Earth Day Wildflowers
Winter Mustard (file photo) Bob McClenahan, Visit Napa Valley
It was a beautiful Earth Day weekend to be out enjoying California’s spring wildflowers.
California poppies and California lilac (file photo) Bob McClenahan, Visit Napa Valley
In the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma counties, the last of late winter’s yellow mustard blossoms have given way to populations of poppies, lupine and all varieties of colorful wildflowers, between the vines, along their edges, beside roadways and on open land.
The colorful springtime display, particularly showy in areas where last fall’s wildfires opened overgrown woodlands to wildflowers, has been nourished by the nutrients left behind by the fires. This will be one of the best years to see big displays of wildflowers because of last fall’s wildfires.
Western Wildflower lists 17 trails in Napa County to hike for dazzling displays of flora. One of California’s best areas is the Missimer Wildflower Preserve, a protected native grassland. Across its acres of open meadows grow several species listed by the California Native Plant Society as endangered, including the narrow-leaved daisy, Napa western flax, Colusa lavia and yellow Mariposa lily, Calochortus luteus.
Sonoma County Tourism lists 10 Great Wildflower Walks with a colorful array of orange poppies, deep blue iris (now in bloom), purple lupine, white woodland stars, yellow columbine, pink shooting stars, golden fairy lanterns, red larkspur and lavendar clarkia (June) splashed throughout Sonoma County.
California poppies, Gwinllan Vineyards (5/22/18) John Poimiroo
In Sierra Nevada foothills, orange, red and golden California poppies are at their most glorious anywhere grassy slopes face the southern sky. The South Fork of the Merced River, from Mariposa to Yosemite National Park along CA-140 is considered to have one of the best shows, though the upper areas of the Merced River Canyon peaked in mid March.
HIKE OF THE WEEK – The 6.5-mile Hite Cove Trail, leading from Savage’s Trading Post (midway between Mariposa and Yosemite) is spectacular right now with profuse displays of wildflowers growing beside the trail.
If you plan to hike this famed wildflower trail, start early and carry a large bottle of water – you’ll need all of it. The trail is moderate to strenuous, though it has a bonus if you make it to the end… an abandoned mine.
Sierra foothills are carpeted with wildflowers (5/22/18) John Poimiroo
When you capture great images of California’s wildflowers, send them to us and we’ll post them here.
Fall Color Begins in Spring
Eastern redbud, El Dorado Hills (3/29/18) John Poimiroo
Many deciduous trees are budding out with blossoms and new foliage, providing for a fresh and colorful spring show.
This Eastern redbud tree (exotic) in our side yard is now flocked with magenta blooms, while Western redbud shrubs in Sierra foothill canyons are carrying rose blossoms.
Although this website is dedicated to fall color, what happens in autumn begins in spring.
So, if you see similarly bright spring foliage, email images to us and we’ll publish them here. editor@californiafallcolor.com
Trekking in Snow and Woods
Hillsound Amadillo XT Gaiters (file photo) Mike Crane
An indispensable item for outdoor trekking is a set of gaiters. Designed to wrap around the lower leg, gaiters keep snow and trail debris from saturating pants and out of boots.
Hillsound Armadillo LT (file photo) Mike Crane
That means you can wear cotton jeans or light pants (layering is recommended) without concern that pant legs will get soaked and become uncomfortable to stay outside taking pictures, without having to put on and take off bulky snow pants. Gaiters are also a smart addition to golden-hour photography or when photographing near streams, lakes or in woods where it’s moist.
Of course, they’re best known as gear used by snowshoers and backwoods XC skiers. So, with a major winter storm now dropping from seven to eight feet of fresh snow in the Sierra Nevada, ideal conditions were available to test Hillsound’s new Armadillo LT Gaiters.
Easy to put on and so comfortable that you’d hardly know you’re wearing them, the Armadillo LT Gaiters were so water resistant that legs and socks stayed bone-dry and warm, even in deep powder. Imagine how much more comfortable you’d be when photographing fall color at sunrise or sunset.
Hillsound makes its gaiters of 1000 denier nylon on the bottom half and breathable Flexia, a three-layer fabric, on the upper half. The 1000D lowers resist punctures (useful when wearing crampons), while the Flexia uppers provide four-way stretch and protection from the elements. Though designed for wet conditions, the Armadillo LT’s breathable fabric makes these gaiters comfortable to wear, year-round.
There’s no wardrobe malfunction that ruins a day of winter photography more than discovering a gaiter has come loose or slipped down. On the Armadillo LT, a waterproof YKK zipper gives a contour fit that won’t fall down or need to be readjusted during outdoor activity, and a sturdy boot-lace hook adds stability and ensures the gaiter won’t shift off boot or shoe. The Armadillo LT’s durable instep strap also won’t wear out or fall off, no matter how long you stay out.
The Hillsound Armadillo LT fits men and women in all sizes, is priced affordably at $49 and comes with a lifetime warranty. They’re sold online at Hillsound.com and at top outdoor retailers.
The Armadillo LT is an indispensable item of outdoor gear that should be in every camera bag.
