It is early Spring 2024, and the island habitat is beginning to hum.
Ribes sanguineum (California Currant) has been blooming for the past 2 weeks now attracting returning migrating Hummingbirds and native bees.

Various irises are emerging in colors of pink, purple, rust.

The Western Elderberry trees, (Sambucus mexicana) are beginning to leaf out. Soon there will be clouds of yellow flowers at the branch tips. The flat-topped 2-to8-inch wide inflorescences contain hundreds of creamy white flowers and are always covered with bees and numerous pollinators. In the summer, their glossy purple fruits attract many birds including flickers, flycatchers, grosbeaks, nuthatches, orioles, tanagers and warblers. Western Elderberry is typically multi-trunked and grows 8-25 feet with an equally broad spread.

Fried Eggs in the Meadow?
Those tall, white flowers you see mainly on the western edge of the island are nick named “Fried Egg plants.” They are Romneya coulteri – Matilija Poppy blooming late Spring into Summer. Their stems reach 6-10 feet displaying expansive 6–12-inch crepe paper like blooms with large yellow centers and an apricot fragrance. They are favored by bees and many other insects. In the Fall they are pruned down to 6-inches.

