It doesn’t feel like winter since the days are balmy and dry, but the pepperwoods (a.k.a. California Bay Laurel) are blooming just like usual. 
Of course, I can’t help but wonder if the phenology is different at all; maybe they are blooming a few days earlier in 2013 than they did a decade ago?
Filed under Plant of the day
High Country News: from the Rocky Mountains west, this magazine offers timely environmental coverage
Bay Nature: Magazine, website, calendar and blog - this is a great all-around local resource
Jake Sigg's Nature News: an eclectic bulletin board full of information and events, mostly in the Bay Area
Useful fauna-related resources
Look up native fish--by watershed
Find fish near you--Geolocated!
Fish of the world database
CalFlora: The name says it all. Search by name, county, plant type, and more.
What Grows Here: A great search tool for what is in your zip code, watershed, etc.
Jepson eFlora: The best technical botanical descriptions around of California plants.
Native American Ethnobotany Database: summaries of the traditional uses of the plants of North America.
Forest Service ecology database: A WEALTH of information--from habitat to human and wildlife uses to effects on livestock.
Plants For a Future: This database of edible and useful plants is searchable in all kinds of ways (eg, species that taste like chocolate) and summarizes info on collection, use and cultivation.
PLANTS database: like CalFlora but nationwide. Offers little information beyond range and botanical description.
California Natural Diversity Database: The searchable authority on rare and endangered species.
California Native Plant Society, Marin Chapter: The go-to experts on local plants. Join up, have fun, geek out.
California Invasive Plant Council: Learn more about the bad guys.
Bay Area Early Detection Network: Report invasive species here.
MykoWeb: A simple key to the fungi of California
The California Lichen Society: Need we say more?
Consortium of North American lichen herbaria: Searchable databases from a whole slew of herbaria. Awesome!
Point Reyes National Seashore volunteering: From salmon surveys to horse care to invasive species removal
CNPS field trips: Get outside and learn from the experts
Marin Municipal Water District volunteers: help with trail repair, turtle observation, habitat restoration and so much more on this gem of a natural resource
Marin County Open Space outings: birding, nature walks and kid-friendly events
San Francisco Botanical Garden and the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden: For some awesome botanizing in a curated setting
California Native Plant Society
California Academy of the Sciences
California Wilderness Coalition
Environmental Traveling Companions
Fort Ross Interpretive Association
Golden Gate Raptor Observatory
Marin Resource Conservation District
Marin Sonoma Coastal Prairie Working Group
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Unless otherwise indicated, all photos on this website are under copyright to Jacoba Charles. Please do not use them without permission.
Flowers Of Marin
The photo you took of the pepperwoods adorns our wall and I do often wonder what a pepperwood looks like in bloom, well in color, actually since the photo is in black and white. I was shocked to hear they are blooming now – in December!