31 de diciembre de 2023

New iNaturalist Observations for 2023

Below are the 91 new species that I reported to iNaturalist in 2023. Those that have become Research Grade are indicated by an asterisk (*)

PROTOZOANS

//True Slime Molds (Class Myxomycetes)//

  • Order Physarales
    Dog Vomit Slime Mold (Fuligo septica)

  • Order Trichiales
    Trichia varia

FUNGI (including LICHENS)

//Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs, and Allies (Class Agaricomycetes)//

  • Common Gilled Mushrooms and Allies (Order Agaricales)
    Deathcap (Amanita phalloides)*
    Lead-grey Puffball (Bovista plumbea)
    Hare’s Foot Inkcap (Coprinopsis lagopus)
    Saffron Crep (Crepidotus crocophyllus)
    Mulch Maids (Leratiomyces percevalii)*
    Bleeding Fairy Helmet (Mycena haematopus)*
    Hedgehog Scalycap (Phaeomarasmius erinaceus)*
    Stubble Rosegill (Volvopluteus gloiocephalus)*

  • Shelf Fungi (Order Polyporales)
    Oak Mazegill (Daedalea quercina)
    Deer-colored Trametes (Trametopsis cervina)

  • Order Russulales
    Giraffe Spots (Peniophora albovadia)*

//Common Lichens (Class Lecanaromycetes)//

  • Shield Lichens, Rim Lichens, and Allies (Order Lecanorales)
    Speckled Greenshield (Flavopunctelia flaventior)*
    Powder-edged Speckled Greenshield (Flavopunctelia soredica)
    Ochrolechia subpallescens

  • Wart Lichens, Water Lichens, and Allies (Order Pertusariales)
    Bitter Wart Lichen (Lepra amara)

//Operculate Ascomycetes (Class Pezizomycetes)//

  • Order Pezizales
    Oak-loving Elfin Saddle (Helvella dryophila)*

//Class Sordarioycetes//

  • Order Hypcreales
    Trichoderma viride

PLANTS

//Ferns (Class Polypodiopsida)//

  • Order Polypodiales
    Common Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)*

//Dicots (Class Magnoliopsida)//

  • Sunflowers, Bellflowers, Fanflowers, and Allies (Order Asterales)
    Blow Wives (Achyrachaena mollis)*
    Mule Fat (Baccharis salicifolia)
    Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

  • Borages (Order Boraginales)
    White Nemophila (Nemophila heterophylla)*
    Legumes, Milkworts, and Allies (Order Fabales)
    Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata)*
    Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)*
    Arroyo Lupine (Lupinus succulentus)*
    Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
    Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
    Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa)

  • Gentians, Dogbanes, Madders, and Allies (Order Gentiales)
    Buttonbush (Cephthalanthus occidentalis)*

  • Mints, Plantains, Olives, and Allies (Order Lamiales)
    Valley Tassels (Castilleja attenuata)*
    Seep Monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata)
    Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia)

  • Mallows, Rock-roses, and Allies (Order Malvales)
    Cheeseweed Mallow (Malva parciflora)*

  • Myrtles, Evening Primroses, and Allies (Order Myrtales)
    Silver Dollar Gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos)

  • Buttercups, Poppies, and Allies (Order Ranunculales)
    Rough-fruited Buttercup (Ranununculus muricatus)

  • Roses, Elms, Figs, and Allies (Order Rosales)
    Chinese Firethorn (Pyracantha fortuneana)

  • Order Salviniales
    Water Fern (Azolla filiculoides)*

//Monocots (Class Liliopsida)//

  • Agaves, Orchids, Irises, and Allies (Order Asparagales)
    Naples Garlic (Allium neapolitanum)*

  • Lilies, Supplejacks, and Allies (Order Liliales)
    Andrews’ Clintonia (Clintonia andrewsiana)*

ANIMALS

//Hydrozoans (Class Hydrozoa)//

  • Athecate Hydroids (Oder Anthoathecata)
    By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella)*

//Sea Stars and Brittle Stars (Class Asteroidea)//

  • Valatidan Sea Stars (Order Valvatida)
    Bat Star (Patiria miniate)*

//Barnacles and Copepods (Class Hexanauplia)//

  • Symmetrical Sessile Barnacles (Order Balanomorpha)
    Thatched Barnacle (Semibalanus cariosus)*

