March 20

On this first day of astronomical spring, Caroline and I begin a hike in Hopkins Wilderness Park, an 11-acre nature oasis in the heart of Redondo Beach, California. The mid-morning sky is partly sunny with temperatures in the low 60’s as I pass by a shallow pond where a few Red-eared Slider turtles are resting on a rock.  Up ahead, a flash of blue catches my eye as a Western Bluebird lands in an open area and grabs a grub, before taking off.  Nearby, I pause to watch Honeybees feeding on blossoms of Dark-star Mountain Lilacs and Woolly Sunflowers while a tiny, ¼ inch Fairy Bee feeds on blossoms of Mock Orange. Fairy bees lack the part of the stinger that pumps venom, rendering them effectively stingless. After stopping by a sign to read a list of tongue-in-cheek rules for park visitors, I notice the fruit of Himalayan blackberry. This Eurasian species, introduced for fruit production, is highly invasive and difficult to control. It forms impenetrable thickets, spreads aggressively and has significant negative impacts on native plants, wildlife, recreation and livestock Their berries are tasty, though apparently less tasty than the native blackberries. They are most often consumed just as berries or as fruit pies. A short distance away, I come upon a Climbing Asparagus fern displaying its dark fruit while on an overhead tree branch, I look at and listen to a female House Finch. Descending an earthen path, I spot a Mourning Cloak butterfly perched on a rock, flapping its wings to warm them up. Up ahead, I notice a fist-size woody growth on a small Hickory tree. Called a Phomopsis gall, it is a swelling on a branch caused by a fungus. Looking skyward as the morning sun crosses the celestial equator, I recognize the vernal equinox and the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere.  Following a perimeter path back toward the car, I pause by a Japanese Cheesewood tree as several Monarch butterflies lite on its white blossoms with their strong citrus fragrance.  Near the car, I catch a brief glimpse of black and yellow bird moving quickly through the dense underbrush. My guess it’s a Yellow-rump Warbler. This bird is one of the most widespread and well-known warblers in North America. Birders affectionately refer to this species as "butter-butt," since its bright yellow rump is an eye-catching and diagnostic field mark throughout the year. Adults also have a yellow crown patch, most obvious in adult males. 

 

Orb of the heavens 

Sun of the sky

Giver of life

None can deny

Orb of the heavens

Ascending star

Your vernal place

Your journey so far

Orb of the heavens

Warming sphere

Welcome to spring

Glad you’re here

 

D. DeGraaf 

March 13

Under sunny skies and morning temperatures in the upper 50’s. we begin our hike in Harter Park on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. For thousands of years, the marine rock layers of this peninsula have naturally eroded, creating small canyons and steep ravines. Thanks to local residents, some of these landforms have been preserved as accessible wildlife refuges, like Harter Park. Following an earthen trail above the ravine, I notice colorful blossoms of Lupine and Wild Radish. Used as a food, all parts of Wild Radish are edible, hot and peppery. Leaves should be eaten when young before they become bitter. Flowers can be added to salads while seedpods should be eaten when immature. Next to the trail, an outcrop of Diatomaceous Shale catches my eye. This rock is fairly soft and light-weight, being composed of fine-grained sediments and diatoms, plankton that forms a siliceous exoskeleton (stock photo). Looking around, I spot yellow blossoms of Wild Mustard and Sow Thistle. Up ahead, my ears tune in to a flock of American Robins singing from the lush vegetation. Not surprisingly, I spot one of many perched in a tree and one of many foraging on the ground. These large flocks are common in winter in areas like this where abundant edible fruit occurs, including the berries of surrounding Pepper trees. Locally, robins are the number one carrier of West Nile disease. West Nile virus is the most common and serious vector-borne disease in California. There have been more than 7,000 human cases and over 300 deaths reported in the state since 2003. While the virus is almost always lethal to crows and jays, robins are able to carry the disease with fewer ill effects. A mosquito species spreads the disease to birds and humans. This mosquito takes blood meals from roosting robins who serve as an amplification mechanism enabling more mosquitos to acquire the virus and eventually infect people. Glancing down to the bottom of the ravine, I notice a blossoming patch of Trefoil and a blossoming Blackwood Acacia tree. Crossing over to the other side of the ravine, I start heading back when I pause to watch a Honeybee feeding on a blossom of Wood-sorrel. Continuing along, I see and enjoy the fragrance of small white blossoms on a Wild Cucumber vine that also displays a golf-ball size, prickly green fruit. Although this plant is related to the familiar, domestic vegetable, the prickly “cucumbers” are not edible.

