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Hiking the Estero Trail to Sunset Beach

3 April, 2009 by Adam R. Paul

Saturday, 28 March 2009:

Last Saturday, Sarah, our friend Linda, and I headed north, and after a delicious breakfast at the Pine Cone Diner, drove to the Estero Trailhead.  There were several dozen other vehicles, unsurprising given the beautiful weather and early/mid-spring season!  We hit the trail at 11:55.

Green Hills by you.

Green hills & blue skies, oh my!

Across a meadow and through a forest we walked, gently downhill.  Witches Teeth, a bicolored flowering pea, sprouted in a few places, and I helped a fellow hiker identify some Scarlet Pimpernel growing along the trail.  Her companion, obviously pretty keen on wildflowers, noted dryly that it’s a non-native, like all of the broom, also flowering nearby;  both, unfortunately, are indeed both abundant and invasive in these parts.

In the forest we paused to scan for any movement in the trees, as we have seen Great Horned Owls here before, but today none showed themselves, although it’s highly likely there were some present.

Tidal Channels by you.

Tidal channels

We crossed the tip of Drake’s Estero, which had just a few Willets and Snowy Egrets foraging in the very low tide, and then walked up the other side.  This trail, though pretty flat, is rolly-polly as it descends and ascends along the fingers of Drake’s Bay.

Ceanothus sp. by you.

Ceanothus sp.

Ceanothus bloomed in clumps, and there was evidence of Cow Parnsip, not yet in bloom, but rather distinctive due to its large size.

Douglas Iris by you.

Douglas Iris / Iris douglasiana

Douglas Iris, ridiculously abundant in this area, was just starting to bloom, and we saw them only here and there, rather than by the usual thousands.  Perhaps it’s me, but the spring bloom seems a few weeks late this year compared to years past.

Brandts by you.

Brants / Branta bernicla

On the bay floated a large flock of Brants.  I’ve only ever seen Brants once before, on this same hike in 2007, and both times I’ve been stymied by their distance.

Up another hillock, I left the trail, searching for Pussy Ears, a beautiful member of the lily family (Calochortus genus), which I have only ever seen on this one particular hillside, but found none.  More evidence of a late season.   If you’re curious, I have photos of it from past trips here.

Rosy Sandcrocus by you.

Rosy Sandcrocus / Romulea rosea var. australis

I was quite surprised to see, instead of multitudes of irises, untold thousands of Rosy Sandcrocus.  This is a flower, one of several, that I have only seen on this particular trail, and typically only much farther out in smallish patches, but today it was absolutely everywhere.  The photo above belies the diminuitive size of this relative of the iris.

Drake's Bay by you.

Drake’s Bay

On the bay, a few small boats harvested the oyster traps deposited here, and things were otherwise pretty quiet.  Despite the number of cars in the parking lot, we ran into few people during the hike.

Western Dog Violet by you.

Western Dog Violet / Viola adunca

A patch of non-iris purple caught my eye, and I was surprised to find a flower I had never seen before.  It was obviously a violet, but unlike all of the other (white & yellow) violets I’ve seen in the wild, this one was actually violet-colored!  A quick lookup at home showed it to be a Western Dog Violet.  I’m surprised I haven’t seen them before, as they’re apparently common in our area, and I’ve done quite a bit of bay area spring hiking.  So I was pleased to say “LIFER!,” something I do not often get to do with wildflowers!

We came to the junction with the Sunset Beach Trail, and continued on it, deciding that it was a bit too breezy to hike the longer distance to the very exposed-but-beautiful Drake’s Head, while Sunset Beach is about a mile closer, and at least somewhat sheltered.

Dwarf Checkerbloom by you.

Dwarf Checkerbloom / Sidalcea malviflora

Yet more Rosy Sandcrocus bloomed in abundance, along with patches of Douglas Iris, a few Dwarf Checkerblooms, California Buttercup, Scarlet Pimpernel, and some Asters that I will decline to attempt to identify.  At 2:00 we arrived at Sunset Beach, which had two people perched on a nice sitting log, so we walked around a little ways until we found some butt-shaped rocks.

