Musafir's Musings: Northern California

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Northern California - Late Spring 2009

Morels * Wild Flowers

25 days away from summer solstice, and sweaters still needed in the evening. Meadows in the foothills still show patches of green, and wild flowers are in bloom in many of the preserves that dot the San Francisco Bay area.

Morels are rarely found here. Foragers head for fire-ravaged areas in the Sierras where one can find a lot if the timing is right. A few weeks back a friend and I joined a group of foragers led by a man who knows all about wild mushrooms. The location where he took us was in the vicinity of South Fork of Yuba River.

Two good specimens

And another

Happy Forager

The morels were not in the best of condition -- many of them beginning to get dry -- and there were many other foragers trudging up and down the hills. But we didn't return empty handed.

Wild Flowers, and a Bird

Redwing Blackbird, Arastradero Preserve