Faithful To The End

As Southern California color spotter Kathy Jonokuchi returned from the Eastern Sierra following a recent getaway, storm clouds were gathering as a Frémont cottonwood stood guard among the jumble of rocks that form the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine.
She snapped a picture of it with her camera phone, worrying that it might not be good enough to make the big screen, but this is just the kind of scene that John Ford would have captured in one of his westerns.
A lone tree stands resolutely against the elements, not ready to give up its autumn gold to the dark forces of winter. A last holdout, faithful to the end.
- Alabama Hills, Inyo County – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It.

Monarch Listing Is Warranted

Listing the Monarch butterfly as a threatened or endangered specie is warranted but precluded due to other priorities, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USF&WS) announced today.
The announcement follows reports of plummeting Monarch butterfly counts in California, the specie’s western wintering grounds. Once numbering over one million butterflies, the western population of Monarch butterflies dropped in the last year from over 27,000 to just 2,000 butterflies.
Monarch butterflies are one of numerous remarkable species that migrate to and through California in autumn. The Monarchs spend winter along the California coast from San Diego north to Marin County. Prime winter roosts have included Pismo Beach, Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz. Though, scenes like this are disappearing.

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman attributed private conservation efforts, supported by the USF&WS, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as resulting in “stunning and unprecedented” accomplishments in recent years, such as planting 500 million milkweed plants and improving 5.3 million acres of Monarch habitat.
Despite these accomplishments, at least in the west, Monarch butterflies are heading toward extinction.
Bay Nature reported Sarina Jepsen, Director of Endangered Species at the Xerces Society as saying that the decision to declare the Monarchs as warranted to be listed as threatened or endangered, “does not yet provide the protection that Monarchs, and especially the western population, so desperately need to recover.”
The butterfly population is declining because of a lack of available milkweed (the only food they eat), less overwintering habitat, insecticides (sometimes related to mosquito control efforts) and climate change, said Lori Nordstrom of the USF&WS.
In response, efforts to encourage planting milkweed and creating quality butterfly habitat, led by conservation groups and the USF&WS, are assisting private land owners, developers, farmers and ranchers and communities. Under the Conservation Reserve Program, “They do the work, we provide the seed,” explained USF&WS Regional Director Charley Wooley.
USF&WS officials admit that while other conservation efforts can be successfully led by federal and international agencies and NGOs, successes in preserving Monarchs have occurred mostly due to the efforts of private individuals and land owners who plant milkweed.
“The public has become galvanized,” Wooley said, “they’re planting milkweed in gardens and fields, pastures and along rights of way.” Organizations like the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation assist in calling the public to action and sourcing suppliers of native milkweed seed.
In concluding today, the USF&WS announced it will work until 2024 on a plan intended to propose listing the Monarch butterfly as threatened or endangered, if warranted. For now, the protection of western Monarch butterflies is in the public’s hands. Here’s a list of types of milkweed California Monarchs need to survive and where to find them. Caution: do not plant tropical (Mexican) milkweed, as it is harmful to the survival of Monarchs. Plant only varieties of milkweed native to California or they will not migrate.
HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA: Give native native milkweed seeds or seedballs as holiday gifts. Email bobby@milkweed.com or visit butterflyencounters.com to order the right type of California seeds Monarch butterflies need to survive.


A World With Octobers
Philip Reedy replicated our Thanksgiving Day tradition by creating a video of his favorite photographs from this past autumn.
Phil had a lot of beauty from which to choose. He produced 127 submissions in 26 different articles, as the top contributor of 88 color spotters in 2020. Phil’s photographs remind us why it gladdens the heart that we live in a world where there are Octobers.

Last Drips of Color

Despite the occasional last drips of fall color, California is now largely past peak.
These images were taken on a foggy, wet morning, the kind that quickly transforms warm cotton blue jeans into sponges when bush whacking through foliage.
Most of the native color throughout the state has fallen, been blown away or is now rain-damaged by the storm that passed over the state this past weekend. Exotic, ornamental plants are providing the encore.
Wisteria are among the last climbing exotics to turn. They’ve dropped their seed pods which explode loudly upon hitting the ground, ejecting their seeds as much as 20 feet away upon impact.
Bright, red Hawthorne tree berries hang from bare branches in clusters of Christmas ornaments. The leaves long since fell and carpet the earth as they decay.
It’s now time for other ornaments to attract our attention, though Toyon and Pyracantha join Hawthorne in one last flush of seasonal color as winter approaches. There’s only a week to go until autumn is just a memory.
- El Dorado Hills (768′) – Past Peak, You Missed It.

