A new moon arrives on Wednesday, April 19, along with the Lyrid meteor shower. The Lyrids are active between April 16 and 25, peaking on the Earth Day weekend with about 20 per hour. Look east after 10 p.m. for these bright falling stars with long tails as the constellation Lyra, the harp, rises in the northeast.
This year’s northern elephant seal season is drawing to a close. Just a few weaned pups linger at Drakes Beach, and a portion of the beach was reopened in front of the visitor center last week. The larger group seen from Chimney Rock remains active as the seals undergo their molting and grow new fur.
The season for wildflowers is here, with the warmth of the spring sun. Fields of indigo-colored Douglas iris abound at the north Estero Trailhead. Check carefully in the shade of Bear Valley for the lacy leaves and pink, heart-shaped blooms of bleeding hearts (Dicentra formosa).
If you have noticed lower tree branches with a raw spot, as if the bark has been scraped and is dangling strings, it was likely caused by a deer scratching the velvet off its newly growing antlers. Sometimes deer remove all the velvet, but you may also see them with bits hanging off their new antlers. I see this phenomenon primarily on willow trees.