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Journaling for Young Naturalists Take a Walk in the Woods... Steve Smith Conversation Starters to Use with your Child on the Park Trail For younger nature enthusiasts, ages 2 to 4 who are developing language skills and are not ready to use a written journal, here are some questions you could ask to help your child appreciate the park during your walk and have a great chat together. LOOK : What do you see? What color is the tree? The flower? The bug? What shapes do you see? Circle? Triangle? Square? Oval? LISTEN : What noises do you hear? What do you think is making that sound? A bird? A bug? The wind? SMELL : Tell me what the flower smells like? What does it remind you of? ENOY : What surprised you? What was your favorite thing you saw today? Elementary students can draw a picture to describe something they have seen in the park and write a story or poem or a song to talk about their visit. GRADES K-2 What animals and plants did we see in the park? What do you think they eat and need? Why do you think they choose to live in this park? Why do you think there many kinds of trees in the park and how are they different? Did you find an interesting rock? What did you wonder about ? GRADES 3-5 How do you think Mt. Diablo came to be? How many kinds of rocks are in the park? How do you think the plants and animals help each other to survive in the park? Who were the original people who lived in the park?Journaling in nature is a fun way to explore the world around you! TEENS Bring a notebook and a pencil (silence your phone). Find a cozy spot outside, like under a tree or by a stream. Look around and notice the plants, animals, and sounds. You can write about what you see, draw pictures, or even describe how the fresh air feels. Remember, there are no rules—just let your imagination flow! Download this page Download a sample journal entry Mount Diablo from Shell Ridge by Terese Dixon Red-tailed Hawk by Dan Sandri Andrena Miner Bee on Buttercup by Dan Sandri Lupine and poppies by Steve Smith BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Brewer's Western Flax Scientific Name: Hesperolinon breweri Family: Linaceae (Flax Family) Blooms: May - Jun Color: Yellow-Orange Annual 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 Mike Woodring

Wildflower Mount Diablo Blue-eyed Grass Scientific Name: Sisyrinchium bellum Family: Iridaceae (Iris Family) Blooms: Mar - Apr Color: Blue-Purple Perennial herb Native Look for slender iris-like leaves and shallow saucer-shaped blue-purple petals striped with dark purple and yellow centers. Blue-eyed grass is common in grasslands. Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring

Wildflower Mount Diablo California Sunflower Scientific Name: Helianthus californicus Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: May - Sep Color: Yellow-Orange Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring

Wildflower Mount Diablo Spiny Cockleburr Scientific Name: Xanthium spinosum Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Jul-Oct Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald

Wildflower Mount Diablo Common Bluecap Scientific Name: Githopsis specularioides Family: Campanulaceae (Bell flower Family) Blooms: Apr-Jun Color: Blue-Purple Annual herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants

Wildflower Mount Diablo Slender Madia Scientific Name: Madia gracilis Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Apr-Jul Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants

Dragonfly By Jenn Roe and Dirk Muehlner Marvelous Animal Adaptations May 21, 2025 by Dirk Muehlner The dragonfly’s large compound eyes are made up of thousands of optical units which help the dragonfly see in almost every direction at the same time. An almost 360 degree world view; now that’s super vision! Why does a dragonfly need to see everywhere at one time? How does this adaptation help the dragonfly survive in its wild habitat ? What other adaptations allow it to succeed? Flying Hunters The dragonfly is an avid carnivore of the insect world and skilled hunter often on the lookout for smaller flying insects. Its large compound eyes peer in every direction but behind, which is how it finds its prey and watches out for enemies. The dragonfly is built to fly fast, up to 30 miles per hour. With its strong, agile wings and long, narrow body, it zips through the air to snatch slower flying insects for a quick meal. Also, the dragonfly has a strong jaw for tough chewing of crunchy prey. But don’t worry – while its bite may be lethal to insects, it won’t hurt a human handler (however, please handle with care always!). Download this article by Dirk Muehlner A dragonfly’s skilled flight make it an awesome predator and helps it avoid being eaten. Its enemies include other fast flyers like some birds, bats, and sometimes other dragonflies. BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Coffeeberry Scientific Name: Frangula californica Family: Rhamnaceae (Buckhorn Family) Blooms: Jun-Aug Color: Yellow-Orange Shrub Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants

Wildflower Mount Diablo California Bedstraw Scientific Name: Galium californicum Family: Rubiaceae (Madder Family) Blooms: Mar - Sep Color: White Perennial herb Native, endemic to California Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Dan Fitzgerald Dan Fitzgerald

Wrentit by Dan Sandri January 1, 2024 Dan Sandri Perhaps a Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata) has been curious enough to have briefly shown itself to you? Wrentits are often heard and less-commonly seen, although if you wait one out, it may pop up for you. The male’s call is a distinctive sound of the chaparral landscape: an accelerating sequence of toots, sounding like a bouncing ball. Another description is it sounds like 3 – 5 pits, followed by an accelerating trill. The female’s call is a series of pits. A Wrentit is about the size of a Song Sparrow, with a yellow eye, round head and short wings, such that it appears plump in appearance. It has long legs and a quite a long tail, which is often held up and away from its body. Its bill is short and slightly curved. Males and females are visually indistinguishable from each other. Wrentits are found primarily in chaparral and brush along the coasts of Oregon, California and Baja California, although it is also in the Sierra foothills. On Mount Diablo, look for wrentits in the chaparral areas and in poison oak, such as along Red Road and Twin and Eagle Peaks. Wrentits don’t usually migrate - a bird may spend its entire adult life in an area of just a couple of acres. They are primarily insect eaters, but will also eat berries, including those of poison oak! Wrentits mate for life, and males and females take turns incubating eggs during the daytime, but females incubate the eggs at night. Wrentits belong to Family Paradoxornithidae - the Parrotbills, and all other birds in the family are found in SE Asia. It is the only member of Genus Chamaea. A rare bird indeed! Bird Guide: https://www.mdia.org/birds-1-1/wrentit Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata ) 2 DSandri.jpeg Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata ) 3 DSandri.jpeg BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Coyote Mint Scientific Name: Monardella villosa ssp. villosa Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Blooms: Jun - Jul Color: Blue-Purple Perennial herb (parasitic) Native, endemic to California Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Mike Woodring