shxx60's Identifications

Stellar’s Jay was eyeing our picnic lunch.

Steller's jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a Corvid with a black head, head crest of feathers and black upper back. It is also known as the long-crested jay, mountain jay, and pine jay. It is the only crested jay west of the Rocky Mountains. It has omnivorousdiet. Diet is about two-thirds vegetable and one-third animal matter. Feeds heavily on pine seeds, acorns, and other nuts and seeds, especially during fall and winter; also eats many berries and wild fruits, sometimes cultivated fruit. Especially in summer, eats many insects, including beetles, wasps, and wild bees. Also eats spiders, birds' eggs, table scraps, sometimes small rodents or lizards.
Nesting: In courtship, male feeds female. Adults are quiet and secretive while nesting, but become noisy and aggressive if nest is threatened. Nest site is usually in Conifers."
Audubon Guide to North American Birds https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide and https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/stellers-jay

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America, ed. Jon L. Dunn, 2008, pp. 278-279.

"Black-and-blue with a crest. Widespread in western North America, from Alaska to Nicaragua. Shows marked variation across range: coastal populations are the darkest, with no pale markings around the eye. Central American birds have shorter crest, limited black on the face, and very bold white markings around the eye. Occurs in coniferous forests, usually in small groups. Regularly visits feeders, campgrounds, and picnic areas. Loud and conspicuous; listen for harsh calls."
Ebird: https://ebird.org/species/stejay/ and https://ebird.org/explore

Xeno-canto Bird songs, sound recordings, and species range map: https://xeno-canto.org/species/Cyanocitta-stelleri

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BIRDS (Annotated References)

The Cornell Lab (Birds in U.S. and Canada, includes Compare with Similiar Species) https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/

Xeno-canto: Bird songs, sound recordings, bird range and migration map: https://xeno-canto.org/about/xeno-canto

Audubon Guide to North American Birds https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide

Ebird with species description, range map and sound recordings: https://ebird.org/explore

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, ed. Jon L. Dunn, 7th ed., 2017

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America, ed. Jon L. Dunn, 2008

Monterey Birds, Don Roberson, 2nd ed. 2002, sponsored by Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society

Merlin Bird ID: How to use/get the portable App (Bird ID help for 8,500+ species) https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

Comprehensive Feather I.D. tools and more: https://foundfeathers.org/resources/

Found Feathers (Worldwide): https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/idtool.php

How to Tell a Raven From a Crow (comparison sound recordings, photos): https://www.audubon.org/news/how-tell-raven-crow

Small white moth, 2 cm wide, on Woodland Strawberry in a Monterey Pine Forest.

Link to another Simple Wave moth at Andrew Molera State Park a few days ago: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/221442465

Link to confirmed observation of Simple Wave moth nearby: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13674772

Simple Wave (Scopula junctaria) is a small, white moth in the Geometer Moths (Geometridae) family. Wingspan is 20–26 mm (0.79–1.02 inches). Adults are on wing from late May to August. There is one generation per year.

Moth Photographer Group: https://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=7164

BugGuide: https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Scopula+junctaria

Geometer Moths (Geometridae family) in Monterey County: checklist with photos compiled by INat @Kueda : https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/260565-Geometridae-of-Monterey-County--CA--US?q=Scopula+junctaria
(formerly called Scopula quinquelinearia)

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In California, there are about 240 species of butterflies. There are more than 3,000 species of MOTHS, which represent 4 suborders in about 50 families. Butterflies have clubbed antennae, moths do not. Many moths are nocturnal, but not all.

MOTH and CATERPILLAR (Annotated References):

Field Guide to California Insects, by Kip Will, J. Gross, D. Rubinoff , J. Powell, 2nd ed., 2020 (Lepidoptera, pp. 347-426)

BugGuide: Butterflies and Moths (U.S. and Canada) clickable categories or use search bar: https://bugguide.net/node/view/57

Moth Photographers Group https://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=7872&state=CA
(Be sure to limit the interface to California. The website is a little clunky but it’s better set up for moth taxonomy than BugGuide)

Glossary of Butterfly (and Moth) Terminology: https://butterfly.ucdavis.edu/resources/glossary

Caterpillar Anatomy Diagram and Butterfly/Moth Basics: https://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/activities/printouts/caterpillarprintout.shtml Life Cycle of a Butterfly: Egg --> Larva (the caterpillar) --> Pupa (the chrysalis or cocoon) --> Adult.

