Dean's Outside

14/11/2023

Bird's Nest fungus. This is one of the coolest fungi to find in the woods. These little oddities usually grow on the ground or woody debris and have a crazy spore dispersal system- the cups are shaped specifically for large raindrops to splash the "eggs" out- up to several feet away.

Always a crowd pleaser on our guided mushroom photography hikes, many cannot believe they are real!

These were about 3/8 inch wide ( a dime is about 5/8 inch wide) with "eggs" about 1/16 inch wide.

Located on a dirt trail in the middle of a mixed Redwood/ Doug Fir/ Alder forest in Northern Humboldt County, California.

Don't forget to look down while out in the woods. Sometimes, cool things are right in the middle of the trail!

05/11/2023

Clavaria fragilis. These fun little white clusters are often called "Fairy Fingers" and are very common in Redwood forests in the fall after the rains begin.

Almost always less than 10cm tall, they are given away by their bright white coloring. They are found in small clusters like this, often with many other clusters or single stalks almost carpeting a section of the forest floor.

Considered an edible mushroom, they are almost tasteless, and offer very little to the eater.

Next time you walk through the forest, look for the fairy fingers reaching upwards to soak up the fall rains!

Humboldt County, California. Mixed Coastal Redwood Forest

01/11/2023

A black and orange beetle, eats decaying flesh and buries the body? Just in Time for Halloween!
The Carrion Beetle of the Genus Nicrophorus, is part of the Cleanup crew of the insect world. These Halloween colored beetles , also called "burying beetles" are carnivorous. They seek out small, decaying animals such as birds, mice and slugs, to eat and for their young to consume and grow on.

One of the coolest facts about these beetles is their symbiotic relationship with some Beetle mites. Most Carrion beetles have a bunch of small, orange colored mites that hitch a ride to the decaying creature that the beetle has sensed with it's very sensitive antennae. The Mites then jump off the beetle, and eat the fly eggs and maggots on the dead animal that compete with the beetle's larvae for food. The more mites they carry, the higher the success of the beetle's offspring.

These beetles bury and then hang around the carcass after laying eggs. Both parents guard and support their young through the difficult stages of life. This is quite odd for insects other than ants and bees.

The beetles pictured here were feeding on a smashed slug on a well used hiking trail in Coastal Humboldt County, California. They had a few mites hitching a ride.

These look to be Necrophorus defodiens, which were recently found to be able to live and breed in the tree canopy.

While out hiking the trails, don't step on these undertakers!

31/10/2023

( Tap for full photo ) Happy Halloween! The evening fall light brings spooky colors to the PNW coastal forest. This Big Leaf Maple appears to be hiding something below in the shadows ... what do you see? ( Tap for full photo )

26/10/2023

(CLICK FOR FULL PHOTO). A mushroom pushes it's cap towards the clouds on a rainy afternoon in the mixed forest of coastal Humboldt County, California.

These beauties are putting on a show now that the weather is cool and the rains have arrived.

Take a walk and look towards the ground, you may see these ancient wonders doing their best to brighten up your fall day. (CLICK FOR FULL PHOTO)

22/10/2023

The Orionid meteors are back! After midnight tonight, look for the Orion Constellation. Expect 10-30 meteors per hour, with best time just before daylight Sunday morning

The Orionid meteors originate as space dust from Halley's Comet. The dust a d debris form meteors whenever the earth passes through the comet's orbit path in October every year.

The meteors are able to be seen for about a month, but peak this weekend.

Interesting note- the comet loses 15 to 30 feet of materials each time it passes the sun, every 76 years. The comet is about 9 miles wide, so it has plenty more trips around the sun!

07/10/2023

A Praying Mantis hunting around a barn in Fieldbrook, California. READ MORE- The Praying Mantis is quite an unusual creature. They are very well designed for their ambush hunting style, with keen eyes and grasping arms, they can grab any eat everything from tiny insects to small birds.

Their compound eyes contain up to 10,000 ommatidia, which contain clusters of photo-receptor cells. These cells provide the Mantid with amazing movement capture. A small area in the front of the eyes called the fovea has the greatest visual acuity, and provides the best method to lock onto prey. The mantis can move it's head to keep the target in the center of this focus area. Their eyes are situated so they have a very large field of view. They can turn their heads 180 degrees, so it's hard to sneak up on them.