Willet by you.

Windy Willet / Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

Willet by you.

Willets / Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

A bunch of Willets foraged in the near shore as we snacked and drank mini-wines, while a flock of peeps picked at a nearby sandbar.  After about half an hour of snacking and relaxing, we were sufficiently wind-blown and decided to head back.

Trail by you.

Sunset Beach Trail

It was an uneventful hike back, although we did notice some additional patches of Western Dog Violet that we had missed on the hike in.  I’m always amused by how often one sees so many different things just by hiking the same trail in the opposite direction.

California Blackberry by you.

California Blackberry / Rubus ursinus

Even the California Blackberries were pretty early-looking, and certainly nowhere close to fruiting, a mid-summer activity in any year, but their flowers are always nice to look at.

White-crowned Sparrow by you.

White-crowned Sparrow / Zonotrichia  leucophrys

A White-crowned Sparrow was partially cooperative in that it allowed me to approach closely, but not so cooperative as to turn its head into the light 😉

Estero Trail and Drake's Bay by you.

Estero Trail

As is usually the case with out-and-back hikes, we hiked much more quickly on the return, with fewer stops to check out the flora and fauna.

White spider by you.

White Spider

A ghostly white spider spun a web between two twigs, and we paused to watch it work for a bit.  I’m no good with spiders, so if any readers know what it is, do please comment!

Estuary by you.

Drake’s Estero

The tide was rising, but still low, as we neared the bridge across the estuary.  We briefly chatted with a couple from Sacramento, then continued on our way.

Green hills by you.

Green Hills

We again scoured the forest near the trailhead for owls, but unsurprisingly found none.

Estero trail by you.

Almost back to the trailhead

At 4:20 we arrived back at the trailhead, stretched our legs, and drove off for some tasty oysters in Marshall.  Any spring hike in Point Reyes is a great hike, and this is one of the best.  Except for 2008, I have done this hike every year since 2003, and fully intend to keep it an annual tradition!

Hike Stats:

Distance: ~8 miles
Time: 4hrs 25min, including 30min for lunch
Climbing: ~500ft

Birds seen: Wildflowers seen:
Location:     Pt. Reyes - Outer
Observation date:     3/28/09
Number of species:     22

+ Brant - Branta bernicla 25
Canada Goose - Branta canadensis     3
Greater/Lesser Scaup - Aythya marila/affinis     3
Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola     2
Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis     3
+ California Quail - Callipepla californica     10
Western Grebe - Aechmophorus occidentalis     2
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 3
Great Egret - Ardea alba     2
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula     2
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura     20
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus     1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1
Willet - Tringa semipalmata     12
Long-billed Curlew - Numenius americanus     3
Marbled Godwit - Limosa fedoa     5
peep sp. - Calidris sp.     30
Western Gull - Larus occidentalis     25
+ Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus     1
Common Raven - Corvus corax     5
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia     1
White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys 10

+ = year bird (74 so far)

This report was generated automatically by
eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
– Anderson’s Thistle
– Beach Strawberry
– Blue-eyed Grass
– Broom sp. (invasive)
– California Blackberry
– California Buttercup
– California Manroot
– Ceanothus sp.
– Coast Suncup
– Cow Parsnip (in bud)
– Douglas Iris
– Dwarf Checkerbloom
– English Plantain
– Gooseberry
– Horned Searocket
– Iceplant (invasive)
– Indian Paintbrush
– Lupine sp.
– Red Maids
– Rosy Sandcrocus
– Scarlet Pimpernel (invasive)
– Vetch sp. (invasive)
* Western Dog Violet
– Witches’ Teeth

* = life flower

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Posted in Birding, Hiking, Nature, Photography, Wildflowers | 24 Comments

24 Responses

  1. on 4 April, 2009 at 17:36 Mary Carlson

    Adam, you certainly had a beautiful day for this hike. I’m still amazed at the amount of “open” space and hiking trails we have here in the Bay area. And your hike must have been doubly nice with so few other hikers you encountered. I’m looking forward to your next hike you and Sarah go on, and hoping you’ll report on it.


