Field Notes for August 2025

Welcome back to Field Notes!

August 1, 2025

All summer I've been marveling at the many faces of Clarkia (Clarkia amoena) in our native garden. According to Wikipedia, Clarkia is native to western North America and can be found in the coastal hills and mountains from British Columbia south to the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a wonderful self-seeding annual that attracts pollinators, and thrives in the Bay Area.

The many faces of Clarkia amoena

Clarkia is also known as Godetia and Farewell to Spring, but all species have been reclassified as Clarkia, in the Onagraceae (evening primrose) family. Note that the name "Godetia" was given to  honor Swiss botanist Charles-Henry Godet. "Clarkia" honors William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

August 3, 2025

My sister, Marianne, is visiting Southeast Alaska this month, and they are having a run of beautiful weather (temperatures have been warmer than the Bay Area some days)! Mom, brother Dave, and Marianne have been enjoying time together with Dad at the Pioneer Home, taking drives, and working on family business. Recently they had a delicious meal at the Salmon Bake, and then took a walk out at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. This brings back fond memories of my summer visit in 2024!

Mom and Marianne at Mendenhall Glacier
(photo from Marianne)

August 6, 2025 🎂

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! We celebrated remotely last year, while I was in Alaska. This year we are observing a Week of Celebration! Today we celebrated at Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar, with a delicious dinner, a beautiful sunset, and moon rise over the harbor. Chocolate cake and mint chocolate chip ice cream awaited at home.

 

Moon over the harbor by Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar

August 9, 2025

Naked ladies always start blooming around my husband's birthday. They are native to the Cape Province of South Africa, but have naturalized in Northern California and elsewhere. Strappy green leaves appear in spring and then die back. The flowers appear from the bulb with no foliage in late summer. These bulbs were a gift from gardening buddy, Pam Konigsberg. They have grown in the same spot for years, and have never become invasive.

Naked ladies ready to bloom (Amaryllis belladonna)

A group of Warriner Lytle Buckwheat is planted in the street-side easement. The low growing shrub has finely textured needle-like leaves and globe-shaped clusters of tiny flowers that appear in late summer. This is a California native and quite lovely. Here the buckwheat has surrounded a grass clump.

Warriner Lytle Buckwheat (Erigonum fasciculatum 'Warriner Lytle')

Several groups of California Goldenrod have shot up in a sunny section of the yard. The yellow flower spikes grow to five feet tall, and spread from common rootstock, so can become invasive. California Goldenrod likes to be wet in winter/spring and dry in the summer when it blooms. Goldenrod is a dye plant, so I may harvest and dry the flower spikes for a future dye project (although I'm enjoying the flowers in the garden, so I may wait until next year)!

California goldenrod (Solidago velutina ssp. Californica)

August 12, 2025 - Jökulhlaup Alert

Mom and Marianne have been hiking at Eagle Beach! As you may know, Eagle Beach State Recreation Area and Eagle River are some of our favorite hiking areas in Juneau (located near the Boy Scout Trail hike, another favorite). Eagle Beach is a great place for sweeping views, easy terrain, and lots of interesting birds, sea creatures, and plants to investigate.

Mom at Eagle Beach
(photo by Marianne)

Mom and Marianne (the Chilkat Range is in the background)
(photo by Marianne)

In other news, there is a Flood Warning for the Mendenhall Lake and River, due to a Suicide Basin release of water and ice (called a jökulhlaup). To learn more, see the Juneau Glacial Flood Dashboard. This is a good time to stay away from Mendenhall Glacier!

August 15, 2025 - Be Brave Day 

For this week's hike, Mari, Gaymond and I decided to go to Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve, instead of joining the Over-the-Hills Gang hike at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. We had just hiked at Redwood in June, so we decided to go rogue and visit its nearby neighbor instead. The Huckleberry Botanical Preserve is tucked between Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve and Redwood; and is also a good choice for summer hikes, with its shady forest, green understory, and cooling breezes. Gaymond's grandson, Jayden, has already started back to school, so we missed his inquisitive mind and lively conversation!

Huckleberry Trail winds along the canyon

Mount Diablo in the distance, beyond the chapparal (photo by Mari)

We followed the self-guided, 1.7 mile Huckleberry Interpretive Loop Trail (both the Upper and Lower sections). The 21 Interpretive Panels are so informative about the plants and ecosystem of this unique canyon. We learned that the native plant community is found nowhere else in the East Bay and represents a relic plant group similar to plants that originated in the southern coast of California, when its climate was more moist and tempered by the cool coastal fog. The unusual geology of the Preserve also contributes to the plant community (the nutrient-poor soil was once an ocean bottom that has been compressed, pushed up, and folded).