One interesting note is that there are usually small dark spots that we see in each eye, which are called "pseudopupil" which are actually the Ommatidia that we are seeing straight on. These are not actual pupils, but absorbed light creates a crazy effect.

They most often hunt during the day, but can be seen flying in the evening and nighttime, often heading towards lights on houses. When flying at night, many mantids can sense the echolocation of bats and change their flight paths to avoid being eaten..

Most mantids live less than 6 months after they hatch from very interesting egg cases that are often found on the sides of houses, wooden fences, grasses and trees. The egg cases appear as a hardened foam like material called an Ootheca. The egg case usually contain between 20 and 200 eggs. The young Mantids hatch from these egg cases and immediately begin stalking prey. They appear like mini versions of adults, but will grow and molt many times before becoming adults. They will emerge with wings for flight during the final molt.

They are famously known for the females eating the males after mating, which happens, but not as often as once believed. Killing the male is not necessary for mating, it usually just depends on how hungry the female is at the time! Mantids are almost always capable of eating other mantids through their entire lifespan, including members of their own species. This is due in part, from their voracious appetites, and stalking anything that moves.

There are many different species of mantids, and many are specialized to look like flowers or sticks or leaves in order to increase their hunting success. There are around 1500 known mantid species in the world, with around 20 species living in the US. Some are native, and some introduced.

These are amazing insects to watch during the late summer and fall. They are relatively large insects at 2-5 inches long, and have interesting motions as they hunt. They can be handled, but it is best to leave them alone, as they are capable of biting, but it is very unlikely.

Look for them and admire them as a wonder of the insect world!

01/09/2023

A recently cut redwood tree sprouts a clone in a streamside setting in Humboldt County, California. When a Redwood tree is harmed, such as by fire, wind damage or saw, they can send up genetic copies to make sure the tree continues to live. This tree was not very old when it was cut, but it was still able to send up a shoot that will, in time, try to replace the lost tree.

These shoots can grow 2 to 10 feet tall in a single year, utilizing the original tree's root structure and or stored bio energy.

The Scientific name for these Redwoods is Sequoia sempervirens, which means "Ever Growing"

Many of the Redwoods you see in a forest are clones of long decomposed ancient trees. They can grow from seeds as well, but the clones have the benefit of an established root structure to grow from. The clones will be left growing long after the original trees have decomposed.

Redwoods produce tens of thousands of seeds, but the seeds rarely find the essential conditions to germinate. Seeds have to be lucky enough to establish themselves, then fight for nutrients.

Note- This particular tree was cut down for a stream enhancement project. The nearby stream was lacking woody debris that creates pools and structure for aquatic creatures to grow. The trunk of this tree now lies in the creek, as if it fell naturally in a storm. This created structure and gravel scouring necessary for salmon to grow.

25/08/2023

The Red Backed Jumping spider (or the Johnson's Jumping Spider) is a very fun spider to watch. They can be very active as they hunt and explore. They can be easily overlooked if it weren't for their bright red abdomen. They usually only grow to about 1 centimeter in size (about 1/2 inch) This one is an adult male, since his abdomen is solid red. The adult females will have a black stripe down the middle.

They live almost everywhere in the American west, centered around California. This one was found in Coastal Humboldt County, California.

They are daytime predators, usually hunting for ants and small flies. The way they have their eyes set, they have almost 360 degree vision, so they can be hard to sneak up on. They walk around and grab prey, instead of relying on webs.

Life expectation is around 1 year, and females will hatch up to 300 spiderlings in their lifetime.

For the most part, they are harmless to humans, but if they feel very threatened, they can bite and possibly puncture human skin. This doesn't happen often- they are not aggressive and can move away from danger quite quickly, even by jumping!

They are not dangerous- many people keep jumping spiders as pets, but this little guy was outside patrolling strawberries. There are several that live in my patio garden, and surprisingly, this guy stood still long enough for this closeup photo. The photo makes him look quite large, but he's adorably tiny. Those are grains of sand he's standing on.

Step outside, and check what spiders occupy your porch or garden. Sometimes, the outdoors are simply just outside your door!

20/08/2023

The hard working Honey Bee!
The average lifespan of a summer born Honey Bee is around 40 to 50 days. All worker bees are female, and can fly up to 20 mph. They will fly up to 5 miles away from their hive to gather nectar and pollen, visiting up to 2000 flowers in a day, on multiple trips.
Bees born in the fall can survive up to 6 months to keep the queen and colony warm and alive during the winter so the hive can rebuild in springtime.
Worker bees will rarely sting while they are out foraging for food, unless severely agitated. They save stinging for defense of the hive from threats. They die after stinging, so they usually save it for severe threats to the colony.