//Bivalves (Class Bivalvia)//

  • Rock-borers, Jacknives, and Razor Clams (Order Adapedonta)
    Transparent Razor (Siliqua lucida)

  • Cockles, Tellins, and Allies (Order Cardiida)
    Nuttall’s Cockle (Clinocardium nuttallii)*
    Spiny Pricklycockle (Dallocardia quadragenaria)*
    Gould Beanclam (Donax gouldii)
    Baltic Macoma (Macoma balthica)
    Bodega Tellin (Megangulus bodegensis)

  • Order Myida
    California Softshell (Cryptomya californica)*
    Flat-tipped Piddock (Penitella penita)

  • Order Mytilida
    Straight Horsemussel (Modiolus rectus)

  • Order Nuculanida
    Sharp-point Nutclam (Saccella penderi)

  • Order Venerida
    Clear Jewel Box (Chama arcana)
    Orb Diplodon (Zemysina orbella)

//Gastropods (Class Gastropoda)//

  • Order Littorinimorpha
    Pacific White Hoof Snail (Antisabia panamensis)
    Recluz’s Moon Snail (Glossaulax reclusiana)*
    Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea)*
    Scaled Worm Snail (Thylacodes squamigerus)

  • Order Neogastropoda
    Fat Nassa (Caesia perpingua)*

//Polychaete Worms (Class Polychaeta)//
California Sandcastle (Phragmatopoma californica)

//Malacostracans (Class Malacostraca)//

  • Decapods (Order Decapoda)
    Spiny Mole Crab (Blepharipoda occidentalis)*

//Arachnids (Class Arachnida)//

  • Spiders (Order Aranaea)
    Marbled Cellar Spider (Holocnemus pluchei)*
    Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus)*

  • Ticks (Order Ixodida)
    Western Black-legged Tick (Ixodes pacificus)*

//Insects (Class Insecta)//

  • Beetles (Order Coleoptera)
    Blapstinus histricus
    Heather Lady Beetle (Chilocorus bipustulatus)*
    Alfalfa Weevil (Hypera postica)*
    Pasture Wireworm (Monocrepidius exsul)

  • True Bugs (Order Heteroptera)
    Sycamore Seed Bug (Belonochilus numenius)*
    Hedge Nettle Stink Bug (Cosmopepla conspicillaris)*
    Common Flathorn Plant Bug (Heterotoma planicornis)

  • Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)
    Ergatogyne Trailing Ant (Monomorium ergatogyna)*
    Jumping Gall Wasp (Neuroterus saltatorius)*
    Golden Paper Wasp (Polistes aurifer)*

  • Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)
    Anopina triangulana
    Umber Skipper (Lon melane)*
    Indian-Meal Moth (Podia interpunctella)*
    Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella)
    Tachystola hemisema

  • Mantises (Order Mantodea)
    Arizona Mantis (Stagmonmantis limbata)*

  • Dragonflies and Damselflies (Order Odonata)
    Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)*
    Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)*

  • Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids (Order Orthoptera)
    Painted Meadow Grasshopper (Chimarocephala pacifica)

  • Barklice, Booklice, and Parasitic Lice (Order Psocodea)
    F-winged Barklouse (Graphopsocus cruciatus)*

//Birds (Class Aves)//

  • Hawk, Eagles, Kites and Allies (Order Accipitriformes)
    Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)*
    Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)*

  • Waterfowl (Order Anseriformes)
    Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)*

  • Cranes, Rails, and Allies (Order Gruiformes)
    Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)

  • Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)
    Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)*

Onward to 2024!

Publicado el diciembre 31, 2023 12:00 MAÑANA por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

30 de diciembre de 2023

Shoreline Lake and Vicinity (Mountain View, CA)

On Christmas Eve, I spent the morning birdwatching at Shoreline Lake, the Coast Casey Forebay, and the adjoining areas of Salt Pond A1 and Charleston Slough in Mountain View, CA. This area is renowned for its bird life, especially during the winter months, when it is often inundated by hordes of waterfowl, shorebirds, and other refugees from North America’s icier northern latitudes. It was a bright, calm, sunny morning for this visit, one of those bitingly beautiful winter mornings where the sky is an intense blue and the wisps of cirrus trailing across it are an intense white and the air is cold enough to turn your breath to steam.

