Aahhh relief! The park reopened on May 4th and Doug could get back to his regular routine of scouring mountain trails for anything and everything of interest. Plus he had important (!) work to get back to - eradicating some invasive non-natives. Doug and a few CNPS botanizers (masked and socially distant, of course) took in the June wildflower show at the Daly City Dunes - enjoying two rare and endangered species of dune plant - thriving under watchful SBMW eyes.

Shelter in place; social distancing; essential activities; these seven words are so alien to the human fabric that they fly in the face of our existential core of joy — and nature just keeps trucking along as though nothing cruel and unusual is happening. Doug managed to stay in touch with the mountain through all of this - even if the spring wildflower show was lost to many others.

Winter is a very interesting season along coastal California. It is the season of rejuvenation - native shrubs are are adding new growth, perennial wildflowers are waking from deep dormancy and annual wildflowers are germinating from last year’s seeds - all getting ready for a spectacular Spring display.

Was Autumn 2019 a dud? It depends on your perspective — but an unusual heat spell in August followed by rain, drizzle and fog in September made it difficult for some native plants. Some plants suffered and some were found blooming out of season - climate changes can have dramatic effects. A small, and fortunately, well-contained wildfire on the mountain may bring more surprises in the Spring - remember to check it out.

Nothing says Summer like California blackberries! Although the plant is abundant on the mountain, weather plays a huge part is whether there’s a bumper crop, or not. This was a good season. While berries are ripening, many birds are still tending to nests - hard work that can bring out the most aggressive behaviors. Doug sees it all in his regular walks - and shares his mountain experience in his ongoing Mountain Journals.

A spectacular Spring bloom on the Mountain after an overwhelmingly wet Winter. But all those deluges paid off! San Bruno Mountain held its own and was not to be outdone by other spectacular wildflowers displays in the Bay Area - even Mountain old timers like Doug were impressed!

Winter is Doug’s second favorite season ~ it’s the season of renewal, a celebration of the birth and rebirth of our native plant species. So many perennial species are waking up from their dormancy and the annuals are beginning to germinate - the first signs of Spring are in our Winter !

Fall on The Mountain brings us cool foggy days, sprinkles of rain and Nature’s berry bonanza to the delight of both resident and migrating birds. Doug keeps his eared perked up for arriving wintering warblers, and eyes up for migrating raptors passing through on their way to breeding grounds.

In his Mountain Journal for Summer 2018, Doug addresses the importance of our fog - and reminds us that this source of moisture is a critical factor for our coastal flora. As we endure our typical summer of fog, it’s a good time to remember that many plants on San Bruno Mountain depend on this summer regime for survival.

You have to get up as early as Doug to come across a coyote pup on San Bruno Mountain! Some late rains made for beautiful wildflower displays, and Doug and fellow botanizer Mark found more interesting flora - what a special place.

How did this Winter compare with last year's? No comparison it seems water-wise! But as usual, the Mountain starts putting on its visual display in early Winter.