View from the group campground.
mcsp
Tag: malibu creek state park
field ecology weekend
This was my fifth Field Ecology Weekend, and my fourth as an organiser. I dare to say it was the best one ever. Fifteen different presenters educated we docents on a wide range of topics over several days. A good time was had by all.
goat buttes
Marley Peifer and I hung out at Malibu Creek State Park for the day, geeking out on plants, rocks, reptiles, bryophytes, fungi, birds, insects and water. We also talked a little eco-philosophy and discussed different definitions of biodiversity.
no diving
The sign says no diving. It doesn’t say no jumping.
Actually, I’ve jumped off that rock into the pool below … but not in the last 25 years. And now I’m a responsible state park docent, I probably won’t ever do it again. I’ve witnessed too many rescues.
tapia spur trail
I was intrigued by the differences in the plant communities on the north and south sides of the ridge, so decided to record the obvious species. I ended up hiking about twice as far as I planned, because I inadvertently left my art supply bag near the turnaround point and didn’t discover the fact till I was nearly all the way back to the start. Lucky it was lovely weather and I didn’t have to be anywhere else.
entrance
This year at the State Park we’ve added a Citizen Science project for middle and high schoolers, to survey trees for evidence of the Invasive Shot Hole Borer. Today was the first outing, and it went pretty well! I lead a group of seven 7th graders and we did, in fact, find concerning evidence. We tagged our trees for follow-up by the scientists. Most of the kids felt like they were doing important work, and they also just loved being outside for the day. So all around, it was really worthwhile.
monochrome landscape
After my shift at the Visitor Center, I sat by the creek and sketched the view.
Keckiella cordifolia
I love these delicate little chalice-like seed pods.
boring
We offered a beginner’s class at Nature Journal Club today, and thirty people came! After spending an hour learning the basics, everyone wandered off to journal their curiosity. Having just done a training on identifying invasive borer beetles, I was interested to record some data about insect activity on a fallen oak log. Boring? Nope, fascinating!
Dryobates nuttallii
I see acorn woodpeckers all the time, but rarely spot a Nuttall’s.
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