Shoreline Lake was my first destination, and although it was a bit light on waterfowl, I did spot several pairs of Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) there, associating closely as they dove after the lake’s population of small fish. The males would frequently try to impress their mates by pointing their beaks straight up and flashing their wings in a striking courtship display. Here and there, a few female Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola) mingled with the Goldeneyes; they were, oddly enough, unaccompanied by any males. Elsewhere on the lake, a loose flock of about a dozen Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) zigzagged their way across the lake in search of prey, their bright red eyes glinting sharply in the morning sunlight.

Around the lake, a variety of trees, shrubs, and undergrowth provided cover for a variety of wintering sparrows and other passerines. Most notable for me was the pair of Fox Sparrows (Passerella iliaca) whom I found vocalizing loudly in the shrubs at the northwestern tip of the lake. I had not seen this species in quite a while, so it was good to reacquaint myself with it. Also present here were a few Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), California Towhee (Melozone crissalis), White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys), Golden-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla), Ruby-crowned Kinglets (Regulus calendula), American Robins (Turdus migratorius), and Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) – the last two feeding on a heavy crop of bright red pyracantha and cotoneaster berries.

A short walk north from the lake took me to the western tip of Salt Pond A1, where I found my only Gadwall (Mareca strepera) of the visit, flying just above the pond’s surface. He landed close to a pair of Northern Shovelers (Spatula clypeata), who seemed a bit perturbed by his sudden appearance. Further off in the distance, large rafts of Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) floated on the pond’s surface, most of them sound asleep.

A small levee separated Salt Pond A1 from Charleston Slough, where an observation deck looked out onto the slough’s expanse of blue-gray water. From this platform, I spent time observing and photographing the many Northern Shovelers and Canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) that had gathered there that morning. Overhead, a half dozen Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) flitted through the brilliant sky; although most Tree Swallows spend the winter in Southern California and Mexico, a few of them always seem to forego that trip and spend the winter here.

My final stop of the morning was the Coast Casey Forebay, where I was momentarily mesmerized by the striking black-and-white pattern of some 400 American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) in flight. They swirled through the air above the forebay like water swirling about inside a cup; then they landed – almost all at once – on the mudflats at the west end of the forebay. Surrounding them there were swarms of Northern Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus), Least Sandpipers (Calidris minutilla), and Long-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus). Scattered amongst these birds were small groups of gulls – mainly California and Ring-billed Gulls (Larus californicus and Larus delawarensis, respectively), plus a noticeably smaller gull with a rather tiny bill. After studying this smaller gull for a bit, I realized that it was a Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus), which was known as a Mew Gull until 2021, when it was split from the Common Gull of Eurasia and officially renamed. This was another species that I had not seen in a while, so it was good to re-familiarize myself with it.

Publicado el diciembre 30, 2023 05:27 TARDE por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

15 de diciembre de 2023

Winter Birding along the Bayshore in Sunnyvale, CA

On Sunday (December 3), I did a relatively short walk in the vicinity of the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant, following a series of trails that started at the area’s main trailhead on Sunnyvale’s Caribbean Drive. From there, I headed north along the Sunnyvale West Channel, then west along Moffett Channel, and then south and east over the Old Sunnyvale Landfill, eventually returning to the trailhead. The area through which these trails traversed is known locally as a birding hotspot, especially during the winter months, when it attracts a diverse array of shorebirds, wintering waterfowl, and the raptors that prey on them. I was curious to see what birds the changing of the seasons had brought here.

At first, the birds were mainly resident birds that one could find there at any time of the year – a half dozen House Finches (Haemorrhous mexicanus), loose formations of American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), the occasional Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura). But then a dark blur zipped past me, as it sped past the trailhead and then up and over the hill formed by the Old Sunnyvale Landfill. It was a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), eagerly hunting for its next meal. Although one can find Peregrine Falcons here at any time of the year, they turn up much more often during the winter months.

