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Downy Woodpecker Kingfishers and Woodpeckers Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens All Year Kingfishers and Woodpeckers Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald This is like a smaller version of the Hairy Woodpecker with a similarly white back but small bill and spotted outer tail feathers.

Learn more about California native plants and where to obtain them. Native Plant Garden - Additional Resources General Information California Native Plant Society California Native Plant Society, East Bay Chapter Plant Selection For Your Area California Native Plant Society Calscape identifies plants that are suited to very specific areas. Watersmart Gardener Planting Guide (EBMUD) offers a simple landscaping layout with suggested plants that can be adapted to your needs. A UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden California Native Planting Plan offers a template for a simple layout that includes plant selection. Where To Get California Native Plants If you know what you want, your local nursery most likely will be able to order it for you. A great local resource is Native Here Nursery . Las Pilitas Nursery offers online ordering and carries many native plants from all parts of California. Books California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien Plants and Landscapes for Summer-dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region edited by Nora Harlow and published by the East Bay Municipal Utility District Mariposa Lily

Wildflower Mount Diablo Valley Tassels, Narrow Leaved Owl's Clover Scientific Name: Castilleja attenuata Family: Orobanchaceae (Broomrape Family) Blooms: Mar - May Color: White Annual herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Steven Beatty

Oak Woodlands Excerpted from MDIA's book Plants of the East Bay Parks, by Glenn Keator, Ph. D. Plant Communities of Mount Diablo State Park January 1, 1999 Coast Live Oak | Glenn Keator Probably no more characteristic treelands occur in our part of California than oak woodlands, for they typify large areas of low foothills in both the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada. From a distance oak and foothill woodlands look similar; relative dense groupings of trees. Where these same trees are widely spaced apart, they're referred to as savannah. In both, oaks grow as broad, round umbrellas; only on closer inspection is it obvious that they are of several different species. In what is often called foothill woodland, where the terrain is steeper or higher in elevation gray pines and California buckeyes often join ranks with the oaks. In contrast to chaparral, oak and foothill woodlands most often occupy gently sloping terrain. When the occur on steep slopes, they do so on north- or east-facing hillsides, where the hot summer sun does not linger all day. Chaparral prefers sun-drenched south- and west-facing slopes. Oaks have developed two equally effective water-conserving strategies for the hot, dry summers they must endure: live oaks bear long-lived, leather, evergreen leaves that resist wilting and are covered with a waxy layer to prevent drying out; deciduous oaks -- called robles -- produce thin deciduous leaves that are shed when water supplies dwindle but are renewed during the peak of the wet-winder spring rains. Both kinds grow side by side, blue oaks with interior live oaks, valley oaks with coast live oaks, and canyon live oaks with California black oaks. Some, such as valley and coast live oaks, prefer canyon bottoms with a higher summer water table; others, such as blue and interior live oaks, live perched high on hilltops or along sides of rolling slopes. Because of their sometimes prolific production of acorns -- with their attendant rich stores food -- oaks are the intermediaries of their ecosystems, creating abundant food for insect larvae, rodents and, not so long ago, Native Americans. Various midges and minute wasps also find oaks to their liking, as nurseries for their young; they lay eggs in various tissues of the oak and these grow into the multifarious galls we see commonly on oak trees. And even the parasitic mistletoes favor oak trees as places to grow and prosper; they bring with them birds that depend on their berries for food. Woven into this web of life are the several shrubs and numerous grasses, wildflowers, and bulbs that benefit from the shaded protection of oak branches or the increased soil stability and water-holding properties of oak roots. In the more open oak woodlands, the wildflower displays can vie with those of our best grasslands. Buckeyes and gray pines help fill out the personalities of these woodlands; while the rounded canopies of buckeyes mimic those of oak trees (but in miniature), the uneven and often double barreled spires of gray pine punctuate and contrast with these umbrella shapes. Gray pine is the picture of a conifer well-adapted to dry, drought summers; its sparse, gray needles reflect away summer sun and its stout trunks hold water reserves needed to complete the production of the oversized seed cones. Among the heaviest of all seed cones in the world, gray pine's also are armed with stout spine-tipped scales, but the offer up nutritious food. The large pine "nuts" are similar to those of the desert- and drought-adapted pinyon pines, and they are important to local animal life as yet another source of food. So too, doubtless, are the poison-laced chestnut-shaped seeds of the buckeye, for the poisons are not harmful to some animals. These seeds are also adapted for rolling, being perfectly round, and allow buckeyes to disperse their seeds downhill to the protection of shaded canyon bottoms. The rich food reserve in the dormant trees -- oaks, buckeyes, and gray pines -- not only encourage animal dispersal of the seeds but give the seeds a head start when they germinate. Should they land in the shade of competing trees, the extra stored food allows the resulting saplings the chance to grow vigorously toward light. While seed dispersal in oak and foothill woodlands therefore differs markedly from that in trees of riparian woodlands, pollination is another matter. All oaks and pines rely on wind to carry their pollen, just as with most riparian trees. Pollination occurs during late winter and early spring, just when winds are likely to be most reliable. The buckeye, however, uses another strategy. Its colorful candles of white flowers attract large numbers of pollinators, though the poisons in the nectar favor butterflies (which are immune to the poisons) over bees and other insects). BACK TO LIST

