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9 October 2003
A visit to
Forest Hwy 90, Lloyd Meadows Road, and Mountain 99 (Sierra Way)
reveal continuing blooms of many spring flowering perennials. Both
Hwy 90 and Lloyd Meadows Road have abundant pretty but stinky
Mountain Misery, this lacy leaved perennial is in the rose family
and the white flowers look like miniature floribunda blossoms. Two
types of rabbitbrush are now in full bloom, at the higher elevations
the yellow flowers are on bushes less than two feet high, in the
valley and all through the Kern Canyon the massive expanse of bushes
create a yellow glow. There is a shrub that I am unfamiliar with but
it produces white daisy-like straw flowers, quite enchanting, these
are found along the upper Kern River.
I am seeing red
but it has nothing to do with politics, in the higher elevations,
Scarlet Gilia continues to bloom in pockets as well as Scarlet
Bugler, but most spectacular are the occasional masses of California
Fuchsia. These red fire brands are beautiful when looked at with the
brilliant blue of the autumn sky in the background.
Mints are still
blooming to the delight of the Vanessa group of butterflies,
yesterday I found Painted Lady, West Coast Lady, and American Lady
all enjoying the nectar of the Pennyroyal. Patches of Crimson
and Bush Monkeyflower are growing along the river. The Bush
Monkeyflower by the Salmon Falls turnout is absolutely beautiful.
But this is
autumn so enough about flowers, check out the fall colors of the
Aspen groves along Sherman Pass Road between the 9200' pass and Bald
Mountain. Beautiful shimmering yellow and green in the breeze. Black
oaks are losing their green and adopting pretty pinks and yellows
for fall. Lloyd Meadows Road has some great canyons with the autumn
foliage of oak and willows. Off of Forest Hwy 90, I found some
pockets of dogwood that are just beginning this great mixture of
green and red leaves, pretty dramatic when their reddish hued seed
balls are added to the scene.
I hope that the
bonanza of color that Mother Earth has given us is apparent to all.
This season has been nothing short of eye opening for me. Peace.
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A recap of some of this year's wildflower bloom
The Kern Valley and nearby mountains started
experiencing a bonanza of wildflowers beginning in late February and
this carnival of color has yet to leave the area as of early
September. I first noticed brilliant hues around the
back side of Isabella Reservoir along Sierra Way. Mentioning this to
Bob Barnes yielded a comment of the unfolding
drama of sky blue happening along Hwy 155 by the Forest Service's
Lake Isabella visitor center.
Then the reports from the desert started, go to Short
Canyon off of Hwy 14. Nothing could prepare one for such a
spectacular scene, ahhh. As the low desert began to fade Kelso
Valley supplanted the marvelous display in Short Canyon with nothing
less than magical. Remembering the miracle of elevation, and a new
job with the Forest Service allowed me to
continue being blessed with flowering hillsides late into spring and
throughout the summer.
I can't believe my luck, the year I decide to put
some effort into photographing the area's wildflowers would end up
being one of the best shows in years! Photographing these lovely
beauties has given me more pleasure than one could
imagine. Flowers are normally with us such a short time, yet this
year has allowed for such an extended bloom with
all of the summer rains, that a trip up into the mountains still
yields new pleasures almost daily.
I invite you to take a virtual trip with me
discovering the delights of the region.
Let's start at the beginning, it is mid February and a trip along
Sierra Way between Isabella Reservoir and
Kernville, you notice an occasional burst of orange from California
Poppies, then the gentle lavender of Thistle
Sage, arriving at Hanning Flat the fields and fields of purplish
pink Owl's Clover, thousands of gentle purple
Phacelia line the slopes of the road. We have just started the
adventure and already we have seen poppies,
coreopsis, owl's clover, globe gilia, popcorn flower, fiddleneck,
goldfields, filaree, lomatium, deer vetch, wild
hyacinth, phacelia, lupine, stickseed, mustards, encelia, and chia.
Then reports of other displays start filtering in, in
late February and early March the area between Hwy 178 & the
main dam along Hwy 155 is covered in MILLIONS of Baby Blue Eyes,
along with popcorn flower, cream cups, wild
hyacinth, fleabane, and red maids. The hills above Kernville from a
distance wave with a gentle wash of blueish
white. A closer inspection reveals this hills covered in bird's eye
gilia. Nearby Coulter's jewelflower, rock cress,
Indian paintbrush, more wild hyacinth, popcorn flower, and deer
vetch lay a carpet of pleasing pastels before your
feet. I took a side trip out to Kelso Valley and found a field of
the rare and diminutive Kelso Creek monkeyflower
with pygmy poppies and desert stars growing underfoot.
Not that these displays were not fantastic in their
own right, but nothing could have prepared me for the spectacles
of Short Canyon and Jawbone Canyon respectively. On March 8th, I
trekked over to the desert with my friend Terri and
her service dog Jenna after hearing glowing reports. As I drove
north on Hwy 14, we noticed the deep rose orange of
desert mallow lining the roadside. Nearing Brady's a glance west and
the hills were becoming increasingly alive with
color. Spurious adjectives gushed from our lips. Wow, was a word
that never got old that day. Several species of
phacelia, lupine, evening primrose, asters, and gilias kept me
guessing as to the next new flower to discover. The
entire hillside was covered in every imaginable color of flower. In
late March, we went out to Jawbone Canyon on the
east slope of the Piute Mountains. Joined by our friend Susan, we
uttered the same useless wows as we stared in awe
at the most beautiful scene of millions of huge deep orange poppies,
brilliant white popcorn flowers, and rich blue
miniature lupines.
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29 JUNE 2003
The Sequoia
National Forest continues to provide a bounty of wildflowers and
other wild things as well.
Yesterday a trip to the Piute Mountains revealed Penstemon, Horkelias, monkeyflowers, vetch, Mariposa lilies,
phacelia, desert calico, brodiaea, Monardellas,
milkweeds, and many others.
The Sherman Pass area continues to supply a grand mix of flowers,
from golden ear drops at lower elevations, to Monardellas at mid
elevations, to columbine and shooting stars at higher elevations.
I hope you all are able to get out and enjoy this continued display
of natures wonder. Plus the higher elevations remain at least 20º
cooler than the valleys so now is the time to escape to the
mountains.
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13 JUNE 2003
Sequoia National
Forest continues to supply a grand display of wildflowers on the
Kern Plateau. I spent the day wandering the meadows of Cherry Hill
Road looking for beauty to photograph. I was not disappointed. From
just south of the junction with Cherry Hill and Sherman Pass Roads
the visual treats begin in earnest.
Thousands of white and pink Butterfly Mariposa
Lilies line the roadside. These along with thousands of lupines and
mountain collomia create a beautiful carpet of color beneath the
blackened trees of last year's McNally fire. The good news is
although none of the pines appear to be coming back the oaks and
cedars look as though they survived and are greening back up.
Continuing along the road look for thousands of
Fremont's monkeyflower interspersed with pink gilia. There are some
phacelias still blooming but not as many. One of the streams has
wondrous delights of mixed monkeyflowers, phacelias, Indian
paintbrushes, clovers, lotus, and other flowers. Another roadside
stream offers a magnificent view of a sheer granite cliff with the
sides lined with tinctureplant and phacelia. Also there are dozens
of snow plants lining the roadside.
Stopping along the way at the many meadows gives
opportunities to see crimson columbine, mountain blue bells, Parry's
larkspur, cinquefoil, shooting stars, wild onions, blue-eyed marys,
knotweed, and many many more. |
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14 MAY 2003
Today the road to
Blackrock Ranger station in the Sequoia National Forest opened via
Kennedy Meadows. Of course as a seasonal forest service employee I
have had the privilege of visiting this area prior to today's
opening. The wildflowers have been and still are spectacular.
