Update on Mary's Trail / Little Sycamore Canyon

This morning was super quiet at Little Sycamore and the Nix Nature Center, making for a very peaceful trek up Little Sycamore to Serrano Ridge. A fun Roadrunner led the way as I followed the trail, surrounded by quail, rabbits, red-tailed hawks, towhees, hummingbirds, lizards, bees, etc.


Here were my observations:

• The black sage was so beautiful, with its flowers being visited by the bees and other insects. It lined both sides of the trail sometimes, which was very special.
• The Mariposa lilies were in abundance along the trail.

• The native Morning Glory was also very beautiful, wrapping itself around black sage / other woody structures.
  
• The buckwheat has newer, softer, thicker greens coming up. In some areas, the buckwheat is in full bloom (for example, along Serrano Ridge).
• Along Serrano Ridge, the areas that once were covered in poppies and filaree have been taken over by the grasses which have turned that beautiful, creamy golden color. Too bad that they aren't native grasses!
• The California Dodder is really prominent as you climb up the Serrano Ridge, on that last stretch.

• Nuttall's Snapdragon is in bloom along Mary's Trail - near the entrance to Little Sycamore trail.

• Beautiful interpretive signs have been placed on Mary's Trail, right behind the Nix Nature Center. Take a moment to go read them and learn about our surroundings! It's a lot of fun. There's even a "scented" sign. :)
• California figwort/Bee Plant is finally blooming in abundance along Mary's Trail. We had reported flowerings of this plant last month? at the Dilley Preserve, right across the 133/ Laguna Canyon Rd.
• Fringed Pink can be seen at at least one location along Little Sycamore Trail (before the last big climb up). Awesome!

Many special photos were taken today and will be added to the main website, www.NatureInOrangeCounty.com and to NIOC's Photo Albums online over the next few days. Make sure to check them out!

And no report would be complete without my friend Len Gardner's comments and latest observations:

Red-tail Hawks are nesting in Little Sycamore Canyon. Linda Davis discovered the nest when on a plant walk with Laura Cohen. Linda was able to point it out to me and a few others who followed her up the trail after Paul had finished his birding tour.

It's on a ledge on the other side of the canyon from the trail. It is occupied. It appears to have 4 chicks in it.

I guess the theme of today's bird walk could have been nesting. In addition to the Red-tailed Hawk nest [...], we also saw an occupied California Towhee nest, an occupied Anna's Hummingbird nest and an occupied House Wren nest. In addition, on Barbara's Lake, we saw a family of Pied-billed Grebes. There were three chick grebes swimming along with their mother. We could see chicks in the Towhee nest. Very cute.

It got me to thinking. I suppose the very essence of DNA life is reproduction, not only the ability to do it but the compulsion to. The birds did a good job today of demonstrating that inescapable fact of life.

Until next time! Thanks for following this blog!