Bear Creek Redwoods - a magical place in the winter

A coast redwood branch with buds on the ground.

With fruit (rosehips).

There were several galls on this small bush.

I've seen meadows full of these plants on the other side of the preserve:

• https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/6758909
• https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/6417325

In dark shade - hard to get a good photo.

Substrate: leaf litter under a Coast Live Oak tree.

This oak has dropped almost all of its leaves.

I looked for sori, but didn't see any.

Very prickly. This is the first time I've noticed this species.

I like the common name "five-finger maidenhair fern."

Growing under the bridge near the stream.

There were several of these plants around the stream protected by wire cages. Either they were planted here or the wire cages were just to protect them from foragers.

Substrate: leaf litter beneath a Coast Redwood tree.

Dead on the trail (I didn't see it on my way up the trail, only on my return trip). The body was soft, not stiff.