gluckert's Journal

Went looking for the Bell's sparrow that had been reported from there recently. Probably started a little late in the morning to see them, if they are still there. Didn't see them, unfortunately. It was perfect weather, relatively cool (70s in the late morning), which made for a lovely walk. If it was any hotter, it would not have been as fun. The trail is mostly exposed, running along a ridge up to the peak. Beautiful chapparal all the way with patches of grass and a few doug-firs and Seargent's cypress. Chapparal consisted of high percentage of Mt. Tan manzanita, the low-growing, ground cover, species. There was also much of the chapparal pea. Saw a few golden chinquapin, and what must be coast oak, the species of live oak that looks more like the interior live oak, and a species I didn't understand or know about until recently. The ridge was mostly rocky and sandy with serpentine based substrate. It was a little loam-y-er, which I guess is the right word, higher up. There were many fence lizards, but no other reptiles, even though I looked hard. The sky was full of dragonflies throughout, with more at the peak. Migrant swallows and swifts circled the peak. Not many lichens, which was notable. Do they not grow well on serpentine? Not enough fog? Too hot and dry on that exposed ridge? Flowers still blooming: clarkia sp., sticky western rosinweed, tarweed sp. Muehlenberg's centary, a few of an invasive iris, and even a clump of velvety goldendrod.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S266428495

South side of Phoenix Lake, then Shaver Grade -> Hidden Meadow -> Yolanda -> Diblee

Spent the first hour on that unofficial fishing trail that is right on the water, trying to get pics of dragonflies and other insects. It was the heat of the afternoon so there was not much avian activity around the lake itself. Away from the lake, on Shaver Grade, Hidden Meadow and Yolanda, there was more activity. Saw two fledgling olive-sided flycatchers being attended at the top of a redwood by two chatty adults. Heard a number of ash-throated flycatchers throughout the upland.

The area around Hidden Meadow is a lovely grassy, rocky, slope with some chamise/sagebrush/coyote brush/toyon chaparral. Shaver Grade goes up a small canyon with bigtooth maple, madrone and oak (mostly coast live, with a few valley and black). The grass had long turned golden and most of the flowers were done, although I saw a few fading naked buckwheat blooms, wiry snapdragon and rod wirelettuce (I think these are new to me). It's that time of year when the trailside plants get dusty. The creeks lower down had standing or slow-flowing water. The draws further up had damp beds but no surface water. The maidenhair ferns and buckeye were fading and the madrone was dropping leaves.

I was happy to meet a few new lichen species: emery rocktripe, cowpie, rock nipple, L. anthraspis; and flowers: wiry snapdragon and rod wirelettuce.

The land close to the reservoir had been heavily utilized for grazing based on the number of invasives. Incredible amounts of broom and vetch. I've never seen so much broom. At least it was mostly close to the trails. Godspeed to those trying to control it.

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/evening-hike-at-phoenix-lake-and-yolanda-trail-loop-edea298
https://ebird.org/checklist/S257978398
https://ebird.org/checklist/S257949188

Trailhead -> Pedro Mountain -> Farallon -> Alta Vista -> North Peak -> North Peak Access -> Pedro Mountain -> Trailhead

Former ranch land with signs of heavy use lower, below fog layer, and mostly intact chapparal higher. Alta Vista trail runs along a ridge with sandy soil. There, the chapparal mostly consists of coyote bush, coffee berry, ocean spray, silk-tassel. Peak and lower Pedro Mountain trail same. North Peak trail is really a road cut from the soft rock (granite?) that runs along the north side of another ridge. It is drier there and the soil more sandy. The chapparal is mostly manzanita and chinquapin. Soap plant, buckwheat, coyote mint, paintbrushes, and monkeyflower blooming throughout the hike. It was pretty windy and cold throughout, so I didn't do much birding. It was pretty quiet. There was one thrasher near peak and a flock of VGSW above the valley below Alta Vista. Of course, there were many spotted towhee and wrentit singing. Saw and heard a chipmunk as I was coming down from peak. They seem rare on the Peninsula. Enjoyed the wild proliferation of lichen on the cypress at top of fog zone. Saw an unambiguous golden hair lichen, and saw the tarpaper lichen for the first time. I was confused by the soap plant because there were not as wiry as I've seen before. I was also confused by the silk-tassel without their tassels. I was happy to put name to face with deerweed, California barberry and yerba buena. I've seen these before, and probably documented them, but didn't know their names.

Marine layer came in as I was about half way up to peak. Cold and windy throughout.

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/evening-hike-514f94b-282?u=i&sh=arsbkg
https://ebird.org/checklist/S259368011
https://ebird.org/checklist/S259374059

Walked a few hundred feed down Spring Ridge Trail from Skyline parking lot to bird the little grove of Monterrey cypress (and perhaps doug-firs), here: 37.366076, -122.243321. There were recent reports of LAGO from that grove. The marine layer broke just as I was parking the car. This is an interesting area, bird-wise because of the combination of habitats present. To the south of the grove is an intact coyote bush chapparal slope. There is little meadow with the typical mix of invasive and native forbs to the east of the grove. The area to the north and west is more open, and grassy, with scattered coyote bush. Not sure about the mix of grasses in that N-W section. There was lots of movement between the chapparal slope and the grove. Later on, heard there is a spring nearby the grove. Not sure where.
eBird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S247761027

Visited this area looking for recently reported yellow breasted chat. Hit three spots: Olema Marsh, Giacomini Wetlands & White House Pool. All three of these locations are on the Lagunitas Creek slough and floodplain (estuary?) on south end of Tomales Bay. It looks like this area was recently used as dairy pasture. Indeed, it looks like Giacomino area was recently donated and converted to ecological area (thank you Giacomino family!). The lower, marshy, areas had recently dried and there was no open water, aside from the Lag. Creek. Thick willow riparian with no alders. More boxelders and buckeyes near the pool. One huge buckeye by the pool. Buckeyes are in full bloom. A few interesting bird observations: (1) AMGOs outnumbered LAGOs; (2) very few RWBL,; and (3) wrentits singing in the willows along the stream, seemingly distant from their usual chaparral. The common yellowthroats were singing boisterously at the Gia. Wetlands. Two were singing out in the open, and one was even displaying in the air. Not sure what to make of the species assemblage. It was late afternoon on a warm day, so probably didn't see/hear many species breeding here. Didn't encounter the chat.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S245225489
https://ebird.org/checklist/S245225437
https://ebird.org/checklist/S245255373

Stopped at two locations along FVR, looking for summer breeding birds, particularly BTYW. Missed that bird, but saw a lot of the typical "ocean side" birds that breed on the west side of the Coastal Ranges in Bay Area e.g. black-headed grosbeak, Wilson's warbler, Swainson's thrush, olive-sided flycatcher.

Stopped first at the Redwood Creek trailhead and investigated the riparian there. The main tree species were alder (grey?) and willows. The willow band was very thick, and the trail there was lined with head-high cow parsnip. Stream was running. Heard 5 Swainson's thrushes singing at once.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S245153317

Next stopped at the equestrian area / Santos Meadow area. Stopped there because I heard a olive-sided flycatcher singing. It continued to sing for entire time I was there. The meadow has been mowed. That equestrian area is interesting because it's snuggled between two chapparal covered hills, with large eucs, and next to the meadow and stream. Great spot to check earlier in the spring or this fall. Also, checked the stream area. Distressed to see many of the bigger alders are dead. What killed them? Fire? Saw a large flock of band-tailed pigeons. They were actively feeding on something, but couldn't see it, Also saw a few small trout in the stream. The forest on the slopes facing the canyon has been trimmed evenly by the onshore wind.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S245153258

Did a short hike along Blue Oak and Dick Bishop trails, looking for summer breeding birds. It was a little slow, birdwise, but had a lovely little nature walk. Habitat mostly live oak woodland with some blue and valley oaks. There were a few doug-firs and redwoods that were a bit spindly. Live oaks population greatly affected by SOD, so there were many openings. Some chamise and Cali sagebrush chapparal up higher, along the ridge. Stream along Edmonds Road has water, but it was flowing slowly. The little streams and seeps along the slope mostly dry, although one still had moist bed. The grasses and annuals have mostly gone to seed. The prettyface, chamise, CA pitcher sage, yuerba santa and soap root were in full bloom. The Ithuriel's spear were past peak. The low part of the park, long the former youth center was closed off. Interesting chapparal plants like the caenothus and pitcher sage. First time seeing the bluewitch nightshade fruit. Also, the chamise blooms didn't look familiar, but I must have seen them before.

eBird cecklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S243308759

Ebird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S239927082

Late spring / early summer in the Northern California oak savannah. Early afternoon. Most birds, including the goldfinches, were on siesta. Not hot, but sun intense. This little hike went up a small canyon to a small wet pasture, or even small valley. There was a little water in the stream and the pasture was still wet in places. The oaks along the stream were full of summer birds like western flycatchers, lark sparrows, ash-throated flycatchers, and others. The air above the little valley full of cliff swallows and violet-green swallows. No swifts, as far as I could see. There were a few old valley oak stumps that were surely hollow, that could support a cliff swallow colony. There were a few territorial red-winged blackbirds, attesting to the wetness of the area. The area is actively grazed, particularly the higher areas. It looks like the meadow/valley has been set aside recently, as it is full of invasive grasses, annuals and forbs. There were a few native wildflowers still in bloom. Specifically looking for a LAGO, and watching Olive, so didn't pay close attention to the non-avian flora and fauna.