REPORT FROM THE FIELD
March 11, 2015
Mary Wilson
POPPY RESERVE
Poppy Trail North Loop – Flowers in bloom are: Filaree, Fiddleneck, scattering of Poppies, Suncups, Fringe Pod, Goldfields, Owl’s Clover, and Cream Cups.
Poppy Trail South Loop—Flowers in bloom are: Poppies, Filaree, Fiddleneck, Slender Keel Fruit, and tiny Forget-me-nots.
Tehachapi Vista Point Trail – Flowers are on Filaree, Slender Keel Fruit, tiny Forget-me-nots, Pygmy-leafed Lupine, Locoweed and Grape Soda Lupine.
Lightning Bolt Trail – Poppies are in bloom but there are still young plants that have not produced their first flower bud. The more mature poppy plants are starting to form their seed pods. Instead of just a poppy here and there you can now see nice patches of orange. Along the trail the following plants are starting to bloom: Lupine, Blue Dick, Fringe Pod, Wild Parsley, Forget-me-nots (there is a hillside of white on the north side of the trail), Rattlesnake Weed, Lacy Phacelia, Slender Keel Fruit, Fiddleneck, Filaree (starting to produce seed pods), Red Maids, Silver Puffs are starting to open their yellow flowers, California Asters have new leaves at the base of the plant and Wishbone/Four-o’clock have new green leaves but no flower buds as yet. Bunch grasses have new blades. When going up the trail, look to the west and you can see Fairmont Butte begin-ning to turn yellow with Goldfields.
Antelope Butte Trail – The trail has not been cleared of vegetation but still walkable. Poppies, Goldfields, Slender Keel Fruit, Filaree, Fiddleneck, Silver Puffs, and Pygmy-leafed Lupine.
Valley Vista Point Trail – Flowers in bloom are: Filaree, Fiddleneck, Poppies, Blue Dick, Goldfields, Slen-der Keel Fruit, a nice area of Forget-me-nots with Poppies at the top of the vista point, Pygmy –leafed Lu-pine, Mustard, Evening Snow, Suncups. There is a nice view of Fairmont Butte with Goldfields spreading up the butte and to the east there are patches of Poppies and Goldfields. There is a lot of Cheat Grass in this area and it is going to seed.
Antelope Trail North Loop – Flowers in bloom are: Fiddleneck, Filaree, Goldfields, Poppies, Slender Keel Fruit, Mustard, Blue Dick, Silver Puffs have the yellow flowers and a few have gone to the puff stage, few Lacy Phacelia, Forget-me-nots, and Pygmy-leafed Lupine. A few of the more mature poppies are forming their seed pods. The smaller poppy plants may produce one or two flowers and the even smaller plants are starting to wilt and not producing any flowers. Found a yellow poppy.
Antelope Trail South Loop – Flowers in bloom are: Fiddleneck, Filaree, Goldfields, Poppies, Slender Keel Fruit, Mustard, Blue Dick, Silver Puffs have the yellow flowers and a few have gone to the puff stage, few Lacy Phacelia, Forget-me-nots, and Pygmy-leafed Lupine. Did fine a few Owl’s Clover.
Picnic Trail – Filaree, Fiddleneck, Goldfields, Poppies, and Slender Keel Fruit..
OBSERVATIONS:
Mourning Doves, 10 Horned Larks, Ravens
Painted Lady Butterflies, Darkling Beetles
Side Blotched Lizards
Not seeing any of the black soft-winged beetles in the poppies
Photo: Baby Blues Eyes, Portal Ridge Wildlife Area
WILDFLOWER SIGHTINGS NEAR RESERVE
Avenue K from 70th St. West to 110th St. West – has fields of Fid-dleneck and the brighter color yellow are Goldfields. There are patches of Poppies.
Lancaster Road to the Poppy Reserve there are Poppies, Gold-fields, Fremont Pincushions, Fiddleneck, and Davy Gilia.
Davy Gilia
Shea’s Castle – Avenue H/San Franscisquito Fairmont Road. There is a nice showing of orange Poppy and yellow Goldfields on the hills to the west. There are annual and perennial poppies. There are yel-low fields of Goldfields and a brighter yellow are Coreopsis. Also in bloom are Filaree, Pygmy-leafed Lupine, Fiddleneck, Silver Puff blossoms, Comet Blazing Stars, tiny Forget-me-nots, Wild Rhubarb, Forget-me-nots, Tidy Tips, and Desert Dandelion. When you come to the gate entrance you will see a sign showing “Castle Ranch” continue on the road past the gate entrance look to the south west and you will see the castle from the road. This is private property. Comes out at Munz Ranch Road.
Munz Ranch Road – Fiddleneck, Filaree, Poppies, Desert Dandelion. South of Marker 2.62 there is a nice showing of Coreopsis, Poppies, Blue Dick, Pygmy-leafed Lupine, Fremont Pincushions, and fur-ther up the road are Wooly Paintbrush. This area has both annual and perennial poppies.
Elizabeth Lake Road –Coreopsis, Desert Dandelion, Lupine, some Poppies, Blue Dick, Tidy Tips, Lacy Phacelia, and Fremont Pincushions.
Three Points – There are peach trees starting to bloom. There are some Poppies, Goldfields, and Line-ar-leafed Goldenbush.
245th Street West Wash – Davy Gilia, Goldfields, Filaree, Grape Soda Lupine (grape soda smell is pretty strong), some Poppies, Brown-eyed Primrose, and tiny Forget-me-nots.
Portal Ridge Wildlife Area – there are Poppies, Goldfields, Linear-leaf Goldenbush, Fremont Pin-cushions, Tidy Tips, Coreopsis, Hairy Lotus, Forget-me-nots, Suncups, a tiny purple Gilia, and Baby Blue Eyes.
Baby Blue Eyes
170th St. West – Nice patches of Goldfields intermixed with Poppies, Fiddleneck, and the purple you see are Davy Gilia.
Avenue D (Hwy 138) – There are Goldfields and Poppies from 170th St. West to 110th St. West. A nice showing at 140th St. West.
Johnson Road – Poppies, Globe Gilia, Pygmy-leafed Lupine, Forget-me-nots, Slender Keel Fruit and Globe Gilia
California Poppies & Globe Gilia
60th Street West—Godde Hill Road—the aqueduct area. Comet Blazing Star, Lupine, Pygmy-leafed Lu-pine, Fremont Phacelia, Hairy Lotus, Tidy Tips, Suncups, and Goldfields.