Driving this road is a truly a sensual experience. As I was
returning back to base camp from a meeting at Blackrock (Tulare
County) today I was able to stop several times and breath deep the
experience of nature. Before I left the first thing I noticed was
the aromatic smell of the pines at the ranger station. Lodgepole
Chipmunks and California Ground Squirrels seemed happy to see the
firefighters arriving as I am sure they remember that a wonderful
bounty of food can't be far behind. White-headed woodpeckers drilled
the Jeffrey pines throughout the compound.
An area several miles east within the 3 year old Manter Fire (Tulare
County) was my first stop along the road. The tap, tap, tap, of a
Downy Woodpecker on a toasted lodgepole alerted me to its presence.
Several Least Chipmunks frolicked among the rocks. Western
Bluebirds, Northern Flickers, Dark-eyed Juncos, Mountain Chickadees,
Brewer's Blackbirds, and American Robins were all busily snatching
up the abundant insects now finding welcome homes in the burned
remnants of trees. Alas I thought I must depart before seeing a life
bird known to frequent the burn - Black-backed Woodpecker. Next
visit for sure.
Continuing east back toward the desert, I just had to stop and
experience the magnificence of the ancient Western Junipers. All
twisted and gnarled, these tall stately trees are a testament to
hundreds of years of surviving through fires, lighting, and wind.
Beautiful specimens for sure. Growing underneath these trees the
fragrant blossoms of a pink gilia gently filled the air with a sweet
aroma.
I finally bid Sequoia Forest adieu and started the climb through the
pinyon forest east of Kennedy Meadows (Inyo County), what an
absolute treat as 4 Clark's Nutcrackers flew across the road and
alighted in a tree just within binocular view. Stopping momentarily
to gaze at these magnificent gray and white birds, I continued on...
to my delight and surprise I encountered 40+ Pinyon Jays flying back
and forth across the road in a canyon filled with single-needle
pinyon pines. This was my first up close and personal encounter with
these handsome grayish blue birds. They seemed joyful with their
constant chatter and fluttering enmasse from tree to tree. A single
Steller's Jay raucously called nearby, and as I began to drive away
a Western Scrub-Jay darted between the shrubs. Four species of Jays
in just a 1/2 mile, I don't think that happens too often!
Oh, darn the day is getting short and although I have taken myself
off the clock hours ago, I thought I must get the forest service
truck back soon. BUT... my God the smell... this luxurious aroma...
massive blooms cover the hillsides of the most beautiful and
fragrant Grape Soda Lupine... my oh my ... if you drive this road
(very carefully as it is narrow) please do so with your windows down
and breath deeply this most glorious heaven scent! Dozens of
varieties of wildflowers delight the eyes with carpets of gold,
yellow, orange, purple, white, and blue.
So much to see, hear, and smell... life is such a blessing when the
time is available to appreciate that which is truly important. This
is such a magical little planet, so much to see and learn, I am
filled with such joy whenever I get to spend even the smallest
amount of time out amongst its bounty. My wish for all of you is
that same joy. |
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9 MAY 2003
The bloom
continues throughout the southern Sierra with higher elevations
beginning to bloom. Displays remain local and somewhat spotty but
some great vista shots are available.
Throughout the upper and lower Kern Canyons there are great displays
of color in the burn areas. The lower canyon shows some dramatic
pinkish red hillsides from the aging miner's lettuce.
Sierra Way north of Kernville in both Kern and
Tulare Counties along the upper canyon has some great displays of
phacelia and fiesta flower in the burn.
Sherman Pass Road still has great expanses of death camas and blue
dicks at the 4000' elevation.
A new spot I found is Nine Mile Canyon Road in Inyo County (the road
to Kennedy Meadows), gorgeous gorgeous blooms of fragrant Grape Soda
Lupine. The smell alone is worth the trip! There are other flowers
blooming along this road as well.
Apparently there are still Kelso Creek Monkeyflowers blooming as of
last weekend and the Grapevine/Gorman area (which I have yet to
visit) is still offering visual delights. |
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10 APRIL 2003
Wildflowers continue in the southern Sierra though
species diversity is beginning to change. Displays are local and
sometimes spotty but some really spectacular flowers are blooming.
