May 5, 2004

Naturalist Notebook:

May 15 - Comet NEAT c/2001 q4 is passing around the sun and astronomers hope that it may be bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

The great blue heron has returned to feast on gophers in the pastures of the Morgan Horse Ranch. Typically, they are seen in marsh areas eating frogs etc. but the abundance of gophers in the Bear Valley area seem to attract one heron or so a year.

Six snowy plover nests have been noted on the Great Beach, though one was lost to high tides and another to high winds. Once the nests are established, a string enclosure is built around the nest to discourage predators. Avoid the enclosure areas to minimize disturbance to the endangered birds.

Those large flowering white plants - described as looking like cauliflowers on a stem - are cow parsnips, they are quite tall and coming into bloom now. Wildflowers continue throughout the park, the air at the Lighthouse on recent calm days has been fragrant from the yellow bush lupines. Early salmonberries are ripening on the Sky Trail - they look like raspberries but with an orange, hairy berry - not considered very tasty.

A clothing catalogue is filming at Pierce Point Ranch on Wednesday and Thursday, May 5-6, weather permitting. No traffic delays anticipated.

A permit for a wedding at Limantour Beach has been issued for May 8th - 100+ people between 1:00-5:00 pm. there may be parking congestion if the weather is particularly nice.

ON THE CALENDAR:

Migratory Bird Day at Muir Beach - May 8th - 7:00 am to Noon at Muir Beach - Bird banding, children's activities tasting of shade grown coffees and chocolate, bird walks. This event is free and open to the public, a partnership of the National Park Service and Point Reyes Bird Observatory.

Rare Plant-a-thon - June 12-13th Volunteers are needed to explore the park and map rare plant populations. Overnight accommodations offered in the Historic Boathouse at Chimney Rock. Call (415) 464-5195 to sign up.

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