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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Monthly guided nature walks continue to be held at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, followed by a tour of the Historic Ranch House Museum, on the second Saturday of each month.
The first walk of the fall season is scheduled for Saturday morning, Oct. 12.
Bring your binoculars and meet in front of the ranch house at 8:15 a.m. for time to experience the early morning wildlife to be found in the ranch house and barn complex yard. The walk begins at 8:30 a.m.
The ranch house tour will begin immediately after the walk. If rain cancels the walk, the ranch tour will begin at 8:30 a.m.
This month, the nature walk and tour will be led by park docents and AMIA Board Members Gae Henry and Henry Bornstein, who will share their passion and knowledge about the natural, cultural and historic resources found in the park.
The walk will start at the parking lot, go up into the blue oaks via the Ridge Trail, and then branch off and take the Marsh Trail, which goes around the Ridge and down to the marsh (mostly dry this time of year).
They will then cross the flats to the Cache Creek Trail, stopping at the deck on Cache Creek.
The walk returns to the ranch house via the boardwalk over the “oxbows” (again mostly dry this time of year). At a leisurely pace, the walk should take between two and two and a half hours.
The park at this time of year is beautiful. The colors of autumn at the park are wonderful shades of cream, yellow, brown and green – interspersed with the startling color of small yellow sunflowers, periwinkle chicory, white ground “morning glories” or the fluffy white airiness of California Milkweed seeds and many California Wild Rose “hips” – most are still a lovely red and a very attractive food for many birds and mammals.
Most of the blackberries are drying and shriveling up but they are still interesting to birds and wildlife. The wild grapes that grow are ripening, and bunches are hanging from vines in trees. Mistletoe berries are ripening too.
The fall bird migration is under way. Birds that walkers may see include a belted kingfisher looking for breakfast in the creek, acorn woodpeckers getting ready to store acorns in their “granary” trees, the first cedar waxwings arriving to dine on berries and grapes and perhaps a pair or two of phainopepla, birds of arid-mesquite land that are found in this park because of the abundance of mistletoe berries.
Also on hand may be red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk and white-tailed kite. Often seen in Cache Creek are great egret, great blue heron and black-crowned night heron.
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.
For more information about the walks, email
For information about how you can help support AMIA’s campaign to keep the park open to the public and available for events such as our monthly nature walks and ranch tours, visit www.andersonmarsh.org .