Winter wanes

Here in the west

Communing with nature

Remains my quest

Snow-capped summits

Rocky beaches

Pelican dives

Whale breaches

Ospreys soar

Higher than most

Pounding surf

Carves the coast

 

D. DeGraaf

March 6

Under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60’s, we make our way to the Pacific coast seashore, at low tide, to explore marine life in tide pools. After watching a Dowitcher shorebird search for food, I make it to a rocky beach with plenty of pools, just in time to spot a 4-inch, slug-like Sea Hare slowly moving about. The horn-like structures seen on the head are called rhinophores. They allow these animals to pick up chemical cues in the water, such as those from other sea hares during mating season. When threatened by predators, they release a dark purple fluid in defense. The ink gets its purple color from a pigment in the red algae that makes up part of their diet. Sea Hares have a secret shell-an internal shell that protects their vital organs. Their eggs are encased in a protective sticky jelly and look like masses of spaghetti noodles. They may lay up to eighty million eggs; its larvae hatch in 10-12 days. At the next pool, I pause to see some small shells in motion as they’re occupied by hermit crabs. After observing some Brown Pelicans soaring overhead, I stop by another pool where a few 1-inch Sculpin fish are darting about. These fish have the ability to camouflage themselves by changing color to blend into the background and hide from predators. This species has been well studied by biologists for its high tolerance of temperature change. Also, they have an amazing homing ability and can use their sense of smell to make it back to their favorite pool as the tide comes and goes. Other pools display a colorful Sunburst Anemone and Kelp algae with their distinctive bladders that keep them afloat. Nearby, I come upon a rock face above the waterline exposing a variety of organisms including red Coraline algae, tube worms, several small snails and a 2-inch, ornate Wavy Turban snail. Another rock face, close by, reveals several 1/8-inch Limpets and Chitons as well as a cluster of Mussels and Gooseneck barnacles. Next, I spot a 3-inch, Striped Shore Crab in the shadow of a rock crevice. These crabs make tiny clicking sounds that are heard near these tide pools. They feed on films of algae and diatoms growing on the rocks which they scrape off with their claws. They also scavenge on dead animals and at times eat living prey, such as limpets, snails, other crabs, and even the unwary fly. In turn, these crabs are eaten by gulls, octopus, rats, raccoons, and even man. Finally, I turned around to head back toward the car where I spot an Egret, in the distance, hunting for food. 

 

Ebb flowing tide

On rocky shore

Pools of life

Here to explore

Crustaceans cling

Tentacles sway

Algae of red

Shellfish of gray

Crabs, tubeworms

Kelp mats float

Nature’s realm

Worthy of note

 

D. DeGraaf

February 27

Under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60’s, we’re hiking along the edge of a pond in Pollywog Park where Coots, Mallards and Geese swim about while several Western Painted turtles collectively face the morning sun. After ascending a grassy slope, we follow a paved path into a botanical garden where yellow blossoms of Goldenbush and Suncup are on display. Soon, I come upon a Monarch butterfly feeding on a blossom of Purple Sage. On the same plant, I watch a honeybee feeding while on a nearby blossom of Mountain Lilac, a bumblebee feeds. Honeybees make lots of honey—enough for beekeepers to take the excess from the hive for human consumption. Bumblebees make little honey but are known for their loud buzzing and the way they “bumble” around, slowly pollinating flower after flower. Honeybees are more cooperative, communicating with one another. Bumblebees are independent. They usually create their nests in burrows underground, while honeybees nest above ground, often elevated to help keep out predators. Moving along, I first pause by some dense shrubbery to look at and listen to a family of White-crowned Sparrows and then I come upon a Hutton’s Vireo, a bird that I’ve only heard but have never seen until now, as it bathes in a small creek. Suddenly, a 4-inch Western Fence Lizard runs along and stops to warm itself on a rock. These diurnal reptiles lead a solitary life. They protect themselves by employing their fast reflexes, including biting and defecating on the predator. For thermoregulation they can change color from grey to tan to black. Up ahead, I pause to notice an adult Harlequin bug (black and orange checkered) and a mostly-black instar resting on a Pitcher Sage plant. The adult is named for its unique coloration and pattern like the masked and costumed jester of old (stock photo). As a member of the stink bug family, it produce odors as a defense mechanism against predators. Considered an invasive species, it migrated from Mexico and Central America after the Civil War. As an agricultural pest, it consumes cabbage, kale, broccoli and mustard greens. If left unchecked, this pest can cause entire field crops to wilt and die. After taking a short break, we turn around where I spot orange blossoms of California Poppy and red blossoms of Hummingbird Sage. Heading back toward the car, I stop at a bird feeder to see an English Sparrow eating seeds while a House Finch looks on. 

