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THIS WEEK IN
CALIFORNIA WILD

Naturalist's Almanac

What to See This Winter

Helen Dowling & Gordy Slack

January
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, southeast of Blythe, California, on the California/Arizona border, is a popular wintering spot for migratory waterfowl. Each year it hosts 15,000-25,000 Canada geese, 800-1,200 sandhill cranes, the largest population on the lower Colorado River, and about 8,000 ducks, including mallards, pintails, teals, gadwalls, and wigeon. Over 200 bird species pass through the refuge year-round. Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, (520) 857-3253.

After stuffing themselves on various amphipods (small shrimp-like creatures) off the coast of Alaska in the summer, gray whales head south from the Bering Sea to spend the winter in Baja California. The whales begin their trek in November. The pregnant females go first, followed by other females, then older males, with adolescent males bringing up the rear. The migration north begins in March in reverse order. The whales swim closest to the shore going south, but can still be seen on their return trip. Any point of land along the California coast which extends into the Pacific and has high bluffs is a good viewing spot. For a closer look, the Oceanic Society offers whale watching trips. From the San Francisco Bay Area call (415) 474-3385. From the Los Angeles area call (310) 832-2676.

Bald eagles migrate south each winter from Canada and Alaska to California. Eagles at various stages of maturity can be seen in the flock, including brown, immature bald eagles, which are often mistaken for golden eagles. There are four major viewing spots in northern California: the Klamath Basin region, (916) 667-2231; Cache Creek in Lake County, (707) 462-3873; Lake San Antonio in Monterey County, (408) 755-4899; and Millerton Lake State Recreation Area near Fresno, (209) 822-2332.

Morro Bay State Park is along the flyway for migrating birds and will host its annual Bird Festival on January 16-19, 1998. Monarch butterflies also can be seen at the park through February, (805) 772-7434.

Caution: Newt crossing. California newts migrate through April. Especially good places to see them in the East Bay are Briones Regional Park (which has a docent-led newt walk on January 25) and Tilden Regional Park. For information about these and other newt-viewing sites call the East Bay Regional Parks Information Center at (510) 525-2233.

February
Allen's hummingbirds, which migrate from Mexico to California for breeding, can be seen all along the coastal wetlands and as far east as Contra Costa County.

Over 45 species of warblers occur in California. Orange-crowned warblers migrate through northern California this time of year; some stay through the winter. At Point Reyes, you may also spot visiting Wilson's, Tennessee, Nashville, yellow, or palm warblers.

California lilac, manzanita, and fuchsia-flowered gooseberry can be seen in the Chaparral and Sierra Foothills section of the Riverside Botanic Garden. The South African, Australian, Desert, and Horticultural sections also have a wide variety of flowers in bloom at this time of year. And in the unplanted natural areas of the gardens, a visitor can find baby blue eyes, fiddlenecks, and popcorn flowers. Four different self-guided (booklet) tours are available, or visitors can wander through the gardens on their own. University of California at Riverside Botanic Garden, (909) 787-4650.

Dazzling courtship displays exhibited by male waterfowl and other birds can be observed from a viewing mound near the nesting birds in the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. Mallards, gadwalls, northern pintails, teals, great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, and snowy egrets strut their stuff to attract mates. Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, (916) 846-5176, is located just north of the Sutter Buttes in the Butte Sink region.

Northern elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve can be observed mating and giving birth to pups. The reserve, in San Mateo County, is the only mainland breeding site in California where you can see the seals. Visitors are allowed to view the area by guided tour only. For information about the reserve call (415) 879-0227. For tour reservations call (800) 444-PARK.

March
Redwood wildflowers grow in the dark and dank understory of the giant redwoods and Douglas-fir found along the Coast Range from Santa Cruz to the Oregon border. Unlike hillside wildflowers, these flowers are small and muted. Together, though, the adder's-tongue, wake robin, giant trillium, redwood sorrel, miner's lettuce, and huckleberry create splotches of color in their dark environment. Butano State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve near Guerneville, Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park along the Van Duzen River near Carlotta, and Muir Woods National Monument north of San Francisco, are hotspots for these wildflowers.

Coastal wildflowers begin blooming around the Big Sur region at this time of year, and then move north and inland as the month progresses. Star lilies, mission bells, brodiaea, red maids, and blue larkspur, among others, cover large areas of open hillsides. Prime wildflower displays in northern California include the area around Clear Lake in Lake County; Annadel State Park near Santa Rosa; Burdell Mountain in Olompali State Historic Park north of Novato; Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore; San Bruno Mountain County and State Park; Edgewood County Park in San Mateo County; Black Diamond Mines Regional Park near Antioch; and Pinnacles National Monument.

If you are partial to magnolias, manzanitas, gooseberries, California currants, silktassels, and aloes, now is the time to visit the Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park. Stroll through the gardens on your own or join one of the tours, which leave from the bookstore at 1:30 pm daily, (415) 661-1316.

Winter 1998

Vol. 51:1