Search Results

Wildflower Mount Diablo Sour Clover Scientific Name: Melilotus indicus Family: Fabaceae (Legume Family) Blooms: April Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald Flower detail Daniel Fitzgerald Full plant

Wildflower Mount Diablo Summer Lupine Scientific Name: Lupinus formosus Family: Fabaceae (Legume Family) Blooms: May Color: Blue-Purple Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald

Wildflower Mount Diablo Contra Costa Manzanita Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos manzanita ssp. laevigata Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family) Blooms: Jan - Feb Color: White Shrub 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

Bindweed Turret Bee Diadasia bituberculata Apidae Diadasia Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Description Diadasia bituberculata is bee that specializes in collecting pollen from Calystegia and Convolvulus flowers (False Bindweed, Bindweed, wild morning glory). They have long mouthparts, and females have long, widely-spaced pollen collecting hairs on their hind legs, and a rounded head on top that is narrower than the thorax. Nectar/ Pollen Plants Collects pollen and nectar only from morning glory flowers, bindweed and false bindweed (Convolvulus and Calystegia ). Habits These bees are turret builders, nesting in aggregations. Season April to June

Acorn Woodpecker by Jenn Roe Marvelous Animal Adaptations May 21, 2025 by Dan Fitzgerald Acorn woodpeckers are easy to identify. Many people describe them as clown-faced birds, with a red cap, black chin, and bright white eyes. You might hear their loud waka waka call before seeing them, although they do not try to hide. And where there’s one acorn woodpecker there are more, because they live in family groups called clans. Can you guess what else you will always find around acorn woodpeckers? Why acorns, of course! Acorn woodpeckers have evolved with oak trees over thousands of years and depend on acorns, the fruit of oaks, to survive. Although acorn woodpeckers eat insects and sip nectar, they rely on acorns in winter or during droughts, times when other food is scarce. Hammer-Head Bird Acorn woodpeckers have many specialized adaptations for their oak woodland lifestyle. They use their heads like hammers to drive their strong beaks into tree trunks and branches, excavating holes for nesting. They also pound out smaller holes for acorn storage. The head of the acorn woodpecker is built to bang on wood all day. Their tough skulls act like hard-hats, designed to protect their brains from shock. Their necks are rigid to stop their heads from twisting while pounding wood. And their beaks keep growing as they wear down. The acorn woodpeckers’ stiff tail feathers help them balance as they perch on trees every which way. Download this article by Dirk Muehlner This female acorn woodpecker peeks out of her nest holding an acorn, possibly considering where to store it. by Dirk Muehlner by Staci Hobbet Acorn woodpeckers drill acorn-size holes in dead or living tree trunks and branches for acorn storage. These acorn storage trees are called “granaries.” BACK TO LIST

Close Call: The Near-Extinction of Peregrine Falcons by Anastasia Hobbet January 1, 2024 Dave Furseth Lea este artículo en español The fastest animal on earth is a neighbor of yours. It’s the peregrine falcon, clocked at well over 200 miles per hour during its precipitous dives while hunting. Address? Mount Diablo State Park and surroundings, where at least two pairs are now readying themselves to nest in the dramatic pinnacles of Pine Canyon and the remote Black Hills above Black Hawk, where they will spend the spring and summer brooding the eggs and nurturing the youngsters until the kids become independent. Sounds rosy, but there’s a big “if" needed at this point: if the birds can get enough privacy and seclusion. They need a lot of quiet space, and with well more than 100,000 visitors per year now visiting Pine Canyon, is privacy possible for any creature? The responsibility for ensuring some seclusion for the Pine Canyon birds falls to two parks: Castle Rock, which is an East Bay Regional Park; and Mount Diablo State Park. The main access to lower Pine Canyon is via the former, but Pine Canyon's sandstone cliffs lie just over the boundary inside the State Park, forming a section of its westernmost edge. Two annual nesting closure zones stretching from Februrary 1 through July 31 help these blistering-fast aerial hunters feel some confidence in their security. The staffs of the two adjacent parks cooperate in enforcing the closure, but it's tough for a park supervisor working with a tiny staff to dispatch anyone fast, which is key. Widespread use of DDT beginning in the late 1950's almost wiped out peregrines in the U.S. and across the western world. It interfered with calcium deposition, thinning the mother's eggshells so much that they cracked when she tried to sit on them. The embryos died, pitching the population into collapse. DDT was finally banned in the U.S. in 1972, and some years later, Save Mount Diablo inspired a massive, successful effort to return the birds to Castle Rock. Keeping the birds safe during their six-month breeding has proved dicey. The Covid era drove cabin-fevered people into the parks -- all parks everywhere -- and even the most secluded places on and around Mount Diablo, on legal trails and hacked trails, became patterned with boot prints, bike tires, and horse hooves. MDIA volunteers formed the Peregrine Team in 2015 to support the closure zone enforcements of the rangers and staff in the two parks. This (2024) is the team's 10th season. In addition to informing hikers about the closure, they spot hikers in the closure area, and, if possible, gently interact with them when they return to the legal trail -- or even better: before they leave it -- about the ethics and benefits of respecting closure zones. You can help too. Plan to hike Stage Road in Pine Canyon and the trails from Curry Point. You'll see closure signage. Visit with other hikers as you go. If you spot people who may be headed into the closure zones, draw their attention gently to the signs. If they choose to trespass, don't intervene. They'll remember your words. Crowd-sourcing works -- eventually. Back to the Peregrine Team Page Peregrine in Flight | Scott Hein Peregine Team in action. Peregrine Team members lead group hikes during the nesting season into Pine Canyon BACK TO LIST