California Quail Chickenlike Birds California Quail Callipepla californica All Year Chickenlike Birds Daniel Fitzgerald The California quail (Callipepla californica ), recognized as California’s state bird, is celebrated for its unique appearance and social nature. While commonly found throughout California in chaparral, foothills, and urban parks, these birds also inhabit parts of Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Baja California. Both males and females feature a distinct forward-curving black plume on their heads, with the males’ being more prominent. Males are more vibrant, showcasing a gray-blue chest, a black throat bordered by white, and a scaled belly, while females are brownish with subtler tones. Adults typically measure 9-11 inches in length and weigh about 5-7 ounces. California quails are highly social and gather in groups known as coveys, often consisting of 10-20 individuals. They are omnivorous, feeding mainly on seeds, grains, and leaves, supplemented by small insects and berries. These birds forage on the ground, scratching at the soil to uncover food. During the breeding season, which spans from spring to early summer, females lay 12-16 eggs in shallow ground nests, carefully hidden under vegetation. Both parents may assist in raising the chicks, which are precocial, meaning they can walk and feed themselves shortly after hatching. To evade predators, California quails rely on their excellent camouflage, blending seamlessly into their surroundings. Additionally, they can execute short, rapid bursts of flight when startled, enhancing their chances of survival.

American Crow Jays and Crows American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos All Year Jays and Crows Daniel Fitzgerald Found in open forests and woodlands, but also ranges into open or partly open country with scattered trees. Black overall, with smaller bill than the Common Raven ; also note rectangular-shaped tail (compared to raven's wedge-shaped tail). Deep steady wing beats; does not soar as frequently as does Common Raven. Uses branches and twigs to build its cup-shaped nest, which is usually placed in a tree. Like other members of its family, it has an omnivorous diet containing a wide variety of plant and animal matter.

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

Olive-sided Flycatcher Flycatchers Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi Migrating Flycatchers Daniel Fitzgerald Tyrant Flycatchers are the largest family of birds in the world and many are very similar and this is one of them. It often perches on dead snags at the tops of trees whistling its distinctive “Quick Three Beers” and showing dark chest patches.

Wildflower Mount Diablo Chicory (White form) Scientific Name: Rafinesquia californica Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Apr - May Color: White Annual herb Native White Form Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Chickadees, Titmice and Nuthatches Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens All Year Chickadees, Titmice and Nuthatches Daniel Fitzgerald Chickadees and Titmice are smaller small-billed acrobatic birds often found in mixed species flocks while feeding. This species has the chickadee characteristic cap, black bib and white cheeks and the its cap is black. Its back and rump are chestnut colored.

Make a gift of stock Making a Gift of Stock Reasons to Consider Donating Appreciated Stocks Gifting stock is a simple and powerful way to support MDIA and the new Education Center at Mitchell Canyon. It also offers you a number of financial benefits * You can easily donate appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds The total value of the stock upon transfer is tax-deductible There is no obligation to pay any capital gains taxes on the appreciation *N ot e: Individual situations vary so donors should consult their advisor s You can make a gift in 2 steps: St ep 1. Contact Mike Brandy @MDIA: Provide the following information so we can anticipate and acknowledge your gift: Name of d onor, address, and phone number Name of stock or mutual fund, and number of shares to be donated Anticipated date of transfer Restrictions on the gift, if any email: brandymike@gmail.com Phone: 925.927.7222 Step 2. Provide your stockbroker with the following information to insure your gift of stock is delivered to our MDIA account Mount Diablo Interpr etive Association National Financial Services Account name: Mount Diablo Interpretive Association Account #:0BP804269 DTC#: 0226 Broker Attn Steve Baumhoff 350 California Street, 18th Floor San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone: 415 705 7187 steven.baumhoff@unionbank.com

Wildflower Mount Diablo Spearmint Invasive Scientific Name: Mentha spicata Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Blooms: Jun - Nov Color: Blue-Purple Perennial herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Steven Beatty