Urocyon cinereoargenteus
01 Sep 2016
CA, SBE Co., Zzyzx DSC
Junipero oxycedry-Quercetum rotundifoliae, IV3 Allué, Forest Decline
Junipero oxycedry-Quercetum rotundifoliae, IV3 Allué, Forest Decline
As of 1990, feral Merino sheep had stripped most vegetation on this east portion of Santa Cruz Island which still remained in private hands. With no predators, a century of overgrazing had decimated the vegetation & soils. These 1990 photos were taken of the Montañon Ridge & Canyon, known then as “No man’s land,” at the border zone between The Nature Conservancy’s preserve and the private land. (The private land was later acquired by NPS and sheep were eradicated, with the soil & vegetation very slowly recovering.) (Not to be confused with the later eradication of feral pigs on the island.) (Sheep may be considered domesticated, though these have gone 'wild,' feral. Not under domestication in many decades.) Like an observation of a track or scat, these photos are intended to illustrate extreme effect of sheep overgrazing.
Several out flying over wet marsh and saltgrass meadows along Amargosa River. One flying fast and flashing into creosote desert. Around 9-9:30 pm Pacific, dark with crecesent moon. Difficult to photograph, I have several video clips of flights: flashing 3-5 times often in an irregular flight. Strong fliers and sometimes moving fast between flashes. 3-7 feet above ground in display flights.
I've never seen so many in one place. Probably around 30-40 plants in total
Eastern New York Mountains showing about 50% mortality this past year in California junipers. Similar mortality is being observed throughout the desert southwest highlands, likely the result of the 2-year extreme dry spell (2021-22), enhanced by climate warming over past decades. Apparently last summer's big monsoon and this winter's rains came a little too late.
Photos from one patch of especially dense growth, but they were scattered all around the area east of the pseudo vernal pool in this fallow ag type area. This was the thickest patch where cover as pictured was spread over a 25 m long edge of a swale.
The story of the last catamount found in Vermont can be read here: https://vermonthistory.org/explorer/people-places/animals-farm-wild/the-last-catamount-in-vermont
Scattered in open field north of Highway 180 in clay with Phacelia ciliata and Erodium cicutarium.
Just these two rather large individuals on a managed wetland margin. Not another native plant in sight!
Very unusual. Growing from cliffs. Not Phacelia cicutaria, fruits and hairs are wrong, Flowers all white. Interesting...
Behind the Holiday Inn In Porterville in a flower-filled formerly vacant field. So lovely!!!!
USA, Nevada, Clark County, Gold Butte National Monument. Smooth Desert Dandelion (Malacothrix glabrata) densely covering a dry wash in a rare superbloom display.
A Superbloom in Pebble Beach, July 2018!
Pink Sand Verbena (Abronia umbellata) Native, coastal, common dune plant. Erect, dark green, fleshy leaves are paddle-shaped and and borne on prostrate stems. Flowers are dome shaped heads of 12-15 pink corollas with white centers surrounding pinhole throats. Peak bloom time: all year.
Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 98.
Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 210-211.
https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=11564
These poppies at the edge of an arroyo offered a ground-level perspective.
Because you can never have too many poppies. Late spring 1998. The grass seedheads are a non-native species, Bromus tectorum (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/20217085).
Found this hidden gem thru a tip on a wildflower hotline site. Not sure exactly where it was -- somewhere near the Poppy Reserve, but south of the main road down in a little hollow nestled up against the foothills. Have been poring over Google Maps trying to find an arroyo & Joshua trees that match, but no luck.
Found this hidden gem thru a tip on a wildflower hotline site. Not sure exactly where it was -- somewhere near the Poppy Reserve, but south of the main road down in a little hollow nestled up against the foothills. Have been poring over Google Maps trying to find an arroyo & Joshua trees that match, but no luck.
2003 was a banner year for the hills around Gorman, CA. I5, the main highway connecting northern & southern CA, goes right thru this pass. The blue is Valley Lupine (abundant, forming spectacular hillside displays); the yellow, coreopsis.
2003 was a spectacular year for the hills around Gorman, CA (I5, the main highway connecting northern & southern CA, goes right thru this pass). This mix contains at least 5 species in bloom: the tall blue flowers are Valley Lupine (Lupinus microcarpus), the little round light blue ones are Bluehead Gilia (Gilia capitata), the yellow daisy-like ones are Coreopsis, the little yellow coils are Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), & the orange is CA Poppy (Eschscholzia californica).
Large stand of poppies, 10 months following Cronan Fire (29 acres, 2020-06-09)
Cajón del Maipo, Camino a El Toyo km 24-30, Ribera sur del río Maipo.