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Hog Lake Field Trip, April 21, 2024

Hog Lake Field Trip,
April 21, 2024

by Laurie & Don BurkPosted onField Trips
Field trip attendees at Hog Lake. G. Lockett.
Field trip attendees checking out the "lake" shore denizens on the April 21, 2024, field trip to Hog Lake, Sacramento River Bend Recreation Area. Photo by Greg Lockett.

Hog Lake!  It was gorgeous!

Fourteen wildflower enthusiasts were suitably wowed on this late-April excursion to see vernal pool blooms.  The timing was perfect for catching the end of the “yellows” explosion, which was just starting to give way to a whole new palette of beauties.

Field trip attendees amidst yellows explosion. G. Lockett.
Hog Lake field trip attendees amidst the yellows explosion in the “highlands” just above Hog Lake. Everyone in this group was either a serious botanist, a serious photographer, or a serious nature lover! Photo taken April 21, 2024, by Greg Lockett.

The yellow goldfields, tidytips, and Johnnytucks were just fading, while the purples of double-horned downingia and blue stars, and the whites of popcorn-flower and white-flowered navarretia were making their yearly appearance, amongst many other species.

Royal larkspur. G. Lockett. Hog Lake. April 27, 2024.
We misidentified this larkspur growing in the “uplands” above Hog Lake as spreading larkspur (AKA zigzag larkspur), Delphinium patens ssp. patens.
Royal larkspur leaf. G. Lockett. Hog Lake. April 23, 2024.
However, based on leaf shape and hairiness, we later realized that it is actually royal larkspur, Delphinium variegatum ssp. variegatum. Photos taken in April 2024 by Greg Lockett.

This field trip was a followup to Greg Lockett’s spectacular presentation at our April Chapter meeting, Hog Lake and Environs.  Those who missed, missed out big time!  But there is still plenty to see if you want to go on your own: Hog Lake—the misnamed huge vernal pool off of Highway 36E, north of Red Bluff.  But go now, before it gets hot! 

Vernal pool edge effect. B. Peck.
Species bloom at different times along the shore of a vernal pool as water evaporates and the pool shrinks, producing this pronounced edge effect. Looking south along the western shore of Hog Lake. Photo taken April 21, 2024, by Barbara Peck.

Here is a short slideshow of a just a few of the many species that we saw in bloom at Hog Lake. Photos by Barbara Peck and Don Owen. Enjoy! ~Laurie & Don Burk