Like last year I spend half a day doing “vertical mulch” rehabilitation on old road tracks through a wilderness area. The idea isn’t to erase the track instantly, but to get it reseeded with local vegetation and discourage further incursions. It takes a long time, but a few hours work by ten volunteers does make a visible difference.

Road Rehabbers

Road Before

Road After

Afterward I join Scott, Renee, Steve, and Mimari for a little hiking around the area. Near the road I spot a dried up mushroom, the first I’ve seen out here.

Post-project hiking

Dried Mushroom

The dry creek bed is home to dense webs, many with entrance tunnels. I think wolf funnel spiders weave these.

Wolf spider web?

A western fence lizard gives me a peek at his blue belly.

Western Fence Lizard with blue belly and chin

We attract a good number of black-throated sparrows by playing recorded calls on Scott’s phone, and scramble around some of the nearby rock formations.

Black Throated Sparrow

Steve takes in the view

Calico hill rocks