Fly o’er the surf

Seagull soar

Walk the sand

Prance the shore

Sing with the Sandpiper

Ride the ocean breeze

Dive for a Herring

Swim the rolling seas

Creature of the coast

Worthy of praise

Bird of the beach

I admire your ways

 

D. DeGraaf

February 20

This morning we are hiking in Dominguez Gap Wetlands- a narrow, 30-acre parcel of land surrounded by a densely populated urban jungle of houses, factories and traffic noise. Water from the LA River and local runoff are routed through these wetlands to naturally reduce pollutants such as fecal coliform and heavy metals while sustaining a year-round habitat for plants and native wildlife. Under overcast skies and temperatures in the mid 50’s, I immediately spot a perching Northern Mockingbird and an immature, Red-shouldered Hawk with its yellow cere above the beak. Over much of eastern North America, these hawks have become uncommon, sticking closely to the remaining forests. Populations in Florida and California are often more visible, perhaps adapting better to open habitats. These hawks return to the same nesting territory year after year. One Red-shouldered Hawk occupied a territory in southern California for 16 consecutive years. Next to the trail ahead, I notice the yellow blossoms of Bladderpod and the white blossoms of Greenspot Nightshade. Like most nightshades, the leaves are poisonous, but the small, spherical fruits (stock photo) are edible. Native Americans used the juice of the berries medicinally and as dye for tattooing. Also referred to as Douglas Nightshade, it is named in honor of David Douglas, a Scottish botanist who collected many plants on the West Coast in the early 19th century. Looking out on the open water, I spot a single American Coot and a mating pair of Northern Shovelers. Other blossoms that catch my eye are from Black Sage and White Sage. While Black Sage is often used in cooking, White Sage is more commonly used in incense rituals and as a fragrant plant. This is because it exudes a much more intense, tart and resinous scent. At the southernmost end of the wetlands, we cross an earthen dam and begin walking back on the opposite side where I spot a male Anna’s Hummingbird perched in the underbrush. Up ahead, I observe the red blossoms of Bottle Brush swaying in the breeze. Next, I pause to admire two hunting Great Blue Herons, one standing on some rocks and the other standing among the reeds. Suddenly, a familiar sound is heard as a pair of Canada Geese fly overhead. Continuing north toward the car, I catch a quick glimpse of a swimming Pied-billed Grebe just before it dives under water. Finally, near the car, I spot one of a half-dozen encampments occupied by homeless people.

 

Mother Earth

Nature the host

Winter wonderland

Pacific coast

Flowers to flaunt.

Birds to boast.

Winter wonderland

Pacific coast

Azure skies

Cover most

Winter wonderland

Pacific coast

 

