March 6, 2006

Memaloose Overlook

* Grass Widow: Olsynium douglasii (formerly Sisyrinchium douglasii) - At this point, only a few of this species in bloom at this location.

Animals seen: California ground squirrels, one western gray squirrel

* Scale Pod: Idahoa scapigera - Some pods beginning to form.

* Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum - Probably began to bloom within the week.

* Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum - Beginning to bloom, with plants still stunted, but leaves now well developed.

* Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium grayii - Numerous plants with both leaves and inflorescence.

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi - Abundant.

* Scale Pod: Idahoa scapigera - Beginning to bloom.

* Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium grayii - A few small plants in bloom here.

* Smooth Desert Parsley: Lomatium laevigatum - Fairly abundant, but plants are still very stunted in their growth.

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi - Abundant.

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - A few short plants beginning to bloom at this site.

Sand-dune Broomrape: Orobanche ludoviciana - Dried remains of last season's plants. This is a sand-loving species I had not previously seen at this site!

* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Moderate bloom here.

Animals Seen: numerous rafts of ducks in the Columbia River (scaups, American widgeons, common goldeneyes), common mergansers, grebes (western or Clarks), cormorants (probably double-crested), ravens, red-tailed hawks.

Data collected between the following coordinates: Trailhead: N45 41.682' --- W121 05.576', Top of Ridge: N45 42.108' --- W121 04.987' Elevation-2725', and Summit of Stacker Butte: N45 42.820' --- W121 06.084' Elevation- 3211')

A pleasant day at this location with temps in the low 50s and sunny skys with intermittent rain showers. The day began with no wind and the winds picked up to ~20 mph with the wind. Views to the Cascades were blocked by rain squalls to the west, but views eastward were good to near Roosevelt, WA and Arlington, OR and further southeast to the Blue Mts. just south of Condon, OR and Heppner, OR. Numerous meadow larks performed at lower elevations while the horned larks gave their plaintive calls and were busy chasing each other across the steppe at higher elevation. Very little new vegetation is to be found above 2800'.

* Grass Widows: Olsynium douglasii - Moderately common on flats around the upper parking area. I searched for O. inflatum, but saw no sign of it yet.

Bitterroot: Lewisia rediviva - Numerous basal leaves on rock outcrops or rocky soils at high elevation.

* Dalles Mt. Buttercup: Ranunculus reconditus - Numerous plants seen in full bloom at several locations.

Douglas' Draba: Cusickiella douglasii (Draba douglasii) - No sign of flowers yet.

* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna var. boerhaavii - A few plants in full bloom.

* Scale pod: Idahoa scapigera - Beginning to bloom.

Northwestern Saxifrage: Saxifraga nidifica ? (formerly Saxifraga integrifolia) - Many basal leaves on outcrops or balds at higher elevations.

Lupine: Lupinus sp. - A few small clusters of emerging leaves, the leaves glabrous.

Lupine: Lupinus sp. - A few small clusters of emerging leaves, the leaves very hairy (L. leucophyllus?)

* Canby's Desert Parsley: Lomatium canbyi - Fairly numerous especially at upper elevations.

* Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium grayii - A few in bloom around the upper parking lot.

* Biscuit Root / Gray-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium macrocarpum - Numerous leafy clusters at middle elevations, with a number of plants beginning to bloom around the upper parking area.

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi - Abundant, especially at higher elevations.

Desert Shooting Star: Dodecatheon conjugens - Numerous basal leaves with flower buds trying to poke out, one plant beginning to bloom at about 2800'.

Animals Seen: ravens, 1 red-tailed hawk, kestrel, male and female harrier, 1 rock wren, abundant American robins, numerous horned larks, several western meadowlarks, numerous starlings, several California ground squirrels and 6 mule deer.

Dalles Mt. Road: Small Gravel pit along road at: N45 40.594' --- W121 03.239' Elevation - 1550'

* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica - Moderate bloom on slopes above this site.

* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna var. boerhaavii - (See photo at right, taken at this site.) A few plants in full bloom.

* Scale pod: Idahoa scapigera - Beginning to bloom with some developing pods.

* Fringe Pod: Thysanocarpus curvipes ? - Very young plants, beginning to bloom at this site.

* Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum - Probably began to bloom within the week.

Lupine: Lupinus sp. - A few small clusters of emerging leaves, the leaves glabrous.

Lupine: Lupinus sp. - A few small clusters of emerging leaves, the leaves very hairy (L. leucophyllus?)

* Canby's Desert Parsley: Lomatium canbyi - Fairly numerous especially at upper elevations.

* Biscuit Root, Gray-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium macrocarpum - Numerous leafy clusters at middle elevations, with a number of plants beginning to bloom around the upper parking area.

* Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule - A few leafy clusters seen near the parking area for the trailhead.

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi - Abundant, especially at higher elevations.

Nine-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum - A few leafy clusters seen at middle elevations.

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - A few short plants beginning to bloom at this site.

Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza species - Numerous new leaves pushing from the ground, with a few buds of flower heads perhaps a week away from bloom.

Animals Seen: ravens, magpies, red-tailed hawks, kestrel, flickers, abundant American robins, starlings, western meadowlarks, several juncos and several white-crowned sparrows, one Say's phoebe, a covy of California Quail, a pair of mallards (at the ranch pond), several California ground squirrels.