A Fitting Presidential Legacy: Hiking at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Coastal Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens

Date: November 29, 2019
Place: Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwood National Park, Orick, California
Coordinates: 41.303376, -124.018061
Link to trailhead
Length: 1.6 miles
Level: easy

Last Thanksgiving break was a split deal for us. On the first three days the chikas were out of school but Pappa Quail was still at work. Those days we were in the Redding and Shasta Area where we explored Pluto's Cave and hiked at the Turtle Bay Nature Area.
When Pappa Quail got his holiday we traveled again to Northern California, but this time along the coast.
It's a long drive to Redwood National Park but there are a number of beautiful redwood groves along the way. We stopped at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove where we had a very nice first hike for this trip.

Our hike as captured by my GPS

A narrow and winding road leads up to the grove. The parking lot is tiny,and it was nearly full when we arrived there. We were fortunate to find the very last parking slot. 

It was surprisingly chilly outside, despite the sunshine. Expecting the forest's shade, we dressed in layers and crossed the foot bridge where the trailhead was.

Indeed, as soon as we crossed the foot bridge into the grove we were in the forest's shade. The sunlight rays filtered through the canopies forming dancing light spots on the trail but for the most part, we were well under the cover of vegetation.

Trying to see the redwood canopies is always a neck-straining ordeal. It is hard to appreciate how high these trees really are.

Coastal Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens

It was easier to focus on the base of these giants' trunks which too are quite impressive. Good ones for a communal hug.

Coastal Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens

The North California coast is one of our top destination choices for Thanksgiving time much because it is the mushroom bloom season. The fall of 2019 was very dry however, and the mushroom bloom was very limited compared with previous years we've been there. I didn't expect to see many mushrooms and indeed there weren't many. But there were a few and I was happy to see them.

Some were harder to photograph than others - they hid in the dark deep underneath the shrubs.

Fungus

What was happening outside and over the shrubs was no less interesting and perhaps even more fascinating: old decomposing logs of fallen redwoods supporting new life as planters for other plants. In this case - California huckleberry, one of the common epiphytic plants growing on redwood pedestals.

California Huckleberry, Vaccinium ovatum 

After about a third of a mile we reached the main loop trail within the grove. There stood a plaque with the grove's dedication by former president Richard Nixon to Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady of president Lindon Johnson.

There were plenty of real birds in the grove but they were difficult to see and a challenge to photograph among all that vegetation. Pappa Quail scored one hermit thrush that landed on the trail and remained exposed there long enough for a few shots.

Hermit Thrush

In general it wasn't easy to take good photos on that hike. Illumination is always a challenge in the deep forest, especially when the canopies allow enough light through to confuse the camera.
It was a feast to the eyes, however.

There were also many other epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) beside the huckleberry. Another common one was the bracken fern.

All these epiphytes begin small: I could see on the fallen logs at my eye level the small epiphytic gardens that given time would be dominated by one or a few bigger plants.

The day warmed up as we made our way around the loop trail. The elder chika was miffed about not seeing birds and the younger one whom I set to look for banana slugs for me was running that she couldn't see any. I let them follow Pappa Quail ahead while I remained lagging behind to walk in the peace of the forest.

We found a hollow redwood, which had a good effect on the chikas. They paused their bickering long enough to pose inside the tree for some photographs. Then I too went into the hole.
These holes are caused by fires, often ignited by lightning. The redwood is more fire-resistant than other trees due to its high content of tannic acid, the same chemical that gives it its red color. High tannins concentration also render the redwoods more resistant to pests. Too bad it doesn't make it resistant to human saws.

Redwood Hole 

Another redwood tree had a huckleberry bush growing right out of its trunk. Perhaps it sprouted there and grew as an epiphyte. Perhaps it sprouted on the ground next to the redwood and the tree engulfed it with its ever growing bark.Either way, both plants seem content and healthy with this setting.

California Huckleberry, Vaccinium ovatum growing out of a living redwood

The chikas called me to hurry up and join them - they had spotted another mushroom for me to see. I think I had trained them well.

It is really hard to get an impression of the size of an old growth redwood tree from photos. But I never cease to be impressed by these wonderful giants.

Between the redwoods

We completed the loop trail and turned back toward where the parking lot was. The day had warmed u but the wind intensified as well, and we could see the canopies moving way up above. Despite the sunshine, we remained bundled up in our winter wear.
A weird looking tree caught my attention as we were getting near the end of our hike. It was the biggest epiphyte huckleberry I've seen that day.

A most resilient redwood

I wonder how this tree planter will look like in a few decades. Perhaps I'll even be there to see for myself.

Duck, Duck, Godwit: Arcata Marsh, Revisited

Date: April 1, 2018
Place: Arcata Marsh Preserve, Arcata, California
Address: 569 S. G St, Arcata, California
Length: about 3 miles
Level: easy

Our goal for this past spring break was to check out the Klamath River area. I chose to stay for the first night in Arcata because it was the north most town on route 101 before turning onto 96 - the scenic road that follows the Klamath River. I had planned for the trip to be relaxed and at ease, but because of lazy planning on my side we and hiked a longer tail than we should have at the Jack London SHP, and arrived at Arcata near midnight. We woke up late, but keeping with the original plan we went to the Arcata Marsh Sanctuary and Wildlife Area for a late morning birding hike.

