Chaparral excercise

Chaparral Species observed:

Indian paintbrushes- I saw these growing along the trail, their pale leaves may help them deflect intense sun rays.

Anna's Hummingbird- I saw them feeding among the manzanitas, they are able to take advantage of this winter nectar source in the chaparral.

Western Fence Lizard- as ectotherms, these lizards are able to maintain temperatures through behavioral thermoregulation, basking when cold, and staying in the shade during the hottest part of the day.

Honey bee- I saw these also foraging among the manzanitas, like the hummingbirds, they are able to take advantage of this winter nectar source.

Turkey Vulture- I saw these flying all around Mt. Diablo, they are probably able to visualize carcasses well in the low vegetation cover of the chaparral.

Publicado el 18 de febrero de 2013 por cellardoor