D. DeGraaf

February 13

The mid-afternoon temperatures are in the low 80’s, under sunny skies as we hike along the edge of Peck Park Canyon, about 10 miles south of our Lomita, CA rental. Near the trailhead, I come upon a sign that spells out the cautions necessary when humans and wildlife vie for the same habitat. With a steep, wooded ravine on my right, I proceed eastward on an earthen path and pause to listen to the bird call of a Northern Flicker, a familiar sound heard back in Michigan. While Michigan Northern Flickers migrate south for the winter, these are year-around residents. Continuing eastward and overlooking the massive seaport of Los Angeles, I stop and peer through the haze at the snow-covered peak of Mt. Baldy, some 50 miles away. Turning around, I come upon a huge Banyan Fig tree with its sprawling, above-ground root system. Following another trail as it descends into the canyon, I spot bright yellow blossoms of Rush Rose and tiny pale-blue blossoms of Plumbago. Up ahead, my ears perk up to the sound of a Hutton’s Vireo, a bird yet to be seen in the wild (stock photo). These small, well-camouflaged birds move slowly and deliberately through foliage in search of food. They take prey from branches and leaves, picking them quickly as they move along, or hovering or hanging upside-down to glean them from the tips of leaves or needle clusters. They chase and fly after flying insects as well. Their known prey include stinkbugs, leafhoppers, lady beetles and caterpillars. Hutton’s Vireos are unusual among North American vireos in that they don’t migrate. The species name was given in 1851 by John Cassin, Philadelphia ornithologist, for William Hutton, a field collector of birds, about whom little is known. Continuing westward, I glance down to the base of the canyon to see a narrow stream of clear water, remaining runoff from soaking rains of a few weeks ago. Starting in 2005, natural vegetation was planted on these slopes to curb erosion and filter runoff so cleaner water would drain into the nearby harbor. Further along, I notice clusters of white flowers from a Japanese Lilac tree. This is one of many examples of a cultivated plant that has escaped someone’s yard and has the potential to out-compete native species. Approaching the car, I come to a clearing in time to enjoy watching a few fluttering butterflies. After waiting in vain for at least one to land for a photo op, I do my best to track them in flight. The first one is a dipping and dodging Morning Cloak (stock photo). The second and third ones are Monarchs that meet each other and head off.  

Curious eyes open to see

Mother Nature here with me

Different flower, different tree

Different bird flying free

Look around on land and sea

Different topography

Down low on bended knee

Welcome sound, bumblebee

Coastal treasures, found a key

California discovery

 

D. DeGraaf

February 6

The mid-morning weather in southern California is clear and cool as Caroline, Riley and I start our hike in Abalone Cove Park with the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in front of us. After looking at the morning sun reflecting off the coastline water, I spot a single, Red-throated Loon swimming offshore. These duck-like seabirds breed in rugged tundra and taiga wetlands of northern Canada and Alaska.  Wintering birds, like this one, are found only in shallower marine waters near land and in major estuaries and sounds. Like other loons, they dive for fish from the surface but may also hunt from the air. They fly swiftly and can stall, pivot, and drop with almost falcon-like precision. Working our way down steep terrain, I spot pink blossoms of Ice plants and yellow blossoms of Coast Sunflowers. Birds I observe along the way include a standing California Towhee and a singing House Finch. Reaching the water’s edge, I pause to look at and listen to the wave action. In the distance, I see a large gathering of Brown Pelicans resting on a rocky islet. This is the only pelican species that dives from height as the main method of obtaining food. Exploring the rocky beach, I notice a Mussel, finding shelter inside one of several holes in a large boulder. These holes were made by a rock-burrowing mollusk called a Piddock Clam (stock photo) The bottom portion of their shells have rough ridges with teeth-like serrations that twist and grind back and forth into the rock. Away from the water, I scan stratified rock layers on the cliff face. Nearby, I catch a glimpse of a scampering California Ground squirrel. This mammal is also called a Beechey Ground Squirrel, named after Frederick William Beechey, who explored much of Northern California in 1826-28 as captain of His Majesty's Ship, Blossom. After making our way back up the steep slope toward the car, I stop to watch a perching Peregrine Falcon. These birds-of-prey catch medium-sized birds in the air with swift, spectacular dives, called stoops. They often sit on high perches, waiting for the right opportunity to make their aerial assault. They have been observed killing birds as large as a Sandhill Crane and as small as a hummingbird. Typical prey include shorebirds, ducks, grebes, gulls, and songbirds including jays, waxwings, and starlings. In cities they are masterful at catching pigeons. Peregrine Falcons also eat substantial numbers of bats. 

 

Filling the senses

More than enough

Shorebirds and surf

Sounds from the bluff

Rocks are resistant

Waves are rough

Forces of nature

Scenes from the bluff

Land versus sea

Competition tough

Stretching the mind 

Thoughts from the bluff

 

D. DeGraaf