March 15, 2018

The day of our Field Biology trip to the Osborn Preserve was rainy and a bit cold (but at least it didn’t snow on us, as it had when we were at Sonoma Mountain Ranch). We were undaunted by the weather, though, as I had a cohort of extremely motivated (and knowledgeable) students, including some folks who had gone through the university’s Naturalist Training Program. We were ostensibly here to survey the coverboards on the property (which we did), but we spent a lot of time making more general observations. We were only there for a few hours, and it drizzled on us most of the time, but we saw loads of great stuff, across a wide variety of taxonomic groups.

We made it down to the creek, but weren’t able to actually wade in to look for salamanders, as it was running pretty fast. I’ve never seen this much flow in this reach of the creek before (although I have seen it much deeper on campus).

Another great day at the Preserve!

Species List

• Great Egret (Ardea alba) Several Great Egrets and a single Great Blue Heron were seen in a field on Lichau Road as we drove up to the preserve in the rain.
• Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Several Great Egrets and a single Great Blue Heron were seen in a field on Lichau Road as we drove up to the preserve in the rain.
• Columbian Black-tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus)
  • Multiple deer were seen while driving to the preserve.
  • While walking in the preserve, we came across a skull that we’ve identified as a black-tailed deer. I don’t think any other parts of the skeleton were located.
  • We saw a large herd (at least eight) in someone’s front yard as we drove back down the hill.
• Ochre-banded Conk (Fomitopsis ochracea) Growing on a fallen tree. Large, with beautiful colors.
• UID Slugs Found on the underside of the Ochre-banded Conk.
• Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum) Growing on a fallen log.
• Pacific Hound’s Tongue (Adelinia grandis)
• Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma brownii) Three of these were growing close together on a fallen log, surrounded by Dendroalsia Moss.
• Dendroalsia Moss (Dendroalsia abietina) Growing near the Artist’s Conk.
• Blue Elder (Sambucus cerulea)
• California Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps attenuatus) It would be more surprising not to find any of these tiny friends when flipping logs and rocks.
• Deer Mushrooms (Pluteus sp)
• Snail-eating Beetles (Scaphinotus sp)
• Henderson’s Shooting Star (Primula hendersonii)
• Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
• California Buttercup (Ranunculus californicus)
• Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii)
• Cramp Balls (Annulohypoxylon thouarsianum)
• Common Vetch (Vicia sativa)
• Golden Ear (Naematelia aurantia) Growing on a fallen branch.
• Hillside Gooseberry (Ribes californicum)
• Rough Hedgenettle (Stachys rigida)
• Catchweed Bedstraw (Galium aparine)
• Pacific Sanicle (Sanicula crassicaulis)
• Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)
• Southern Candy Cap (Lactarius rufulus) Found several of these warm salmon-colored mushrooms half-buried in leaf litter.
• Common Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)
• Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa) I think we found just one newt today, a gorgeous adult.
• Soil Centipede (Strigamia sp) Found under a coverboard.
• Western Forest Scorpion (Uroctonus mordax) Found under a coverboard.
• Spreading Rush (Juncus patens)
• Rocky Canyon Spiders (Titiotus sp) Found under a coverboard.
• Giant Wakerobin (Trillium chloropetalum) I’m always happy to see Trillium here. This is the most reliable location for them I know in this area.
• Button’s Banana Slug (Ariolimax buttoni) A gorgeous, large slug.
• Orange Bonnet (Mycena acicula) Growing on tree bark.
• Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)
• Milkmaids (Cardamine californica)
• Amanita (Amanita sp) Unidentified mushroom, found torn up on the ground.
• California Quail (Callipepla californica) An entire family of quail crossed the road in front of us on the drive back down the hill, although I wasn’t able to get a photo.