Manzanita trees and shrubs

Fallen limb from a California Bay tree,
with new sprouts in the background  

Mari surprised us with our favorite lemon and ginger cookies from Trader Joes, so we took our usual cookie break at the half-way point. We sat on the bench at Panel 11, surrounded by Canyon Live Oak, Manzanita, and Coast Huckleberry, and enjoyed our snack and companionship.

We returned to the car via the Lower Huckleberry Loop through the bay forest. This portion of the trail has quite a few switch backs and steep elevation changes, both up and down, so it was quite arduous for our 55+ year old bodies. We were grateful to end the hike at TGI Oni Sushi in Montclair District, for restorative Bento Boxes and interesting conversation!

Intrepid hikers (photo by Gaymond)

August 16, 2025

We always see interesting plants, trees, fungus, birds, and other wildlife while on hikes in the East Bay Regional Parks. Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve is no exception. The Coast Huckleberry berries were ripe, or on their way to being ripe; as were the berries from a second variety (V. ovatum var. saporoslum). We liked them both!

Coast Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)
(photo by Gaymond)

Following are a few snapshots of plants; clockwise from the top left corner: (1) Pacific Madrone (Arbutus Menziesii) - native to the western coastal area of North America and California, with beautiful, red, shreddy bark. (2) Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) - native to the Pacific Northwest and California; "leaves of three, let it be". (3) Coastal Wood Fern (Dryopteris arguta) - native perennial; notice the spores on the underside of the leaves. (4) Jim Brush (Ceanothus sorediatus) - native/endemic to California. (5) Possibly, California Spikenard (Aralia californica) - native to California, with greenish-white flowers in large ball shaped clusters, and small dark purple or black berries with 3-5 seeds (we saw both).

August 18, 2025

My sister Marianne's family—a son, daughter, and grandkids—have joined the family in Juneau  (missing are a second son and daughter). What a fun opportunity for family members to be together! New activities include exploring and playing at Overstreet Park and taking the tram up Mount Reports. Photos indicate the weather is beautiful and warm!

Playing on a Tlingit war canoe at Overstreet Park
(photo by Marianne)

Harper and Sarah on the Mount Roberts Tram
(photo by Marianne)

Uncle Luc on the Mount Roberts tram
(photo by Marianne)

Ferocious bear cub in the forest
(photo by Marianne)

August 20, 2025 🎂

Happy Birthday to my wonderful Aunt Char! She is so much fun to be with, enjoys puzzles and books, and is wise, kind, and adventurous. We have visited many gardens and garden shows, traveled in Alaska, and enjoyed family gatherings together. She loves her kids and a growing brood of grandkids. She has written her memoirs, gone white water rafting, and has recently gone hot air ballooning! 

Intrepid balloonists (photo from Jen)

What a view! (photo by Jen)

August 28, 2025

Mari and I met up with the Over-the-Hills Gang hike at the Marina Bay in Richmond for the latest group hike (Gaymond was travelling). Marina Bay is located in the Richmond Inner Harbor, the former location of the World War II-era Kaiser Shipyards. The area has been transformed to now include Marina Bay Park, Marina Bay Yacht Harbor, a Yacht Club, the Rosie the Riveter Memorial (National Park Service), and a residential community. Across Harbor Channel is the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park (NPS).

View of the East Bay shoreline from Marina Bay Park 

Pelicans assembling in formation

Meeker Slough is close by, and a popular spot for birds and birders to gather. We saw pelicans, herons, ducks geese, and many shore birds. The San Francisco Bay Trail runs through the area, all the way to Point Isabella and the Point Isabella Dog Park. The view across San Francisco Bay takes in the San Francisco skyline, Sutro Tower, the Bay Bridge, the Emeryville skyline, Oakland shipyard, and the hills behind Cerritos, Albany, Berkeley and Oakland.

View of San Francisco skyline from the shore

Meeker Slough

Cookie Break at Meeker Slough bridge

Anthony Fisher led our bay-side hike, and provided information about flora and fauna and delicious lemon and ginger cookies at the half-way point. These hikes are so much fun—the pace is perfect for the 55+ crowd and the company is excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events offered by the East Bay Regional Park District.

Intrepid hikers at Rosie the Riveter Memorial (photo by Mari)

August 30, 2025

While at Marina Bay in Richmond, we saw so many interesting native and exotic plants, and local and migrating birds.

Matillija Poppy (Romneya coulteri, naive to California), against a back drop of Red Conebush (Leucadendron salignum, native to South Africa) 

Following are a few snapshots of some of the wildlife we encountered, clockwise from the top: (1) Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos); (2) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias occidentalis); (3) Hornet's nest (deserted); (4) Black Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax); (5) Black lab enjoying its yacht (Canis lupus familiaris); and (6) Canadian goose (Branta canadensis).

