The full moon that rises on Saturday, Feb. 24 is called the “snow moon” in the Farmer’s Almanac, though we seldom see snow in temperate West Marin. Early risers may be seeing the bright planet Venus in the morning sky through April. Smaller, red-tinged Mars is also visible.
The recent spells of warm weather triggered the flight of numerous ladybugs, or ladybird beetles, from their winter resting places under oak leaf litter. On warmer days, they have been zipping around Olema Valley. The bright yellow puffballs of tropical acacia are blossoming along Ottinger’s Hill. The trees are native to Mexico and Australia and are well adapted to the drier West Coast climates. Native willow is also festooned with its flowers, or catkins. Both willow and acacia can be sneeze makers; they are wind pollinated and circulate pollen throughout the air. The snaky green vines and curly tendrils of wild cucumber are growing rapidly.
The tule elk and black-tailed deer males have shed most of their antlers, returning an important source of nutrition to ground species such as mice. Gnawing on antlers provides calcium and other vitamins to rodents. The first fawns and calves of deer species are typically born in March, when there is plenty of green shrubbery and grasses for their parents.