Coyote and Quail Focus on Coyote and Quail BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Wild Lettuce Scientific Name: Lactuca virosa Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Jun-Aug Color: Yellow-Orange Perennial herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald

Wildflower Mount Diablo Shy Monkeyflower Scientific Name: Erythranthe nasuta Family: Phrymaceae Blooms: Apr-Jun Color: Yellow-Orange Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants

Cooper's Hawk Diurnal Birds of Prey Cooper's Hawk Accipiter copperii All Year Diurnal Birds of Prey Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald Found in wooded areas interspersed with open country. This medium-sized Accipiter has rounded wings and a long, narrow tail - usually rounded at the tip. Females are larger than males. Nest is built of sticks and twigs, and lined with strips of tree bark; it is placed up to 60 feet above the ground in a tree. Feeds on birds, mammals, and reptiles; insects, amphibians, and fish may also be eaten.

Springtime on the North Peak Trail by Frank Valle-Riestra Reproduced from Mountain News, Spring/Summer 2011 May 1, 2011 Five Peaks; View of Summit • Paul Salemme Of the many attractions of Mount Diablo, perhaps the most eagerly anticipated is the annual return of the mountain’s spectacular wildflower display. There are those trails along which a particular species predominates— globe lilies along the Globe Lily and Perkins trails. Johnny-jump-ups along the Coulter Pine and Bruce Lee Spring trails. California poppies on the slopes of Long Ridge. Bird’s eye gilias on the Bald Ridge trail. But there is one trail that has just about all of them, growing together in astounding profusion: the North Peak Trail, passing through the sun-drenched meadows just below the summit, the park’s Elysian Fields. If you have never been there at the time of blooming, you owe it to yourself to go. Start your exploration at the lower summit parking lot; here you will find restrooms, water, picnic tables—and incomparable views, another attractive feature of this hike. As you leave your vehicle, you will be drawn to the unobstructed panorama to the east; a broad, sweeping vista of apparent wilderness stretching from the Central Valley, across to the distant Mount Hamilton, and out toward Mount Umunhum in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is a beautiful and impressive sight in all kinds of weather. (1) Now look for your trailhead, the beginning of a steadily descending section of the Summit trail, easily spotted near the vehicle entrance to the parking lot. This wide, well-maintained trail passes through a forest of mature buckbrush and bay trees, with occasional openings to reveal the ever-shifting views. Here you do have a dominant flowering species—the trailside buckbrush itself, a wild lilac, which bears clusters of white flowers in abundance. On warm, sunny days, the air is filled with their heady, sweet perfume. Look out also for trailside stands of yerba santa, with profuse trumpet-shaped white blooms, slightly tinged with purple. The plant, named “Sacred Herb” by early Spanish settlers, was used by Bay Miwoks as a remedy for respiratory problems. (2) The trail section ends at Devil’s Elbow, the sharpest Summit Road curve; a trail sign points out the beginning of the North Peak trail, heading toward Prospectors Gap. Here you must stop to admire the extraordinary assembly of Franciscan chert cliffs, pinnacles, and rocks spilling down from the summit, crowned by towering Devils Pulpit to the north. Particularly when highlighted by rays of the sun, these splendid 140-million-year-old formations, the color of congealed blood, constitute one of the most amazing Bay Area natural sights. Turn left (east) onto the North Peak trail; it begins with a short but very steep section, which requires careful attention to your footing. At first the flowers are not as profuse as promised, but you will spot examples of blue witch, wallflower, and naked buckwheat, among others. There are some fine specimens of juniper along the way, loaded with berry clusters thick as grapes. The farther you go, the more colorful becomes the massed wildflower display, with the climax growth just below Devils Pulpit (3), at the point where the trail veers leftward toward the north. Here, in meadows sprinkled with picturesque boulders, perhaps two dozen species form a broad carpet of happy cohabitation. Take a moment to rest on a boulder, to admire the scene around you and the now visible distant Sierra Nevada, stretching across the length of California. But more pleasures await you as you proceed along the intimate single-track trail, perched above the steep canyons far below. Even though the area has not been fire-ravaged since 1977, the fire-induced wind poppy may still be found occasionally—a rare find, indeed. On the other hand, the sloping meadows farther along toward Prospectors Gap abound with broad swaths of goldfields, a joy to the eye. The only thing to mar your pleasure is the evidence of pig damage, from animals descended from pigs released by early ranchers for hunting purposes. They are a problem all over the mountain, bulldozing the moist earth to dig up wildflower bulbs. (4) Just before Prospectors Gap, the trail begins a long, steep descent with rather treacherous footing. Unless you wish to reach the gap for some reason, stop before attempting the descent and note a little unmarked path on your left. A few steps take you to a spot that opens up new vistas to the west, as well as great views of the Ransom Point monolith above, and Summit Visitor Center—our own modest mountain-top castle. The total round-trip hike to this end point and back is about 2¼ miles, and your climb is 620 feet, mostly on the way back. Allow 2½ hours. Of course, you can extend your hike past Prospectors Gap to include the length of the incomparable Bald Ridge trail, with its wonderful carpets of bird’s eye gilia. Be aware that this will increase your hike by another 3 miles, with an additional climb of 650 feet, allow two more hours. And say hello to the melodious California thrashers, which favor that particular environment. A word of caution; it is impossible to foretell the best time for the wildflower display—it usually occurs between March and May—or whether the display will be a decent one. But the North Peak trail offers ample rewards even if flowers happen to be skimpy. Check out more Spring Wildflower Hikes: Globe Lily Trail Black Point Trail Mary Bowerman Hike North Peak Trail Map BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Stream Orchid Scientific Name: Epipactis gigantea Family: Orchidaceae Blooms: May - Jul Color: Yellow-Orange Perineal herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants

Wildflower Mount Diablo Small California Gilia Scientific Name: Gilia achilleifolia ssp. multicaulis Family: Polemoniaceae (Phlox Familiy) Blooms: Apr - Jun Color: Blue-Purple Annual herb Native, endemic to California Smaller flowers than California Gilia Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa

Red-tailed Micro-Shortface Bee Micralictoides ruficaudus Halictidae Micralictoides Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Description Red-tailed Micro-Shortface Bee is a tiny sweat bee of 4-6 mm in length in Subfamily Rophitinae (the Shortface Bees and Allies). These bees are named Shortface Bees because their antennae are placed low on their faces. These bees also have tergal segments 1-3 of the abdomen colored orange-red (the female bees have a dark spot on the sides of the 2nd tergum). A dark-headed bee, and wings have 2 submarginal cells (the first twice as long as it is wide: hard to see without bee in hand!). Males have short antennae. Nectar/ Pollen Plants This bee is a pollen specialist on California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica ). They use other flowers for nectar. Look for these bees on California Poppy in Spring. Habits Believed to be ground nesters, but nesting behavior has not been studied. Season April and May

Large Marble Euchloe ausonides Pieridae Whites, Sulfurs Flies February to July Host Plant Mustard Family Nectar Plant Chia Daniel Fitzgerald Female Daniel Fitzgerald Underwing

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius Hesperiidae Skippers Flies February to June Host Plant Oak Nectar Plant Michael Marchiano Male Daniel Fitzgerald Female Clark Black Underwing

An Island in Suburbia by Naturalist Michael Marchiano April 1, 1998 Mount Diablo is an island in the middle of suburbia. It is a diverse habitat of cool wooded canyons with flowing creeks and cataracts in winter, spring, and early summer. It is a wooded oak forest, a grassy savannah, and a wonderment of rocky slopes covered in fascinating chaparral growth of ceanothus, chemise, manzanita, sages, toyon, currants, and silk tassels. It is a treasure of wildflowers in springtime and summer, a paradise for bird watchers, a challenge to hikers, and until recently, a mystery to geologists. I was fortunate to be born and raised in the East Bay, living at the base of the Mountain since my early childhood. My first experience of snow as an eight-year-old was when my mother drove me, my brother, and our neighborhood friends up to Mount Diablo after one of those low elevation snow storms. I experienced cold snow and the worst case of poison oak I have ever had. Yes, you can catch poison oak in freezing weather from the leafless twigs of a poison oak plant. As a Naturalist, I fell in love with Mount Diablo years ago. The various intriguing habitats offer a richness and fantastic diversity of plant and animal life. I am constantly learning new things every time I explore an area of the mountain. I first hiked it as a child and then as a teenager. I lived on the mountain for one year in my early twenties, fulfilling a childhood fantasy of working for Diablo Ranch as a cowboy. As a young adult, I led outings for the Lindsey Museum, 4H groups, schools, and scouts. As a teacher, I had my 8th grade science class do a full semester ecology study of the mountain, including several camping and field trips. Students that I have run into years after I had them in class have told me their greatest memories of junior high were the explorations and camping trips on Mount Diablo. Many can still recount to me the specific animal or plants that they wrote about for their project. When a child or an adult mentions his or her fear of snakes or spiders and then at the end of a presentation or hike volunteers to touch or hold one of these creatures, it validates all of the effort to do these programs. By volunteering with the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA), I have been afforded the unbelievable opportunity to share this wonderland with school groups, organizations, and visitors from near and far. In all of these endeavors I have had the opportunity to impart some of my love for the mountain to others. I have been given the chance to show people the wonders and mysteries of the marvelous plant and animal life on Mount Diablo and in the surrounding foothills. Seeing the amazement and wonder in people’s eyes as they learn about the relationship between a local and harmless tarantula and its foe, the tarantula "Hawk", or see a coyote in the wild for the first time, or watch a peregrine falcon flying overhead, is a great reward for me. Saving and protecting Mount Diablo for all the flora and fauna is of paramount importance, but educating the public, especially upcoming generations as to the significance of biodiversity, whether the smallest microbe or an apex predator like a mountain lion, is also crucial. MDIA has become a crucial link between the park and the public. For example, seeing the evidence of badgers on the north/west side of the Mountain for the first time in 40 years is extremely rewarding. It means that efforts to ban poisoning of ground squirrels and other rodents may be having some positive effect. Mount Diablo is home to many rare and endemic plants, as well as several protected and threatened animals. In spring, people can easily see over 75 different wildflowers, 40 different species of birds, and 15 different species of butterflies all within a two-mile walk. Add to that the beautiful oaks, maples, buckeyes, pines, and other lush shrubbery, and you may feel like you are in the Garden of Eden. Because of the enlightened thinking of prior generations and the continued effort of this generation. I am able to walk out of my home in Martinez, enter a public access path maintained by the Contra Costa Water District and East Bay Regional Parks, walk along this trail to Shell Ridge in Walnut Creek or Lime Ridge in Concord, into Foothills Park, following Pine Canyon into Mount Diablo State Park, hike over Curry Point, down the back side of the Mountain into Morgan Territory Park, into Round Valley Park through Los Vaqueros Reservoir property, and over to Brushy Peak on the Alameda County border. Many of the missing pieces of property that have made that trip possible were put in place by Save Mount Diablo. With the continued support of this and our next generations, that quilt of open and protected space will continue to grow for all generations to enjoy. BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Water Cress Scientific Name: Nasturtium officinale Family: Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Blooms: Jun Color: White Perennial herb (aquatic) Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring