Tag Archives: twig

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Trillium, Sorrel, and Ferns – Redwood Forest

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Trillium, Sorrel, and Ferns - Redwood Forest

Trillium, Sorrel, and Ferns – Redwood Forest. Muir Woods National Monument, California. March 21, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Spring trillium, redwood sorrel (Oregon oxalis), and ferns grow beneath the redwood trees at Muir Woods National Monument, California.

This past Saturday I visited Muir Woods National Monument – again! – to photograph the ongoing arrival of spring growth in the redwood forest. Following a few weeks of welcome rain and the recent start of spring, the plant life in the redwood forest is exploding everywhere. Here a lush patch of trillium, redwood sorrel (Oregon oxalis), and ferns grows right next to one of the main trails through the groves.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: muir, woods, national, monument, park, recreation area, golden gate, california, usa, marin county, forest, grove, redwood, floor, foliage, plants, nature, trillium, leaves, sorrell, oregon, oxalis, fern, needles, flower, blossom, twig, green, scenic, travel, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Red Alder Branch with New Spring Leaves

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Red Alder Branch with New Spring Leaves

Branch with New Spring Leaves. Muir Woods National Monument, California. March 7, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A branch with new spring growth leaves above the ferns at Muir Woods National Monument.

The leaves were just appearing on the delicate branches of this tree hanging above the creek by a bridge at Muir Woods in early March. The curving shape of the branch caught my attention, especially set off against the darker background of ferns and other plants growing along the banks of the creek. I had to work quickly since the sunlight was just starting to make its way down through the trees – I wanted a bit of light on the foreground branch and leaves, but no direct light on the other plants beyond.

(I’m not good at plant identification. Despite being able to recognize by location, season, and form many plants and flowers I am awful at naming them. If any one knows what plant this is… I’d be grateful for help identifying it.)

(NOTE: Since I originally wrote this post – a week before it appeared here – John Wall pointed out that the plant is Red Alder. I’ve since taken a look at a plant guide that confirms this not only by appearance by the environment in which it was found. Thanks, John!)

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: muir, woods, national, monument, park, marin county, nature, california, usa, winter, branch, delicate, curve, leaf, leaves, spring, new, growth, fern, bokeh, twig, stem, green, forest, bud, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Tree in Morning Light

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Winter Tree in Morning Light

Winter Tree in Morning Light. Calero Hills, California. January 18, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Silhouette of a winter tree in early morning backlight at Calero Hills, California.

A few weeks ago I made an early morning visit to one of my local haunts in the Calero Hills south of San Jose, California. Since I started out on a trail that took me past a small pond where there are often interesting birds, sometimes including an egret, I put the long lens on the camera and hit the trail. I did not find any birds to photograph when I reached the lake, but I did find this interesting backlit skeletal tree that framed nicely using the long telephoto.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: winter, tree, dormant, branch, twig, trunk, silhouette, backlight, morning, grass, meadow, hills, rocks, ravine, valley, black and white, calero, santa clara county, park, nature, scenic, travel, landscape, foliage, stock, california, usa, central

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Brown Branch and Bark

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Brown Branch and Bark

Brown Branch and Bark. Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California. January 17, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A brown branch lies across the rough textures of redwood tree bark at Big Basin, California.

I’m posting this one new even though I don’t think it is yet in its final form. The photograph was made in a shaded portion of the redwood forest at Big Basin State Park last weekend on a very cold afternoon. I just happened to spot this solitary dead branch/twig against the deep and rough texture of the redwood tree bark as I started up a trail.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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