Jasper Ridge Docent Hike, Trail 12
Good Afternoon. Below is a list of many of the flora and fauna seen today as we walked out Trail 12 and back at Jasper Ridge. Many of the observations were ones I would have expected but there were a few surprises. In no particular order:
Willow species in bloom, Giant Chain Fern, Equisetum (Horsetails), Gooseberry, Poison Hemlock, Red-stem Dogwood (Cornus). Hound's Tongue in bloom, Western Trillium, Western Leatherwood (Dirca) in bloom still, California Buckeye laden with Lichens, Mugwort, Red-berry, Ceanothus in bloom, Poison Oak with and without leaves, California Sagebrush, Chamise, Pitcher Sage, Chaparral Mallow, Hedge Nettle, Meadow Rue, Common Cattail, California Blackberry, Honeysuckle, Indian Warrior, Thistle species, Poison Sanicle, Fremont's Star Lily.
Stellar's Jay, Western Scrub Jay, Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee; freshly dug hole about the diameter of my little finger, hole debris off to side about two inches, typical of Brown Tarantula; Deer vertebrae; Broad-handed Mole (Scapanus latimanus) trailside, appeared whole, ants feeding at mouth and eyes; Shrew-mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii), in trail having lost some of the hair but body appeared whole, turned over and there were many larva (fly?) feeding. Shrew-mole resembles a mole only smaller, shrew-like head and furry tail. Carl and John have pictures.
The Mole and Shrew-mole are first for me at JRBP. I have seen them in other locations but not here. The sightings are the same though: in the open; body whole; no evidence of being chewed on by predators. The Chaparral Mallow surprised me. I had seen it here before but could not always find it upon return. I believe there is one plant up on trail 10 and the only other plant I know of is at Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto.
I may have missed a few but you get the idea of what we saw.
