Lobos Dunes

 

White-crowned Sparrow, Lobos Dunes

I swear this place used to be called Lobos Dunes, but apparently it is now called Lobos Creek Valley. You've probably passed right by this place many times, as I have myself. The entrance is just across the street from the Baker Beach exit. There's really no good place to leave a bike, so I walked mine up the plastic boardwalk a ways before finding a good spot to lock it up, right next to the chain-link fence that blocks access to Lobos Creek itself.

It's too bad there's no trail winding down among the oaks closer to the creek. It was musical with birdsong in there and looked verdant and inviting. 

I believe I last visited the area in 2008, and it doesn't seem to have changed much since then. A photo I shot back in March 2007 looks a lot like one I shot today. I guess I expected it to have come along a lot more since then. There's a lot of new planting in the area, almost as if the park staff are just getting started.

Chamisso Bush Lupine, Lobos Dunes

Lobos Dunes in March 2007

Green Hairstreak at Lobos Dunes, March 2007

It's a lush time of year to visit Lobos Creek Valley.

Resident Hummer

A northern flicker was preening itself on one of the several standing dead trees left for wildlife. There was a hole in the tree below the flicker, but I didn't notice any nest activity.

Lupine & Miner's Lettuce

Sticky Monkey Flower

Fiddleneck

Lupine & Fiddleneck

I was interested in the song of the white-crowned sparrows at Lobos Creek Valley, as they were significantly different from the dialect heard across town in my own neighborhood, while still being distinctly recognizeable as white-crowned sparrows.

Beach Strawberry

Numerous variable checkerspots (Euphydryas chalcedona) could be found fluttering around the dunes, but only after the sun warmed things up.

I was impressed to see spotted towhees in the dune/valley habitat.

This one is perched in an oak with a beakful of nesting material.

While missus ducked into some shrubs to build her nest, the mister perched at the top of a toyon to sing his heart out.

Vivid Dancer Damselfly

Quite a few of the checkerspots were nectaring in a patch of San Francisco wallflower.

Can you guess what kind of flowers this bumblebee is pollinating?

How about now?!

This was one of the largest, most flowery stands of poison oak I've seen in a long time.

After Lobos Dunes, I rode through Seacliff and past the Legion of Honor Museum to Clement Street, where I rode west towards Sutro Baths. On the way I wondered if I would see a red-shouldered hawk at 38th Avenue, where I spent some time watching one on my last trip through the area. Sure enough, the hawk was there. Another cyclist stopped to say she often looks for the hawk when she rides by the same place but hadn't seen it in weeks.

While I was watching the hawk, a coyote sauntered into view, then turned into the golf course. When I went to check it out, a golfer was on his way toward the coyote to throw something at it in an attempt (thankfully futile) to haze it out of the area.

Coyote on the Links

The coyote's body language was wary and kind of submissive and pitiful. It seemed to perk up a bit when it realized I wasn't coming after it, then continued on its way.

I'd like to have followed him around awhile, but I didn't want to leave my bike unattended on Clement Street too long.

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