An Overdue Visit to the Laguna

 

It's been almost a year since I was last in the Laguna. I have no idea what kept me from visiting for such a long time, since this is a place I always enjoy when I'm there. So a couple weeks ago I finally decided to go there again.

It was an overcast morning, typical for many summer mornings in my corner of the world. I chose to walk the Laguna Wetland Preserve Trails.

Right at the beginning I noticed that one of the old and majestic oaks had fallen over. I assume this happened during the partly very wet winter we had. But what was this? There were things hanging from the branches of the fallen tree, and when I got closer I realized that these were some fiber creations. After I had returned home I did some research and found out that this art installation is called "A House without a Key" and was created by artist Melissa Jones. This is her Master's thesis project and consists of several elaborately knitted pod-like hanging structures that look vaguely like the nests of the Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)

Just a few days ago, the art installation mysteriously disappeared. Maybe someone mistook it for yarn bombing, which the artist says it definitely wasn't, and just took the "nests" down. It should be noted here that this wasn't a "wild" installation but it was put up with the approval of Public Works. Maybe someone took them down because they were concerned about the well-being of our local songbirds since yarn can pose a hazard to songbirds.

Maybe it would have helped if there had been a text or explanation next to the tree. There wasn't.

The Laguna Wetland Preserve Trail is my favorite trail in the Laguna. Less people walk here and it is full of life with little critters and birds. The Laguna de Santa Rosa is one of California's richest freshwater wetlands. Bald eagles, river otters, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and over 200 species of birds depend on the Laguna for food and shelter. It is an important feeding and resting stopover on the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory route for birds.

It is also home to many wildflowers. Wild Carot aka Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) is abundant, both still in its bloom and as beautiful seed heads.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is just as common and easily recognizable by its sky blue color.

Together with Wild Carot it makes a beautiful display.

There was still some Shortpod Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana), but the season for them was definitely coming to its end.

This is Bristly Oxtongue (Helminthotheka echioides), a plant I was unaware of until then. It looks splendid past its prime. It's a non-native invasive plant with yellow flowers. It seems that all the plants I saw that day are non-natives.

The following, however, is a native, our beautiful California Wild Rose (Rosa californica) and its rosehips.

These beautiful seedpods belong to Wild Radish (Raphanus sativus), an aggressive non-native invasive plant in the mustard family. It is actually quite beautiful in bloom with white and soft pink flowers. 

I was wondering why nothing is being done to control non-native plants in this area, and I can only think that this is done either on purpose or they just don't have enough staff. Having to work with not enough staff unfortunately is a problem that many of these places (like our regional and state parks, not to mention the National Parks) have to deal with. It is certainly not carelessness.

Another invasive plant we're all familiar with is Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Beautiful though.

A little critter (I assume) has made this place its home.

I like how fallen trees - most of them native oaks - are left in place where they can slowly decompose and still offer so much (food and shelter) to the wildlife.

Beside the Mourning Dove in the picture above I saw and heard Bewick's Wrens, White-tailed Kites,  Black Phoebes, House Finches, Song Sparrows, Lesser Goldfinches, California Quails, a Nuttall's Woodpecker, Spotted Towhees, Bushtits and of course American Crows.

It was a splendid morning!

The flower faces are for Nicole's Friday Face Off, but for those who prefer more "human"-like faces, I have these three guys:

Morning Hike in the Laguna

 

After I had been to Crane Creek on Wednesday, I decided to hike in the Laguna Wetlands Preserve on Friday morning. Thursday had been a hot day with temperatures in the lower 90s, but Friday was a bit cooler. I decided to go early since the Laguna has a lot of open spaces without much shade and it tends to get quite hot.

This is a premier bird watching area and when I was getting out of my car, I was greeted by a Brewer's Blackbird who loudly announced my arrival.

Only a few minutes later a Red-winged Blackbird landed on another "Boundary Trail" post and I saw a  Song Sparrow on a fence post (I think; I have a hard time identifying sparrows). I heard Red-shouldered Hawks but wasn't able to take a picture, instead I captured this majestic Turkey Vulture.

