It doesnt get much better than these days. Thanks Bancroft and Valle Verde for bringing a little spunk to the outdoor school. We had a week of high energy fun and lots of amazing sightings that can be added to the Hot Spot. The weather was warm in the sun and cold at night. THe skies were mostly clear except for Wednesday night and thursday morning which were overcast with a little precipitation. Thanks to the precipatation the fungus continues to grow as will be documented in this weeks hot spot. The picture of Bobcat tells the story perfectly. The tides were not ideal once again, but the students did get to have a good session on thursday morning.

Here’s the Hot Spot:
Marsh Birds:

1) Buffleheads
2) Pelagic Cormorants
3) Yellow-Rumped Warblers
4) Great Egret
5) American Coot
6) Mallards
7) Great Blue Herons

Other Marsh Life:
1) Western Pond Turtle

Tidepools:
1) Rock Crabs
2) Ochre sea stars
3) Mossy Chiton
4) Eel

And, just as the students were boarding the beach bus to go home, they all saw a pod of dolphins passing by!!

Redwoods:
1) Ensentina (salamander)
2) Opossum tailed, flea ridden, coyote (Bobcats words)
3) Wolf Spider
4) King Bolete (at Jones Gulch )
5) Hermit Thrush
6) Varied Thrush
7) Red tailed Hawk
8) Red-shouldered Hawk
9) Brown Creeper
10) golden crowned sparrow
11) Kingfisher

Fungus:

1) Oyster Mushrooms
2) Inonotus ?
3) King Bolete
4) Agaricus
5) Amanita Coccora

Thanks to you all for being the senses of the forest. Now be like Ikarus and FLY!!