California Ecosystems - Wet Mountain Meadow (original) framed_art Males have a distinctly long

Males have a distinctly long set of feathers in the tail that make them easy to identify in flight

fueled by invasive non-native grasses

Steller’s Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) occasionally give away the owl’s location with their loud

which is also a host plant for the Mourning Cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa)

The Pajaro Valley has a rich agricultural history that includes apples

California Ecosystems - Wet Mountain Meadow (original) framed_art Males have a distinctly longComing upon a wet meadow in the dry forests of the Western U. S. is similar to finding an oasis in the desert. A unique communtiy of plants and animals depends on the year round water there. Leopard Lillies (Lilim pardalinum) and Shooting Stars (Primula jeffreyi) both require wet places to grow. Sierra Nevada Blue Butterfly caterpillars (Plebejus podarce) eat Shooting Stars and Hunt's Bumblebee (Bombus huntii) pollinates many different flowers.