It was our second time in this lovely place. I remembered the bitterns we had seen on our previous visit there and was eager to see more. I also wished to see the south part of the sanctuary, which we hadn't seen before.

Our hike at the north side of the Arcata Marsh Sanctuary 

After a short stop at the visitor center we moved on to the main pond area in the north part of the sanctuary. We didn't get very far before I stopped to admire the currant bloom.

Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum

Pappa Quail and the chikas continued on while I knelt down to inspect more closely the budding horsetail.

Horsetail, Equisetum telmateia 

When I finally reached the first pond I found it almost empty of birds. I reminded myself that most wintering birds had already migrated on but I did expect to see more. The pond was pretty blue and the water rippled lightly in the soft breeze.

There were a few scaup ducks in the pond. We took a few minutes to look around, then moved on.

Scaup 

At the edge of the bay stood a great egret in ambush. Occasionally it lashed its long neck and grabbed something on the water.

Great Egret

The tide was very low and shorebirds dotted the mud flats. A few birds flew away just as we approached.

Marbled Godwit

The low tide exposed the bottom of Arcata Bay. I could imagine walking to Eureka on the surface. Imagination only. I wouldn't have tried it.

View across Arcata Bay

There were more shorebirds on the mud flats. Pappa Quail and the chikas moved along slowly, trying to identify one gray bird from another. Size, beak shape, legs color - all matter.

Willet

The inner ponds are separated from the tide cycle. We walked on the levee, enjoying the sunshine, looking for birds.

Most waterfowl had already migrated north. The birds that remained behind were busy with spring activities. This way we got to see the birds that announced themselves vocally, such as this cute marsh wren and his friends. They are awesome singers, and very loud, too.

Marsh Wren

The main pond we were going around had a few low islands on one of which, just at the edge of my zoom, slept a group of gray shorebirds, possibly willets, over watched by a single snowy egret.

Behind the pond - an area open to the bay. Accordingly - the water is down with the low tide and the mud is exposed. There, looking for morsels, a snowy egret.

Snowy Egret

One of the reasons I chose to go again to the Arcata Marsh was the possibility of seeing bitterns. On our first hike there we've seen three of them. This time - none. We did see different things, however.

Mourning Shroud

Just like last time, however, we did get to see the red-legged frogs. We saw them in the same spot too, that cement basin along the bike trail that we were walking on back toward the visitor center.

Red-legged Frog 

Therer were many more frogs in that basin this time and chikas were quite excited to count them. I think we saw at least twenty there. Those we'd seen through the camouflage.

Red-legged Frog

We stopped briefly at the visitor center, then continued on to the south part of the sanctuary, where we had never been before.

Black-capped Chickadee 

On the way Pappa Quail and the elder chika pointed out a few more birds. My chika got quite good at photographing them too. Even with her simple camera she has.

Green-winged Teal

The tide was already coming in. Where earlier was just mud was now completely flooded with water. And it was still coming in.

A paved bike path connects the south unit with the main sanctuary area. A narrow, almost invisible opening near the hedge leads to a narrow foot trail that leads to the ponds.

Our hike at the south side of the Arcata Marsh Sanctuary 

While our map indicated walking trails around all three ponds, in fact only the south most one was open for us to walk. the other two were fenced and the gates locked.

We begun looping around the pond clockwise: pond to our right and bay to our left. There seemed to be very few birds about on either side, but the day had brightened and the walk very pleasant.

There was much bloom along the trail. Invasive weeds mostly, but also a willow bush in full bloom.

Willow, Salix sp. 

The mud flats of Arcata Bay were now covered in water. The wind had picked up and rippled the surface.

We walked briskly. Soon Pappa Quail and the elder chika marched on, me and the young chika lagging behind.

Apparently they did stop on occasions. Long enough to spot a grebe in the pond.

Western Grebe 

I was paying attention to other things.

Back to the connecting trail we reunited and walked together back to the visitor center area. We were observed by a starling that was people-watching from its perch on a nearby tree.

Starling 

Next to the starling was another common bird - an American crow. The crow didn't find us all that interesting.

American Crow 

But the bird that seemed to be most interested in us was a rough-winged swallow that was perched on a wire. it kept looking at us until we moved on.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 

It seemed that all the birds we had missed going to the south unit were now gathered along the short trail back, waiting for us to take notice. I was hoping to hear the song of the song sparrow but it remained silent.

Song Sparrow

We finished our hike without seeing any bittern. After a short break at the visittor center we were ready to move on - we had some way to drive before settling for the night and we still didn't know where that would be.

The visitor center at the Arcata Marsh Sanctuary

My family had entered the car but i lingered behind - the parking lot was surrounded by planted ceanothus bushes. Their scent was wonderful and I could stand there and inhale for a whole day.

Blueblossom, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 

Eventually I did get in the car and we drove off, starting northward on the main route of our spring break tour - route 96 along the mighty Klamath River.

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