Wildflower Mount Diablo Toyon, Christmas Berry, Christmas Holly Scientific Name: Heteromeles arbutifolia Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family) Blooms: Jun - Jul Color: White Shrub Native Toxicity: Major. Berries are red; flower is white. Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring

California Towhee Towhees, Sparrows, Juncos, and Longspurs California Towhee Melozone crissalis All Year Towhees, Sparrows, Juncos, and Longspurs Daniel Fitzgerald Found in brushy areas, riparian thickets, and in chaparral habitats. This brownish bird has rufous undertail coverts (compare with California Thrasher ), grayish-buff underparts, and a necklace of brown marks on throat. Bulky, cup-shaped nest is built using twigs, grasses, and plant stems. California Towhees nest in shrubs or trees. Diet is mostly seeds, fruit, or other plant matter; some insects, spiders, and mollusks are also taken.

Clayton Quarry By George Allen, Plant Manager Mount Diablo Review, Spring 2004 Article furnished courtesy of RMC Pacific Materials April 1, 2004 Clayton Quarry Two partners, Harrison and Birdwell, developed mining for construction aggregates on Mount Zion in 1947. However, this was not the first mining activity to occur in the area. The discovery of coal in approximately the 1850's brought about the first commercial mining and the subsequent settlement of coal mining towns such as Stewartville, Somersville, and Nortonville. The discovery of coal also led to additional prospecting wherein mercury and copper were discovered. It has been written that a "copper rush" occurred in the 1860's around Mount Diablo. Copper was never found in significant quantity to make commercial mining worthwhile but the Mt. Diablo mine did produce mercury until the 1950's. Gold and silver were also reported in various assays but, again, none was ever found in significant quantity to make commercial mining worthwhile. As a result of the search for the precious metals, mines and/or claims with names such as Great Republic, Superior, Pioneer, Horse Shoe, Rising Sun, San Carlos, Rough and Ready, and numerous others were developed. Today, the diggings of the Mount Zion Copper Company, Summit of Zion, San Pedro, and a few other mines can still be seen. In 1947, Harrison and Birdwell developed the Clayton quarry. The first excavation was behind the current shop building, but it was shortly moved to the east and south because of better rock on that side. In 1954, Harrison and Birdwell sold out to Pacific Coast Aggregates (later named Pacific Cement and Aggregates), who in turn sold out to Lonestar Industries in 1965. In 1988, Lonestar partnered with RMC of London, England. Today the quarry is owned by RMC Pacific Materials, a wholly owned company of RMC Ltd. of England. The quarry is located on Mount Zion and the material mined is diabase, a hard, durable rock used in the construction of roads, buildings, rail lines, dams, and levees. Over 25 different products are made to supply construction needs. The State of California has designated Mount Zion as a mineral reserve to be used to supply the construction needs of Contra Costa County. Of all the rock shipped out of the quarry, typically 72% of it goes to public sector projects. Some of the specific projects we have been involved in are B.A.R.T. (50% of all the rail ballast came from Clayton), Interstate 580 & Interstate 680 freeways, Highway 4, Highway 24, the new Giants Stadium, the Los Vaqueros Dam, Concord Naval Weapons Station, Delta levees, and many other projects. The Clayton Quarry has been in continuous production for over 50 years, and expects to be producing for many years to come. Interesting Facts: 1. Mount Zion was also known as "Pyramid Hill". 2. Elevation of Mount Zion is 1635 Feet. 3. Minerals found in the quarry are malachite, azurite, iron pyrite, magnetite and calcite. Mount Zion Reflection | Mitchell Canyon BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Little White Flax Scientific Name: Hesperolinon micranthum Family: Linaceae Blooms: May-Jun Color: White Annual herb Native, and endemic to California Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Steven Beatty Steven Beatty Steven Beatty

Wildflower Mount Diablo Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry Scientific Name: Ribes speciosum Family: Grossulariaceae (Gooseberry Family) Blooms: Jan - May Color: Red-Pink Shrub Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring

White-throated Swift Swifts and Trogons White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis All Year Swifts and Trogons Daniel Fitzgerald Found in open areas, including mountainous terrain and areas near cliffs and canyons. Although the upperparts are dark, the underside of the swift exhibits contrasting black-and-white pattern, including white throat; note also forked tail. Twittering call may sometimes be heard in the middle fo the night; once learned, it is easy to use this attribute to identify this species. Nest is usually placed in rock crevice of cliff or canyon wall. Feeds on insects caught in flight.

Wildflower Mount Diablo Heermann's Tarweed Scientific Name: Holocarpha heermannii Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Jun - Oct Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Native, endemic to California Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Michael Marchiano

Wildflower Mount Diablo Chamise, Greasewood Scientific Name: Adenostoma fasciculatum Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family) Blooms: Jun Color: White Tree or shrub Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring Steve Smith Chamise seed heads in Fall Steve Smith Copper Hillside of Chamise

Wildflower Mount Diablo Little Willowherb, Chaparral willowherb, Desert willow herb, Minute willowherb, Slender annual fireweed Scientific Name: Epilobium minutum Family: Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family) Blooms: April - June Color: Red-Pink Annual herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Steven Beatty

Wildflower Mount Diablo Short Spike Hedge Nettle Scientific Name: Stachys pycnantha Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Blooms: May - Aug Color: White Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa

Coronis Fritillary Speyeria coronis Nymphalidae Brushfoots Flies May to October Host Plant Violet Nectar Plant Hank Fabian Hank Fabian

Wildflower Mount Diablo Whispering Bells Scientific Name: Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora Family: Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Blooms: Apr - Jun Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Native Fire Follower Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring