Field Trip Report – Abbotts Lagoon, August 17, 2024

By Lena Zentall

A small group of seven set off in the mist to explore Abbotts Lagoon on Saturday August 17, 2024. Our journey started with several patches of ghostly cobwebby thistle (Cirsium occidentale) in its final bloom. Coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis) was beginning to flower and to show us whether it was a male or female plant. Female plants have small paint brush-like flowers that turn to fluff and spread in the wind. Male plants have tiny spiky balls. Surprisingly, we didn’t see any coyote brush leaf beetles (Trirhabda flavolimbata) nestled in its leaves which are common in late summer.

However, much to our delight, we saw eight elegant rein orchids (Platanthera elegans) and plenty of withering San Francisco spineflower (Chorizanthe cuspidata) bordering the trail. A large area of west coast Canada goldenrod (Solidago elongata) was growing between the trail and marsh.

At the boardwalk, we encountered a sea of magenta spikes – coastal hedgenettle (Stachys chamissonis) swaying in the marsh, as well as a few remaining pale lavender marsh harebell (Eastwoodiella californica), and one faded annual Point Reyes checkerbloom (Sidalcea calycosa ssp. rhizomata). Two types of monkeyflower were blooming in the marsh: wing-leaf monkeyflower (Erythranthe ptilota) with exceptionally slimy stems, and tall magnificent seep monkeyflower (Erythranthe grandis).

The cheerful pale violet flowers of pacific aster (Symphyotrichum chilense) spilled over the middle and sides of the trail along the dusty corridor just before the lagoon bridge. It has a long blooming period from June to October and while other summer flowers have faded, it’s just getting started at Abbotts. Carolyn Longstreth and I were eager to find coastal woodfern (Dryopteris arguta) which is on the Abbotts’ plant list but seemed somewhat out of place in this coastal scrub. We succeeded. It was growing in the most likely spot – in the raised bank not far from the lagoon, nestled with other natives including California horkelia (Horkelia californica). At the lagoon bridge, we saw the ever-present great blue heron accompanied by several snowy and great egrets – all successfully fishing in the lagoon. The sunny yellow Oregon gumplant (Grindelia stricta) was blooming radiantly along the sandy shoreline.

We ventured briefly into the dunes to observe California goldenbush (Ericameria ericoides) ablaze with golden flowers. Deep pink and rusty seaside buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium) covered the dunes attracting bees, beetles, and other insects. The only curly-leaved monardella (Monardella sinuata) we discovered in the dunes were tiny sprouts that caused us to tread lightly to avoid crushing them.

We stopped for lunch on the shore of the lagoon and that’s when it started drizzling. We quickly finished lunch and decided to turn back. Several of us shared that Abbotts Lagoon is our favorite trail and we look forward to revisiting this ever-changing marvelous place many times in the future.