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee Bombus vosnesenskii Apidae Bombus Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Description Bombus vosnesenskii is a stout-bodied, large bumble bee, mostly black in color, with yellow hair in front of the wing bases. It has a yellow (at least some yellow hairs) on its square-face and top of head. Nectar/ Pollen Plants The Yellow-faced Bumble Bee is a flower generalist, but does have favorites, including lupines, mints, thistles, buckwheats and goldenbush. Habits Abundant in the Pacific States, and important pollinator in agriculture (including greenhouse tomatoes). Eusocial, they nest primarily in underground burrows, and an overwintered queen raises the first workers. Thought to out-compete other bees in urban areas. Season January - September

Wildflower Mount Diablo Artichoke Thistle Invasive Scientific Name: Cynara cardunculus Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: June Color: Blue-Purple Perennial herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Steven Beatty

Wildlife Photography Guidelines by Melissa Groo, used with permission Taken from National Geographic 7/31/19 article, "How to Photograph Wildlife Ethically" July 31, 2019 Gray Fox, by Dan Sandri “The ethics of photography are the same as the ethics of life, and they all revolve around respect.” As you strive to capture images of wildlife in Mount Diablo Sate Park, please pledge to have as minimal an impact as possible when photographing flora and fauna, by following the guidelines below. Remember, the use of drones is prohibited at all times. • Do No Harm – I will not destroy or alter habitat for a better shot, will always let animals go about their business, especially in breeding season, and will strive to understand signs of stress. • Keep It Wild – I will never feed our wild friends, in hopes of a photograph, or otherwise, avoiding the possibility of having them connect human contact with food. • Follow the Law – I will always obey applicable laws as I photograph. • Consider the Captive – If photographing wild animals in captivity, I will first ensure the facility is both legal and ethical. • Caption with Honesty – I will always be honest and transparent about the backstory of a pic – camera trap, captive critter, etc. – so as not to deceive viewers. I will also protect sensitive species or habitats by not disclosing location. For more information visit https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/ethical-wildlife-photography (requires free subscription to view) California Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus californicus) by Dan Fitzgerald.jpg red-tailed hawk by Dan Sandri.jpg Ground Squirrel.jpg Tarantula by Ken Lavin.jpg Peregrine by Scott Hein.jpg BACK TO LIST

California Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor hirsuta Papilionidae Swallowtails Flies February to November Host Plant Pipevine Nectar Plant California buckeye Daniel Fitzgerald Male Daniel Fitzgerald Underwing Daniel Fitzgerald Female

California Digger Bee Anthophora californicus Apidae Anthophora Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Description Anthophora californica has ivory bands on the tips of each upper abdominal segment, which is otherwise black. These bands are not hair. Female bees also have prominent scopae on their hind legs, and green eyes. The males have prominent spines on their red hind tibiae. Nectar/ Pollen Plants Most local Anthophora are generalists. Habits California Digger Bees nest underground, but nesting details on Mount Diablo are not known. Season February - May; there may be a Fall generation too