Where Have All The Monarchs Gone?
Monarch Butterflies, Santa Cruz (1/15/2006) John Poimiroo
Ninety percent of the nation’s monarch butterflies have disappeared during the past 20 years. So many have disappeared that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service anticipates determining in 2019 whether to designate monarchs as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Monarch butterfly on swamp milkweed in Michigan. Photo by Jim Hudgins/USFWS
The colorful insects return to California in late autumn each year, but fewer and fewer of them have been doing so because they depend upon a few species of milkweed for reproduction, and habitats conducive to supporting monarchs have been declining.
In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to provide financial assistance to create or improve monarch habitat.
The Michigan Farm Bureau reports that farmers and land owners will be able to apply for compensation at NRCS field offices, this year, for having created conservation cover and field borders or conducted prescribed burns and other brush management steps. The financial aid is designed to offset the cost of establishing or improving pollinator and monarch habitat.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services has indicated it will begin evaluating monarch conservation measures across the migration route with a decision expected in 2019 on whether to designate monarchs a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Individuals can also help by planting butterfly and pollinator gardens and encouraging the creation of monarch habitats in their communities. CLICK HERE to learn how you can help.
Let’s keep this beautiful aspect of fall color returning to California.
Super Blue Blood Moon
Super Blue Blood Moon (1/31/18) John Poimiroo
A super blue blood moon is about as rare as the moon gets. This morning’s event combined a super moon (larger than usual), a blue moon (the second full moon in a month) and blood moon (a total lunar eclipse – the first since 2015), all at the same time.
So, like a lot of other photographers, I was up early to capture it, and – no celestial photographer – I made every mistake in the book.
First, I failed to shift the internal meter to manual. A camera’s light meter is fundamentally useless in this situation. You need to make the adjustments manually.
Begin by setting the ISO to its base level. My camera’s base is ISO 100. I started there, but scrolled up to see what results I would get at various levels. This frame was shot at ISO 1250.
Second, an ideal aperture for photographing the moon is f11. When shooting manually, once you set the f-stop it will stay there.
The same with shutter speed. Set it at 1/125 sec. and leave it there. Because the moon is in constant motion across the sky, 1/125 sec. (1/250 if base ISO is 250) is needed to stop action and provide a sharp image of moonscape details. This shot was taken at far too slow a shutter speed, blurring detail.
Fourth, focus by hand. It’s much easier to focus on small distant objects manually than by trying to line up the focus sensor with the object. Trust what you see and your ability to capture it as you see it.
Finally, be prepared. If you don’t shoot a specific situation regularly, refer to photo sites like PhotographyLife.com, publications like Outdoor Photographer or ask a photo buddy how to do it right, well before the event occurs. As, during the moment, it changes too fast to step away and figure out what you’re doing wrong.
As, when something as rare as a super blue blood moon comes around, you want to get it right, then and there.
Moon (2/1/18) John Poimiroo
Traveling Lightly
Cotton Carrier G3 Strapshot
For the outdoor photographer who intends to travel lightly, Cotton Carrier’s G3 Strapshot secures a DSLR with long lens to the shoulder strap of a backpack.
The G3 Strapshot’s compact holster velcro-wraps around any backpack’s shoulder strap and is kept from sliding down by a pull strap that loops through the top handle of the backpack.
I used a Strapshot when photographing the International Sportsman’s Exposition in Sacramento this month. Securing the Strapshot to the left shoulder strap of a Lowe Pro Mini Trekker AW backpack, I was able to unhook the camera from the shoulder with my right hand, for ready shooting, and the weight of a Nikon D850 with a Nikkor 28-300 mm lens was hardly noticed.
Cotton Carrier’s system mounts an anodized hub to the tripod screw hole on the bottom of the camera. The hub then slides and locks into the holster by turning it to the side, then letting the lens swing down, once in the mount. To protect cameras from being dropped, the Strapshot comes with a grip handstrap and a quick-release safety tether that snaps to the holster.
CCS G3 Strapshot
Set up is simple and quick. And, it took little time to get used to twisting and locking the camera into the holster. The mounting hub also has a tripod screw hole on it, so that tripods can still be used, when needed.
When not using a backpack, the Strapshot can be carried on the hip by passing a belt through loops behind the holster, though when a heavier camera is carried, a Sam Browne Belt is advised to distribute its weight. Cotton Carriers sells a DEMO Action Belt ($15) for this situation.
In all, Cotton Carrier’s G3 Strapshot is a compact accessory that permits carrying a camera for ready use without need of gear other than a belt or backpack. The CCS G3 Strapshot comes in charcoal grey or camo and retails for $79 at B&H, Adorama and online at CottonCarrier.com.
The Tail End
Willows, Alabama Hills, Eastern Sierra (1/1/18) Bruce Wendler
Fall color is still being glimpsed around California as the tail end of autumn’s show lingers.
Bruce Wendler found willows glowing yellow-orange at the intersection of Movie Road and Whitney Portal Road and commented that “Some of the Primrose Brush and Reeds turn a little red in the winter, so don’t give up on color in January.”