Butterfly (and Moth) Wing Areas and Body Parts (diagram)
Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West: a field guide to the butterflies of western North America, by Jeffrey Glassberg, 2001, p. 40.

Butterflies and Moths of North America https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species_search

Geometer Moths (Geometridae family) in Monterey County: checklist with photos compiled by INat Kueda https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/260565-Geometridae-of-Monterey-County--CA--US?page=2

Caterpillars: INaturalist Project https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-caterpillars

Moths of Western North America by Jerry A. Powell and Paul A. Opler, 2009 (in-depth, technical, some photos)

Wagner's Caterpillars of Western North America (coming soon) "1450+ species accounts in progress" INat thebals 6/6/23.

Field Guide to California Insects, by Kip Will, J. Gross, D. Rubinoff , J. Powell, 2nd ed., 2020

Link to Gray Buckeye butterfly observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/221370710

Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa) is a native, annual subshrub in the Mint (Lamiaceae) family that grows up to 2 ft tall in coastal scrub, chaparral, woodlands, and openings in montane forests. Leaves are opposite and densely hairy. It has narrowly triangular leaves that are covered with soft, white hairs, making the plant look gray. The name "villosa" means "soft hairs." Flowers are pink-lavender-purple. Flower heads are in dense clusters at terminal end of long stems. Peak bloom time: June-July. It is a favorite nectaring plant for butterflies and other pollinators. Indigenous people used Coyote Mint medicinally. 5 traditional uses are described here: http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Monardella+villosa

Mint (Lamiaceae) family members have square stems, opposite leaves, and a strong fragrance. This family includes not only the Mints (Mentha), Sages (Salvia), and Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa), but also many of the most common culinary herbs such as Rosemary, Marjoram and Oregano.

Wildflowers of California: A Field Guide, California Native Plant Society, 2024 (easy descriptions, exc. color photos, 600+ pages), p. 312.

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=33952

Calflora (includes species distribution map in CA): https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=5660
(Calflora lists 3 subspecies)

Native American Ethnobotany: http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Monardella+villosa

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 193-194.

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 138.

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 85.

Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/lamiaceae-mint/
"Although the leaves of Monardella villosa can sometimes have curled margins, it can be distinguished from the rare Curly-leaved Monardella (Monardella sinuata ssp nigrescens) by the absence of dark veins on the bracts subtending the flowers."

Jepson eFlora Key to Monardella: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=9470
Taxon Page for Monardella: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=9470

Native American Ethnobotany: Traditional Native Plant Uses (U.S. plants for medicines, fibers, tools): http://naeb.brit.org/

Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, 2nd ed., by James Harris and M. Harris, 2022

Andrews' Clintonia (Clintonia andrewsiana) is a native, perennial plant in the Lily (Liliaceae) family that grows in shaded, damp woods, especially in Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests in California coastal counties (Monterey County and northward). Basal leaves are broad, glabrous, large (15-30cm), and elliptical. Tall stem (25-50cm) is topped with an umbel of many pale to bright pink, trumpet-shaped flowers. There may be smaller clusters of flowers lower down on the stem. Peak bloom time: May-June. Umbrels of inedible, blue berries mature in July-August.

Link to confirmed observation of Clintonia andrewsiana showing the blue berries: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/127420240

Calflora: (includes species distribution map in CA):https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=2265

Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/liliaceae-xcalochortus/

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=19850

Elegant Clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata) Endemic in California. A.k.a. Mountain Garland, Woodland Clarkia. Native, annual plant in the Evening Primrose (Onagraceae) family that grows up to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall and is commonly seen in California woodlands. 4-petaled flowers grow along the length of the erect stems. Leaves are lanceolate to elliptic with margins often tinged with red. Flowers are 4-petaled, triangular or diamond-shaped to +- round shaped petals that narrow abruptly to a slender claw. Fuchsia is the most common petal color, but can be lavender, lavender-pink, salmon, or rarely white. It has 8 stamens. The outer reddish-pink anthers are longer and darker than the inner pale ones. Stigma is white, appears fuzzy at tip and is exserted beyond the anthers. Peak bloom time: April-September.

