American Robin Migrations

Robins

Every winter and early spring, usually just when the Madrone berries have gotten ripe, the American Robins come through in the thousands, and provide a chorus of deafening birdsong.

Despite the name, they aren't closely related to the English robin, but were simply named after it due to the similarity of coloring.

Flicker in Low Gap Park, Ukiah

I always thought these birds were named for the 'flicker' of orange you see when they fly, but it's actually for the way they flick dirt away when they're digging holes in the ground looking for their food. This one is going through its early morning preening routine, showing off the beautiful orange feathers under its wings.

Manzanita Flowers

Manzanita

Manzanita. Perhaps everyone already knows this one, but if not, it's time to learn it. Manzanita is a very common shrub in California. The name means 'little apple' in spanish, a reference to the shape of the berries. Both berries and flowers are edible. It's one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring, and a major food source for hummingbirds and insects. The ripe berries are eaten by birds, foxes, coyotes, and bears.

Indian Paintbrush Flowers

Indian Paintbrush

Indian Paintbrush [Castilleja] is a wildflower that likes to grow in rocky areas and chaparral in California. The Native Americans used to eat the flowers, but they can be toxic due to high selenium content. They were also used to make a shampoo and to treat arthritis. Checkerspot butterfly caterpillars feed on them. 

Broadleaf Maple

Maple Leaves in sunlight

Broadleaf Maple is a common tree along rivers and streams in Northern California. In the early spring, it produces sap that can be turned into maple syrup every bit as tasty as that of the eastern sugar maples. Most people don't realize that, mostly because the weather conditions are not always right for creating a large run of sap - it needs clear, freezing nights and warm sunny days at a certain time - usually mid-January.

Riparian Zone

Riparian vegetation in stream

The Riparian Zone is the area along the edges of a river or stream, usually full of lush vegetation and lots of biodiversity. This one is at the edge of a beaver pond along the Covelo Road, Mendocino County, California.

Oak Blossoms

Oak in bloom, Cow Mountain, Mendocino County, California

Did you know oak trees have flowers? Many people don't. They're quite pretty sometimes. Look for masses of trailing stringlike blossoms in early spring when the leaves are just coming out. They're often red, golden, or pale green. Listen for the buzz of all the excited bees and insects - they're popular feeding stations!

Mission Bells

Mission Bells

Mission Bells, also called Chocolate Lilies or Checker Lilies, are one of the earliest-blooming wild lilies in Mendocino County. Their muted color makes them easy to miss, but they're quite pretty once you take a closer look.

Hounds Tongue

Hounds Tongue in bloom

Hounds Tongue is one of our prettiest California wildflowers, with bright blue blossoms that show up in early spring. The name comes from the shape of the leaves, which look a little like a dog's tongue [If you squint your eyes]

Wood Ducks

Wood Ducks

A pair of wood ducks, male and female, hiding in the edge of the Lower Pond on Mill Creek Road, near Talmage California. They tend to be quite shy, and avoid humans when possible. The male is the one with the brightly colored plumage.

Cow Mountain, Ukiah, Mendocino County

View of the Ukiah Valley from Cow Mountain

Cow Mountain Recreation Area lies nestled in heart of the Mayacamas Mountains, and spans the border between Lake and Mendocino Counties. Despite all it has to offer, many local people do not even realize it is there. Hiking, biking, off-roading, and an abundance of nature await, within arm's reach of Ukiah. [You can access Cow Mountain from Lake County too, but this post will cover the Ukiah side.]

Narrow dirt roads and foot trails wind their way though steep hills, covered in blankets of chaparral. Thick tangles of manzanitas, white-flowered chamise, ceanothus, and dense scrub oaks are scattered about with stands of trees - dark firs, spreading oaks, and clumps of bright green knobcone pines. Sometimes you will see the orange trunks of the madrone trees, or smell the sharp, spicy scent from a grove of California bay.

Wildlife is abundant. You will see plenty of birds of all kinds - turkey vultures circling and enjoying the mountain breezes, acorn and pileated woodpeckers drumming on a dead tree, a flash of orange and black feathers from an oriole. Brown towees and scrub jays hop through the brush, and the distinctive trills of a wrentit cut through the clear air. Quail and wild turkeys are frequently spotted, scuttling through the bushes in search of seeds and insects.

Black-tailed deer graze in the meadows and traipse though the trees, slender legs moving with fluid grace. Ears perked up in constant alert, they keep a wary eye out for predators, and dash away through the chaparral at the slightest hint of danger. 

If you are lucky, you might spot one of those predators. Bobcats and raccoons live here - if you look in the mud at the side of the road, you will spot a footprint or two, or catch a glimpse of a furry body slinking quietly into the trees.

On a warm evening, as the sun vanishes behind the horizon in a haze of pink, and the eastern sky has turned a deep dusky blue, you may hear the faint yip-yip-yip of the coyotes, celebrating the appearance of the first stars.

You may never see the bears and mountain lions, but they live in these hills too. Sometimes you  will see a tree with claw marks deep into the bark where a bear has scored it, or find the footprint of a lion near some watering hole.

In spring, the hillsides are covered with wildflowers. Deep blue larkspur mingles with orange California poppies and purple lupines in sunny meadows. In the shade, pale golden fawn lilies with dappled leaves hang their blossoms shyly, side by side with purple shooting stars. Cheerful yellow buttercups adorn the roadsides, and the white and blue ceanothus bushes live up to their nickname of "California Lilac", forming cascades of frothy flowers that hang down over the trails, buzzing with bees and butterflies.

From the top of North Cow Mountain, you can see beautiful views of the Ukiah Valley, and all the patchwork quilt of vineyards and orchards surrounding it. From the South, you can overlook Clear Lake, and see Mount Konocti looming up in the distance over the shining water.

You won't regret the trip.

To get there from Ukiah,  take 101 to the Talmage Road exit. Go east on Talmage Road about a mile and a half, and turn right at East Side Road. In a few hundred more feet, go left on Mill Creek Road and continue east about 3 miles. At this point you can turn left on the road to North Cow Mountain, winding up a steep dirt road, or continue straight ahead for another 3 miles to reach South Cow Mountain instead.

South Cow Mountain has an abundance of offroad vehicle trails, and plenty of hiking along the roads. North Cow Mountain is dedicated to other uses, such as hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking, and has over 17 miles of trails. OHV use is not permitted. 

Four-wheel drive is recommended for the North, as the road is pretty rough. The South has a smoother road, so is somewhat more accessible. 

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Summer is beautiful, but the heat can be dangerous - make sure you pack plenty of water, and find some shade to cool off in regularly. Winter is pleasant for hiking, but the rains can make a mess of the roads. During drier spells it is fine.

Have you been to Cow Mountain? What did you see there? Leave a comment below!

Scrub Jay

Scrub Jay on young oak tree

With their distinctive white and blue coloration, Scrub Jays are among the most recognizable denizens of the chaparral and scrublands.

They are bold creatures, and often make their presence known with harsh, sharp calls. They like to sit on the tops of bushes or small trees, and watch everything going on around them.

If you stop to eat lunch, or look at something closely, chances are good a jay you didn't even know was there will come to investigate, as soon as you have departed.

If you spot a bird's nest, be careful you do not give it away by looking at it too long or showing too much interest - jays are very clever nest robbers!

 Males and females are virtually indistinguishable from each other, but the juveniles have duller, grayer coloring. 

They usually nest around chest-height in rough nests made from twigs, tucked away into ceanothus thickets or scrub oak.