The Lake Isabella Visitor Center on Hwy 155 at the dam in Kern
County still has a nice display of baby blue eyes, cream cups, blue
dicks and other flowers in a 1/2 acre of so patch up the visitor
center road. Goldfields are filling the roadsides on both Hwy 155
and Hwy 178 through the Lake Isabella area.
Owl's Clover is waning but there are patches where both purple and
white are blooming. Nice displays of Owl's clover are found along
Hwy 178 in Mtn. Mesa and on Sierra Way north of Kernville.
Kelso Valley Road as of 5 April along Kelso Creek by Zimmerman
continued with a pretty nice display of Kelso Creek monkeyflower,
Bigelow's monkeyflower, Fremont phacelia, pygmy poppy, desert star,
sandblossoms, white tidy tips, desert dandelion, Pringle's wooly
sunflower, purple mat, Mojave sun cup, silver cholla, Joshua tree,
filaree, and others.
Sierra Way north of Kernville in both Kern and Tulare Counties, has
lots of blooms, no real spectacular vistas but pretty flowers
nonetheless. Western wallflower, common monkeyflower, dudleya,
California Yerba Santa, granite monkeyflower, bush monkeyflower,
golden violets, golden poppies, popcorn flower, fleabane, Ithuriel's
spear, red maids, wooly pod, grape soda lupine, bajada lupine, Kern
County larkspur, and many more are all blooming along the road. A
nice wash of golden flowers are painting the hillside in the burn.
Death Camas is blooming profusely along the roadside on Sherman Pass
Road in the McNally burn area. |
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12 MARCH 2003
SHORT CANYON
From Carol Leigh: ...it was the
best we've ever seen it. ...the profusion and variety of flowers
that studded the hillsides. The flowers I found most interesting
(photographically) were the desert chicory, desert dandelions, dune
primrose, and (of course) the poppies. Fantastic display overall --
you won't be disappointed. see Carol's fantastic website...
http://www.photoexplorations.com/home.htm
WALKER PASS
From Carol Leigh: ... one of the densest stands of Joshua trees I've
ever seen! Even more so than Joshua Tree National Park. And they're
all in bloom, especially around the 83.5 mile marker (elevation
about 4,500 feet), where we got out to photograph the blossoms. The
trees are also dense and in bloom on the west side of the pass, too,
around mile marker 77.
LAKE ISABELLA
From Carol Leigh: What a surprise to round a bend on Highway 155 at
Lake Isabella and find a hillside with LOTS of baby blue eyes. This
is the entrance road to the Lake Isabella Visitor Center and it was
spectacular -- green hills rising above you, dotted with trees, and
lots of clumps of clear blue flowers. Some ground-hugging lupine was
also just beginning to show itself. We drove up the road toward the
Visitor Center and found large patches of pale yellow and white
cream cups in bloom as well. Goldfields and what I believe is
popcorn flower added nicely to the mix. Directly across the street
is the BLM South Raft Launch/Keyesville South Recreation Area, with
more rolling green hills with fading goldfields, baby blue eyes,
creamcups, fiddlenecks and popcorn flowers. Wonderful. |
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11 MARCH 2003
From Alison Sheehey:
KERN VALLEY
Baby blue eyes are fading a bit,
but still they remain something to see. I hope the predicted weather
this weekend will give them a new lease on life. Driving along Hwy
155, I saw many roadside lupine displays between the dam and Wofford
Heights. Between Wofford Heights and Kernville the hills are
beautiful with the gilias rippling in the breeze. Sierra Way east of
Rocky Point, the caterpillar phacelia and coreopsis continue to make
a dramatic impression. The owl's clover display at Hanning Flat is
really starting to take off, interspersed throughout the display is
a gentle blue color from miniature lupine. All throughout the valley
if you look at the peaks you will see much orange and yellow from
poppies and different sunflower type flowers. This display provides
a visual delight all the way to the Chimney Creek Bypass off of Hwy
178 as you head toward Walker Pass.
