California Quail

For a short visit to a relatively small park, our weekend camping trip to Pinnacles National Park afforded Sean and me with ample opportunities to see wildlife, from the endangered California Condor to many other, more abundant species. As I’ve written before, the park is a jewel for its scenery certainly, but also for its wildlife. I’ve spent quite a lot of time since we returned from the trip identifying species (particularly the birds) from photos we captured or notes we made. Obviously we saw more species than what’s listed here (with a nod to butterflies and other insects), but I’m pretty confident of the accuracy of what is on this list.

Species List, May 31 – June 2, 2013

BIRDS

Acorn Woodpecker (Bench Trail, Bear Gulch Trail)
American Crow (Pinnacles Campground)
Black Phoebe (Bench Trail)
Brewer’s Blackbird (Pinnacles Campground)
California Condor (Condor Gulch Trail)
California Quail (Bench Trail, Pinnacles Campground)
California Towhee (Balconies Trail)
Canyon Wren (Balconies Trail)
Common Raven (Pinnacles Campground)
Dark-Eyed Junco (Bench Trail)
Golden Eagle (South Wilderness Trail)
Mourning Dove (Pinnacles Campground)
Northern Rough-Winged Swallow (High Peaks Trail)
Nuttall’s Woodpecker (Bench Trail)
Spotted Towhee (Bench Trail)
Stellar’s Jay (Balconies Trail, Bench Trail, Pinnacles Campground)
Turkey Vulture (Balconies Trail, Juniper Canyon Trail, High Peaks Trail, Condor Gulch Trail, Pinnacles Campground)
Violet-Green Swallow (Juniper Canyon Trail, High Peaks Trail, Tunnel Trail)
Western Scrub Jay (Balconies Trail, Bench Trail, Pinnacles Campground)
Wilson’s Warbler (Pinnacles Campground)
Yellow-Billed Magpie (Bench Trail)

MAMMALS

Black-Tailed Deer (Bench Trail, South Wilderness Trail)
Black-Tailed Jackrabbit (Balconies Trail, Bench Trail, South Wilderness Trail, Pinnacles Campground)
California Ground Squirrel (Balconies Trail, High Peaks Trail)
Coyote (heard, not seen) (Pinnacles Campground environs)
Pallid Bat (Pinnacles Campground)

REPTILES

Ring-Necked Snake (Juniper Canyon Trail)
Western Fence Lizard (Balconies Trail)

INSECTS

Green Sweat Bee (Balconies Trail)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Pinnacles Campground)
Tule Bluet Damselfly (Pinnacles Campground)

WILDFLOWERS

Bush Lupine (Juniper Canyon Trail)
California Buckeye (Balconies Trail)
California Buckwheat (Juniper Canyon Trail)
California Poppy (Balconies Trail, Bench Trail)
Chaparral Virgin’s Bower (seed heads) (Tunnel Trail)
Elegant Clarkia (Bench Trail)
Goldenstar (Juniper Canyon Trail)
Sticky Monkey Flower (Bench Trail)
Suncup (Balconies Trail, Bench Trail)
Wooly Blue Curls (Bench Trail)