Along the Sunnyvale West Channel, I heard a few Common Yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas) softly “whichety-whichety-whichetying” from dense stands of California Bulrushes (Schoenoplectus californicus). At times, their murmurings were punctuated by the chip notes of some wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronate), who hid with them amongst the bulrushes. Nearby, the snowy plumes of some Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) attracted small flocks of wintering White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys), who seemed to find their seeds irresistible.

Moffett Channel was broader and deeper than the Sunnyvale West Channel, with tall patches of Cattails (Typha sp.) crowding along its edges. Amongst the Cattails, resident Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) and Marsh Wrens (Cistothorus palustris) flitted ghost-like, daring me to photograph them. I edge up to the Cattails slowly, slowly, to avoid spooking them too much; as I did, I heard a loud, harsh croak: I had disturbed a Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) from its mid-day torpor.

Continuing westwards along Moffett Channel, the Cattails disappeared, giving me clear views of its waterway. Across this waterway drifted scattered flocks of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwalls (Mareca strepera), and American Coots (Fulica americana), likely a mix of resident and migrant birds. Amongst the coots, I quickly spotted an adult Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata), proudly flaunting the bright red color of its beak and parietal shield.

A footbridge soon carried me across Moffett Channel and onto the ramparts of the Old Sunnyvale Landfill, whose use had been discontinued many years ago. It had been capped with a copious amount of soil, on which a scruffy mantle of grasses and non-native forbs had grown. This was the favorite haunt of Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) and Lesser Goldfinches (Spinus psaltria), the latter munching eagerly on the seeds that they found hidden away in the spent flower heads of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum). Joining them were some American Pipits (Anthus rubescens), who like to flock here during the winter months.

Publicado el diciembre 15, 2023 02:02 TARDE por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

18 de noviembre de 2023

Emily Renzel Wetlands

On Sunday (November 12), I decided to visit Emily Renzel Wetlands, which are part of the Palo Alto Baylands in northern Santa Clara County, CA. My best sighting there was that of a Raccoon (Procyon lotor), whom I saw loping down one of the wetlands’ levee trails. It moved with supreme confidence, as if it owned the wetlands, and it did not flinch in the slightest when it noticed me standing there, a mere hundred yards away. It continued approaching me for some time before, abruptly, it ducked into the brush along the edge of the wetlands’ north pond and disappeared from view.

These wetlands can be an excellent place to look for wintering waterfowl, but it was just a bit too early for them to have arrived. Several dozen Northern Shovelers (Spatula clypeata) were there, along with an influx of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) augmenting the local resident population of this species. The rest of the birds there were probably residents, from the Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) that spreads its wings on the small islet in the wetlands’ south pond to the Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) that dove for its breakfast in the north pond. A Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) hunting near the southern tip of the south pond was a nice find, as I hadn’t seen one of those in a while.

Although it was late in the season, insects were not yet completely dormant for the winter. Flitting across the pond were a few Common Green Darners (Anax junius), while a Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) hid itself very carefully within a clump of Common Reeds (Phragmites australis). Cabbage Whites (Pieris rapae) and Common Checkered Skippers (Burnsius communis) darted through the air, intermittently landing on the last of the autumn’s wildflowers for a sip of nectar. Last but not least were the many Asian and Seven-spotted Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis and Coccinella septempunctata, respectively) that I saw hunting for prey amongst the vegetation that formed a dense fringe of vegetation around each of the wetlands’ ponds.

Publicado el noviembre 18, 2023 10:29 TARDE por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

08 de noviembre de 2023

Ed DeBenedetti Park in Lodi, CA

On Saturday (November 4), as I was on my way to Sacramento, CA, I made a short, exploratory visit to Ed DeBenedetti Park in the nearby town of Lodi. I was intrigued by the satellite views of this park that I saw on Google Maps, which showed the presence of a small lake along its southern boundary. This lake seemed like a good spot to find interesting birds, insects, amphibians, and other creatures, so I was curious to see what I might find there.

