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Wildflower Mount Diablo California Chickory Scientific Name: Rafinesquia californica Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: April - May Color: White Annual herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Steven Beatty Steven Beatty Leaf detail

Open: Saturdays and Sundays Mar - Oct hours: 8 am to 4 pm Nov - Feb hours: 9 am to 3 pm See the Park Location page for directions Download: Mitchell Canyon Trail Interpretive Guide (pdf) Learn more about the new Education Center in Mitchell Canyon Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center Mitchell Canyon | Dereck Love The Mitchell Canyon Vis itor Center is located in Mount Diablo State Park at the south end of Mitchell Canyon Road in Clayton, CA. The visitor center is staffed by State Park volunteers and is supported by the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association, whose main goal is to provide visitors with information so they can better enjoy the Park and its natural wonders. The Center has displays about various aspects of Mount Diablo State Park, including geology, wildlife, trails, and plant life. Clothing, souvenirs, interpretive books and pamphlets are for sale. There are also postcards, note cards, trail maps, and water. A docent is on duty when the Center is open to answer questions and to handle sales of materials. The Center also serves as a meeting point for scheduled group hikes and lectures in Mitchell Canyon. We welcome all visitors to join us in the northern part of the State Park. Mitchell Canyon is a Great Place to Hike Oh, the Species You Can See! Mitchell Canyon features varied habitats with a great diversity of plants and animals. This includes uncommon-to-rare species, disjunct populations (populations separated from other populations of the same species, often by great distances), and endemic species (species not found elsewhere). Near the soon-to-be Mitchell Canyon Education Center, Mitchell Creek winds through riparian habitat, chaparral, oak woodland, grassland, and some pine forest. Each of these habitats has its own population of plants and animals that may not be found in the others. Below are highlights of a few fascinating plants and animals that are found along Mitchell Creek. Will you join us in helping to build the new Mount Diablo Education Center, so that for the first time, school buses can safely bring students from any neighborhood in Contra Costa County to experience the mountain? Donate Today! Mount Diablo Globe Lily, aka Mt. Diablo Fairy Lantern (Calochortus pulchellus) DSandri Wide-striped Painted-Dark Bee (Stelis laticincta, Family Megachilidae) DSandri Mitchell Canyon Education Center Entance Mount Diablo Globe Lily, aka Mt. Diablo Fairy Lantern (Calochortus pulchellus) DSandri 1/10

Wildflower Mount Diablo Velvety Goldenrod Scientific Name: Solidago velutina Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Aug-Oct Color: Yellow-Orange Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald

Wildflower Mount Diablo Delta Coyote-Thistle Scientific Name: Eryngium jepsonii Family: Apiaceae (Parsley-Carrot Family) Blooms: Apr-Aug Color: White Perennial herb Native Occurs in wetlands. California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2 (rare, threatened, or endangered in CA and elsewhere ) per Calflora Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants

Wildflower Mount Diablo Mountain Mahogany Scientific Name: Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family) Blooms: Apr Color: Yellow-Orange Tree or shrub Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa

Nomad Bees Nomada Apidae Nomada Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Description Bees in the Genus Nomada comprise many species of cuckoo bees: they usually parasitize nests of Andrena bees (as well as Eucera and some other bees), laying 1-4 eggs in the provisioned nest. Nomada are often red, yellow, and/or black in color, nearly hairless, and look wasp-like. Size ranges from 2-12 mm in length (usually medium). Females lack scopae on legs (they don't provision nests). Nectar/ Pollen Plants Nectar generalists; no care for pollen. Habits Cleptoparasitic, the female bee flies slowly over Andrena nesting areas, sneaks into uncompleted host bee nests and lays 1-4 eggs on the nest cell wall. Its larva hatches, devours the host bee larva and any other Nomada larvae using its sickle-like mandibles, and then eats the nest provisions. The larva pupates in the cell and emerges in the Spring. Season February - June

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 Charlock, Wild Mustard Scientific Name: Sinapis arvensis Family: Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Blooms: December Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald

Bird Identification Guide Search a bird habitat below or browse full list : Grassland Grassland Shrubland Shrubland Wetland Wetland Woodland Woodland Photo by Kevin Hinsta The photos in this bird identification guide are intended to help you identify the birds that you may see in Mount Diablo State Park throughout the year. The photos were taken by volunteers and include simple descriptions to highlight key identification features. Quicklinks Common Birds A to Z Birds seen All Year Migrating Birds Summer Birds Winter Birds Articles and Resources Introduction to Birding Birds of the Chaparral Peregrine Falcon Red-Tailed Hawk Audubon California Mount Diablo Birds Field Guide : The birds described in this book represent those species that have, at one time or another, been identified as abundant, common or uncommon by observers in the park. Order

Wildflower Mount Diablo Rock Sanicle Scientific Name: Sanicula saxatilis Family: Apiaceae (Parsley-Carrot Family) Blooms: Apr - May Color: Yellow-Orange Perennial herb Native, endemic to California California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2 (rare, threatened, or endangered in CA and elsewhere ). This plant is rare in Mount Diablo State Park. See full list Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa

Wildflower Mount Diablo Hillside Gooseberry (Red-Pink) Scientific Name: Ribes californicum var. californicum Family: Grossulariaceae (Gooseberry Family) Blooms: Jan - Mar Color: Red-Pink Shrub Native, endemic to California Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring

Wildflower Mount Diablo Yarrow Scientific Name: Achillea millefolium Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Mar - Jun Color: White Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa