R: Western Wood-Pewee.
Today I had thought about Naturing in Eastbaysia. I met up with my old mentor, Martha, over at Tilden Little Farm where she works, but I wasn’t inspired to venture further into the East. And into THE HEAT. So I opted for something not too long but easy and close to water but shaded. And I decided on Rush Creek.
I never knew about this place until a Marin County Parks Ranger suggested it as a location for a summer program. Unfortunately, there are no bathrooms there, as is the case for every Marin Co. Park aside from McNear’s. Which I didn’t realize! But that doesn’t make for a very good place to take a good size group of folks with a variety of possible access needs. So! I wondered what this place was like and thought I’d give it a go.
Turns out this preserve is tucked away, East of 101 and behind hills. So you’d never know there was green space out there unless you looked on a map for it. It reminds me very much of China Camp State Park, which I had debated on visiting today, as well. The lush marshy wetlands that line the coast there are so gorgeous. I wished the trail got you closer to it, but alas. I got to enjoy it from afar.
Soon after I started on the Acorn Trail, Blue Oak, and Bahia Loop route on AllTrails, I noted a handful of Ithuriel’s Spear mixed in with the dry grasses. And a dead bird was just off trail. The head appeared to be missing, so a raptor got it, I’m guessing? Wasn’t sure what it was when I saw it, but after uploading to iNat it made perfect sense it was a Spotted Towhee.
Good-size Manzanitas were along the trail. And allofasudden I looked down to see one single Yellow Mariposa Lily. Now, I hadn’t planned on including this Calochortus wildflower in my Spring Wildflower Chasing efforts. They are lowest on my list of Calochortus flowers to seek out. But even though this was a small one, I gazed into its face and became ENCHANTED. Those random dots and brushstrokes and (literally) unexpected inner beauty. Ahhhh.
Mariposa flowers’ insides must have absolutely inspired the very first artistic interpretations of travelling through time and space in Sci-Fi Movies. The small but expansive mini universes inside them are flippin’ EXQUISITE. How DARE I dismiss this species?!?
Nearby, a Northern Mockingbird was calling away in the shade. But after seeing my photos of it when I got home, I noticed the curve down of its beak. Hm! Never quite saw that before, I think?
Sadly, there were no further Mariposa Lilies to be found, boo. But it was fun to see some Manzanita Leafgall Aphid galls. And random Gilled Polypore on a tree branch caught in a Pacific Madrone’s clutches. And the dainty but perfectly chiseled Western Blue-eyed Grass flowers.
Just before the trail curved thankfully away from the road, I spotted a Wild Turkey jogging down the hillside and crossing the road!
Pacific Poison Oak started making itself known. And I stopped to look at its formidable vines climbing up an Oak tree’s trunk. Invasive ivy (like Cape Ivy) are harmful to trees they climb and envelope. Is Poison Oak? Gotta look that up.
I had already seen Butterflies careening alongside the trail at this point, but they never stopped for me. Until this moment, when a Painted Lady was intent on posing for me on the trail. Aw.
Acorn Woodpeckers were about. And a White-breasted Nuthatch. And I think Oak Titmice. This one spot on the trail, full of Oaks, was the most popular birding spot of the whole route. In the distance was apparent carnage of a Turkey. And on the trail were ginormous Puffballs of some kind! Western Giant Puffball, perhaps? Alan?
I turned a corner and finally got a good look of one of the many small birds darting about in the trees. This one was out in the open. And I thought it was an Oak Titmouse until I got home to see my photos up close. Western Wood-Pewee! Gah, they’re so handsome and adorable allatonce.
After passing by Orange Bush Monkeyflowers, I spotted something I’d read about in the reviews of this route. A CAR. That had definitely been there for some time. On the hillside. I got a couple good different angles of it as I switchbacked my way around it. And I have NO IDEA WHATSOEVER how that dang thing got there!
And then I heard then spotted two Turkeys up ahead. Crossing the trail. With baby turkeys in tow! I think I counted something like TWENTY-FIVE of them. Hurriedly following two females. How many does an average turkey have, kid-wise??
I looked down to think about that when a MOTH fluttered into my view and landed just below me in the grass. I was shocked! This was a good-size Moth. Thought it was a California Oak Moth, but I didn’t see any others. And I’ve only ever seen them in huge droves before. iNat and Seek believe it to be the Togate Looper Moth! Now I gotta look up what the heck a Looper Moth is.
I had already seen Swallows diving over the wetlands, but I got to see one actually PERCHED high up in a tree with no leaves at top. Unobstructed! Beautiful Tree Swallow! Love their faces.
Decided to check out a bit of the Bahia Trail to the North and West. Which afforded more looks at the lovely marshes below. On a hot day like today, they looked SO inviting. I’m sure it’ll never happen (for a variety of reasons), but I would love to someday wade in wetlands like those on a hot day…
Saw a bunch of Fungi just off trail and snapped some photos of one that iNat has no clue about. There were others in the grasses along the way, just off trail, but I’m so paranoid about Ticks that I didn’t think twice about approaching them.
Spotted two Deer in the marsh below, then caught sight of what I thought was a White-tailed Kite flying over them. But it didn’t look quite right. Black tips on the wings. I didn’t get good photos, but I was absolutely not able to stand still for long at that point (due to Mosquitoes, grrrr). But once at home, it appears it was a Northern Harrier! The underside crap photo I got of it truly showed me that I’ve never seen it from under like that before. Neato!
And then I was back to where I started. I was disappointed I never caught sight of this supposed “Creek,” but it’s a nice open space to have as your backyard. Wish it wasn’t open to bicyclists, as a good amount of those trails are too narrow for that. Or, at least maybe alternate when it’s for hikers and when it’s for cyclists? Bet it’s also nice in early Spring. Perhaps I’ll return to find out…
