The rain has finally come to California and it’s amazing! As many of you know California has been in a sever drought. We have been struggling to keep planted native plants alive on restoration sites this past year on Fort Ord and seeing rain falling from the sky was like seeing little orbs of life making their way to the earth.

What a transformation. When I started my internship at Fort Ord it was the middle of the Summer and most of the grasses (invasive and native) had dropped their seeds and had started to turn brown. The only green I saw on Fort Ord was from the Oak Trees and and the evergreen maritime chaparral plants (Chemis, Ceanthus, Manzanita). The grasslands have just exploded with green little seedling and it has been a beautiful experience. I have learned a lot with my mentor going out and botonizing. Pulling up seedings and identifying the seed casing still attached. The wildlife has been so active also. After the first rain we got, I saw 7 bobcats (I might have seen one or two twice) in one day! Before that I had only seen 3 over a four month period. The birds are out and about foraging and for a birder like me there is nothing better! Even the herps have been making their way out. I’m hearing frogs croaking and seeing salamanders wandering the paths. Oh, and the insects have been crawling around in droves. Centipedes and beetles have been teeming around the ground. It’s been a struggle trying to avoid smashing them.

I just find it so amazing to have been able to experience this! I love animals and wildlife and it makes me so happy to be able to see the changes and the life that rain brings. I hope we get a lot more because we really need it!

Cheers,
Manny