A Beauty and A Bloom I didn't Expect While Hiking at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park

Cache Creek

Date: May 29, 2023

Place: Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, Clear Lake, California

Coordinates: 38.920537, -122.613500

Length: 2 miles

Level: easy

 

 

On the last weekend of May Pappa Quail and I had an opportunity to go on vacation without the chikas. We spent two wonderful days in the area of Oroville, hiking at the North Table Mountain Preserve and in the mountains east of Oroville in Indian Valley and in Sierra City. On the day of our return we could drive directly home, but we decided to extend the trip a bit and go through the area of Clear Lake. Our thought was to give Pappa Quail a chance to see more birds- something he didn't have much luck with during our hikes around Oroville. We did the car tour at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge which was on our way. After that we drove to Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, which was listed on the Audubon Society website as being a good birding spot near Clear Lake. When we arrived at the park we met a ranger who confirmed that this was indeed a good birding spot. He also warned us not to take the McVicar Trail on the west because it was flooded and there was rattlesnake activity there. He recommended that we'll go on the Cache Creek Nature Trail, and that's what we did. 

Our hike as captured by my GPS

The hike started at the old ranch house. The house itself was closed but the barn and other structures were open with exhibits. We didn't go to look at the exhibits though, but went right away behind the ranch house where the trailhead was. 

Anderson Historic Ranch House

The yard around the ranch house had numerous old trees, huge oaks and walnuts. The walnuts were nearly all broad-leaved white walnut mounted on a base of narrow-leaved black walnut. In some cases branches sprouting from the base mixed with top branches, giving the tree a weird, chimeric look. 

Old and venerable oaks also grew in the ranch house yard, some looking pretty ancient. We could hear many birds chirping the the boughs, but when the birds did show themselves, they turned out to be either starlings or house sparrows, both introduced species. 

Some of the trees and the fence posts had nesting boxes attached to them. These boxes are usually made with swallows in mind, but the users we saw were, again, starlings and house sparrows. 

House Sparrow

Behind the ranch house stretched a large flat area, completely grassed over, and the grass was already drying out. The grass field was bordered by a chain of hills and low mountains, dark with forest growth. 

The trail leading to Cache Creek was a dirt road that cut straight through the grass. It was early afternoon and the sun was pretty strong. Pappa Quail walked briskly toward the promised shade of the trees marking the creek side. I took my time following him. 

Cache Creek Trail

I had a good reason to be slow. Even in what looked like a wild oaks desert there were wildflowers blooming. Most of them right on the line where the road and the field met. 

Hill Morning Glory, Calystegia collina

Some of the plants however, prefer to grow right in the middle of the path, where everyone steps on them. The chamomile-smelling pineapple weed is one of them. 

Pineapple Weed, Matricaria discoidea

So is the introduced purple sand spurry, which I frequently see on trails in open grassland parks. These species like disturbed areas where other plants don't survive the constant trampling of hikers and bikers. 

Purple Sandspurry, Spergularia rubra, non-native

Behind the line of low hills bordering the grass field towered a three-peaked round mountain. I don't know the mountains name, but it is right on the south shore of Clear Lake. I didn't get to see the lake on this trip but I hope to go again to that area soon. 

The day was pretty warm already and getting hotter by the minute. I picked up my pace, attempting to get quickly to the shade of the creek-side trees, but I slowed down once more for more wildflowers along the path. 

Lotus, Acmispon sp.

Then I stopped altogether because a fence lizard was sunning itself on a truncated dead wood. the lizard didn't budge while I gave it good attention with my camera. On the moment I turned away to  resume my hike it slid down into hiding.  Go figure. 

Western Fence Lizard

It was a nice relief to get under the shade. I must admit though, that I was surprised how flat and calm Cache Creek looked. It wasn't the main creek though, but a side canal loop but it looked almost like standing water. I tried listening fr mosquitos but thankfully heard none. 

Cache Creek

In the trees Pappa Quail identified an acorn woodpecker. I like these noisy little birds but Pappa Quail didn't hide his disappointment. He was hoping to see the Lewis' woodpecker which the Audubon website said lives there. 

Acorn Woodpecker

Apple-like spheres grew on the oak branches. Oak fruit are acorns, of course, and these spheres are galls: insect-induced growths where midge larvae develop in safety. 

Galls on Valley Oak, Quercus Lobata

We continued walking along the water. Whenever there was a gap in the vegetation we approached the water to look for waterfowl and other interesting things. We didn't see any birds on the water, but the reflection on the flat, mirror-like surface was very beautiful. 

Cache Creek

We didn't see waterfowl in the water, but there were other winged beings flying around, and some even paused long enough to be photographed. 

Common Whitetail Dragonfly

On the side of the trail away from the water those were butterflies that filled the air. Also gnats, in millions, but the gnats I didn't try photographing.  

Checkerspot butterfly

The trail crossed one of the canals on a raised boardwalk. Once again we were exposed to the sun, but the hike was nice and easy, and the day was beautiful. I was enjoying myself. 

Cache Creek Trail

Pappa Quail paused by one of the trees in search of birds, so for a short time I was ahead. that's how I got to see the black phoebe. By the time Pappa Quail caught up with me, the little bird had flown away. 

Black Phoebe

There was a lot of green growth in the water. It was mostly algae strings, but there were also flat little plantlets floating on the surface. They turned out to be a type of fern. 

