The trail made by jackrabbits, ground squirrels, guinea fowl, and cats became more evident with the greening.
A mountain ash put forth lacy new foliage.
Creek flow along Rte 175.
Red breasted sapsucker, victim of a car.
Ceanothus.
Currant.
Trillium (purple).
Trillium (white).
Oaks and pines on boulder field by Boggs Lake.
Boggs Lake, a very big vernal pool, frequented by Pacific pond turtles, bald eagles and Canada geese.
Tules at Boggs Lake.
The aftermath of the Valley Fire along Dry Creek Cutoff in Middletown. The road was formerly embowered by big Valley Oaks, making it one of the prettier drives in the county. The fire was so intense that the oaks, and surrounding forests were charred to death. On the hillsides, the soil itself looks to have been sterilized. Huge areas show no evidence of recovery. But flat meadows have again turned green. Some of the monarch Valley Oaks, standing well out on open terrain, have survived.
Many of the charred roadside oaks have now been cut down.
The area of incinerated forests in the mountains, canyons, and valleys is so vast that only moving through it, mile after mile, gives a sense of its extent. From some vantage points, mountains from horizon to horizon are thoroughly blackened. There is little trace now of the 1600 houses and other structures that were consumed.
Acorn woodpecker granary in a Ponderosa Pine.
