Pedro Point Headlands for my iNativersary

Yesterday I went on my iNativersary walk with nine friends, to celebrate the ninth year of iNatting for me. My iNativersary personal practice is to go somewhere local that I've never visited before, or never iNat-ted before, and do a mini-blitz with my friends.

We had a lovely day along the trail system, where the fog belt has contributed to some plants blooming later than in the rest of the county, like Ceanothus. There was an abundance of Red Beard Lichen (Usnea rubiconda) and many Monterey Pines scattered around the coastal terrace prairie. The two trails we took - the South Ridge Trail and the Arroyo Trail - form a natural loop. The South Ridge Trail is largely elevated and open, with some steep climbs but remarkable views. The Arroyo Trail is at a lower elevation, with more plant variety.

While birds were not omnipresent, due largely to the season, we had an unusually high number of found feathers. Many of them - at widely separated locations - were of Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). It makes me want to come back and listen/look for them at some twilight hour, especially in late winter/early spring. Many members of my group were also convinced that this could be a bonanza for fungi and slime molds come winter.

Many thanks to my amazing iNat community on this walk: @dpom , @elkman22 , @virusmanbob , @sea-kangaroo @cmaci , @christinnew , @tui , @merav and John E.

Posted on 15 August, 2021 04:41 by