Step outside and get a photo of a bee doing it's bee-work and enjoy this last month of summer!

11/07/2023

Caption this photo...

"A roadrunner jumped into a park ranger's passenger seat in the Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona!" 😅

29/06/2023

Growing out of a tiny crack in the asphalt outside of a hardware store, this Viola made use of what it had and bloomed.

28/06/2023

A pleasant Summer Solstice Sunset on Humboldt Bay, California.

12/06/2023

21/05/2023

Happy World Bee Day!
There are 20,000 known bee species on Earth. 4,000 of them live in the USA. Most people only think of the Honey Bee, but there are over 1600 Native bee species living just in California- such as the one in this photo.

Helping the bees is easy - Plant flowers. Don't use pesticides or herbicides. Put out a water dish. Put up a mason bee house in your yard. Join a beekeeping organization. Buy local honey and wax products. These are just a few ideas of ways you can help.

Bees are one of the most important pollinators. They need flowers that are herbicide and pesticide free, and safe places to live. 70 percent of bee species live in the ground.

Bees rarely sting while they are outside of their hives. Remind yourself and others about this.

Be Bee- minded. Not only are they fun to watch, they are needed for life and biodiversity on this planet.

Take a moment to watch a bee work a flower patch this spring. They really are busy as Bees!

15/05/2023

Happy Mother's Day!

05/05/2023

A Sword Fern Fiddlehead getting ready to make it's music for the world. (Tap for full photo)
Some of these young fern fronds really resemble their namesake scroll above the pegbox of a violin.

Step outside and listen to the music of the fern forest!
Humboldt County, California

03/05/2023

April showers bring more than just May flowers...
Moss walls are spectacular this time of year! Sue-Meg State Park in Humboldt County, California

30/04/2023

Pacific Bleeding Heart wildflowers in bloom on the Humboldt Coast of California.
The scientific name Dicentra formosa comes from the Portuguese word "formosa" meaning beautiful. This word comes from the Latin word "formosus" meaning "well formed".
Often mistaken for an escaped cultivated flower, they are Native to the Pacific Northwest from Central California to British Columbia.
The flowers are in the shape of a heart with tiny "drops" at the bottom of the downward facing petals. The flowers form on the ends of bare stems in clusters of 5 to 15 during the months of March through July. Often seen in shades of pinkish reds, they can be found in different colors.
Bleeding Hearts are members of the Poppy family and are pollinated by Bees, Hummingbirds and Butterflies. The seeds are then spread by ants that are attracted to a fatty oil the flowers produce on the seeds. The ants take the seeds, consume the oil and disperse the seeds. They are a perennial rhizome and can be very hardy.
Thriving in moist soils from the coast to sub-alpine areas, they do need partial shade to grow and are most often found in wooded areas. The plant grows to a height of around 20 inches tall and 30 inches wide. Bleeding hearts have been cultivated into many colors and can be seen in Gardens.
The wild colors of spring are popping up in vibrant displays all around us. Take a look!

28/04/2023

A tiny moss scene popping out of a wooden park bench in Humboldt County, California. This mushroom was just about 1/2 inch tall.

The mushroom looks to be a Lichenomphalia umbellifera. It forms a mutualistic relationship with an algae. This means that it is actually a form of Lichen, since it is a composite organism arising from an algae living with fungal mycelium and breaking down nutrients in a very special way.

Interesting side note- it is estimated that 7% of the Earth's land surface is covered in Lichens.

Step outside and enjoy the tiny neighborhoods hiding in the moss!

26/04/2023

Lots of places have these "Little, Free Art Galleries" but Humboldt changes them to "Wildflower Art Galleries" for the month of April in preparation for the Wildflower Show in Eureka on May 5th through 7th.
If you can, draw up some Wildflower based artwork and leave it in one of these boxes. If you see someone's art that makes you smile, you can take it!

https://northcoastcnps.org/wildflower-show-and-art-share/artshare-april/

https://www.facebook.com/Artshareapril?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Make art, Take art!

3 inch square paper works perfect for these galleries. Photos, pencil, paint- this is a great project for parents and kids.

Check out your area for these "Little Free Art Galleries".

Go Outside and find some art in the wild!

