The open hillsides still looks mighty dry.

Bellardia trixago (Mediterranean lineseed) seed stalks in the grass. At least that's my best guess what these are.

This year's calves were out in the fields grazing. I'm not sure I've ever seen a cow licking a calf before.

Sorry I interrupted.

Quercus douglasii (blue oak). Lots of browning oak leaves today on the folds leading down toward Pine Creek.

Acer macrophyllum (big leaf maple). More interesting colors as I approach the Pine Creek corridor

Ptelea crenulata (hop tree) near the junction of the Little Yosemite Trail and Stage Road which follows the bottom of the Pine Creek corridor.

Acer macrophyllum (big leaf maple), along with some California grape and a little very bright red poison oak.

Vitus californica (California grape) down by Pine Creek.

Vitus californica (California grape) down by Pine Creek.

Adiantum jordanii (California maidenhair fern). These now-browned leaves aren't as colorful as the others, but they do offer up interesting texture.

Castle Rock above. I can't quite tell if the tree is a valley oak or a black oak. The simple browning of the leaves suggests the former, but the leaf shape seems closer to to the latter.

Out of the Pine Creek corridor now. More oaks, more dry grass, and a buckeyes.

Hooded mergansers (both females?) on a little pond next to the Falcon Road.

Symphoricarpos albus (common snowberry). Fewer of these in fruit than I might have expected. Did the plants only set a few? Or were the critters hungry?

Toxicodendron diversilobum (poison oak). Lots of berries on these all along today's route. Dermatological problems aside, they are great habitat plants.

Trichostema lanceolatum (vinegarweed) on the Camel Rock Trail.

Heteromeles arbutifolia (toyon) on Dusty Road as I return to the trailhead. The berries were just beginning to color.

We had a little rain last week: 0.85" up at the Mt. Diablo summit, 0.26" at the Danville library well below. Here on the lower flanks of the mountain, split the difference. Enough rainwater collected in this swale next to the Wall Point Road, and remained long enough, for some grass to germinate. It's the New Year!