MOUNTAINS GROUP
San Gorgonio Chapter
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MOUNTAINS GROUP San Gorgonio Chapter |
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A Spring Hike from Keller Hut to Little Green Valley
(Click on the photos to see larger versions)
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On May 3, three of us enjoyed a slow paced hike from Keller Ski Hut up to Little Green Valley, stopping often to take photos and examine various things we saw.` Our first stop was the pond, where alpine shooting stars were still in bloom. |
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 This clear mountain stream had not escaped pollution. We found a balloon in the water, its string caught in a willow branch. Balloons let loose from parties are more than unsightly litter. All kinds of animals - deer, birds, dolphins, sea turtles and whales among others - have been found dead because latex from balloons blocked their intestines. Birds have been found strangled by the strings attached to balloons. Metallic balloons caught on power lines cause power outages and fires, and are dangerous to retrieve. SCE warns about objects caught in power lines How balloons kill wildlife Inky, the pygmy sperm whaleUK biologists call for ban on release of balloons Power outages caused by balloons
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 White Fir Mistletoe. The Latin name is Phoradendron Pauciflorum. (Phoradendron means tree thief, and pauciflorum means few flowers.) There are about 1300 species of mistletoe worldwide. Long considered a pest, its importance in ecosystems is now being recognized. Although toxic to humans, the berries and leaves are high-protein food for many mammals, especially in autumn and winter when other food sources are scarce. Elk, cattle and deer eat mistletoe during the winter. Some Texas ranchers remove mistletoe from mesquite for cattle food when other food is scarce. It is a source of food for squirrels, chipmunks and porcupines. Some squirrels, including flying squirrels, use mistletoes for cover and nesting sites. Many birds eat mistletoe berries, and some species, including the spotted owl, may nest in them. Links: The mistletoe is important to birds, bees, butterflies and mammals Calflora pictures of California mistletoes Mistletoe mythology |
 Woodpecker Granary Tree. A little further up we found this woodpecker larder, still partly stocked with acorns. The acorn woodpeckers live in colonies and all members of the group work together to store acorns in so called granary trees. We didn't actually see any woodpecker but we did hear them. (The photo is from USFWS collection). Read more and listen to the acorn woodpecker at: eNature Cornell Lab
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Bark beetle damage. |
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