WALKER PASS TO HWY 14
Joshua Trees at the pass are beginning
to bloom. Occasional spots of color near the top of the pass give
way to a brilliant display of phacelia, Mojave sun cups,
brittlebush, and other asters as you near the intersection with Hwy
14.
HWY 14 to SHORT CANYON
The highway corridor is awash with
desert chicory, desert dandelions, phacelia, and desert mallow.
SHORT CANYON
While I notice a lessening of the
display, none of the people who I encountered at Short Canyon today
could find anything to complain about. It is still quite
spectacular. I found several new flowers, and had the time to walk
about a mile up the trail. A splendid walk in the warm desert air.
Many of the previously reported flowers are still in full bloom:
desert chicory, desert dandelions, California poppies, fiddleneck,
brown-eyed primrose, phacelia, Mojave sun cups, goldfields, sand
verbena, bird's eye gilia, chia, goldenbush, indian paint brush,
popcorn flower, jewelflower, blue dicks, blazing star, lupine,
bladder pod, alyssum, pincushion, and purple mat. In addition I
found nude buckwheat, inflated buckwheat, iodine bush, larkspur,
brittlebush, four-wing saltbush, Arabis sp., golden poppy, desert
mallow, elegant lupine, lacy phacelia, birds foot evening primrose,
Joshua tree, and a few others I will have to figure out and describe
later.
As for wildlife, as I drove up a
Prairie Falcon was searching for a meal along the hillside. House
Finch and Rock Wren were singing up a storm, while a Canyon Wren darted
between some rocks. A white-tailed antelope squirrel ran across the
road into a wash by the cattle guard near the parking lot. And
finally, many side-blotched lizards and 2 chuckwallas were
sunbathing in the warm spring air. (BTW, 2 other groups described
seeing collared lizards but this species eluded my detection). |
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10 MARCH 2003
SHORT CANYON
From Janet Westbrook: Want to 3rd
the recommendation for Short Canyon! Every day it gets better. There
are poppies who's petals are 4 inches long each!! Deep orange. The
Sierra canyons got a lot of water all fall, and even in January and
Feb when the rest of the valley didn't, and it's paying off now.
It'll be a good show well into April. The "regular" road, which goes
from just south of Brady's Gas Station under the big billboard sign,
is fine now for any car. The BLM entrance, about 1/2 mile north of
Brady's off the frontage road is quite sandy and probably not good
for any ole car. Stuff all along the way both before and after the
aqueduct crossing. Lots of stuff isn't even out yet - so come on
up!! Yet to come - the sweet-smelling perennial wash Lupine,
Charlotte's Phacelia (I'm sure it will bloom this year!), beaver
tail - just now starting their buds - give um 2 -3 weeks,
Hole-in-Sand plant plants are there, but no flower buds yet, sand
verbena just starting - what's there is super and it's just going to
get better!! Dandelions just starting. It's a great "yellow year".
RED ROCK CANYON STATE PARK
From Janet Westbrook: ...a nice
variety of things - no super shows except dandelions at Donnelly (SE
where train was). Haugen Canyon and Red Rooster have variety.
Aqueduct roads both north and south from Hwy 178 have some
occasional nice shows of mostly Coreopsis, but also this spring
there are fields of Sun Cups, the primrose. Goldfield is happening
mostly up near Hwy 14, and is slowly spreading down into the valley
- it will be everywhere very soon. |
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9 MARCH 2003
From Alison Sheehey:
BENA ROAD - east of Bakersfield
As you descend the hill just east of Tower Line
Rd. you will notice a dramatic field of lavender. This is all
lupine. Continuing up the road toward Tehachapi, look on your right
the fields are covered in lupines, owl's clover, white tidy tips,
poppies, fiddleneck, and phacelia. As you ascend the hill there is a
beautiful display of poppies and chia, near here a light magenta
lupine is a first of the year for me. Here the downslope hillside is
covered in phacelia. Just after you go through the Hwy 58
undercrossing the hills are literally covered in fiddleneck with one
slope a bright orange blanket of poppies. At intersection of Bena Rd
and Hwy 223 the hillsides provide a lovely vista with the still
barren blue oaks surrounded by fiddleneck and popcorn flower.
