Smaller Parks in Sonoma CountyShollenberger Park in Petaluma Annadel State ParkSanta Rosa, CAJune 3, 2013June 16, 2011May 15, 2010February 15, 2010July 23, 2009Just a quick jaunt to Lake Ilsanjo and back. Not much to see today until I got close to the lake. Saddlebags Dragonfly, Cardinal Meadowhawks, Hoary Skimmers. Commo Buckeyes, Ringlets and Acmon Blues. Not much in flower either, except Yampah and a mint buzzing with flying insects. After scanning hundreds of Yampah umbels I finally found one with a caterpillar. May 31, 2009I did the Cobblestone Trail to Rough Go, then back on Louis and, North Burma and Live Oak. Annadel is an awesome place, despite having to compete with bikers, equestrians, runners, and occasional crazy men yelling and throwing rocks. The bikers, though never obeying the yield rules, are always friendly, and there aren't too many equestrians. Today the fog burned off as I hiked, but still few butterflies came out. I did manage to see a couple California Sisters and sulphurs, one duskywing, a couple of skippers, plenty of ringlets and a few checkerspots. Near the lake, the dragonflies were amazing. My picture of a golden dragonfly was too fuzzy unfortunately. Birdwise the only new addition was a warbling vireo. I did hear some other interesting calls, but could never spot the callers. May 17, 2009I did the same Lawndale Trail as last May, but went a bit further. A hot day, a sweaty day. I was rewarded by a fairly good butterfly showing and some diverse landscapes. Butterflies in attendence: Ringlets, unidentifiable yellows, duskywings, checkerspots, 1 buckeye, 1 California Sister. No caterpillars today. Two ringneck snakes appeared and disappeared under the redwood detritus. Lizards but no skinks. Birds were generally highup and hard to see, but I did get a good look at Oak Titmice and Spotted Towhees. Saw what must have been a Hairy Woodpecker. Also in attendence, Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Turkey Vultures, Jays, Goldfinch, Juncos, robins. May 31, 2008I took a back road to this park rather than the main entrance. The Lawndale Trail is used by hikers, bikers and equestrians, though the trail is rather thin. The most amazing thing about this trail was the changing vegetation as you wind up and around the mountainside. There were also a great number of birds I could identify, and some which alluded me. Of those I could identify by sound and/or sight - acorn woodpeckers, nuttall's woodpeckers, lesser goldfinches, ash-throated flycatcher, california and spotted towhees, dark-eyed-juncos, california quail, western bluebirds, chestnut-backed chickadees, scrub jays, crows, turkey vultures, wilson's warbler, warbling vireos, pacific-slope flycatcher. Hood MountainSanta Rosa, CaliforniaJune 10, 2009This park is kind of a pain to get to and seems uninteresting at first. After all you have to walk over a half mile from the parking lot just to get to the original parking lot. However, it was in the parking lot that I found the most bird life - meadowlarks, bluebirds and violet green swallows. As I moved down I saw hutton's vireos, lazuli buntings, a female allen's hummingbird. I got some good photos of skippers, an acmon blue and a mylitta crescent, along with a few spiders. There was one butterfly that I cannot seem to identify, but at least I got a good picture of it. There's water still running in the creeks in this park this time of year. Armstrong Woods State PreserveGuerneville, CaliforniaMay 29, 2011April 27, 2008Summer has come early to California this year due to lack of rain. Up Pool Ridge Trail there was not a drop of water to be found. It was dry and dusty, though sunny and clear. Down East Ridge trail there was more water, including some ponds that seem to be drying up. Throughout there were blue-eyed grass, poppies, monkey flowers, and Ithuriel's spear in bloom. I had 'camera issues' and couldn't seem to take good pictures of them. Plenty of caterpilars dropping from trees, a good view of a black-headed grosbeak, brown creepers, and a wild turkey highlighted the bird part of the trip. From afar I saw what looked to be Acorn Woodpeckers. Heard plenty, including Pacific-Slope Flycatchers, Chickadees, Juncos, and probably red-breasted nuthatches. But all were out of sight. Helen Putnam Regional ParkPetaluma, CAMay 25, 2008This seems to be a park used mainly by dog-owners, with a few equestrians thrown in. However, there are some amazing and old coast live oaks here and some active bird life. In addition to the hawks and vultures wheeling above, in the trees were chickadees, titmice, juncos, american goldfinches, and bushtits. I also saw an ash-throated flycatcher, and heard tell of a gigantic snake, though I didn't get to see it. Of course, near the pond the Red Winged Blackbirds were doing their mating rituals. Shiloh Regional ParkWindsor, CAJuly 28, 2008This park has enormous amounts of Poison Oak. This time of year it was actually quite stunning, for it showed shades of red and brown on the sides of trail, and littered the ground with fallen leaves. Being July, there weren't many birds to be found. Plants of note: Dutchman's pipe. I also saw a blackish butterfly flit by rapidly, and it may have been a pipevine swallowtail. Plently of lizards, large and small, and one Ring-Necked Snake. Sugarloaf Ridge State ParkKenwood, CAJuly 29, 2008December 28, 2008March 7, 2009A good day in the park. Sunny with a light breeze, the Orange Sulphurs were out. I also caught some glimpes of Blues, California Tortoiseshells and Mourning Cloak Butterflies. Some other butterflies were unidentifiable. The birds were out in force as well. Caught wonderful glimpses of Red Breasted Sapsuckers, acorn woodpeckers in flight and a pair of Nuttals woodpeckers calling to each other.. Stellers Jays and Scrub jays abounded. Oak titmice were singing in the trees, Spotted and California towhees were in the bush with golden crowned sparrows. I filmed an orange crowned warbler in an oak tree. Not many flowers out yet, lots of buds. One lizard. |
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