jhorthos's Favorites

Genus Helophilus Marsh Fly
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213114896

Pollinating a Nestotus stenophyllus (Narrowleaf Goldenrod ) flower https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212942873

Sagebrush habitat

Far distant view of Bat Falcon perched on bridge overlooking Bayano Lake. Link to closer view of a Bat Falcon eating a barn swallow, observed a few days ago: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/153520953

Bat Falcon (Falco rufigularis) small falcon of tropical lowlands and foothills. Prefers forest edge, adjacent semi-open areas with tall trees, buildings. Looks dark overall with a contrasting white or buffy-orange throat, and in flight can be confused with White-collared Swift. With a good view, note the rusty belly and ‘trousers.’ Hunts bats at dusk, but main food is small birds caught in flight.

Ebird with species description, range map and sound recordings: https://ebird.org/species/batfal1/

Xeno-canto Bird songs, sound recordings, and species range map: https://xeno-canto.org/species/Falco-rufigularis

Merlin Bird ID (great app available for Iphones) by The Cornell Lab (Bird ID help for 8,500+ species) https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

Comprehensive Feather I.D. tools and more: https://foundfeathers.org/resources/

Found Feathers (Worldwide): https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/idtool.php

Showing the classic spire-like shape of Abies bracteata. The sapling along the trail shows browning of the current year's growth, possibly due to drought, but new buds have formed at the base of the dead shoots.

Powdery imprint was made by slapping back of Goldback Fern onto denim pant leg. A.k.a. Tattoo Fern.

Goldback Fern (Pentagramma triangularis) Native, perennial, small, common fern that grows on shaded, rocky walls. It has broad triangular fronds, black stems, and a distinctive pair of backward-pointing pinnae at the base of the frond. Leaves become darker green with maturity. Leaf blade is glabrous adaxially, not sticky, margins not recurved, and abaxially (leaf underside) with yellow to cream (white) exudate. If pressed against skin or clothing, this powder leaves a clear, yellowish imprint. A.k.a “Tattoo Fern.” In summer or drought, the pinnules shrink into little ball-shaped structures until the fern is "revived" by spring rains.

Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers (and more)https://borregowildflowers.org/?type=search&searchtype=S&family=&name=Pentagramma%20triangularis

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=77119

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 7.

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 9-10.

Oregon Flora https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=7112

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 426.

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Fern structures have their own names:
A fern’s leaf is called a frond. It is divided into pinnae, which may be subdivided into pinnules. The underside of the pinnules contain sori, which in turn contain sporangia, which produce the spores. Sori may be covered by a membrane-like indusium. A false indusium is a covering formed by a reflexed margin of the pinna/ pinnule. Not all ferns have clearly defined sori.

https://basicbiology.net/plants/ferns-lycophytes/fronds

Monterey County Wildflowers, Trees & Ferns https://montereywildflowers.com/ferns-polypody-brake/

locally abundant on Ingalls Lake trail where marked on map (last photo), along with Chaenactis thompsonii. steep serpentine slopes that appear greenish on Google Earth. very few of the L. cuspidatum are flowering, at least in 2022. this is the only one I saw in flower on the Lake Ingalls trail though there were a few already setting fruit.