CALIENTE CREEK ROAD - between Caliente and Bena
Rds.
Some wonderful displays of lupine, and hills
orange with fiddleneck delight the eyes on this road. Be cautious
driving as the sites can distract and the road has some mean
dropoffs.
HWY 178
Lupines line the road in numbers near Rio Bravo
Ranch Headquarters (Orchards). Not flowers but the field south of
the highway east of Alfred Harrell Hwy, had several hundred
Long-billed Curlews. A really cool sighting.
KERN CANYON
The old Kern Canyon Road has a lovely display of
gentle pink flowers with a few baby blue eyes interspersed above the
Borel Power Plant. This road doesn't have great displays yet, but
ceanothus, bladderpod, popcorn flower, and other little flowers are
in bloom and the buckeye is getting a really beautiful shade of
green foliage. The two lane canyon road has some pretty spectacular
vistas with fiddleneck, gilia, and popcorn flower covering
significant acres throughout the canyon. Mid-canyon to the lower
canyon have jewelflowers, lupine, owl's clover, mustard, popcorn
flower, fiddleneck, California poppy, coreopsis, sour grass,
bindweed, and gilia.
KERN VALLEY
The Baby Blue Eyes continue at the Lake Isabella
Visitor Center (Hwy 155 at the Dam). Drive up the visitor center
road and you will see field upon field of blue eyes and cream cups.
The cream cups are pretty amazing there now. Red maids and popcorn
flower are still found in less quantity than a week ago. I checked
out the Keysville raft launch and found the river was so low that
the intricate sculpture of the rocks was clearly visible. Not
wildflowers but truly worth visiting. Anyway this side of the road
is just beginning to take off and will most likely keep baby blue
eyes fans happy for a while. |
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8 MARCH 2003
DESERT
From Alison Sheehey: Wow, all I can say is wow!
Absolutely glorious and grand. Nothing in the Kern Valley could have
prepared me for the absolute spectacle that is Short Canyon. The
south facing hillsides are covered with poppies and coreopsis.
Brown-eyed Primrose, Desert Primrose, Mojave evening primrose,
desert dandelion, goldfields, sand verbena, cream cups, California
poppy, bird's eye gilia, caterpillar phacelia, chia, goldenbush,
indian paint brush, popcorn flower, jewelflower, blue dicks, blazing
star, lupine, bladder pod, alyssum, pincushion, purple mat, and
others I didn't quite have time to analyze. Along Highway 14 there
are desert mallows.
If you have a chance, I say go and go now!
KERN VALLEY
From Alison Sheehey: Hanning Flat along Sierra Way
near the South Fork bridge is about to explode in acres upon acres
of owl's clover. The Stine Cove owl's clover continues to be good.
The hills above the valley are really beginning to get good color
from poppies and a yellow wash of flowers. Just west of Stine Cove,
the caterpillar phacelia and an aster are absolutely spectacular in
their contrasting colors. Near Kernville the rocks are covered with
Kernville poppies. The hills above Kernville off of
Kernville/Wofford Blvd are a delicate wash of white and pale blue
from the popcorn flowers and bird's eye gilia.
The baby blue eyes by the Lake Isabella visitor
center continue with an ever growing spectacular display. |
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6 MARCH 2003
DESERT
From Val in Ridgecrest: My wife and
I went out today. We drove up Short Canyon (So. Cal high desert) and
WOW!!!! The South facing hillside is a mass of Poppies, gold
poppies, golden linanthus (phlox family). The lower areas were just
alive with probably a dozen or more different flowers. Some I
recognized were Fiddleneck, desert paintbrush, sand verbena, evening
primrose. I did not see many CA. Poppies that had not yet bloomed so
I am thinking that this coming weekend things will be at about
"peak." This is one of the better years that I have seen here in the
Indian Wells Valley for wildflowers. The weather right now is great
and this weekend looks about the same (low 60's)
KELSO VALLEY
From Alison Sheehey: Terri Gallion
and I went back out to see the Kern Monkeyflower again, this tiny, delicate plant overshadowed by newest
find of the season, the diminutive Desert Star. I have never seen
this plant before and what a surprise it appears even smaller than
described. Desert Star - Monoptilion bellidiforme, Fremont's
Phacelia - Phacelia fremontii, Kern Monkeyflower - Mimulus
shevockii
KERN VALLEY
From Alison Sheehey: Kernville Rd.
