#mentalhealthhike — Public Fediverse posts

It’s popcorn lizard season!

Baby western fence lizard, adorably giving me side eye

#herps #herpetology #lizerbs #MentalHealthHike #animals

Cya, danger puppy!

#coyotoes #MentalHealthHike #animals

Yep! Bonus Danger Puppy! It skidaddled up the hill. I suspect it had been at the pond for a drink.

#coyotoes #MentalHealthHike #animals

On the way back to Montebello I stopped to take a photo of this fine vista.

Can you see the extra bonus animal?

#MentalHealthHike #animals

These birds could really zoom - their little legs padding hard out the back like outboard motors!

#MentalHealthHike #lakes #birds

Several families of coots were living their best life in this lake

#MentalHealthHike #lakes #birds

Across the ridge is the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve - the trail hopped across to check out Horseshoe Lake

#MentalHealthHike #lakes #trees #landscapes

This squirrel wasn’t going to be deterred by me standing there - it has a nut to eat!

#MentalHealthHike #animals #squirrels

I came across two does, who weren’t super panicked but were definitely on alert.

#MentalHealthHike #animals #deer

Feathery mosses adorn a trunk

#MentalHealthHike #mosstodon

For today’s #MentalHealthHike I returned to Montebello Open Space Preserve

The dramatic open spaces covered in golden wild oats contrast with the deep olive of the wooded areas.

Rather than climbing up the top of the hill, this time I descended to the valley floor, then ascend up to the skyline ridge.

https://www.openspace.org/preserves/monte-bello

#landscapes

Here, have some Great Blue Heron relaxation time…
#MentalHealthHike #birds

Right at the end this Great Blue Heron was being great, and blue

#MentalHealthHike #birds

Does anyone know if the California Buckeye is also known as the Ballsack Tree? :-)

#MentalHealthHike #trees #plants

I love it when one fallen log has it all going on…

#MentalHealthHike #trees #plants #mushtodon #lichensubscribe #mosstodon

Looking up the valley. This sort of view always boosts my chill

#MentalHealthHike #trees #plants

Someone’s old nest fallen to the trail

#MentalHealthHike #birds

This mule deer doe gave me a good staring at

#MentalHealthHike #deer #animals

I also saw many fine examples of Bigleaf Maples - which I haven’t seen too many of around here

#MentalHealthHike #trees #plants #maples

This is, I think, a Valley Oak

#MentalHealthHike #trees #plants #oaks

Two different oak species growing next to each other.

On the left, the Coast Live Oak, is semi-evergreen.
On the right, the California Black Oak is deciduous.

#MentalHealthHike #trees #plants #oaks

For today’s #MentalHealthHike I visited the Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve.

https://www.openspace.org/preserves/bear-creek-redwoods

This recently opened park, managed by the Mid-peninsula Trust, was recently developed.

It once was the site of a millionaire’s home and gardens at the turn of the century, and was then bought and developed as a Jesuit Seminary, which it remained until the 1970s

The seminary was named Alma College, after the nearby town of Alma. This ghost town was drowned during the flooding of the Lexington Reservoir in the 1950s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma,_California

#history

Oh but there’s one more thing! I got a lovely visit with this cute Bewick’s Wren!
No good photos but here’s a nice little video!

#birds #MentalHealthHike

To end my trail, a grey squirrel gave me a talking to.

“AND STAY OUT!”

#squirrel #MentalHealthHike

More awesome lichen and moss on some rocks

#LichenSubscribe #Mosstodon #MentalHealthHike

Some wag added a nice surprise to the side of the hill… :-)

#Gnomes #MentalHealthHike

This Toyon has a wax scales infestation

#Plants #Insects #Entomology #MentalHealthHike

Check out this beautiful old oak, festooned with lichen and moss

#LichenSubscribe #Mosstodon #Plants #Oaks #MentalHealthHike

One of the things I love about these hills is that you can THINK it’s dry and dead, and then be completely surprised…

#BloomScrolling #Plants #Flowers #MentalHealthHike

The trail also was festooned with serpentine rocks, some polished smooth by walkers over the years

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpentine_subgroup

#minerals #MentalHealthHike