An excellent day
We had a small crew of folks show up for the BioBlitz. 6 of us ventured out together from the Green hairstreak butterfly festival at Hoover Middle Shool and up Hawk Hill. We wondering at various true bugs (the Bordered Plant Bug seems particularly fond of the hillside), plants (a discussion of poison oak and ice plant ensued), willow galls, and the view.
Two left as we finished that hillside, and the remaining 4 of us moved on to Radio Terrace/Golden Gate Heights Park (which one of us had never visited), turning over some logs. and making our way down to the rehabilitated rocky areas on the western side of the park. We were butterfly-less at this point, except for one cabbage white who escaped an ID.
From there we went up the street and on to Rocky Outcrop, passing by some of the other planted areas. Rocky Outcrop was where we finally came upon some live samples of the Green Hairstreak -- and baccharis found the white lined sphinx moth: one of the most beautiful moths I've ever seen, although it made a somewhat terrifying sound as it buzzed me when it was first disturbed. We chatted with some locals who had not seen the butterfly, and went up to the top of the outcrop with 2, where we had to watch where we stepped. The butterflies seemed everywhere (Green Hairstreaks, though I did see a Painted Lady as well), and we found two mating just before we left and began parting ways.
60+ observations between baccharis and myself wasn't too bad -- but we were helped by our two non-digital companions who had excellent eyes, a nice set of knowledge, and the requisite curiosity for tramping about city parks poking about at things.
After helping clean up the festival a bit, I headed back up hawk hill, and found a few more things, including a fun view down into a raven's nest.
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