When I reached Ed DeBenedetti Park, I realized that the lake filled an unlikely (that is, man-made) depression in the earth, whose slopes were cloaked in the autumn yellows of cottonwoods and willows. This is something that could not have been revealed by those satellite views on Google Maps. Another thing that Google Maps did not clearly reveal was the chain link fence surrounding the entire lake, fully blocking access to it. Look through the fence, I did manage to see a pair of Green Herons (Butorides virescens) winging their way across the lake’s surface, past a small flock of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). I also heard a Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) rattle loudly from the lake’s shoreline, as Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronate) and White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) vocalized from its wooded slopes. The lake still seemed like an interesting place to look for birds, even if it were not an especially good place to photograph them.

North of the lake, I found a large field full of grasses and mostly non-native forbs such as Russian Thistle (Salsola sp.), Yellow Star Thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), and Shortpod Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana). The field seemed like it might be an interesting place to look for insects, especially in the late spring when the plants are still fresh and vibrant. On this visit, I did manage to find an Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis), a Cabbage White (Pieris rapae), and an Orange Sulfur (Colias eurytheme), all species that will remain active there until the cold and rain of winter sets in.

Publicado el noviembre 8, 2023 05:41 TARDE por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

08 de octubre de 2023

Cuesta Park in Mountain View

Today, I made an early morning visit to Cuesta Park in Mountain View, CA, to see what birds fall migration had brought to that popular urban park and local birding hotspot. The dawn chorus was still in full swing when I got there, and I was almost immediately overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronate) that I saw flitting through the treetops. I counted thirty of them while I was there, and there may have been even more. I also heard the lilting calls of a few returning White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) near the off-leash dog area and the children’s hospital. Rounding out the migrants were a Townsend’s Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) and my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) of the fall, both of them located in the picnic area by the main parking area at the end of Nilda Avenue.

Unusual to me was the large number of Pygmy Nuthatches (Sitta pygmaea) that I found on this visit. Normally, in the fall and winter months, I will find maybe two or three of these cute little birds in this park. This time, however, I visually noted a dozen. Pygmy Nuthatches don’t normally migrate unless the cone crops on which they depend are poor, so their unusual numbers here made me wonder what the state of the cone crops were up in the Santa Cruz Mountains nearby. I did notice them foraging not only in the park’s many pine and redwood trees, where I usually see them, but also in its coast live oaks, among its ornamental trees, and even on its grassy lawns. They seemed to be very hungry.

Publicado el octubre 8, 2023 03:11 MAÑANA por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

09 de septiembre de 2023

Terns, Skimmers, and a Channeled Whelk along the Foster City Bayfront

Saturday, September 1, a decent low tide drew me to the mudflats along the bayfront along Beach Park Boulevard in Foster City (San Mateo County, CA). It had been several years since I last visited this spot, so I was a bit surprised to see that a seawall had been erected along the entire bayfront here; however, I eventually found stairs that led me through the seawall and down to the adjacent beach. There, a low tide had exposed the shell mounds and mud flats that I remembered from past visits here.

The Foster City bayfront is a good spot to look for those mollusks that have been transported here by ships from other shores, and that have subsequently established themselves here. I quickly came across the empty shells of many Pacific Oysters (Magellana gigas), Japanese Littleneck Clams (Ruditapes philippinarum), Atlantic Ribbed Mussels (Geukensia demissa), and Eastern Mudsnails (Ilyanassa obsoleta) – no surprise, as these invasive species have overrun many other locations around San Francisco Bay. I also found many living Eastern Mudsnails here, literally thousands of them oozing their way across the mudflats, feeding on whatever detritus they found there.

Less common were the Eastern Oyster Drills (Urosalpinx cinerea), a muricid that predates oysters, mussels, and barnacles by drilling a hole in their shells to access the contents inside. I also found a Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea), clamped down tightly on a muddy slab of broken concrete. The empty valve of a native Olympia Oyster (Ostrea lurida) and a couple of introduced Convex Slipper Snails (Crepidula convexa) were interesting finds, but the best find of all was the shell of a Channeled Whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus) that I found partially buried in the mud. This large, predatory marine snail was introduced from the East Coast of the United State 80 or 90 years ago, and it can grow to around 20 cm in length. The specimen that I found wasn’t quite that large – around 8 cm long.

