[Wildflower Bloom Reports for the Columbia River Gorge: 2010]
Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge

Additions to the Labyrinth and Coyote Wall

April 15, 2010

View east from the Atwood Road across the west wall at Catherine Creek towards the eastern Columbia River Gorge..............April 15, 2010.

A view east from the Atwood Road (in the noman's land above Rowland Lake) across the west wall of Catherine Creek towards the eastern Columbia River Gorge. The Columbia Hills can be seen at the left horizon, while Seven Mile Hill can be seen at the right horizon. Photographed on April 15, 2010.
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Comprehensive plant list for the Coyote Wall and the Labyrinth.

Weather: Mostly clear with occasional clouds drifting by. Light wind from the west in the morning, light wind from the east in the early afternoon, then calm in the early evening. Temperatures from the 50s in the morning to upper 60s in the afternoon.

I spent quite a bit of time thorougly hiking the lower, open slopes from the Coyote Wall east to the eastern edge of the Labyrinth. I also spent several hours hiking through coniferous forest and oak forest along the Atwood Road east almost to Sunflower Hill (where the metal powerlines descend the hill on the upper, west portions of Catherine Creek), then along a new mountain bike trail that weaves downhill above Rowland Lake, and then back west across interesting open slopes to the upper part of the Labyrinth.

* Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri

California Hazelnut: Corylus cornuta var. californica

Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana - Leaves emerging. Flower buds visible.

Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - In bud, may be in bloom within a week if the weather remains warm.

Douglas' Buckwheat: Eriogonum douglasii var. tenue - In bud, may be in bloom by early next week.

* Bigleaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla

Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum - In bud.

* Woods Strawberry: Fragaria vesca var. bracteata

Pacific Trailing Blackberry: Rubus ursinus var. macropetalus

Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus (if not this, then Bingen Lupine: Lupinus bingensis)

* Small-flowered Lupine: Lupinus micranthus

* Columbia Gorge Lupine: Lupinus latifolius x sericeus - Finally, there are numerous individuals of this gorgeous lupine finally in bloom.

* Few-flower Clover: Trifolium oliganthum

American Vetch: Vicia americana

* Garden Vetch: Vicia sativa

* Dovefoot Geranium: Geranium molle

Common Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi

Western Starflower: Trientalis latifolia

* Weak-stemmed Cryptanth: Cryptantha flaccida

* Common Cryptanth: Cryptantha intermedia

* Great Hound's Tongue: Cynoglossum grande

* Rattan's Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia rattanii

* Chickweed Monkey Flower: Mimulus alsinoides

* Corn Speedwell: Veronica arvensis

Common Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus (var. ?)

* Rosy Plectritis: Plectritis congesta

* Corn-salad: Valerianella locusta

Spearleaf Agoseris: Agoseris retrorsa

Hall's Goldenweed: Columbiadoria hallii

* Lindley's Annual Microseris: Microseris lindleyi

* Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. ochroleucus - Beginning to bloom.

Animals Seen Along This Route Today:

Mule Deer (tracks along trails)

California Ground Squirrels

Red-tailed Hawks

Turkey Vultures

Common Ravens (including nest in cliff)

Western Meadowlarks

Mallards (in vernal creek)

Downy Woodpecker (male)

American Robins

Townsend's Solitaires

Western Bluebirds

Spotted Towhees

Dark-eyed Juncso

Yellow-rumped Warblers

Violet-green Swallows

Western Fence Lizards

Anise Swallowtails

California Tortoiseshells

Sara's Orangetips stopping at every midget phlox they saw.

Propertius Duskywings

Spring Azures?

Small white moth with black spots

Typical early spring landscape in the Labyrinth, middle Columbia River Gorge..........April 15, 2010.

Typical early spring landscape in the Labyrinth..............April 15, 2010. The Oregon white oaks are just beginning to leaf out.
Paul Slichter