A big, bushy, beautiful silver tail passed over the path. The grey fox stole away into tightly enmeshed bushes of poison oak, ferns and coyote bush before I could see its face. If you assessed its health by the look of its tail, this was one healthy fox. Knowing it roamed here explained the scat…
Who’s Zooming Who?
“The highlight for me was lying down, and while taking time to be silent, looking up at the trees and feeling the peace of the redwood cathedral within myself.”
Blooming Botanical Wildflowers
Botanical gardens are hot spots for seeing Spring wildflowers in bloom. Okay, they’re not totally wild, but they’re certainly well cared for. Nature Rhythms visited the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden park recently. Some species that grow under the redwoods showed more blossoms than in past years. Take the alluring but poisonous Wake Robin,…
Rain and the Work of Volunteers Have Nursed Sausal Creek Back to Health
Yesterday, along Sausal Creek, I saw the usually trickling waterfall, which is located midway down the canyon, turn into a cascade. And the width of the creek was equally stunning. The rains have challenged the creek’s edges but not, as far as I know, breached the sides. As I left, a Cooper’s hawk stood perched…
Wet Redwood Forests
Nature Rhythms had our first public hike today in the redwoods. Recent rains have made their mark, yielding stunning results. Redwood creek is over 4 feet, the highest I’ve ever seen it. Moss covered the bay trees 360 degrees. And the lovely tri-petal white blossoms of a few trillium have now opened. On the Chown…
Vargas Plateau
Wildlife and domestic animals thrive in the oak woodlands of Vargas Plateau in the Fremont hills. Dozens of cows and six-month-old calves are roaming the fields right now. You can see Western bluebirds with their cobalt feathers and orange bellies alighting on fences and posts, then flying out to grab insects before looping back to…
Acorn Rain in the Redwoods
The height and stature of the old growth in Big Basin Redwoods State Park astound you as soon as you arrive. When my friend and I began hiking recently, we heard various rustling sounds every few steps. We looked around expecting to find some hungry squirrels racing through the leaves eating nuts off the trees…
