Wildflower Drive

Wild Lupine on a roadside

Took a drive in the sticks today to look for interesting bird, but mostly found wildflowers. I have hoped this would be a year for wildflowers that would match the blooms of 2009. Oh well, what we got this year is better than last, and far better than the year before that, so I'm chuffed.

What I enjoy the most is when a field or hillside looks painted with color, like Mum Nature got out her paints and went nuts. There are touches of that around, such as here at Mather Field.

Um.. think these are Vernal Pool Meadowgold

White Meadowfoam at Mather Field

Another spot with a fair amount of wildflowers is over on Michigan Bar Road. Again, this year can't hold a candle to 2009, but there are still a lot of flower out there.

Only found these growing in one low puddled spot

They are another type of Meadowfoam 

The usual bounty of Tidy Tips are about

I spent a lot of time on Michigan Bar Road, staring at Fiddleneck, hoping to see some 'first of season' Lawrence's Goldfinch, but no dice.

Fiddleneck, check. Lawrence's Goldfinch... nope!

There are still a fair amount of Cluster Lilies and Popcorn flower about

Of course, there are loads of California Poppy, just about any place you look

Recently I was driving in downtown Napa and saw California Poppy growing from cracks in the sidewalk, so when I say the poppies are everywhere, I mean everywhere!