As I continued exploring the mudflats along the Foster City bayfront, the tide turned and began to rise steadily. By mid-day, it had inundated many of the mudflats, bring the water line closer to shore. This, in turn, attracted quite a few shorebirds, and soon I found myself observing dozens of Willets (Tringa semipalmata), Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa), Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola), Long-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus), and Least Sandpipers (Calidris minutilla) skittering across the mudflats in search of their next meal. As the tide continued rising, seabirds appeared – first, some California Gulls (Larus californicus), followed by Forster’s and Elegant Terns (Sterna forsteri and Thalasseus elegans), which were then followed by Black Skimmers (Rhynchops niger).

Eventually, around 25 Black Skimmers found their way to the Foster City bayfront, where they would periodically take off, wing their way across the sky briefly, and then glide down to a new roosting spot. From a single colony of about 2 dozen birds that first appeared in the South Bay in the 1990s, several colonies have now established themselves around the bay. It was nice to see them doing well.

Publicado el septiembre 9, 2023 03:12 MAÑANA por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

10 de agosto de 2023

Rockaway Beach and Calera Creek (Pacifica, CA)

On Sunday, August 6, I spent the day on the coast at Rockaway Beach and Calera Creek in the city of Pacifica. This area doesn’t have a huge number of species observed in iNaturalist – only 204 – so I was curious if I could increase that number. And, of course, I was curious to see what new species I could add to my life list on iNaturalist.

I started with the dark sandy shoreline of Rockaway Beach first, before following Calera Creek to the uplands immediately to the north, observing 52 different species of all kinds. Here are the highlights of what I saw.

Insects: I was able to add one new insect to my life list, the California Bordered Plant Bug (Larga californicus). And I’ll be adding five to the iNaturalist list for the area: Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile), Occidental Grasshopper (Trimerotropis occidentalis; identification tentative for now), one of the Greater Bee Flies (possibly Bombylius cruciatus); one of the Greenbottle Flies (Lucilia sp.), and a Calyptrate Fly (Calyptratae sp.). Strangely, I missed seeing any butterflies except for the occasional Cabbage White (Pieris rapae), as well as any dragonflies or damselflies. The odd-looking Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle (Ocypus olens) has been reported from this area, as well; however, I missed seeing it on this visit.

Plants: I didn’t find anything new to add to the list of plants for this area; however, I did manage to add four new plants to my life list: Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Chile Trefoil (Acmispon wrangelianus), Purple Pampas Grass (Cortaderia jubata), and Muehlenberg’s Centaury (Zeltnera muehlenbergii). It was sad to see the invasive Purple Pampas Grass and its cousin, regular Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) dominating the drier uplands of this area, along with many other non-natives.

Birds: I did not see any new birds, either for my life list or for the area. Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), Brandt’s Cormorants (Urile penicillatus), and both Western and Heerman’s Gulls (Larus occidentalis and L. heermanni) crowded into the nearshore waters of the Pacific, with the gulls sometimes stopping to rest on the beach. There was also a small population of Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) in the marshy area near the mouth of Calera Creek.

Mammals: The only mammals that I observed were the semi-tame California Ground Squirrels that I found along the edge of the public parking area near the mouth of Calera Creek.

Others: The violent surf and steep drop-off in the seabed offshore limited the marine mollusks I found to some California Mussels (Mytilus californianus) and some Lottia-type limpets on the rocks below the parking area for Nick’s Rockaway seafood restaurant. Joining them there were a few Pacific Acorn Barnacles (Balanus glandula). The weekend crowds kept the local snakes in hiding, so that the only reptile I saw was a fast-moving and highly nervous Coast Range Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii). Finally, on the rocks by the seafood restaurant, I did manage to find some lichens that resembled the Shrubby Sunburst Lichen (Polycauliona Candelaria), although I will have to study them more to positively identify them.

Publicado el agosto 10, 2023 09:44 TARDE por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

22 de julio de 2023

Oak Grove Regional Park (near Stockton, CA)

On Tuesday, July 18, I made a relatively brief visit to Oak Grove Regional Park, which is located on the northern outskirts of the city of Stockton in San Joaquin County, CA. This 180-acre park is known for its grove of mature Valley Oaks (Quercus lobata), as well as 10-acre Oak Grove Lake. The lake was the focal point for this visit, particularly the array of insects and spiders that I found there.