Jepson eFlora: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=19605
"Stem: erect, < 1 m, glabrous, glaucous. Leaf: petiole 0--1 cm; blade 1--6 cm, lanceolate to elliptic or ovate. Inflorescence: axis in bud straight; buds reflexed. Flower: hypanthium 2--5 mm; sepals staying fused in 4s, green to dark red, sparsely to densely puberulent and with longer, straight, spreading hairs < 3 mm; corolla rotate, petals 1--2.5 cm, lavender-pink to salmon or dark red-purple, claw >= blade, slender, blade triangular or diamond-shaped to +- round; stamens 8, outer anthers red, inner << outer, paler; ovary 8-grooved, hairs as on sepals, stigma exserted beyond anthers."

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=19605

Calflora (includes species distribution in CA): https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=2224 and sightings in Monterey County: https://www.calflora.org/entry/observ.html?track=m#srch=t&lpcli=t&taxon=Clarkia+unguiculata&chk=t&cch=t&cnabh=t&inat=r&cc=MNT

Wildflowers of California: A Field Guide, California Native Plant Society, 2024 (easy descriptions, exc. color photos, 600+ pages), p. 413.

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 214-215.

Field Guide: Wildflowers of California, California Native Plant Society, 2024 (easy descriptions, exc. color photos, 600+ pages), p. 413.

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 151.

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 104.

Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/onagraceae-clarkia/

Fort Ord A Love Story, Dorothy E. Denning, 2024 (1,000+ color flower photos, trail maps)

Jepson eFlora
Key to Clarkia: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=9760
Taxon Page for Clarkia: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=9760
All members of the Evening-Primrose family have 4-petaled flowers.

Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, 2nd ed., by James Harris and M. Harris, 2022.

I was photographing the beautiful flower when I suddenly realized there was a gorgeous spider too. Link to Crab Spider observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/221966969

Pink Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula) A.k.a. Hairy Honeysuckle. It is a native, perennial, vining in the Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae) family that climbs/twines over other trees or shrubs. Leaf pairs fuse/clasp around the stem. Young leaves, of newly sprouting plants, are hairy, heart-shaped, and not yet clasping. Flowers are pink, grandular-hairy with exserted stigma and stamens. Peak bloom time: April-July. Fruits are bright red round berries in the fall.

Calflora: (includes species distribution map in CA): https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=10075

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=31505

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 122-123.

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, p. 36.

Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/caprifoliaceae/

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 84.

Oregon Flora https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=6243

Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) A.k.a. Crimson Columbine, Red Columbine. It is a native, perennial, glabrous plant in the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family that grows up to 80cm (32 inches) tall in moist soils, wet ditches, seeps, and along streambanks, in many plant communities. Peak bloom time: April-September.
Columbine flowers produce large amounts of nectar at the end of their long spurs to attract hummingbirds. A constriction at the end of the spur prevents bees from crawling down into it. Some bees get around this defense by cutting a hole at the base of the tube and sipping nectar from there.
Indigenous people had many medicinal uses for this plant. 31 traditional uses are described here: http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Aquilegia+formosa

Native American Ethnobotany: A database of plants used as drugs, foods, dyes, fibers, and more, by Indigenous people of North America: http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Aquilegia+formosa

Wildflowers of California: A Field Guide, p. 447.

Law's Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada, John Muir Laws, California Academy of Sciences, 200, p. 104.

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=13668
Key to Columbines (Aquilegia genus): https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=10124

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 270, 273.

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 158.

Monterey County Wildflowers– a photographic guide https://montereywildflowers.com/ranunculaceae-misc/

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019 (species not listed)

(The) Monterey Pine Forest: Coastal California's Living Legacy, 2nd. ed, The Monterey Pine Forest Watch, 2018. (Excellent book).