    • on 4 April, 2009 at 18:52 Adam R. Paul

      Thanks, Mary! I just got back from one of the Bay’s best (sans Sarah this time, as she has a jewelry class this weekend), and should have a post up in a day or three.

      We are truly blessed with a relative abundance of wild or wild’ish areas, given that we live in an area with >7 million people!


  2. on 5 April, 2009 at 16:36 Bernie Kasper

    Looks like you had a blast Adam, what a wonderful day for a hike !!

    I am a flower guy so I am especially intrigued by your flower shots, especially the Western Dog Violet, great work !!


    • on 6 April, 2009 at 07:57 Adam R. Paul

      Thanks – lots more post w/flowers coming up, as it’s smack in the middle of the peak bloom in the SF Bay Area! I was happy to find the Western Dog Violet – it’s a beauty


  3. on 5 April, 2009 at 19:14 mon@rch

    Willet, Brant, WT Sparrow . . . you always take such amazing photos! Colors are perfect!


    • on 6 April, 2009 at 07:59 Adam R. Paul

      Thanks, Tom – the Willets in particular let me get very close, although the wind didn’t help with getting sharp photos, since I was shooting hand-held, but the IS (VR for you Nikon folks) lens helped much.


  4. on 5 April, 2009 at 20:28 Red

    That sparrow pic is so crisp… beautiful! Looks like a very nice place to hike… boy, so many on my list, yet I’ve lived here most my life and have hiked a lot!


    • on 6 April, 2009 at 08:01 Adam R. Paul

      I never really did much/any hiking at Point Reyes until I moved to SF – it is a long’ish daytrip from the south bay, although definitely worth it. The 3 best hikes there, FYI, are this one (Estero Trail), Tomales Point, and Alamere Falls (November through ~May)


  5. on 7 April, 2009 at 22:12 Alex

    Hermoso paisaje…buen trabajo de colores.
    Saludos.


    • on 8 April, 2009 at 09:06 Adam R. Paul

      ¡Bienvenido y muchas gracias, Alex!


  6. on 8 April, 2009 at 03:50 Tom @ Ohio Nature

    Hi Adam, a wonderful sequence of shots. I was trying to visualize your setup as you go throughout your walks. Recently, when I go hiking with Megan and Weston, I’ve just been taking a P&S superzoom to get quick shots. Which lenses do you carry during your hikes?


    • on 8 April, 2009 at 09:29 Adam R. Paul

      Thanks, Tom! What I carry depends heavily on what I expect to see.

      For this hike I brought my 30D + 100mm f/2.8 macro + 70-300 DO IS, since I expected both wildflowers & birds. The landscapes were nearly all taken w/my Panasonic FX01 P&S.

      Lately I’ve been enjoying taking the SLR w/one “single-purpose” lens (300mm + 1.4xTC if primarily a birding outing, 100mm macro if wildflowers, etc), and using the P&S for general stuff. A side benefit is the minimization of lens changes in the field.

      For travel, I carry the 30D, 17-85 EF-S IS, & 70-300 DO IS (and my P&S).

      That said, my P&S just developed a fatally-awful case of sensor dust, and now needs to be replaced 😦 😦


  7. on 8 April, 2009 at 21:00 Thomas

    Stunning series of image Adam. The trails are so beautiful and the sunset beach trail is my favorite in this series. That single track disappearing into the mountains is so mesmerizing.


    • on 9 April, 2009 at 18:30 Adam R. Paul

      Thanks, Thomas! It’s a wonderful place to hike


  8. on 9 April, 2009 at 16:26 aullori

    I actually dug a lot of your shots… as for the white spider I cannot ID it really because white spiders are rare however almost all baby spiders are “white” it’s usually called colorless but look white – if it was tiny it was most likely a juvenile. It’s because their exoskeletons are not fully developed. Meanwhile, my first fav was your blue iris! quickly followed by admiration of your windy willet! Great shot! I laughed at the frustration of not getting that twinkle in the eye shot on your sparrow, my hilarity really had to do with completely understanding. Still a really wonderful shot in my not so humble opinion. Okay last thought (promise) I love how you post landscapes, then go smaller and smaller that is a really nice format and somehow pretty darn good at making me feel relaxed. Great post on what sounds like a really wonderful day!


    • on 9 April, 2009 at 18:33 Adam R. Paul

      Ahh, I’ve missed your detailed comments, Lori 🙂

      Spider was small’ish, but I wouldn’t say it was tiny. It was busy spinning a web.

      If you like irises, this is the hike for you right about now – there should be literally hundreds of thousands of those irises blooming now or very soon!

      The Willets were quite cooperative, moreso than the WCSP!

      I can’t say as I’d really thought about progressing from wide to macro, but at least the first part of the post does, I guess! I mostly try to follow the chronology and intersperse landscapes w/fauna.


  9. on 9 April, 2009 at 21:42 Tom @ Ohio Nature

    Adam- Thanks for your setup information. Taking the P&S for general shots seems to be pretty popular, I know that is what Mon@rch does. I need to bite the bullet and buy some decent telephoto glass, like the 400 5.6L I rented a year ago for my Florida trip. Have fun choosing a new P and S, there are some pretty amazing models on the market.

    Tom


    • on 10 April, 2009 at 07:36 Adam R. Paul

      Granted, if I was getting paid for photographing, I would not use this approach, but since I’m but a humble blogger & nature enthusiast, it works well 🙂

      I’m annoyed that I have to choose a new P&S. I was perfectly happy with my FX01, and have had it for less than 3 years. The glut of disposable multi-hundred-dollar consumer electronics is troublesome, for many reason. Don’t even get me started about DVD players….. Grrrrr.

      You’re right though – since I have to do it anyways, I may as well try to enjoy browsing. I’m off to get my SLR sensor cleaned shortly, and will be fondling P&Ses while I’m at the shop. Alas, I don’t think anyone makes what I actually want (small P&S with at least aperture priority, stabilized lens, ~24-105 equiv. zoom, RAW, a flash hot-shoe, and under $300 :). Panasonic’s FX03 is verrrrry close, but a 60mm zoom at the long end is awfully short, and it’s well above $300. Ah well….


  10. on 27 April, 2009 at 09:19 myphotoscout

    I love the tidal channels picture. I haven’t been to Pt. Reyes in such a long time, always chasing far away destinations. Thanks for reminding me of the beauty close to home.
    I love your blog Adam.


    • on 27 April, 2009 at 20:21 Adam R. Paul

      Thanks, and welcome!


  11. on 8 April, 2010 at 10:19 mycrazylosttheory

    I’m very late in chiming in on this but was trying to identify a spider on my flowers and saw your photo of the same type of spider that has homesteaded my Calendula flowers.

    I found out it is a “White Crab Spider.” I’m considering what to do with him since he is eating flies… which is GREAT! But he may also eat honey bees which is VERY BAD!

    Great photos by the way!


    • on 19 April, 2010 at 14:12 Adam R. Paul

      Thanks for the spider ID, losttheory! Too bad they eat bees


  12. on 20 February, 2012 at 14:44 mirabiledictu2u

    We love this hike and have seen (and heard) many wondrous things along the way. Myriad pelicans diving at low tide; golden eagles in the tall pines; many owls hoo-hooing to each other at dusk in the pine forest. So peaceful and serene…can’t wait to go back. Another great hike is Abbott’s Lagoon. Once on a very hot day in September in the late afternoon, we saw zillions of midges, which were rising in columns along the edges of the lagoon—they looked like fumaroles, backlit by the setting sun. Just incredible.


    • on 7 March, 2012 at 07:56 Adam R. Paul

      Oh yes – Abbott’s Lagoon is one of my favorite hikes anywhere – I’ve posted about it several times here. Truly a wonderful place!



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  • About Adam


    I am an avid nature lover and amateur photographer, living in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury. On this blog, you will find photos and narratives from birdwatching outings, hikes, as well as any other random travels. For more information, see here.
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