R: Townsend’s Warbler.
Today I went outside. And it was GLORIOUS. It was only for an hour and a half or so. It was only in my neck of the woods in my backyard. It was perfect.
I can’t remember when it was last that I had regular Naturing in my life. Where I also had time to reflect and write down my notes about it. 2025 had some momentous life episodes that are still rippling over me and will do so for some time. But I intend to reconnect with nature. That’s what it felt like today. That I’ve been missing that connection for a while.
Aaaaaand, the recent rains don’t help this effort! But. Can never complain about the rain. Never.
Started out at the South entrance to the Lily Pond. With hopes to find some evidence of the Great Horned Owls of the East. But this is a crap time of year to hear them. And today proved that to still be true.
But I saw so much FUNGI! It’s a Fungi Wonderland out there right now. And as I took my first step into the Lily Pond South area, I spotted an odd shape on the ground below me. What looked like a puff pastry of some kind was laying on its side. Pulled out of its hole and appearing to have what looked like lichen at its base.
It was tough to get the best angle for the best documentation of it. And after getting home to see what Seek or iNat thought of it, I realized I should’ve sliced the thing in half to see what was on the inside! Hoping someone (Alan??) can help me at least get to the genus of this bizarre thing!!
After noting a variety of haphazard tree trunk pieces strewn on the meadow, I started to hear a bunch of bird sounds in the Coast Live Oaks ahead on the South Ridge Trail. Bushtits and Chestnut-backed Chickadees. And then a flash of YELLOW. Townsend’s Warbler! TWO of them!
I got to watch one dart about just above the ground. Apparently grabbing tiny insects hiding under the leaves? It’s been a while since I just stood and watched a small bird hop about. It was a treat to have the time today for it. And the Townsend’s is one of my favorite winter guests.
That South area is covered in lush grass right now. And there were so many small mushrooms here and there. Like maybe Yellow Fieldcaps and maybe a GORGEOUS Deer Mushroom and maybe Candlesnuff Fungus and Scurfy Twiglets and handsome maybe Red Edge Brittlestems.
But there was one tree trunk along the trail that caught my eye. I believe it’s the same tree trunk that has been down for some time at this point. But the trunk part that faces up had huge bulges. Covered in all sorts of Lichen. Perhaps Common Greenshield Lichen and Common Powderhorn?
It was hard to tell what kind of tree it was, but I’m guessing Coast Live Oak. And it was tough to tell how those bulges came about! I need to consult with a Coast Live Oak expert on this.
Just past it was a brand new wood fence. This was a continuation of what is further on, along the trail. Guess they’re doing the whole length of it, so it’ll likely reach the paved middle path soon. I’m sure it’ll help with erosion, but it’s so odd to have it there. That kind of fence is not really in much of GGPark that I can recall. It gives the park a less wild kind of feel. Meh.
Other fun Fungi found around there was some lovely Netted Crust (?) and Hairy Curtain Crust and a huge pile of what looked like Honey Mushrooms. That I didn’t feel like touching to pull for an ID. Recently wet mushrooms like that are slippery to pull and make a mess to try IDing. PASS.
And I even spotted what looked like mosquito-behaving and looking insects seemingly pecking at what looked like Wet Rot on the side of a log. Maybe getting nutrients from it? Never seen that before!
Plus, I saw what looked like an Agaricus mushroom proudly standing tall in the grass. A mature specimen that had funnily leaned over its cap to one side. Making it look like a hairstyle or something. Its pink gilled underside confirmed my Agaricus suspicion. And I left it alone. Which I debated about. And honestly, am still debating about. DOES iNat need ALL the Agaricus observations in GGPark? When it seems perhaps impossible to ID without DNA testing?
I wandered West, searching for any GHO shapes high up in the trees. Nothing.
I DID hear what sounded like a COYOTE yipping somewhere Northwest of me. But no sight of one.
Just past the fakenesttree, I caught sight of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet bopping about. With another doing the same nearby. The one I was watching was well protected in the pile of tree branch bits left over from the massive cuttings they recently did in the area. So curious what they’ll replace all that Blackberry with!
Just after leaving the Kinglet, I looked up to see the prettiest pink hues on the storm clouds hugging the west sky. I need to remember to stop and take notice of that once a storm passes through.
Further down the formerly Slime Mold Lab Trail, I found some SLIME MOLD! It looked to be Tubifera. These dark purple colors were newtome, though! Is THAT what their color is before turning pink or orange? NUTSO!
Guess I can wait to rename the trail? In case they keep those couple of logs…??
Heard a Northern Flicker and of course didn’t see it.
Back over at the Lily Pond, I paused at a Monterey Pine Tree opposite the Tree Fern Dell. No Fungi around it. And it made me wonder again why there isn’t a bunch of mushrooms around the ones in GGPark. Like there are in so many other places.
I know I’ve had this thought before. But I’m having it AGAIN. Wish I had the time to inspect all the Pines in the park. Or the time to do that on iNat. I should make time for that.
And that reminded me. I really need to get to Sign Hill Park soon. For all the Pine Fungi…
Noted a new Tree of some kind planted near the pond. Super large leaf fingers. Seek had no clue, so it’s not native. And I can’t remember seeing anything like it in GGPark before. Weird.
Of course the pond was almost entirely covered with leaf matter. But a small group of Ring-necked Ducks were there! Hovering as best they could around the aerator thingie. So nice to see they’ve returned. So concerned they’ll have to deal with all that pond cover.
I then looked down to see a bright yellow bulb in the ground. A couple of Sulphur Tufts! Their yellow highlighter coloring is so fun to find.
Beyond the Ducks was the Great Blue Heron of the Lily Pond! I was thinking about how often I used to see one at the pond when a man walking past and behind me stopped to say, “See the Gray Heron?” To which I replied, “The Blue Heron? Yep! Great Blue Heron!” To which he replied, “Ah, well. It’s dark!”
But it DOES look like a GRAY heron. And it DOES look like THE Gray Heron. We’re both right.
I had reached the end of my Lily Pond Loop. So I bothered to walk West along Pelosi Dr. and see if I might hear any owl hoots. Nope. I imagine they’re nesting. I mean, there are potentially TWO sets of them in the area? And no hoots? Too busy nesting? Or just hunkering down from the rain?
I looked up at the huge expanse of sky to see dark clouds approaching. That viewpoint, from the open meadows between the Monarch Bear Grove and the Owl Nursery is one of my favorite spots to be after the sun sets. You forget you’re in a city looking up and to the West. You really do.
I crossed the street to the AIDS Memorial Grove side. And I peeked into the increasing darkness. A large tree had recently fallen, opening up a pocket of space near that North staircase entrance. And soon after I started to walk back to my car, I thought I heard A HOOT.
Now, it wasn’t a complete hoot. Just like the last hoot. Of a full hoot.
And that would be weird. But I thought I heard it. Walked back a bit and waited. Nothing. Wishful hooting, I guess.
So. NO OWLS. But time OUTSIDE. And so many delightful FUNGI. And my two favorite overwintering birds. So. My Naturing Cup was full.