Oregon Flora https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=418

Wildflowers of California: A Field Guide, California Native Plant Society, 2024 (color photos, 600+ pages)

Calflora (includes species distribution maps in CA, links) https://www.calflora.org/search.html

Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, 2nd ed., by James Harris and M. Harris, 2022

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Van Houtte's Columbine (Aquilegia eximia) Native, densely glandular plant in the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family that grows in serpentine seeps. Sepals are reflexed (more upward pointing) and petal blades are absent. Per Jepson: "Petal blade 0, mouth elliptic to triangular, > 90° to exposed filaments; plant densely glandular; fruit beak 12–20 mm; generally serpentine seeps ..... A. eximia"

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=13665

Key to Columbines (Aquilegia genus): https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=10124

Butterfly Mariposa lilies still blooming at the top of Fremont Peak, elevation 3173 ft, 92°

Link to observation showing the inside of bowl of Butterfly Mariposa Lily nearby: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212065882

Butterfly Mariposa Lily (Calochortus venustus) Endemic in California. Native, perennial plant in the Lillies (Liliaceae) family that grows 20–60 cm (up to 24 inches) tall in open grassland, light sandy soil, inland. It is variable in its coloration (white, yellow, pink, purple or even dark red), but most commonly white with pinkish markings. Petals have a large red blotch near the base, with a second paler blotch above. Petals are sparsely hairy near their base. The nectary is more or less square, with short yellow hairs. Peak bloom time: May-June.

Monterey County Wildflowers: https://montereywildflowers.com/liliaceae-calochortus/

Calflora (includes species distribution map in CA): https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=1313

Flora of North America (with botanical illustration): http://floranorthamerica.org/Calochortus_venustus

COMPARE to observation of Clay Mariposa Lily observation in Monterey County: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/79883248

Jepson eFlora: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=16772
"Plant +- glaucous. Stem: 10--60 cm, generally branched, bulblets present. Leaf: basal 10--20 cm, withering; cauline 0--2, 3--8 cm. Inflorescence: +- umbel-like; flowers 1--6, erect; bracts 2--8 cm. Flower: perianth bell-shaped; sepals 20--30 mm, lance-oblong, long-acuminate, tips recurved; petals 30--50 mm, +- obovate, +- clawed, white, yellow, purple, pink, or dark red, centrally dark-blotched, generally with 2nd paler blotch above, distally dark-margined, sparsely hairy toward base, nectary not in red spot, not depressed, +- square, short-yellow-hairy; filaments 7--10 mm, generally dilated at base, anthers 7--10 mm, oblong, +- yellow-white or pink to lilac. Fruit: erect, 5--6 cm, linear, angled. Seed: flat, +- yellow to light tan. Ecology: Sandy (often granitic) soil in grassland, woodland, yellow-pine forest; Elevation: 300--2700 m. Flowering Time: May--Jul Note: Flowers highly variable, especially in colors and patterns, within and between populations.
Synonyms: Calochortus venustus var. purpurescens" https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=16772

Plants in the Lily (Liliaceae) family are perennial and most arise from bulbs, although some have rhizomes. "Common characteristics include large flowers with parts arranged in threes: with six colored or patterned petaloid tepals (undifferentiated petals and sepals) arranged in two whorls, six stamens and a superior ovary. The leaves are linear in shape, with their veins usually arranged parallel to the edges, single and arranged alternating on the stem, or in a rosette at the base." https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47328-Liliaceae

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PLANTS (annotated references):

Calflora (CA native plants, includes species distribution maps, plant communities, links) https://www.calflora.org/search.html

Jepson eFlora (CA native and naturalized plants with botanical illustrations, some videos) https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/

Wildflowers of California: A Field Guide, California Native Plant Society, 2024 (easy descriptions, exc. color photos, 600+ pages)

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell ,2015 (2300+ species)

Monterey County Wildflowers (photographic guide of wildflowers, shrubs and trees) https://montereywildflowers.com/index/

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016 (950+ species with photos)

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California , David Styer, 2019 (includes peak bloom times)

Native American Ethnobotany: Traditional Native Plant Uses (U.S. plants for medicines, fibers, tools): http://naeb.brit.org/

Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, 2nd ed., by James G. Harris and M. W. Harris, 2022.

Flora of North America http://beta.floranorthamerica.org/Main_Page (search by scientific name)