Willows, Turtle Pond, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Tabeuia impetiginosa, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Anita Baldwin Statue, Gingko biloba, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Willows are also providing bright color in Arcadia at the LA County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. A broad variety of willows grow throughout California, providing the state’s longest display of fall color.
The show has been so long-lasting that willows, gingko biloba and wax trees (Toxicodendron succadeneum – a variety of poison sumac – look but don’t touch) are still holding color while, nearby, pink trumpet trees (Tabueia impetiginosa) are heavy with winter blooms.
If you are dead set on finding fall color in winter, the best opportunities to see it are in locations at the lowest elevations (deserts, islands) and where exotic varieties can be found (arboretums). Otherwise, the show is now mostly past peak.
LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Toxicodendron succedaneum, San Gabriel Mountains, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Baldwin Lake, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Gingko biloba, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Aloes and Nuxia tree, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Gingko biloba, Herb garden, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Aloe Trail, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Incandescent dusk, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (1/4/18) Frank McDonough
Parade of Roses and Autumn
Tournament of Roses, Pasadena (1/1/18) Frank McDonough
Tournament of Roses, Pasadena (1/1/18) Frank McDonough
Each New Year’s Day, the world marvels at the amazing floral floats made for the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena.
What often isn’t seen in the worldwide coverage of the parade is the lingering fall color to be seen along the streets of Pasadena.
Los Angeles County color spotter Frank McDonough captured some of it and shares it with us.
Pasadena – Peak to Past Peak – You Almost Missed It.
Happy New Year!
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
Gingko biloba, LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
Frank McDonough’s photograph of tiles at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden reminds us of the festive color to explode on New Year Eve and makes us look forward to 2018 and the end of 2017.
This past year was filled with tragedy for many. Wildfires, hurricanes, floods and heartache delivered by the worst side of humanity made it so.
Even on the fall color front, the show was disappointing, but not so the photographs taken by those tracking fall color across California.
Frank’s images of everlasting gingko biloba at the LA County Arboretum provide hope for a new year of everlasting color, joy and good things.
Happy New Year.
LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden – Peak to Past Peak – You Almost Missed It.
Gingko, LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
Bamboo, LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
Gingko, LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
Gingko, LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
Gingko, LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
LA County Arboretum (12/26/17) Frank McDonough
To the north near Durham, Ferruginous hawks are in search of squirrels out gathering nuts among the orchards and the last spots of fall color (berries still clinging to Dogwood branches) are seen in these images captured by Robert Kermen.
Ferruginous Hawk, Durham (12/29/17) Robert Kermen
Gray Squirrel, Durham (12/29/17) Robert Kermen
Dogwood, Durham (12/29/17) Robert Kermen
Central Valley – Past Peak – You Missed It.
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland (12/29/17) Darrell Sano
Oakland color spotter Darrell Sano, who holds the distinction of being the first and last to post on this site in 2017, sent these closing shots of peak color seen in at Mountain View Cemetery in the Oakland Hills.
Darrell writes that, “The balmy weather we’ve been experiencing around the bay area led to many people enjoying the afternoon scenery–walking, jogging, groups of people having conversations, dogs happily being walked, and of course families paying respects to loved ones. It’s an extremely serene and introspective place. Walking the hills always makes me think about time, and the passage of it. No better appropriate place to be in the last weekend of the year. And the colors persist into 2018!”
Oakland – Peak to Past Peak – You Almost Missed It.
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland (12/29/17) Darrell Sano
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland (12/29/17) Darrell Sano
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland (12/29/17) Darrell Sano
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland (12/29/17) Darrell Sano
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland (12/29/17) Darrell Sano
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland (12/29/17) Darrell Sano
Christmas Quail
California Quail (12/23/17) Robert Kermen
California’s most beloved bird is the California quail, Callipepla californica.
Seen above, a male California Valley Quail stands watchful guard, protecting his covey (family) of several chicks and his lady.
Male quail will scout ahead of their broods, scurrying along the ground and calling to them with loud pips to encourage them to follow or warn them to take cover until the coast is clear. Ever social, quail will greet each other with their distinctive call, “Chee-ca-go.”
California toyon (12/26/17) John Poimiroo
California toyon berries are a favorite food source for California quail. In December, toyon are laden with bright red berries, giving the shrubs the nicknames: Christmas berry and California holly. Toyon is what gave Hollywood its name.
Toyon is common among coastal sage scrub plants, though it also grows in the Sierra foothills. Easy to grow, Toyon does well in partial shade and is drought-tolerant.
As urban areas have expanded, the forage area for California quail has diminished. Planting toyon is a good way to provide additional native sustenance for these beautiful birds.
While expansion of urban areas has not helped California quail, it has caused Anna’s hummingbirds to proliferate.
Annas humingbird (12/23/17) Robert Kermen
As late as the early 1900s, Anna’s hummingbirds were only found in Baja and Southern California. However, the planting of exotic ornamental plants in gardens expanded the Anna’s hummingbird’s range throughout California, Cornell University reports.
This week, color spotter Robert Kermen found California quail and Anna’s hummingbirds adding Christmas color to field and garden.