February 23, 2019
1200 – 1330; sunny

Field data collection trip for a Watershed Year. I spent most of the day supervising a group of students collecting water quality data in the little creek near the parking lot. I did manage to find a few critters to show the students, including a Pacific Chorus Frog, California Sulphur-winged Grasshopper, California Slender Salamander, and a Jerusalem Cricket. While flipping rocks, I also found a gorgeous juvenile Western Skink, with the most beautiful blue tail. (One of my photos of this individual is still the wallpaper on my iPad). I also found a dead Western Fence Lizard, although it was in excellent condition otherwise, and had no obvious injuries, so I surmise that it must have only just died right before I found it.

I also saw a Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Red-tailed Hawk, Spotted Towhee, and possibly Bewick’s Wren. A Turkey Vulture and American Kestrel were seen while driving on Lichau Road.

Species List

• Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura aura) Seen while driving on Lichau Road.
• American Kestrel (Falco sparverius sparverius) Seen while driving on Lichau Road.
• Sierran Tree Frog (Pseudacris sierra) Seen on Watershed Year field trip.
• Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) This very tiny plant had sprouted out of a piece of bark. Not sure about the species, but I think it is a geranium, and this one is found on the preserve.
• California Sulphur-winged Grasshopper (Arphia behrensi) Found sitting atop some leaf litter.
• Western Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus) I found a gorgeous juvenile Western Skink, with the most beautiful blue tail. (One of my photos of this individual is still the wallpaper on my iPad).
• California Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps attenuatus) Found several slender salamanders while poking around under rocks and logs near the parking lot.
• Pacific Sanicle  (Sanicula crassicaulis)
• Speckled Greenshield (Flavopunctelia flaventior)
• Cramp Balls (Annulohypoxylon thouarsianum)
• Dendroalsia Moss  (Dendroalsia abietina)
• Catchweed Bedstraw (Galium aparine)
• California Bay (Umbellularia californica)
• Golden Ear (Naematelia aurantia) Growing near its Stereum host.
• Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum)
• Jerusalem Cricket (Ammopelmatus sp.)
• Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) I found a dead Western Fence Lizard, although it was in excellent condition otherwise, and had no obvious injuries, so I surmise that it must have only just died right before I found it.
• Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)
• Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis calurus)
• Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus falcifer)
• Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Uncertain ID