www.facebook.com/groups/38417209275/permalink/10156632549359276/
North Fork of Merced Wildflowers 4/13/18
Did someone say #superbloom?
Words can not do justice to the technicolor treat in store for those who can put in the miles and get down to the North Fork Merced. It is about 2.5 miles one-way to the confluence of the Main and North Fork. Then another ¾ miles to saunder up the thin trail of the North Fork. There are some storm caused obstacles you will encounter such as debris, rock slides and boulders causing rough spots on the trail. #findyourway
See photos at Bureau of Land Management – California
Natural History Wanderings 