Mosquito Fern, Azolla filiculoides

We looked ahead of the boardwalk in the direction of the main Cache Creek. We couldn't see the creek though - it was belted with an inner thicket of willows and an outer thicket of poison hemlock.

Here too I was amazed at the exuberant growth of the wild California grape. This vine was literally everywhere, climbing on every tree.

California Wild Grape, Vitis californica

I was ahead of Pappa Quail once again when I spotted the turtle that was Sunbathing on a log sticking out of the water. When I raised my camera however, it jumped in the water and all I got was a shotof the plop which i'm not posting here. 

The boardwalk ended with an observation deck from which we could finally see the main Cache Creek. The creek was wide, and it looked as calm as the side canals. On the other side were houses with large decks and boat docks.

Cache Creek

Pappa Quail immediately saw what he sought, a grebe in the water. 

Western Grebe

Beyond the boardwalk the trail continued as a narrow foot path. The park brochure map had that trail loop back to the ranch house, so we stepped off the deck and resumed our hike going on foreward.

We were brushing against the tall grass now. I kept listening and watching for rattlesnekes but we saw none. I did, however, start feeling a foreboding itch inside my nose, which I ignored. 

The creek's view was blocked off by a tall hedge of the invasive Himalayan BlackBerry. The plants were blooming nicely, but it was way too early for berry picking. 

Himalayan Blackberry, Rubus armeniacus, non-native, invasive

We started coming across muddy and somewhat flooded patches on the trail. In some places we had to climb over the grass on the side to bypass the mud where it was deep. It was in these wet spots that I saw the cute, little veronica flowers.

Water Speedwell, Veronica anagallis-aquatica, non-native

We walked through overgrown grasses, brambles, and poison hemlock. The grass bloom was the height of my head and the itch in my nose grew quite bothersome.

Marsh Loop Trail

We reached a third canal and walked along it for a short distance. We couldn't see the water though. The view was blocked there by tall brambles too, and also by wild rose bushes.

California Wild Rose, Rosa californica

In one place the vegetation belt was just low enough that we could see a bit of the water. There were no birds there so Pappa Quail kept on walking, and I followed him.

Our path took us close to s stand of trees. By that time I had already started to sneeze. I pulled out my handkerchief and picked up my pace. 

Marsh Loop Trail

Now I wanted to complete the hike quicker. It was in these trees however, that Pappa Quail finally saw more birds, so we were bound to stay there a while longer..

Western Kingbird

Pappa Quail searched the trees for what I felt like ages. By then I realized I was about to have a full-blown allergy attack. I Sneezed so loud I was surprised that I didn't scare the birds away.

House Finch

We hurried onward through the grasses, negotiating the muddy areas and delving into the grasses, which did nothing to improve my sneezing. My eyes started itching too and I was tearing, but not so much yet as to not notice the wildflowers.

Seep Monkeyflower, Erythranthe gutatta

Pappa Quail came to a sudden stop and I was looking down and nearly rammed into him. It wasn't an animal he found, but a large flooded area. That was it, we had reached the marsh and the end of our trail. This might have been a loop trail in drier conditions, but we had no intention of wading through this marsh. We had to turn around.

Marsh

I sneezed and rubbed my itchy eyes to bloodshot while trying to keep up with Pappa Quail on the muddy trail.It was only after we reached a more negotiable part of the trail that I remembered the small container of antihistamine pills that I had in my backpack. I immediately stopped and swallowed a dose, but I knew it would take some time to take effect. Meanwhile I tried diverting my attention from my misery and focus on prettier things, like the orangetip butterfly that paused in front of me.

Sara Orangetip

At home, looking through the enlarged photos on the computer screen I noticed that for a couple of frames that butterfly had a little momentary rider.

Margined Calligrapher Fly

I took very few photos on the way back. The medication was slow to take effect (so I felt, anyway), and my enjoyment was all turned to misery. I wanted out of there, and fast.

Valley Oak, Quercus lobata

As much as I wanted to finish this hike, I still trailed behind Pappa Quail. He wasn't allergic to the blooming grass, but he was feeling hot and tired, and he was also disappointed having seen only very few birds in this place, which was supposed to be a birding hotspot.

Angled Pea Vine, Lathyrus angulatus, non-native

I was glad when we got out of the grass and went back on the boardwalk. I even regained some of my hiking pleasure, enjoying the calm water and the reflection of the vegetation in the mirror-smooth surface.

Arroyo Willow, Salix lasiolepis

Just as we were about to leave the creek-side trail and cross the grass field on the way to the trailhead, Pappa Quail found a spotted towhee in the bushes.

Spotted Towhee

Anderson Marsh SHP is a very nice place and it does look like a promising birding place. I think we were there in the wrong season for that, though. I sure was there in the wrong season. When I reached the car I could barely see anything because my eyes were swollen nearly shut. I was sneezing every second, and my throat was irritated and hurting. I crashed into the passenger seat and Pappa Quail drove us out of there. A few minutes of filtered air later, with the antihistamine finally taking effect, I slowly returned back to my normal self. By then, we were well on our way home, finishing a lovely weekend on our own. The chikas too had a good time without us. Perhaps next time we'll take a longer time away ...

Many thanks to members of the California Native Plants Society for their help in identifying plants!