Pismo Beach Monarchs

Monarch Butterflies clustering in a grove of Eucalyptus in Pismo Beach

Monarch Butterflies

Overwinter along West Coast

California!

* Pismo Beach - famous for clams - is in San Luis Obispo County

* This Monarch grove is right on HI 1

*During the year, these butterflies only live about six weeks, but the fall generation overwinter in clusters - entering into diapause, not eating and flying very little. When the weather warms up, about six months later, they'll fly off and live a normal six week life

Where to See Overwintering Monarchs: http://www.monarchwatch.org/download/pdf/where.pdf

Butterfly Survival http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Survival%20Strategies%209.htm

Halloween Trouble Doesn't Come Cuter!

The raccoon tribe have been slipping through the pet door flap again lately. Heard that the kits (baby raccoons) are likely growing up and becoming more demanding of their Ma. So perhaps that's why Mama has been chancing it coming to visit us early, before we block the door for the night. 

Palo Alto Baylands

Relaxing walking

At Palo Alto Baylands

Wildlife Sanctuary

A Pickup Walk (Hiking Edgewood)

(co-published in http://EdgewoodSecrets.blogspot.com)

Invasive European grasses and Star Thistles
are one foe the Edgewood Warriors fight
tooth and nail

I know it's called a pickup game, when you run into other basketball players on the courts and have a competitive round. So I guess I had a pickup walk today.

I was hiking Clarkia and Lower Ridge trail, just appreciating the fact that my knees are back in service, when I found myself picking up a lone hiker, Diane. She hadn't found her hiking group, was pretty unfamiliar with the trails (she'd come in via Sunset Gate) and wanted company.

I ended up docenting  along Clarkia, up to Inspiration Heights, down along Lower Ridge trail to the fence that overlooks the Bluebird meadow and back to Sunset Gate, at which point we ran into her group

Discussed and seen along the way...

- Serpentine rock and soil discussion and challenge of nitrogen dump/non-native plant invasion. Also successes of Weed Warriors due to just plain hard work plus cunning and analysis 

- Why the erosion scars aren't a trail/the challenges of their trail-like appearance - And yes we ran into two erosion scar explorers that I had a chat with on Inspiration Heights. Hopefully they did go back the way I encouraged them to go on the trail. Much discussion with my new hiking pal, over how to discourage this behavior without being patronizing and actually getting desired behavior. 

- We met Steve and  Denora  out rangering and Diane had her birthday photo taken with them. Steve indicated perhaps more signs indicating erosion scar versus trail may be forthcoming?

- We enjoyed the beautiful summer colors of deerweed, tarweed and poison oak. We both think the seedheads we saw in with the tarweed is yarrow. I keep meaning to look up that pink dry headed looking flower that's in and around Ridge trail. I think it's a seed head not a bloom. It reminds me of the sea thrift I saw in Cornwall, just a little bit.

- Told her how she could find the plant database/photos lookup  on Friends of Edgewood web pages, as both of us were wondering about that pinky flower/seed head.

- Told her to come look for the brilliant green Hair Streak Butterflies during bloom time for the deerweed. Discussed the importance of the Bay Area Checkerspot and how it saved the preserve. Diane was glad we weren't hiking through the golf course this area was, at one point, destined to be.

- Diane wanted to know about animals we see in the area. Pointed out Western Fence Lizards, mentioned my few views of rattlers by me and others and where noted ...Much pointing to the area on Serpentine Loop Trail  from Ridge Trail looking down to discuss the scurry zone and habits of the cottontails. Also discussion of the jackrabbits when they go mad with testostorone in the springtime and their hare 'ness ( Here's a nice web link on their being hares and not rabbits http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/jackrabbit/). 

- Pointed out the frog pond, looking down on it from Ridge Trail (would be easy to have a talk about water in the preserve at this point, wouldn't it?)

- We should have asked Denora about the bobcats when we met up with her and Steve later on, as I know she once said there is one living in the vicinity of the ranger's house. Durn

- Of course we chatted about cougars. Doesn't everybody like to know about cougars?

- We talked about the different types of oaks, and after some quick mental review. I remembered  (and I think properly id'd ) coast live oak (thanks to a hint Alf once gave me), contrasted them with a description of Valley Oaks, and mentioned the scrub oak. I think that's what grows on Upper Clarkia, not Leather Oak? Remembered to tell her about the naturally hybrid ones.