Field Notes for July 2025

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

July 1, 2025

It's July and summer is in full swing. I'm enjoying all the summer fruit - peaches, plums, apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew, and lots of watermelon!

Ice cold watermelon

July 4, 2025 🎆

July Fourth is the perfect day to get out my copy of National Review's American Classics, and read The Constitution of the United States and The Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. I do this periodically to refresh my understanding of the constitution, and reflect on its goals and ideals. For example, why we have the three branches of government and who is responsible for what (to build in a system of checks and balances), and why we have separation of power (so that no one branch becomes too powerful).

I like knowing there is a process for elections, transfer of power, and impeachment, if needed. I like knowing that we can amend the constitution as we evolve as a nation, and that there is a process to do so. Some of the amendments we've made protect citizens from abuses of power and ensure the right to vote. The documents may not be perfect, but they serve as a guiding light for our democracy, and as an important fact-check against the daily onslaught of headlines. 

July 7, 2025

While digging up weeds in the lower garden, I came across an object attached to a twig that looked like a bee cast. The iNaturalist app identified it as a cicada. I didn't even know we had cicadas in California, but it turns out we have 65 species of them. Most of our cicadas emerge annually, rather than periodically like they do back east.

Northern California cicada exoskeleton found in the garden
(Plugable USB 2.0 Digital Microscope - 250x magnification)

The life cycle is divided into three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Adult females lay their eggs in slits in tree branches. The eggs hatch in 6-10 weeks, and the newly hatched nymphs fall to the ground and bury themselves in the soil. When the nymph reaches full size, it climbs a tree and molts into its adult form, leaving behind its exoskeleton. The adult stage only lasts several weeks. During that time, males use their distinctive call to attract females for mating; females lay their eggs and the cycle begins again. Next time I enjoy the sound of "crickets" in the night, I might actually be enjoying the mating call of cicadas! 

 

July 10, 2025

I've been weeding in the lower yard, and it's almost a full time job! I don't know when it happened, but those cute, little, green shoots that appeared in early spring, "suddenly" became big, gnarly, prickly plants. Here are a couple of shots of one of the weeds. The leaves are spiny, and the tap roots anchor straight down and deep.

Prickly lettuce from above

Prickly lettuce side view

The iNaturalist app identifies this as Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola). According to Wikipedia, this species is native to Eurasia and north Africa, and has become naturalized elsewhere. It is a close relative of cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and can be eaten as a bitter salad. Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and older leaves can be steamed. Its roots have been used as a coffee substitute. Those spiny leaves do not sound very appetizing to me! Instead, I am glad to remove the plants to free up water, space, and light for other plants in the garden.

July 13, 2025

Summertime is a great time to visit The Gardens at Lake Merritt. I met up with Mari and Todd for a tour of the Bonsai garden, sponsored by AARP. I arrived a little early to stroll through the various gardens in the cool of the morning. Volunteers were already hard at work weeding, pruning, and planting, and I had a chance to study the Japanese, native, and edible gardens. During the tour, we learned all about the collection at Lake Merritt and the process to create and maintain a tree in miniature.

Gate 4 entrance to The Gardens at Lake Merritt
(forged by Alameda blacksmith, Shawn Lovell)

Dawn redwood bonsai 

Live oak bonsai

Intrepid bonsai enthusiasts by the maple grove bonsai

The bonsai trees are incredible works of art. I was surprised to learn that a bonsai tree can get a "makeover", for example, it might be reduced in size or its front-facing aspect changed. It was also fascinating to hear some of the maintenance practices, such as pulling weeds with tweezers, rewiring branches, and repotting periodically.

July 16, 2025

I'm still on my quest to remove weeds from the lower yard, in order to free up water, space, and light for the plants that I want to thrive. Here are a couple more common weeds that I've been removing. We have quite a few "dandelion-type" plants that thrive on the property; iNaturalist has given various IDs for the same plant, so I'm a little leery of the accuracy. For example, the app identified one of the prominent plants as milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), and then later as horseweed (Erigeron canadensis).

One of many dandelion-type weeds (name unknown)

Another common weed (possibly a milkweed or horseweed)

As I pull weeds, I've noticed beetles and pill bugs scurrying for cover. I realize that I'm removing part of their their habitat, which presents a quandary. On one hand, I want to provide a wildlife-friendly, native environment; on the other, I don't want the landscape to be overrun with unwanted plants that take away resources from native plants. Many of these weeds are non-native plants, so removing them serves my goal of a providing a native habitat. Hopefully enough safe havens remain for the beneficial insects that I want to welcome!

