CNDDB News Blog

Bombus crotchii – Crotch bumble bee

Submitted by Nancy Hamlett, Friends of the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park

Nancy was able to get a close-up shot of this Crotch bumble bee in the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park in Los Angeles County. Crotch bumble bees are an imperiled invertebrate species and their populations are said to be declining like many other pollinators. During the summer of 2019, the California Fish and Game Commission petitioned to list the Crotch bumble bee as an endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act making it a candidate endangered species. Studies have shown that over the last decade, the species has suffered steep population declines due to agricultural intensification and urbanization of its native range. Crotch bumble bees are native to the lower two-thirds of California but are thought to be extinct in their natural northern range. Nesting occurs underground for this species, so conservation actions include restoring high-quality habitat to include abundant nesting and overwintering resources. This is unfortunately only one of the many pollinators in peril, but the CNDDB is proud to aid in the fight to protect this species and the lands it uses to survive. Thank you, Nancy, for this great observation!

Plagiobothrys strictus – Calistoga popcornflower

Submitted by Aimee Wyrick-Brownworth

This delicate plant was found by Aimee Wyrick-Brownworth in Napa County. It is listed as a 1B.1 (rare or endangered in California and elsewhere, seriously endangered in California) in the California Rare Plant Ranking system. Plagiobothrys strictus can be found found in alkaline areas near thermal springs in meadows and seeps, valley and foothill grasslands, and vernal pools. It blooms from March to June, so keep an eye out for these little white flowers in the next few weeks. Thank you Aimee for all the amazing work you send our way and all the great work you do!

Do you have some great photos of rare plants or wildlife detections? Submit them along with your findings through our Online Field Survey Form and see if your photos get showcased!

Today's photos come from Sacramento poet Charles Smith. He notes, "[The photos] were taken at a rather well-known location by the side of the road in the fields east of Davis, where they nest despite severe habitat loss due to development pressures. While I don't get over there as often as I once did, my (unscientific) impression is that their numbers have continued to decline at this site."

We asked Charles if he had any burrowing owl poems, and he responded with the following excerpt from a longer piece. We think it conveys the sentiment of taking hope and courage from the resilience of the natural world.

From [ground|underground]:

I feel my body
age

& its discontents, physical
& otherwise

drive-by's

owls in the ground

still
alive

Have you seen any owls in the ground lately? Help document local burrowing owl populations via our Online Field Survey Form.

Charles Smith is a poet, photographer, and videographer living in Sacramento. The three pursuits sometimes commingle.

CDFW Photos by Annie Chang, Tammy Dong, Rachel Powell

February 14-17, 2020 marks the 23rd annual Great Backyard Bird Count! Take 15 minutes out of your day to appreciate your avian neighbors this weekend, and report your count through eBird. In 2019, over 6,600 species of birds were counted worldwide and Californians submitted over 10,000 checklists, but you can help make those numbers even higher this year! As always, if you happen to spot one of the 157 bird species tracked by CNDDB, fill out an Online Field Survey Form. Happy birding!