Natural History Journal

In 1844, early California explorer John C. Fremont gave a somewhat scathing review of Joshua trees when he wrote, "...their stiff and ungraceful form makes them to the traveler the most repulsive tree in the vegetable kingdom."  Rather unkind, don't you think?  But when Joshua trees were formally described by scientist William Trelease in the 1890's, he noted that Joshua Trees are "the most attractive of all the Yuccas."  I am inclined to agree with this sentiment, and must disagree most heartily with Lieutenant Fremont! I, for one, adore Joshua Trees, with their whimsical shapes and great ecological significance!  If you struggle with plant identification, the iconic Joshua tree, hallmark of the Mojave Desert, is a good place to start.  With densely spiked tufts protruding from the ends of gangly arms stretched towards the heavens, this looks like a plant straight from a Dr. Seuss book.  Native people called these trees “humwichawa,” and used thei

The word "prairie" probably conjures up images of the vast plains found in the middle part of the North American continent more readily than it is associated with California.  We think of tall grasses, bison, "Little House," and all that.  But many might be surprised to learn that we have our own share of prairie right here in the Great Valley of California - or at least we used to. Horned Lark at Carrizo Plain National Monument, perhaps the best remnant of San Joaquin Valley grassland habitat. A vast amount of California's great prairies (also called grasslands) have been paved and ploughed, through urban sprawl and the relentless spread of agriculture.  What remains has been inundated by exotic annual grasses which behave much differently than California's native prairie plant community, the perennial bunchgrasses and forbs (wildflowers and other broadleaf plants) which used to dominate the landscape.   Nowadays, some of the best places to expe

Spring is creeping up on us, and plans for our annual springtime pilgrimage to the desert of southern California are underway!  Abundant and well-timed rain the past two years have produced prolific displays of wildflowers in places like Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks, Mojave National Preserve , and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  ( Carrizo Plain , a western outlier of San Joaquin Valley grassland, also put on a phenomenal show last year.)  This year, the forecast for wildflowers is not so promising, but I'm keeping my hopes up anyway!  Regardless of blooms, beautiful and captivating things always await discovery in our deserts.  I find the sculptural shapes of those favorite of desert denizens, the cacti, attractive at any time. California Barrel Cactus, it's crown of yellow blossoms just beginning to open in April, Joshua Tree National Park. The California Barrel Cactus ( Ferocactus cylindraceus ) is a well-known species of cactus throughout its rang

It's an exciting time of the year: the California Naturalist Certification Program is starting up again at the UC Merced Vernal Pools & Grasslands Reserve ! I graduated from this program two years ago, and highly recommend it for anyone interested in the nature of California.  Naturalist courses prepare invested individuals for active roles as naturalists and citizen scientists in their local communities.  The goal of the program is to turn everyday citizens into engaged naturalists who take part in local natural resource conservation, citizen science projects, education, and restoration. Courses are taught by teams of expert naturalists, and include guest speakers, field trips and hands-on projects. Topics covered by the 10-week course include: San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada foothill ecology Nature interpretation (how to teach others about nature) Wildlife and plant communities Water and aquatic ecosystems California geology and soils Bird study Inverteb

Although some finches may be lumped together with other LBJs , the Lawrence's Goldfinch is unlikely to be mistaken for anything else.  This stunning little goldfinch is a special bird to Californian naturalists, as it is nearly endemic to our state (some also breed in northern Baja California).     Lawrence's Goldfinches are migratory birds, and exhibit highly erratic patterns of movement from year to year.  This makes them a rather unpredictable species; they may have successfully bred in one location last year, but that doesn't ensure they will return this year.  Their unpredictable movements also make assessing the health and stability of their populations difficult.  Scientists suspect their yearly movements may be partially determined by the presence of water and food sources - namely, seed crops.  Unlike most birds that migrate north to south between summer and winter, Lawrence's Finches move from east to west, wintering as far east as Arizona and New Me

The group of birds casually referred to by birders as "Little Brown Jobs," or LBJs, is perhaps the group that is most commonly feared and therefore frequently avoided by beginning birders.  While anything small and drab could be considered a Little Brown Job, the group typically includes wrens, finches and, perhaps most often, sparrows.   Ah yes, the sparrows, in all their abundant shades of brown diversity.     But, as I am fond of saying, there is always more to something than what first appears when we take a moment to slow down and really look.   The Savannah Sparrow, for instance, has a beautiful feature that readily distinguishes it from other LBJs: adult birds have a sunny yellow patch between their bill and eyes.    Savannah Sparrows are indeed brown, with white underparts and delicate streaking.  The crisp markings across their body give them a neat and tidy appearance.  Other distinguishing features include a tail that is short relative to the