First visit

Name and Location: Lake Sonoma Wildlife Area - No Name Trail

I picked this site because it's an area that I hadn't really explored, but that's been on my radar. 

Additionally, it's really close to where I live now - about 10-20 min drive depending on the trailhead.

With the air cleared up, I decided to venture out to the Lake Sonoma area and combine a hike with my observational study.

Coast Live Oak (Quercus Agrifolia)

This beauty of an oak tree married with the random assortment of rocks and varied collection of bushes and trees made this site easy to choose.

1. Time and Date: 10/05/2020; arrival 3:35pm, departure ~4:30pm                                             
2. Weather: 90 degrees F, wind 7mph, no rain, humidity 16%                                                          
3. Alone or with people?: With fiancé

General Observations

The site contains primarily evergreens, but also some deciduous trees with mainly waxy, thick, strong leaves. I observed a lot of dried needles on the ground and also some yellow leaves.

There was no visible new growth and also no visible sign of herbivory.

On the evergreens, I observed a lot of dried-up bloom/flowers/pollen, but no flowers and new growth. 

There were also a lot of (poky) bushes. some of them were in different stages at the same time: parts of it green, others brown, and others even bare (picture below, left). 

This looks like it could be fruit? I wasn't able to tell if it was already dried out or still before its bloom.

Addition: This is actually Western Dwarf Mistletoe

There were lots of birds, lots of lizards - especially tiny ones: Is it breeding seasons for them? Lizards are some of my favorite animals. I find them fascinating. How fast they can run, how they sunbath, their little pushups, how they can drop the tip of their tail to flee danger, etc.

It is definitely a prime rattlesnake territory, so I was extra careful when walking around.

Lots of dry ground, lots of rocks, lots of sun exposure - rattlesnake central

Beautiful, strong oak tree.

Lots of moss and what I am assuming are lichens. There were a lot of small green leaves and some brown ones.

               

On the top on the left is either a Dicot or a Quercus Agrifolia or a Ceanothus -  I wasn't able to fully identify it. I just learned that this is definitely a Coast Live Oak/Quercus Agrifolia! (11/15)

Below is a branch filled with green unripe and brown ripe acorn fruit 

To the right is a Gray Pine (Pinus sabiana) - see picture below. You can see what looks like yellow dried fruit.