July 19, 2025

This week's Over-the-Hills Gang hike was at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, the site of ancient volcanic activity dating back 10 million years. Mari, Gaymond and Gaymond's grandson, Jayden, joined the group, lead by Anthony Fisher, at the Sibley Staging Area. The weather was overcast, misty, and chilly to start, but soon the clouds parted and blue skies and sun appeared. The preserve is on the ancestorial home of the Huchiun Ohlone Chochenyo speaking people.

Rocky trail through the forest

The hike starts in the cool green forest, and crests in the exposed hill top with wonderful views of the Bay, the hills, and Mount Diablo. We followed the Round Top Loop Trail. One of the highlights is the half-way cookie break (the offering varies, but the lemon and ginger cookies from Trader Joe's are especially tasty). Mari, Gaymond, Jayden and I topped off the hike at Taqueria Las Compadres in Montclair Village for nachos and burritos, and good conversation.

A shady pause in the trail

View of Mount Diablo in the distance (photo by Mari)

These hikes are so much fun, and the pace and company are excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events at East Bay Parks.

Hat rescue during the cookie break
(look high up on the hill)

Intrepid hikers at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
(photo by Gaymond)

July 21, 2025

While at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, we spotted an assortment of interesting plants, trees, and shrubs. Here are a few snapshots, with identifications gleaned from the iNaturalist app, and from Sibley Volcanic Wildflowers and Wild Plants in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, both available at https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley-volcanic#resources. Clockwise from the top left corner: Wild Teasel (Dipsacus sativus) – introduced biennial; Bush Monkey Flower (Diplacus aurantiacus, formerly Mimulus aurantiacus) – native perennial; Mayweed (Anthemis cotula) – introduced annual; California Oat Grass (Danthonia californica) – native perennial; and California Flannel Bush (Fremontodendron californicum) – native shrub.

July 23, 2025

This "Air BeeNBee" provides a nesting habitat for native bees at The Gardens at Lake Merritt. According to signage, California has 1600 varieties of native bees. They are solitary, don't have a queen, don't  have a hive, and don't make honey. They nest in holes in the ground or in wood, and their only job is to pollinate flowers. The female bees make a "bee bread" of pollen and nectar, deposit it in a hole or tube, and then lay an egg on it.

"Bee hotel" - habitat for native bees at The Gardens at Lake Merritt 

July 29, 2025

The shoreline always speaks summer to me, whether misty and overcast, bright and breezy, or cloudless and blazing hot. I met up with Gaymond and his grandson, Jayden, at Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline, for the Over-the-Hills Gang hike (we missed Mari, who was travelling). Miller/Knox is located southeast of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and has sweeping views of San Pablo Bay, the San Francisco skyline, and Mt. Tamalpais across the bay. The park is located on the ancestorial home of the Huchiun-Aguasto speaking Ohlone people.

Keller Beach, with a view of the Chevron Long Wharf

Working an old railroad switch

Miller/Knox is a great place for large group gatherings (several of the larger picnic sites are reservable), with a kiddy park, walking trails, a lagoon, and ample parking and restrooms. Also available are Keller Beach, decommissioned railroad tracks, a Santa Fe railroad terminus, Point Richmond Pier for views and fishing, a swimming beach, and access to the San Francisco Bay Trail. Across the road is the Golden State Model Railroad Museum (see the website for hours) and the Richmond Riders Motorcycle Club. Something for everyone! Anthony was our fearless hike leader and brought our favorite - lemon and ginger cookies for the halfway point break.

Historic Santa Fe terminus, used to transfer railroad cars and people to the ferry

Side trip on the boardwalk

Intrepid hikers (photo by Gaymond)

These hikes are so much fun. We learn about the history and natural history of the Bay Area, enjoy excellent company, and get some exercise at a comfortable pace for the 55+ crowd (with plenty of interesting things to occupy the occasional younger visitor). Check the website to learn more about upcoming events at East Bay Parks.

July 31, 2025

While at Knox Miller Regional Shore, we spotted interesting birds and plants (both sea- and land-based). Here are a few snapshots, with identifications gleaned from the iNaturalist app. I didn't find any sea weed identifications in the Knox Miller Regional Shore Resources section, but the Plant ID list is still helpful for other plants (available at https://www.ebparks.org/parks/miller-knox#resources).

Birds, from top to bottom: Great Egret (Ardea alba) - native to California, but may migrate to warmer climates; California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis ssp. californicus) - native to California and the West Coast; Raven (Corvus corvax) - native to California, and related to other clades in the Southwest and throughout the United States. We also saw several hawks and red wing blackbirds, and lots of seagulls and pigeons.

Plants, clockwise from the top left corner: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) - non-native to California; Quaking Grass (Briza maxima) - non-native to California; Green and Red Sea Weed (species not yet identified); Red and Green Sea Weed (species not yet identified); Feather Boa Kelp (Egregia menziesii) - native to California and the West Coast.