Carmel Valley

Garland Ranch Regional Park in the Carmel Valley preserves cottonwood, alder, sycamore and willow woodlands along the Carmel River in the Upper Santa Lucia Mountains of the Central Coast.
Late to peak, this part of the Carmel Valley looks much like it has for millennia. Garland Ranch was the first acquisition of the Monterey Peninsula Park District and it reflects its venerable wildness in both riparian and savanna environments.
Sam Reeves sent these views of its idyllic scenes.
- Garland Ranch Regional Park, Carmel Valley (400′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It!

Riot On The San Gabriel River

There’s a riot of color appearing along the San Gabriel River in San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, Steve Shinn reports.
Western sycamore, black cottonwood, blue elderberry, white alder, creek dogwood, Southern California black walnut and red, sandbar, shining and yellow willows are painting the banks of the stream with orange, yellow, lime, red and chartreuse foliage.
- San Gabriel River, San Gabriel Mountains National Monument (610′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!

Something to Crow About

When you are the last beautiful entry in a glorious parade, you have something to strut and crow about.
The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is that last entry. December is its peak. However, fall color has begun to rain upon the parade, as Past Peak approaches.
Throughout the arboretum, once-gloriously-colored trees are dropping their leaves. There is still beauty to be seen, for sure, but it is nearing its end.
South Africa Section, LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough Chinese pistache, LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough San Gabriel Mountains, South African section, LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough Chinese pistache (Sarah’s Radiance), LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough Gingko biloba, LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (12/10/20) Frank McDonough
Sarah’s Radiance Chinese pistache and gingko biloba retain the most color. Though, winter bloomers, such as South African red aloe, the happy trills of songbirds and sharp calls of peacocks are accenting the entertainment.
- LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia (171′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It.

Nearly Past Peak at Peters Canyon

Orange County was named for its citrus, not for its fall color. The south coast county is often the last to report and with little fall color. The best of it is found in the county’s regional parks where open space dominates.
Mark Hanning-Lee reports that willows and 76 varieties of meadow grasses are displaying autumn’s gold at Peters Canyon Regional Park in Irvine. They’re near peak, but the remaining winter deciduous color has peaked.
Peters Canyon Regional Park, Irvine (12/6/20) Mark Hanning-Lee Peters Canyon Regional Park, Irvine (12/6/20) Mark Hanning-Lee Peters Canyon Regional Park, Irvine (12/6/20) Mark Hanning-Lee Peters Canyon Regional Park, Irvine (12/6/20) Mark Hanning-Lee Peters Canyon Regional Park, Irvine (12/6/20) Mark Hanning-Lee
At peak, scattered Fremont and black cottonwood, western sycamore, blue elderberry, bigleaf maple, white alder, creek dogwood, Southern and Northern California black walnut, California and Velvet ash provide spots of fall color. Presently, the Lake Loop Trail is a wash of peak orange grasses and near peak willow.
- Peters Canyon Regional Park, Irvine (683′) – Near Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It.

Marin Coho Run Begins

The winter run of critically endangered Coho salmon is running late, the Turtle Island Restoration Network reports.
The largest run of coho salmon and steelhead trout to be seen occurs in Marin County along Lagunitas Creek, San Geronimo Creek, Olema Creek and several other tributaries. It continues through February with peak viewing now through January. Steelhead trout spawn later, ususally between January and March.
Some 300 to 700 of the salmon are expected to spawn this year, which is considered to be above average.
This winter’s run begins at Tomales Bay where the salmon enter freshwater streams. This year, however, the run is late as little rain has fallen. To see the salmon, visit the Leo T Cronin Salmon Viewing Area, operated by the Marin Municipal Water District in the town of Lagunitas.
Salmon can be seen spawning in the creek directly below the parking lot and at several locations upstream along fire road. For more information on seeing the coho salmon run, CLICK HERE.

- Coho Salmon Run, Marin County – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!

Out With A Bang

Class is out, but not yet fall color at UC Berkeley where Vishal Mishra found it still popping along University Drive. He reports the Bay Area nearing the end of autumn color, though it’s going out with a bang.
Mariner Dr, Mountain View (12/5/20) Vishal Mishra San Veron Park, Mountain View (12/5/20) Vishal Mishra San Veron Park, Mountain View (12/5/20) Vishal Mishra San Veron Park, Mountain View (12/5/20) Vishal Mishra University Dr, UC Berkeley (12/5/20) Vishal Mishra San Veron Ave, Mountain View (12/5/20) Vishal Mishra
In Vishal’s hometown of Mountain View, neighborhoods along W. Middlefield Rd near San Veron Park remained full of yellow and orange color, this past weekend.
- Berkeley (171′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It.
- Mountain View – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It.
