WILDFLOWERS, WATER FOWL AND WATERFALLS
Spring is here, which means that wildflowers will soon be taking over the Ukiah Valley. And one of the best places to find those beauties is Low Gap Park in Ukiah.
Which is why the Sanhedrin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society is hosting an “early spring wildflower walk” there this Saturday, from 10 a.m. until noon.
However, rain will cancel the event, and yes, rain is in the forecast on Saturday.
Since winter was full of rainy days, the park is also full of water and waterfalls. One particularly good place to see them is just south of the Dog Park: After heading down the road into the park and across the big bridge over Orr Creek, turn left and cross a smaller bridge over a gushing tributary.
If you stay to the right and follow the water up the hill, you will see several gorgeous waterfalls and ponds, passing nearly a dozen waterfalls of all sizes until you reach a trail/fire road that will lead you to the restrooms near the Disc Golf Course and back onto the main fire road in the park that leads to the City View Trail.
If you plan to attend the wildflower walk this Saturday, you are asked to “wear good hiking shoes and dress for the weather, then meet at the tables near the tennis courts at 10 a.m.” You are also asked to RSVP
If the March walk is canceled, another has been scheduled for April 27.
Also, you can look for and identify wildflowers at any time on your own with the help of the resources available on the local CNPS website
If you do go, just some of the flowers you can see right now are:
• Shooting stars
• Hound's Tongue
• Red Larskpur
• Sun Cups
• California Poppies
• Warrior's Plume
• Bowl-tubed Irises
• Blue Dicks
• California Fawn Lily
For more information about the wildflower walks, contact Cathy Monroe at cathymonroe@ gmail.com.
Also on Saturday, you can look for birds with members of the Peregrine Audubon Society, which has scheduled a walk on the north shore of Lake Mendocino on March 23.
According to the group's website, this walk will “be birding the north end of Lake Mendocino, focusing on the stretch between the boat launch adjacent to the inlet, and along the Pomo A day-use area.
There are great views of the lake from this location, so we will be searching through the water birds for wintering ducks and grebes. Loons are a possibility here as well. Other target birds will include wintering song birds and raptors along the lake shore. Bald Eagle is a good possibility. We will be leaving the CVS parking lot at 8 a.m. and expect to arrive at the parking area above the north boat launch at 8:30.”
For more information about this and other field trips, visit the group's website.