- We talked about the Western Blue Birds

Dianne was very pleased with her one-on-one docent walk! We found her group back at Sunset Gate and she introduced me all around and bragged about getting the goods on the preserve. I was lightly quizzed by a couple of folks in regards to seeing freshly blooming Farewell to Spring, and I agreed I had seen one too. Was able to respond "Clarkia, like this trail" when asked what is the real name. So I guess I passed the test. Good thing that was one I know.

Despite it not being a high bloom time, there's a lot to talk about out in the chaparral zone

A Pickup Walk (Hiking Edgewood)

(co-published in http://EdgewoodSecrets.blogspot.com)

Invasive European grasses and Star Thistles
are one foe the Edgewood Warriors fight
tooth and nail

I know it's called a pickup game, when you run into other basketball players on the courts and have a competitive round. So I guess I had a pickup walk today.

I was hiking Clarkia and Lower Ridge trail, just appreciating the fact that my knees are back in service, when I found myself picking up a lone hiker, Diane. She hadn't found her hiking group, was pretty unfamiliar with the trails (she'd come in via Sunset Gate) and wanted company.

I ended up docenting  along Clarkia, up to Inspiration Heights, down along Lower Ridge trail to the fence that overlooks the Bluebird meadow and back to Sunset Gate, at which point we ran into her group

Discussed and seen along the way...

- Serpentine rock and soil discussion and challenge of nitrogen dump/non-native plant invasion. Also successes of Weed Warriors due to just plain hard work plus cunning and analysis 

- Why the erosion scars aren't a trail/the challenges of their trail-like appearance - And yes we ran into two erosion scar explorers that I had a chat with on Inspiration Heights. Hopefully they did go back the way I encouraged them to go on the trail. Much discussion with my new hiking pal, over how to discourage this behavior without being patronizing and actually getting desired behavior. 

- We met Steve and  Denora  out rangering and Diane had her birthday photo taken with them. Steve indicated perhaps more signs indicating erosion scar versus trail may be forthcoming?

- We enjoyed the beautiful summer colors of deerweed, tarweed and poison oak. We both think the seedheads we saw in with the tarweed is yarrow. I keep meaning to look up that pink dry headed looking flower that's in and around Ridge trail. I think it's a seed head not a bloom. It reminds me of the sea thrift I saw in Cornwall, just a little bit.

- Told her how she could find the plant database/photos lookup  on Friends of Edgewood web pages, as both of us were wondering about that pinky flower/seed head.

- Told her to come look for the brilliant green Hair Streak Butterflies during bloom time for the deerweed. Discussed the importance of the Bay Area Checkerspot and how it saved the preserve. Diane was glad we weren't hiking through the golf course this area was, at one point, destined to be.

- Diane wanted to know about animals we see in the area. Pointed out Western Fence Lizards, mentioned my few views of rattlers by me and others and where noted ...Much pointing to the area on Serpentine Loop Trail  from Ridge Trail looking down to discuss the scurry zone and habits of the cottontails. Also discussion of the jackrabbits when they go mad with testostorone in the springtime and their hare 'ness ( Here's a nice web link on their being hares and not rabbits http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/jackrabbit/). 

- Pointed out the frog pond, looking down on it from Ridge Trail (would be easy to have a talk about water in the preserve at this point, wouldn't it?)

- We should have asked Denora about the bobcats when we met up with her and Steve later on, as I know she once said there is one living in the vicinity of the ranger's house. Durn

- Of course we chatted about cougars. Doesn't everybody like to know about cougars?

- We talked about the different types of oaks, and after some quick mental review. I remembered  (and I think properly id'd ) coast live oak (thanks to a hint Alf once gave me), contrasted them with a description of Valley Oaks, and mentioned the scrub oak. I think that's what grows on Upper Clarkia, not Leather Oak? Remembered to tell her about the naturally hybrid ones.

- We talked about the Western Blue Birds

Dianne was very pleased with her one-on-one docent walk! We found her group back at Sunset Gate and she introduced me all around and bragged about getting the goods on the preserve. I was lightly quizzed by a couple of folks in regards to seeing freshly blooming Farewell to Spring, and I agreed I had seen one too. Was able to respond "Clarkia, like this trail" when asked what is the real name. So I guess I passed the test. Good thing that was one I know.

Despite it not being a high bloom time, there's a lot to talk about out in the chaparral zone

Hawks Ahead - Hiking Edgewood

My Kind of Study Break

A Red-Tail Hawk, I think.