Dragonflies were especially prominent, and within the hour that I was there, I spotted several Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis), a couple of Widow Skimmers (Libellula lutuosa), one or two Common Green Darners (Anax junius), several Gliders (Pantala sp.), a couple of Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerate), and a brilliant Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturate). They were joined at times by a Western Tiger Swallowtails (Papilio rutulus), a couple of Gray Buckeyes (Junonia grisea), and more than a few Cabbage Whites (Pieris rapae). With a bit of effort, the trees around the lake (particularly the Western Sycamores [Platanus racemose] and London Plane Trees (Platanus x hispanica) yielded up their own surprises – several Zebra Jumping Spiders (Salticus scenicus), a Western Velvety Tree Ant (Liometopum occidentale), many Argentine Ants (Linepithema humile), and a strange-looking insect with a long proboscis that I think is one of the Bark Weevils (Circulonidae sp.). There were undoubtedly many species that escaped detection during my brief visit; however, the diversity of insects that I found here suggests that I should make a longer visit in the future.

Other animals at the park consisted mainly of California Ground Squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi), as well as a smattering of common birds – Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), House Finches (Haemorrhous mexicanus), Black Phoebes (Sayornis nigricans), Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica), and so on. However, I did briefly spot a Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) soaring overhead. This beautiful hawk is known to nest in the area, and this park seems like a great spot to find one.

Publicado el julio 22, 2023 04:15 MAÑANA por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

23 de junio de 2023

A Visit to Dry Creek Community Park in Southern Placer County, CA.

On Sunday (June 18), I spent a couple of hours at Dry Creek Community Park, a 23-acre patch of open space just outside the city limits of Roseville in southern Placer County, CA. The park has quite a few amenities to support the sports activities of the local community, but I was more interested in the grassy fields surrounding these amenities, as well as the riparian corridor along Dry Creek, which cuts through the park and gives the park its name.

The fields were dry and a bit dusty, as is to be expected for the late spring and early summer. The green grasses of spring had come and gone there, leaving behind golden patches of straw through which Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) bloomed profusely. The bindweed’s blossoms were flushed with a rosy pink color that contrasted beautifully with the grass. Other summer wildflowers in bloom alongside the bindweed included Scarlet Pimpernel (Lysimachia arvensis), Yellow Star Thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), White Horehound (Marrubium vulgare), Pineapple-Weed (Matricaria discoidea), Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosus), and Shortpod Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana). This last species was at its peak, attracting many Western Honeybees (Apis mellifera) and the occasional Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus).

A well-trodden dirt path led me through the fields to the very edge of Dry Creek. Here, Valley Oaks (Quercus lobata) towered overhead, casting dappled shadows across the creek’s glassy surface. Blue Elder (Sambucus cerulea), Boxelder (Acer negundo), Chicory (Cicoreus intybus), and Armenian Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) gathered in the shade of these oaks, along with many plants that I did not recognize. One unfamiliar plant that I was able to identify was the Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), a small-to-medium-sized tree with enormous, elongated, heart-shaped leaves and legume-like seed pods that must have been almost a foot in length. Another unfamiliar plant that I identified was the Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria), an interesting plant with tall spikes of yellow flowers that sometimes reached nearly three feet in height.

House Finches (Haemorhous Mexicana), Lesser Goldfinches (Spinus psaltria), Oak Titmice (Baeolophus inornatus), Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), and White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) flitted from treetop to treetop, sometimes calling as they flew. However, I was more interested in the insects that I found along the creek. Chief among them were the Pipevine Swallowtails (Battus philenor) that I saw wafting their way through the trees, their large bluish-black wings resembling black velvet adorned here and there with silver and gold spots. Also notable were the American Rubyspots (Hetaerina americana) that alighted onto leaves jutting out over the creek like miniature landing platforms, as well as the Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa) that I found as it was patrolling the creek for prey. The Shadow Darner was still cruising up and down the length of the creek, as I followed the dirt path away from the creek, concluding my visit.

Publicado el junio 23, 2023 11:02 TARDE por arnel arnel | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario