Today the weather was clear but with a thin layer of clouds which still let most of the sunlight in. Light winds from the west in the morning to winds to 15 mph from the west made it feel a bit cool if standing still. Temperatures were in the 40s to low 50s. Wind protective clothing and an extra sweater or light coat were needed to stay warm when standing still.
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.
Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Leaves only.
* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica
* Douglas' Grass Widows: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii
* Inflated Grass Widows: Olsynium douglasii var. inflatum - Beginning to bloom along the Dalles Mountain Road several miles uphill to the east of the Dalles Mt. Ranch buildings.
Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum
Douglas' Buckwheat: Eriogonum sphaerocephalum var. sublineare
Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. proliferum
* Obscure Buttercup, The Dalles Mt. Buttercup: Ranunculus triternatus
* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna - Very numerous.
* Smooth Prairie Stars: Lithophragma glabrum
Small-flowered Lupine: Lupinus latifolius X sericeus (Synonym: Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus) - Leaves emerging from the ground.
Bighead Clover: Trifolium macrocephalum - Some plants with inflorescence buds.
* Canby's Desert Parsley: Lomatium canbyi
* Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum - Beginning to bloom. Cream-flowered plants.
* Bare-stem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule - Beginning to bloom.
* 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 - Basal leaves only.
Columbia Frasera: Frasera albicaulis var. nitida - Basal leaves only.
* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis - A few small plants were seen in bloom.
Hood's Phlox: Phlox hoodii
Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii
* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - A few plants beginning to bloom.
* Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza deltoidea x careyana - Beginning to bloom on south-facing slopes along the Dalles Mountain Road east of the Dalles Mountain Ranch.
* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Fairly numerous.
False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides - Numerous basal leaves.
Animals Seen Along This Route Today:
California Ground Squirrels
Immature Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawks
Ravens
Northern Flickers
Lewis' Woodpeckers
Stellers Jays
Scrub Jays
Western Meadowlarks
Spotted Towhees
Western Bluebirds
Dark-eyed Juncos
Horned Larks
The Uncle (small, colorful moth) - Numerous