Monday, the weather was sunny with light east winds to 5 mph changing to a thin overcast with winds to 10 mph by late afternoon. Temps were in the mid 50s to low 60s, depending on what the sky and wind were doing.
* Indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.
Cowpie Lichen: Diploschistes muscorum ?
* Leiberg's Bluegrass: Poa leibergii
Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. secunda - Inflorescences forming.
Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Leaves only.
* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica
Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum
Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum ssp. proliferum
* Western Spring Beauty: Claytonia lanceolata - Beginning to bloom in the Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve.
* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana
* Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum
Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - In bud.
* Obscure Buttercup, The Dalles Mt. Buttercup: Ranunculus triternatus
* Little Western Bittercres: Cardamine oligosperma
* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna - Very numerous.
* Scale Pod: Idahoa scapigera
* Fringepods: Thysanocarpus curvipes
* Bulblet Prairie Stars: Lithophragma bulbifera (Now included as part of Lithophragma glabrum.)
* Smooth Prairie Stars: Lithophragma glabrum
* Brittle-leaved Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa
Hood River Milkvetch: Astragalus hoodianus/ Yakima Milkvetch: Astragalus reventiformis - In bud.
* Woollypod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii
Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus - Leaves emerging from the ground.
Small-flowered Lupine: Lupinus latifolius X sericeus (Synonym: Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus) - A few plants with flower buds present.
Bighead Clover: Trifolium macrocephalum - In bud.
* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium
Canby's Desert Parsley: Lomatium canbyi - Past bloom.
* Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum
* Gorman's Salt and Pepper: Lomatium gormanii
* Klickitat Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense
* Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum - Cream-flowered variety.
* Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule
* Butterfly-loving (Pungent) Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum
* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi - Beginning to fade out of bloom.
* Nine-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum - Beginning to bloom.
Desert Shooting Star: Dodecatheon conjugens - In bud.
* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis
* Rigid Fiddleneck: Amsinckia retrorsa - Beginning to bloom.
* Slender Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys tenellus
* Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acutus - Beginning to bloom.
* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora
* Low Pussytoes: Antennaria dimorpha
* Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza deltoidea x careyana - Beginning to bloom along the road near the parking area near the state park/ natural area preserved boundary.
* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Fairly numerous.
Gray Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa
* False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides - Beginning to bloom.
Animals Seen Along This Route:
California Ground Squirrels
Coyotes- howling
Mule Deer herd
Turkey Vultures
Red-tailed Hawks
Harrier
Kestrel
Western Meadowlarks
Common Ravens
Magpies
Scrub Jays
Lewis' Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Spotted Towhees
American Robins
Western Bluebirds
Western Fence Lizards
Horned Lizards
Hoover Flies
Lady Bugs
Carnivorous Ground Beetles