Using my low-level cell phone camera, and was I glad I had it.

I'd been focusing on learning about what triggers mass wasting. She's was focusing on finding supper.  I think she missed out on her opportunity, as I came around the corner feet away from her in the grass, wrestling with something small and ground-dwelling.


What a reward for studious effort.

Our Creek's Low

Mama Gooliiya Unusumkaranayata Kamathi Naha*!

Our Creek's Low
Are Fish and her family hiding beneath that rock?

Lizard crawls into her hole and waits.

Frog is croaking hopefully.

Rabbit is wondering, will the rains come soon?

Doe and Fawn wander on.

Where does Cougar get a drink?

Let's Come out From Under Our Rock.

Let's turn off the tap and the air conditioner.

Let's look.

* * *

An Article in the Huffington Post: Why Some American's Deny Global Warming  


* Mama Gooliiya Unusumkaranayata Kamathi Naha! means, "I do not like global warming" in Sinhala, one of the languages spoken in Sri Lanka

Trick or Treaters Come Early This Year (Green Humor)

To get the Whole Picture

Please CLICK ON THE ILLUSTRATION above 

I'm a big fan of the biodegradable approach to Halloween decorating. I've already put out several pumpkins, big and small in the garden. I've tried growing them myself, but I don't have the light, heat, soil or something* to get them going. The little kids who walk past with their parents, by the way, don't realize that they aren't growing out there. They have been happily checking out my pumpkin garden for the last couple of weeks.


Funny though, the mini pumpkins started disappearing. Were they just walkin' off?


Turns out they weren't. Somebody's been getting their trick or treating in early this year. 


Whatever's leftover after the kids and the raccoons move on, I'll dig the reminder down into my adobe soil. It'll help out with the salvia blooms next spring.

. . .

* Tired of adding compost, redwood soil amendment, and gypsum to my adobe soil, I finally decided to figure out what likes to grow there. Salvia, is one good answer.

A Taste for Tidal Salt

Ummmm, yummmm the taste of tidal salt.

Pretty delicious, particularly if your name is Pickle Weed, Cord Grass or Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse.

You may also enjoy A Baylands Bouquet

Go ahead and click on the picture to enjoy this really salty repast.

A Baylands Bouquet

California buckwheat,

Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum

Please click on the picture above to immerse yourself in the detail of this lovely buckwheat bouquet

What's so great about the

Baylands Nature Preserve?

• I never saw anything like it before I moved to the Bay Area in 1978. Open, flat views of water, mud, birds and pickleweed gave me a new vision of what romantic meant.
• Though we often drive out to walk the trails, it’s possible to get there on my around-town cruiser bike.
• Birds have priority over people, or as it says on their web site “A substantial resident population of birds as well as being a major migratory stopover on the Pacific Flyway”

I've seen Marsh Hawks, Great and common Egrets and Great Blue Herons many times. And I'm not even a birder out looking for them. Of course there are tons of common shore birds: seagulls, ducks, godwits, willets, curlews, coots and sandpipers.

• Sometimes I get out there and there’s nobody on the expanse of trail but me, but I feel safe because it’s so wide open and people can see me from a distance. So I can sing REALLY LOUDLY

Megaptera novaeangliae, At Home in a Larger World

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Cordata (vertebrates)

Class Mammalia (mammals)

Order Cetacea

Sub-order Mysticeti (baleen whales)

Family Balaenopteridae

Genus Megaptera

Species novaeangliae

Common Name - Humpback Whale

Please CLICK ON THIS PICTURE To see all the lovely details



What am I in a humpback's world? Does she concern herself with the idea that there is life aboard the noisy machines that invades her feeding grounds? Are we something beyond a gust of bubbles and a funny oily smell? Is somebody bigger than a brontosaur, aware of me as a fellow-creature, a presence or with any kind of interest?

I encountered this gal as she was feeding out in the Monterey Bay. We also saw a minke and four distant blue whales, that looked like low-rising dark rocks coming out of the distant bay waters. These are both rare sights. But the humpbacks were all around us. They were lunge feeding, rolling on there sides, flipping their tails up and down, and so close we could hear their glorious trumpet breathing and smell the krill-laden breath that hovered over the water after they dove back down for more underwater chupas.

The krill are populating the bay in higher than normal numbers right now, so there are an awful lot more whales there than we would normally see at this time of the year. Our boat captain said we made forty sightings, of humpbacks. Here’s a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle about this unusual chance to see so many whales.