just west of Kernville. Beautiful displays of gilia and popcorn
flower waving white and a pale blue across the hillsides above the
golf course. Found bird's eyes, popcorn flower, owl's clover, blue
dicks, Wright's deer vetch, periwinkle, jewelflower, rock cress,
desert paint brush. Sierra Way between Kernville and Weldon just
continues to get better, by Camp 9 the goldfields are beginning to
fade, but just beyond Rocky Point the caterpillar phacelia is
amazing, all up and down the hillsides. Poppies, coreopsis, and
lupine are really beginning to get thicker. The Stine Cove display
of owl's clover continues strong, yet the popcorn flower appears to
be fading a bit at this spot. Hanning Flat is awash with a rose
purple carpet of filaree and looks like next week it will be
replaced by an equally amazing carpet of owl's clover. |
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4 MARCH 2003
KERN VALLEY
Lake Isabella Visitor's Center, Hwy
155 south of the Kern River: Baby Blue Eyes, hill sun cup, red
maids, storksbill filaree, cream cups, fiddleneck, popcorn flower.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
From Ann Harwood: I drove about 12
miles up Rancheria Road in the Sequoia NF. Take hwy 178 east from
Bakersfield; shortly before 178 enters the narrow part of the Kern
River canyon, turn left on Rancheria Road. Great displays of
fiddleneck, popcorn flower, some lupines, blue dicks, and poppies --
and a flower I didn't recognize. The showy part is the cluster of
dark magenta buds at the top of the stem; the open flowers have four
white petals, each about 1/2 inch long, arranged almost in an H
shape. Rancheria Road is quite dramatic country, and is not very
well maintained, nor very traveled. In the two hours I spent there,
I saw two other vehicles. |
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3 MARCH 2003
DESERT
From Cecile: March 3, 2003
Just got back from a day trip to the Western Mojave area - mesquite
Canyon, Iron Canyon, etc. in the El Pasos west of Randsburg. The
desert is a blaze with wildflowers right now! |
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2 MARCH 2003
DESERT
From Warren: : I took a short trip
to Short Canyon today. Short Canyon is located just north of the US
395-State 14 junction and is part of the Owens Peak Wilderness area.
The right side of the canyon has quite a few wildflowers (not a
carpet though). I saw lots of poppies, desert dandelions, desert
sunflowers(?), chia, baby blue eyes, pebble pincusions (?), forget
me nots, indian paint brush, and evening primrose. |
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1 MARCH 2003
KELSO VALLEY
From Alison Sheehey: Kelso Valley
Rd.: White Layia - Layia glandulosa, Kern Monkeyflower -
Mimulus shevockii Bird Spring Pass Rd. Phacelia, Goldfields,
Sinuate Gilia - Gilia sinuata, Bird's Eyes - Gilia
tricolor
KERN VALLEY
From Alison Sheehey: Sierra Way,
between Kernville and Weldon, Kern Valley: new flowers: Wright's
Deer Vetch - Lotus wrightii, Clover - Trifolium sp. All others
continue to bloom well. South Lake, Kern Valley: Goldenbush -
Ericameria linearifolia, Evening Snow - Linanthus dichotomus
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
From Eric the Desert Rat: Found
flowers at the Arvin cutoff and along Bena Rd. Enmass were
fiddlenecks covering the hillsides along with several patches of
Lupine, some bladderepod, poppies and some other flowers unknown to
me. Especially plentiful were fiddlenecks and along the road to
Arvin were huge patches of Lupine.