Links to some Humboldt photos-


Here's a link to check out all over the world!

25/04/2023

A bright Salmonberry flower doing it's best to bring colors of Spring to the mixed forests of Coastal Humboldt County, California on a cloudy spring afternoon this week.
The amazing bright red color against the green background is hard to miss. If the color reminds you of your favorite Rose, it could be because this berry producing plant is actually a member of the Rose family- Rosacea. (Along with so many other important food plants)
Salmonberry plants are very important in the Pacific Northwest woods, creating fruit and leaves eaten by bears, birds, deer, rabbits and other forest creatures. Rufus Hummingbirds use the flowers during their northern migration.
The fruit can be found in many different colors, but usually in either a yellow/orange or red. They have their own delicate flavor, not like the bright flavors of Blackberries or Raspberries.
Birds and bears are very effective at spreading the seeds of the Salmonberry because the seeds are not broken down easily in digestive systems.

07/04/2023

Late afternoon surf session at the entrance to Humboldt Bay, California. (Tap for full photo)

04/04/2023

The West winds from the Pacific were utilized today near Table Bluff. The rain clouds made for an impressive backdrop. He sailed alone through alternating rain and sun episodes, enjoying the smooth evening air.

04/04/2023

Skunk Cabbage flowering in the mixed forest of Humboldt County, California

Skunk cabbage flowers are another sure sign of spring. They are some of the first flowers to bloom, usually starting in February and ending in mid April.

The flowers are very bright yellow and the leaves can be anywhere from a lime green to a deep, dark green as they grow larger and mature.

The plant grows in marshlands, streams and swamps and is often recognized by it's "stinky" smell, even before you've seen it with your eyes. The smell is not terrible, just recognizable. The flower as well as the leaves can emit this identifying odor.

They grow to heights of 3 to 5 feet. Pollinators for this flower are usually various flies.

Skunk cabbage is often grazed on by deer and bear, who have the ability to process the Calcium Oxalate Acid found in the leaves and flowers.

The plant is native to the Pacific Northwest USA. In the early 1900's the plant was introduced to Britain and Ireland, where it naturalized and has since been considered an invasive species.

While hiking through the Pacific Northwest, let your nose lead you to a small creek or marsh, and enjoy the beautiful flowers!

02/04/2023

An Ensatina Salmander enjoying perfect salamander weather in the Redwood Forest of Humboldt County, California.

Ensatina Salamanders are a Genus of small, lungless, land dwelling salamanders that are found on the West Coast of the USA. They have been around for approximately 21 million years.

Being lungless, they breathe through their skin, so they can be sensitive to being handled, especially to chemicals or lotions on your hands. They can often be found crawling around during periods of rain, and on cloudy days when there is little chance of frost. During dry and hotter weather, they will hide in the forest litter where the moisture and cooler temperatures allow them to survive until the conditions are more favorable for them to crawl out.

These salamanders do not have an aquatic phase. They cannot breathe in water. The eggs they lay under damp leaf litter hatch directly into little land dwelling salamanders. They have no aquatic stage.

Usually less than 5 inches long, they eat small insects, spiders and worms found in decaying forest environs. They can be quite active hunters, but are often seen motionless.

Ensatinas can often be confused with other salamanders, but they have a unique tail shape and 5 toes on their hind feet.

If disturbed, they can drop their tails and secrete a thick milky substance to help convince their captor to let them go. The lost tail can then grow back slowly.

Notice the camouflage this little one exhibits to match the reddish brown redwood needles and decaying alder leaves, right down to the tiny yellow dots.

This particular salamander is probably E. e. oregonensis or E. e. picta. It is difficult to tell without closer inspection, as both variations can be found here in the Redwood Forests of Humboldt County, in far Northern California. There are 7 subspecies which live from Baja to British Columbia. E. e. oregonensis has the largest range.

When out in the damp woods and trails, watch where you step- The salamanders might be out wandering the same trails and enjoying this perfect salamander weather!

28/03/2023

A pair of little mushrooms pop out from a blanket of moss near Trinidad, California on a cool spring afternoon. The recent rains have all the moss in a bright green display everywhere you look.

27/03/2023

The first Pacific Trillium of the season!
Spring is always on it's way when you spot the first Trillium Flower in the Mixed Forests of Humboldt County, CA

27/03/2023

Sometimes the Ocean looks back....

The Giant Pacific Octopus is an amazing Creature of the Sea. These very real creatures can reach a size of 160 pounds with individual arm lengths of around 7 feet long (or more according to some accounts) They live for 3 to 5 years, which is quite long for members of the octopus family.
Their diet consists of just about whatever they can grab- including fish, clams, shrimp, snails, squid, crab and occasionally other octopuses. This one recently ate a dungeness crab, as parts of the crab can be seen on top of the shell midden in the photo. They capture prey with their arms, coiling around them and utilizing suction cups on to hold securely. After catching, they will often return to their den where they will eat their prey with a small parrot-like beak. Some Giant Pacific Octopus have been even known to eat birds.
They live from shallow shores to at least 4900 feet deep all along the American and Asian North Pacific coastlines.
Whales, seals, sea lions, otters and large bottomfish like lingcod and halibut all eat octopus.
Giant Pacific Octopus, like many Cephalopods, can adjust their body color at will to show their mood, or for camoflauge. They have been found to be amazingly smart and can learn very quickly.
Octopus are Moluscs, which place them in the same phylum as Clams and Abalone, but they are in the Class Cephalopoda along with Squid, Cuttlefish and Nautilus. Their shell disappeared through evolution, and now they can squeeze through almost any tiny opening they can get their little beaks through.

Check out the tidepools next time you are at the Beach- you may find something looking back at you!

22/03/2023

Cladonia Lichen popping out between deckboards during a break in the rain this week. These are sometimes called Reindeer Cups or Pixie Cups, and look like something Dr. Suess would write about.

Moss, lichens and liverworts make up the oldest families of plants on earth (non vascular plants)
They are members of the Fungi Kingdom and were among the first plant types to rise out of the water and make land their home. Members of the Cladonia Family are the primary food for Reindeer, who have developed special digestive systems to extract energy from this very ancient, simple organism.

The little guys in this photo only stood about 1/4" tall, and were located between a moss colony and another lichen type. Step outside and look down by your feet. Even your deckboards can harbor incredible little neighborhoods!

17/03/2023

Bit O' Green for this day in County Humboldt.
This Big leaf Maple has a whole ecosystem of plants and animals thriving with it in the temperate rainforest of Coastal Northern California.

24/02/2023

Got a little snow? Build a little Snowman.

13/02/2023

A pleasant trio of mushrooms on a branch that lays across a small tributary creek in Humboldt County, CA.

12/02/2023

Amazing footage of flying fish in, and out of the water!

07/02/2023

Autumn Amanita mushroom popping up in the mixed forest of coastal Humboldt county, CA.

01/02/2023

Tap for full photo view-
End of the day in a mixed conifer forest of Humboldt County, CA. The forest floor was damp from the recent rains, which rejuvenated the moss and ferns. The stunning rays of light appeared in the humid air as the sun began to set. Crashing waves of the Pacific echoed through the trees.

Evening in Humboldt.

29/01/2023

Yurok Mentor Condor 746 " Paaytoquin", last week.

To help protect this teacher bird, he's been moved temporarily to the Oakland Zoo until the current Avian Flu outbreak subsides. He'll return to Humboldt County, California to continue his job of teaching the young Yurok Condor Program birds how to Condor.

Mentor Condors are very important to the release program, as they teach juvenile birds how to be Condors before they are released to repopulate the area.

Stay healthy, and enjoy your time off Paaytoquin- there's work to do when you get back.

25/01/2023

Trinidad, CA on a pleasant January evening
The weather cleared up, exposing this beautiful scene of the harbor. Several of the local fishing boats can be seen below safely tethered, resting at their moorings.
They will be back out on the open waters again in the morning collecting Dungeness Crab for the local and world markets.

23/01/2023

60 seconds of water-
While doing Fisheries science work on a small creek here in Humboldt County, CA, this waterfall appeared. We were searching for Steelhead that were utilizing the high water flows from the recent Pacific storms. This simple waterfall caught my eye and was recorded.

The recent Pacific Storms tore through the coastal states leaving the ground drenched and damaged with heavy rainfall.

The very rainfall that can cause so much stress can also help relieve you.

This is storm water. Water from the very storms that brought damage. The land will shed this water to the rivers, then to the ocean. The salmon and Steelhead will use the high flows to travel to their natal streams high up in the mountains, completing their life's journey.

What brought inconvenience and disaster to some, is welcomed by others.

Stay safe after these storms. May this video bring you some comfort.