You Mon Tsang February 25th, 2009
Here are some highlights from the National Park Service Park Wavelengths newsletter:
- Daffoldils in bloom across the old bulb farm near the Hostel. Visitors may pick 6 flowers per day for personal use.
- Harbor seal pupping season begins Mar 1. Drakes Estero closes to boating and South Blue Gums Beach on Tomales Bay close from March 1st through June 30 to allow seals to come ashore and deliver their pups in peace.
- Elephant seal numbers continue to drop as the season winds down.
- Males have dropped their antlers for the year, and are feeding and resting now, they’ll start the annual process of growing antlers again in May to prepare for the late summer breeding season.
You Mon Tsang February 23rd, 2009
A peaceful view of Arch Rock at Point Reyes.
photo courtesy of jordanfischer.
You Mon Tsang February 16th, 2009
Greg at this Life’s a Picnic took these photos on his recent trip to Point Reyes Station. Made me hungry!
We like to sneak out there for a morning walk through the streets before the crowds arrive. If headed to the shore we secure provisions from an assortment of food shops with a wonderful selection of local delights.
You Mon Tsang February 12th, 2009
Michael Reichmuth, fishery biologist for the National Park Service, had this sobering update about salmon spawning in the Point Reyes and West Marin area:
After performing surveys on Olema, Redwood, and Cheda Creeks last week both field staff and volunteers were disappointed by the lack of new spawning activity. No coho were observed in both Redwood and Cheda Creeks. One live coho and one coho redd was observed on Olema Creek. Steelhead and steelhead redds were observed on both Olema and Redwood Creeks.
This is the typical time of year for steelhead spawning so I was not surprised to find both steelhead redds and live adults. We are now past the typical window for coho spawning and I don’t expect to find any new coho spawning activity even after this last set of storms.Other regional monitoring programs have observed similar results for this year.
The total coho count for the season is very low with only 2 coho redds, 1 live coho, and 2 coho carcasses observed on Redwood creek and 2 live coho with only one coho redd on Olema Creek. For Olema Creek this is the lowest coho count on record.
We will conduct snorkel surveys this summer that will confirm if any coho spawning was successful from this winter.
You Mon Tsang February 10th, 2009
Here are some highlights from the National Park Service Park Wavelengths newsletter:
- No word on salmon counts as of this writing. Once the sediment settles down after the rains, researchers hope to get out and look for fish along Olema Creek this week.
- Northern Elephant seal populations in the park peaked at 1320 animals last week; numerous observations were made of breeding and wrestling in the colony this weekend.
- New wildflowers blooming at Chimney Rock are Douglas Iris tiny violets and Chocolate Lilies. Marin County Open Space Rangers will be leading a walk from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am on February 19 to find early species; meet at the parking lot at Chimney Rock.
- All park visitor centers will be open Monday, Presidents Holiday Weekend and if the weather is fair, Sir Francis Drake Highway will be closed at South Beach and shuttles operated.
You Mon Tsang February 2nd, 2009
While most of us were watching the Super Bowl, Jeff was taking advantage of the warm weather and clear skies at Point Reyes. Below is one of his many fine photos.
Photo Credit: Jeff Keller
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