From Ann Williams: Just out walking the hills behind Hart Park
(Bakersfield) this morning and saw a few flowers, owl's clover and
phacelia and brodiaea |
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28 FEBRUARY 2003
DESERT
From
Val in Ridgecrest: 2/28/03: Take the road that heads up to a
microwave relay station near the Trona Road
cutoff from 395. A great variety of wildflowers. "Carpeted" only
with a small yellow flower
From Susan Steele 2/28/03: From Fossil Falls (Inyo Co) to Short
Canyon (Kern Co). These are all areas on the east side of the
Sierras by Ridgecrest. Saw about 40 species of flowers. Some of
these are very small and inconspicuous, but there are large areas of
flowers creating mats of color. Most areas should be good for the
next month or so depending upon weather. Fossil Falls has lots of
pepper grass, yellowthroats, and white fiesta flower.
Kern Desert Canyons: sage thistle -- try No Name Canyon or the lower
aqueduct road, blue dicks -- the lower aqueduct road, bladder pod --
the lower aqueduct road, chia and spectacle pod -- Sand Canyon,
coreopsis, CA
poppies, and sand verbena; and the most varied flower, display --
Short Canyon (don't miss it, if you can't come up with 20 species
here you're not looking very hard) |
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22 FEBRUARY 2003
DESERT
From Val in Ridgecrest: I spent a few hours this afternoon
in the desert between Randsburg and Ridgecrest. The Wildflowers were
not plentiful but the ones I found were very showy. I counted about
a dozen varieties of flowers. I am no botanist so identifying them
is tough for me. There were a few that I recognized and they
included Fiddleneck, CA Buckwheat, Wild Heliotrope, and Desert
Penstemon.
KERN VALLEY
From Alison Sheehey: Along
the entrance road to the Sequoia National Forest Lake Isabella
Visitor Center off of Hwy 155, there is a fantastic display of Baby
Blue Eyes. Quite a massive spectacle! See today's photos on the
Nature Ali wildflower page.
http://www.natureali.org/wildflowers.htm. Species at this location:
Apiaceae - Lomatium sp., Baby Blue Eyes - Nemophila menziesii, Blue
Dicks - Dichelostemma capitatum, Cream Cups - Platystemon californicus,
Fiddleneck - Amsinkia sp., Popcorn Flower - Plagiobothrys sp., Red
Maids - Calandrinia ciliata, Spreading Fleabane - Erigeron divergens, Storksbill Filaree - Erodium cicutarium, Hill
Sun Cup - Camissonia graciflora, Cushion Catseye - Cryptantha
circumscissa, Tropidocarpum - Tropidocarpum gracile |
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20 FEBRUARY 2003
KERN VALLEY
From Alison Sheehey: The Kern
Valley (Lake Isabella) in Kern County has one spot that really is
beginning to explode. Wildflowers are really blooming well on Sierra
Way between Kernville and Weldon (Hwy 178).
California Poppy - Eschscholzia californica, Perennial Aster -
Asteraceae, Storksbill Filaree - Erodium cicutarium, Chia - Salvia columbariae, Owl's Clover - Castilleja exserta, Tropidocarpum - Tropidocarpum gracile, Lupine - Lupinus sp., Caterpillar Phacelia - Phacelia tanacetifolia, School Bells - Dichelostemma capitatum,
Goldfields - Lasthenia californica, Stick Leaf - Mentzelia sp.,
Apiaceae - Lomatium sp., Miniature Lupine - Lupinus sp., Popcorn
Flower - Plagiobothrys sp., Fiddleneck - Amsinkia sp., Thistle Sage - Salvia carduacea,
Annual Aster - Asteraceae, Brown-eyed Evening Primrose - Camissonia
claviformis ssp. claviformis, Mustard - Brassicaceae, White Fiesta
Flower - Pholistoma membranaceum, Globe Gilia - Gilia capitata |
Nature Alley is dedicated to protecting natural communities
wherever they exist. She is involved in many scientific and educational programs,
promoting environmental appreciation and ethics.
Frontispiece:
Coreopsis & Lupines along 9-mile Canyon Road - May 2003
Photo Alison Sheehey ©
NatureAli. All rights
reserved.
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