I started my walk looking for wildflowers, but in contrast to Crane Creek two days before, I didn't see any native wildflowers. This is a completely different terrain, very wet in the winter and extremely dry in the summer. 

Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), a non-native noxious weed, but so far not on the invasive plants list - yet. It's beautiful.

Common Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius), an edible root plant. I have many of them in my garden. 

Wild Radish (Raphanus sativus), non-native as well, that forms pretty clumps in the meadow.

Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) on the left, which is potentially invasive and, of course, non-native. On the right is Wall or Foxtail Barley (Hordeum murinum), non-native as well, and I have seen it in some places really taking over the space. Fortunately so far it behaves here.

My favorites are the remains of Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota), they are so fragile and beautiful. Very soon the new ones will come up - it's a great pollinator plant.

The oak gall (on the left) is an abnormal plant growth found on foliage and twigs of many species of oak trees. They are produced by small oak gall wasps. Adults lay eggs in expanding tree buds and leaves in the spring, the larvae then feed, pupate and emerge from the gall as adult wasps. These galls do not cause significant damage to trees. The plant on the right is a different story. This is non-native Curly Dock (Rumex crispus), an edible weed that is found in many open areas of the Laguna. It matures to a rusty red in late summer and fall - maybe that color gave it its botanical name, it does look rather "crisp" in the fall.

Very soon I turned to the left, one of my favorite trails in the Preserve.

It didn't take long until I reached one of the creeks. Signs of the wet winter were everywhere, but the water of the usually flooded area in winter has already receded a lot.

This female Mallard enjoyed hanging out on this tree stump, her companion not far away.

I always love the Laguna de Santa Rosa with its many trees that are reflected in the water. The seasonal bridge wasn't in place yet. In winter many many Black-crowned Night Herons, Green Herons and Cattle Egrets roost here, but this time I only saw one Green Heron taking off.

This is where I usually cross over to the meadow. Good thing I was wearing my hiking boots!

So close to the meadow there are many birdhouses put up in this area. 

The meadow is called Meadowlark Field, but so far I have only heard the Western Meadowlark here, but have never seen it. Apart from the beautiful trail I showed you above, this is my favorite part of the Preserve. There are some beautiful oaks standing here, but most of the trail through the meadow is in full sun.

I often stop at the tree above and sit at the picnic table, writing in my journal or just day dreaming. There are not that many people who walk this part of the trail.

Of course, the Laguna is not short on crooked and dead trees.

Look who was hanging out on this dead trunk in the photo above!

And there's another one!

On my way back to the parking lot I saw some California Poppies - finally some native wildflowers! They do pop with their happy, feel-good color.

Since this is for T Tuesday over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth I need to provide a drink. We already saw some birds in this post and I will finish it with one - one of my bird mugs that is my morning coffee mug. I love my coffee with lots of milk - my black coffee-days are long over. The roses are from my garden, "Sheila's Delight". And if you're wondering about the vase - it's a wine bottle that my wine maker friend cut down to serve as a vase. Recycling at its best.

Winter Lace

 

Walking through the Laguna in winter might seem to be bare and boring, but it is anything but. Sure, there is not much flowering or full of lush green leaves. The beauty is more subtle and no everybody may recognize or acknowledge it.

The common Queen Anne's lace - Daucus carota - is a plant that delights in summer with it's lacelike tiny flowers that attracts many insects. But in winter it looks very different.

It's just a "skeleton" that remains but that bare shape is still beautiful and can enchant the landscape. Even though it's gray and can blend into its environment, if you look closely you note its fine features. 

Isn't it beautiful?

Queen Anne's lace has many different names - wild carrot, bird's nest, bishop's lace - and not everybody loves this wildflower. In some US states like Iowa, Ohio, Michigan and Washington it is listed as a noxious weed. But here in the Laguna on a chilly winter day I am delighted by its subtle beauty.

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As of early this morning local time, Russia has started invading Ukraine, a sovereign, independent, democratic country. Up to this morning I had hoped that this could have been prevented - hope dies last. I feel a wild mix of emotions - grief, fear, fury, worry. I look at Ukraine not as a US citizen but as a European who loves this beautiful continent and who is devastated about a war in the center of it.