Nearby Nature

Respect Montclair’s Naked Ladies

Montclair’s naked ladies deserve some respect!  They are lovely pink amaryllis flowers which have begun blooming on our hillsides right now – and are pretty much the only burst of color we’ll see during September.

The SF Chronicle reported about the naked ladies appearing in the lowlands nearly a month ago, and apparently they grow in all kinds of nooks and crannies there.  While these blooms take more time to emerge in Montclair, they eventually cover fields and can make quite a statement.

One of our neighbors, who has been living here for years, told me he has been planting them on our brown hillsides.  There are a few scattered up and down our street right now.  Unfortunately, he has mixed success because neighbors pick them all the time.

So I can’t resist declaring this:  We are killing the ladies, and it’s time to respect them.

The Birds of Tilden and Wildcat

Who needs the Telegraph Hill parrots?  In the East Bay, we have many more birds gracing our backyards and parks.

This summer, the East Bay Parks District has organized a photography exhibit to check them out – before you spot them all in the wild.

The exhibit showcases the work of Jeff Robinson, who photographed all the birds listed in the 1988 wildlife census for Tilden and Wildcat Canyon Regional Parks.  He also snapped photos of other wildlife commonly found here.

Through August, these images are displayed at the Environmental Education Center in Tilden Nature Area (map).  The Center’s hours are 10am-5pm daily (closed Mondays).  Photos are also for sale, to benefit the Regional Parks Foundation.

If you can’t make the exhibit itself, then take a look at this virtual gallery and run the slide show.  Robinson’s images are very special!

Big Miss Tree Contest

Enter your favorite big tree in this beauty contest!  Oakland has begun a Big Tree Registry to honor the largest and oldest specimens in the City.  This is a celebration of more than our venerated Oak – any native or imported species can qualify for this registry.

Only one tree per species will be glorified and awarded protected status.  Currently there are seven trees which have made the grade.  They reside at Joaquin Miller Park, Dunsmuir, Oakland Zoo and outside a few private residences.

To add to the list or beat the ones there, take a look around for some contestants.  Now the fun begins because you will need to measure them, and here’s a little help.  You ultimately calculate “total points” by adding:  trunk circumference in inches + height in feet + 1/4 of the crown spread in feet.

All done?  Then take a picture of your favorite contestant and complete this application.  If you have any questions, contact Dan Gallagher (dgallagher-at-oaklandnet.com) in the Public Works department.

Life With the Little Doggies

What if you could spend your days with little doggies?  Karin Cornwall really can answer this best, as the owner/operator of Little Paws’ Big Adventures – Safe Walks For Small Dogs!

Recently, I noticed that Karin organized a special gathering at Joaquin Miller Park’s dog run.  I thought there must be something really interesting, not to mention fun, about this small-dog life.

So I asked Karin – yes, that human on the left – to share a typical day with her charges.  It almost sounds like a bunch of kids learning the ropes at Redwood Regional Park, and here’s the run-down:

Well it was so warm that I hosed down the long haired dogs before our walk.  And boy am I glad I did, because by the end of it you would have never known they were soaked just an hour before.  Blue and Bonner looked like they had just gotten out of a blow dryer.

We walked on the West Ridge Trail at Redwood Park.  At the moment it is closed, as the folks at the park are working on removing dead trees and and dead branches so that they won’t fall on us while we’re hiking.  Normally it’s our go-to-trail on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  West Ridge Trail is always shady, has some interesting topography and lots of places for the energetic dogs in our groups to run amok.

Blue drank water for the first time ever from a bowl on a walk. In the past she has drunk from a creek, but never from a water bottle, my hand, or a bowl.

PJ did better with staying with the group and was off leash for the first leg of the walk yesterday. After our second water break, I leashed him back up for the way home, because he wasn’t responding from just two feet away.

Bonner is doing terrific off leash!  He’s staying with the group.  Attempting to get Parker to play with him, although I think he’d do better to egg on Blue.

Parker is playing fetch and not letting anyone else near “his” pine cone.  All the same, Bonner gets a kick out of chasing Parker while he chases his pine cone.

Karin says she still has a few open spots on her walks each weekday, and would love to fill up with friendly, well-mannered small dogs.  She serves neighborhoods bordering Highway 13 in Oakland.  Visit the LBPA website or call (510) 529-5565 for more info.

Thanks Karin, and I look forward to reporting on different dog-friendly hikes in the area.  Everyone needs a little inspiration about where to take their beloved pooches or meet (and temporarily adopt) a few while walking along the trails.

Guided Intros To The Parks

Montclarions are split between the walkers and non-walkers.  If you are a non-walker but curious about seeing the trails, then here’s your chance to join a guided introduction.

Stress-free walks are scheduled this weekend and next.  You are even encouraged to bring your kids along, if they are in grade school or older.  Hopefully, the temps will be comfortable while wandering in the trees or on the ridge tops.

First Intro:  Volcanoes, Quarries and Labyrinths – Takes place at Sibley Volcanic Preserve (map) this Sunday, August 3rd, from 1:30 – 4:00pm – Free.

Explore the remnants of an extinct volcano, exposed in places by years of quarrying and decorated by artists building labyrinths.  Keep your eyes skyward for golden eagles. Moderate hike.  For 8+ yrs.  This is a drop in program; no registration is required.  For info, call: (510) 521-6887.

Second Intro:  Up-Down & All-Around Walk – Takes place at Redwood Regional Park (map) next Saturday, August 9th, from 2:30 – 4:30pm – Free.

We’ll hike from the top of the Ridge to the creek and back as we enjoy the redwoods and their varied past. Plan for up and down hill on this somewhat shady walk.  For 6+ yrs.  This is a drop in program; no registration is required.  For info, call: (510) 521-6887.

Third Intro:  Redwoods To the Cosmos – Takes place at Redwood Regional Park and Chabot Observatory (map) next Sunday, August 10th, from 9:00 – 11:00am (Cosmos) or from 1:30 – 2:30pm (Tykes) – Fees.

Earth and sky unite in an outing that is out of this world. High in the hills of Oakland, hike the redwood laced trails to hidden, historic sites. Experience the ecosystem by walking through the beautiful, shady paths of Redwood Regional Park. Then explore the cosmos at Chabot with hands-on interactive exhibits and displays and be amazed how your child’s universe can expand in one excursion!  ‘Redwoods to the Cosmos Hike’  is 8+ yrs, while ‘Little Tyke Family Hike’ is 5+ yrs.  Fees: $5 plus General Admission to Chabot.  For info and registration call: (510) 336-7373.