West Side Canyons

We made many trips to the west side of the Sierra and were impressed with the popcorn flower and gilia this year.  Yes, I prefer it when the fields are dominated by poppies set off with lupine, and there were some fine spots for those, but popcorn flower and gilia ruled this year.  These photos are from several trips, and include mostly Susan's photos with a few of Bob's thrown in.

Lots of popcorn flower.

Fiddleneck and popcorn flower.

Lupine sp., probably Spider Lupine (Lupinus benthamii)

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Common Fiddleneck (Amsinckia intermedia)

If you have looked closely at the fiddleneck photo, you can see all the little nasty, horrible hairs that break off and embed themselves in my flesh.  Once this plant dries out, it is best avoided for the scourge it is.  Huge patches of it are a sign of overgrazing.  The seeds are beloved by Lawrence's Goldfinch, so it does have one redeeming feature.

The plant below, baby blue eyes is one of my favorites.  I didn't see nearly enough of them this year.

Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii)

Layered Cup (Peziza varia), we think. Definitely a cool fungus.

The streams were high this year.

Rachel makes the jump look easy.

One decent sized patch of baby blue eyes.

Popcorn flower.

Goldfields and popcorn flower.

Gilia and Blue Dicks.

Red Maids (Calandrinia menziesii)

Lupine sp.  It just needs some poppies to go with it.

Blue Dicks (Dipterostemon capitatus)

Oaks.  Love rolling hills and oaks.

Calico Monkeyflower (Diplacus pictus)

Calico Monkeyflower (Diplacus pictus)

Calico Monkeyflower (Diplacus pictus)

Gilia and Owl's Clover.

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Goldfields and Gilia

Common Yellow Chaenactis (Chaenactis glabriuscula)

Gilia and Owl's Clover.

Tufted Poppies and Gilia.  

Tufted Poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa)

Paintbrush sp.

Cream Cups (Platystemon californicus)

Blue Fiesta Flower (Pholistoma auritum)

Tufted Poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa)

Owl's Clover and Gilia sp.

Gilia and California Poppy.

Ithuriel's Spear (Triteleia laxa)

Bob thinks he is so smart, as his feet are dry right now.

Kathy, Tom, and Bob now have wet feet too.

Cardinal Catchfly (Silene laciniata)

Blue Fiesta Flower (Pholistoma auritum)

Leptisiphon sp. that we haven't sorted yet. But there were many.

Purple Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla)

California Newt (Taricha torosa)

She is wiggling out of that small hole.

Bob is taking newt photos.

Newts and their egg masses.

Kern County Larkspur (Delphinium purpusii)

Kern County Larkspur (Delphinium purpusii)

Kern County Larkspur (Delphinium purpusii)

Kern County Larkspur (Delphinium purpusii)

Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus helleri)

This is our third rattlesnake in a week.  Time to move up slope.