Bob's Pond Hike by Frank Valle-Riestra Reprinted from Mountain News, Spring/Summer 2013 Frank's Favorite Hikes May 1, 2013 In 1998, the Save Mount Diablo organization completed purchase of the Silva cattle ranch land, some 430 acres of beautiful, hilly landscape in the upper reaches of Riggs Canyon. Five years later, the acquisition was incorporated into the Mount Diablo State Park. It remains today a sparsely visited corner of the park in its eastern extremities, a hidden treasure well worth exploring. The centerpiece of this extraordinary landscape is Bob’s Pond, a man-made stock pond cradled in a hollow on the flanks of Windy Point. It is named after Bob Adams, an erstwhile director of Save Mount Diablo and a guiding presence during the procedures to acquire the land. (For more detail, see Rich McDrew’s book, Mountain Lore, available in our Visitor Centers.) The lovely green pond, with its ring of magnificent sycamore trees, stands like an emerald jewel among the undulating meadowy hills, a welcome focus to the area’s wildlife. Tassajara Creek Trail forms a grand loop encompassing the pond. It was built at the time of the land acquisition by the East Bay Trail Dogs, a group of volunteer trail enthusiasts. This well-laid-out and engineered trail lies in pretty remote country, and it takes some effort to get to it. It is most readily reached from two park trailheads. One is located at the end of the paved Finley Road, which runs north from Camino Tassajara east of the Blackhawk development in Danville. The other trailhead is at Red Corral, my own preference. Red Corral is reached from the town of Clayton by following Marsh Creek Road to its junction with Morgan Territory Road. Turn right onto Morgan Territory Road and continue on it for 4.2 miles to reach twin one-lane bridges. Red Corral is 0.5 miles beyond, and you will spot it on your left, still red after all those years. There is very limited parking at the trailhead on the right edge of the road; be sure not to block off the entrance gate to inholdings. Before you start your hike, take a quick look at a stone memorial to Jeremiah Morgan, first settler in this area (1857), placed there by the Save Mount Diablo organization. It is located behind a locked gate in the Red Corral (to discourage vandals); the inscription on the memorial is reproduced in the Mountain Lore book. After passing through the well-marked park gate, continue straight ahead and upward on Morgan Creek Road. The steadily rising road parallels Jeremiah Creek, in a dense deciduous forest, which brings welcome coolness during the hot summer and fall months. It is part of a pattern you will experience during your hike: tree-less high meadows in full sun, interspersed with picturesque, gentle oak groves and deep, dark forested canyons. At a sharp bend of the steeply rising road, look for a post to your right announcing the start of Jeremiah Creek Trail. The trail is just a delight: a narrow, single-track path meandering through an unspoiled wilderness, rising gently up to the crest of Highland Ridge. It is here, in the midst of an oak savannah and along the banks of Jeremiah Creek with its pools and ponds, that you may experience that peace of mind engendered by a truly remote corner of nature. When you reach the crest at Old Finley Road, stop for a moment to take in the magnificent view of Riggs Canyon far below you, a panorama that expands to include many distant Bay Area highlands as you ascend Highland Ridge Road to your right. The road climbs toward the park boundary and is quite steep at times, but you will find some welcome rest stops on mossy rocks under venerable old oaks. Be on the lookout on your left for a post marking the beginning of the Tassajara Creek Trail. At first the trail follows an old farm road but soon veers off as another intimate single-track path. After all of the climbing you have done, it is a pleasure to march along this gentle path as it follows contours in its descent toward the headwaters of Tassajara Creek. Here you are mostly in the midst of meadows. The tall grasses do not favor great wildflower displays, but California Poppies manage to push through during a good part of the year, golden explosions to gladden the eye. Eventually, Bob’s Pond comes into view, in a hollow below the trail; the path then slowly circles around to an overlook marked by, of all things, a nice picnic table. It is not something one might expect in this remote location—clearly a labor of love to drag it all this way. It is a good place for a little picnic, to sit and rest and admire the panorama. A short way beyond, the trail plunges into the depths of the canyon carved out by Tassajara Creek, a silent, mysterious world of a dense riparian forest. The trail builders did a fine job of negotiating the complex stream topology. You will delight in the ever-changing scenery and the cool air—and the forest flowers, particularly in spring: Giant Trillium and Checker Lilies bloom in profusion. At its end, the trail breaks out again into open country and rises steeply to meet Old Finley Road. A left on the road brings you back to the junction with Jeremiah Creek Trail after another short climb. Retrace your steps along Jeremiah Creek Trail and Morgan Creek Road to Red Corral—mostly down-hill!—to complete one of the park’s great hikes. A word of caution: On the Jeremiah Creek Trail in particular, there are luxuriant stands of poison oak at trail side, but these are easily avoided with some care. Long stretches of Tassajara Creek Trail in the upper meadows have been badly churned up in wet weather by horses, stray cows, and wild boars. The total distance covered is about 5.5 miles; expect to climb some 1,870 feet and to spend four to five hours, with a few rest stops. BACK TO LIST