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White-tailed Kite Diurnal Birds of Prey White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus All Year Diurnal Birds of Prey Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald The long whitish tail and black shoulders make the adult unmistakable. It has long pointed wings and soars and glides. Immatures are similar to adults with buffy breasts.

Prickly Sow Thistle Invasive Scientific Name: Sonchus asper Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: March Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald Flower detail Daniel Fitzgerald Full plant Daniel Fitzgerald

Purple Finch Finches and Relatives Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus All Year Finches and Relatives Daniel Fitzgerald Daniel Fitzgerald Found in open woodlands, along forest edge, and in second-growth habitats or weedy areas. Pinkish-red on head, throat, and breast. Told from House Finch by lack of brown streaking on belly and flanks. Back is streaked and also pinkish-red in color. Female has broad eyebrow. Uses twigs, grasses, fruits, and mosses to build its cup-shaped nest in trees. Primarily feeds on plant matter (seeds, buds, blossoms, nectar, and fruit); occasionally eat insects.

Golden Aster, Sessileflower False Goldenaster Scientific Name: Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. echioides Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: Mar - Oct Color: Yellow-Orange Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Ken-ichi Ueda, iNaturalist

Nashville Warbler Warblers Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla Migrating Warblers Daniel Fitzgerald This warbler passes through during migration and is distinctive with its gray head, white eye-ring and yellow throat contrasting with its olive green back.

Rosinweed Scientific Name: Calycadenia truncata Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Blooms: July Color: Yellow-Orange Annual herb Introduced Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald Oregon Western Rosinweed

MDIA Board Members Steve Smith . . . . . . . President Mike Brandy. . . .Vice President Dan Sandri . . . . . . . . .Secretary Dan Fitzgerald . . . . . Treasurer Mark Brauer Julie Braun Martin Leslie Contreras Tere Dixon Linda Kwong Carol Lane Dick Nicoll Steve Smith President Steve grew up in Danville and has been an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast his whole life. He is a docent, hike leader, back-country rover, leader of the Maintenance Volunteer Group, and member of the Trash Removal Project. He began volunteering on the mountain after completing a quest to hike all 162 miles of trails within the park. Mike Brandy Vice President Mike is always drawn to the outdoors for inspiration and renewal. As a Mount Diablo State Park volunteer for the last four years, he is currently engaged in co-managing the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center, always trying to enhance the docent training and the visitor experience to the park. He also volunteers on the Trash Removal Project (TRP) team. He usually cycles or hikes every week on the mountain. Dan Fitzgerald Treasurer Dan grew up in Concord with a view of the mountain and spent some time exploring it with Michael Marchiano. When he retired, Dan completed the State Parks volunteer training and became an active member of the Trash Removal Project and a visitor center and roving docent. Dan also enjoys nature photography. Dan Sandri Secretary Dan has lived in the East Bay for nearly all of his life, and Mt. Diablo has always been his favorite hiking place. Dan has a B. S. degree in Entomology and enjoys observing and photographing insects, birds, reptiles, as well as other plant and animal life. Upon retirement, Dan became a volunteer at Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center, and a back-country rover. Dan enjoys interacting with visitors, learning and writing. Mark Brauer Mark has lived in the East Bay for the last 35 years and has enjoyed hiking at Mount Diablo since he moved here. For the past six years he has volunteered his time as a docent and as a rover at Mount Diablo. He particularly enjoys interacting with the park's visitors and helping them discover the best places to visit in the park. Mark set himself the goal in 2013 to hike every trail in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and after 8 years completed that task. Of all the parks and open spaces in the East Bay he finds the most enjoyment from visiting Mount Diablo. Julie Braun Martin Julie, an educator for many years with a passion for conservation and serving youth, enjoys walking on the mountain and serving at Mitchell Canyon and assisting with publications. Leslie Contreras Living in the shadow of Mount Diablo all her life, Leslie has always had a passion for the mountain. She contributes to MDIA as the event coordinator for the hiking program and as co-manager of the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. Terese Dixon Tere has lived at the base of Mount Diablo for nearly 40 years and has hiked and biked the trails of Mount Diablo State Park throughout that time. Currently serving as the Webmaster for the MDIA website , Tere is also a State Park volunteer, and is a California Naturalist. Other than cycling with her husband, Tere enjoys working in her dry garden and birding. Linda Kwong Linda has lived in Alamo since 1997. Her connection to the mountain started after a neighbor took her on a bike ride to the Summit over 7 years ago. Now she is a regular visitor on the mountain, often riding 3-4 days per week. Photographing all four seasons and engaging with both the park visitors and staff are her favorite activities. Her goal is for all park visitors to have a safe, memorable and fun experience during their visit on Mount Diablo. Carol Lane Carol is a retired Registered Nurse who loves to be active and find interesting things out in nature. She is an active trail maintenance volunteer and sees trail work as a way to give back for the enjoyment that she experienced as a trail runner. Dick Nicoll A long time local resident, Dick loves everything outdoors. He coordinates publications, serves at Mitchell Canyon, works on the Trash Removal Project, and organizes road repairs. He has completed the California Naturalist Program. MDIA Committee Members and Leads Archives Lead(s): Dan Sandri Other Members: Steve Smith Maintains print archives Audible Mount Diablo Lead(s): Steve Smith Other Members: Wally De Young; Kendall Oei; Joan Hamilton Coordinates development of Audible Mount Diablo/Mount Diablo "Shorts" Contracts Lead(s): Dick Nicoll Other Members: Steve Smith Develops and reviews MDIA contracts Corporate Governance Lead(s): Vacant Other Members: Dan Sandri Updates and maintains the documents contained within the MDIA Board of Directors Handbook Education Lead(s): Julie Braun Martin, Dick Nicoll Other Members: Encourage school field trips by adding content to MDIA website that would assist teachers in planning trips to MDSP. Finance Lead(s): Dan Fitzgerald Other Members: MDIA Executive Committee Review financial records and bank statements Fundraising Lead(s): Mike Brandy,Dick Nicoll, Julie Braun Martin Other Members: Judith Parker, Gary Parkhurst, Dan Sandri, Steve Smith Develops fundraising strategy to support new MCVC Hikes Lead(s): Leslie Contreras Other Members: Ken Lavin Recruits hike leaders; advertises and leads hikes in the park Insurance Lead(s): Linda Kwong Other Members: Negotiates appropriate insurance coverage and manages insurance-related matters Interpretive Displays Lead(s): Steve Smith Other Members: Mike Brandy, Dick Nicoll, Mark Brauer, Julie Martin Designs and fabricates interpretive panels and visitor center displays in conjunction with MDSP MCEC Capital Committee Lead(s): Mike Brandy, Dick Nicoll Other Members: Julie Braun Martin, Steve Smith Recommend architects to prepare conceptual drawings for new MCVC; apply for grants for MCVC Marketing, Advertising and Publications Lead(s): Dick Nicoll Other Members: Steve Smith Publishes Mount Diablo Review , MDIA annual report, and other MDIA publications Membership Lead(s): Julie Braun Martin Other Members: Steve Smith, Dan Fitzgerald, Dick Nicoll Maintains membership list; prepares membership packets; acknowledgements and renewal notices Merchandising Lead(s): Dan Fitzgerald, Steve Smith Other Members: Linda Kwong (wholesale); Steve Smith(online); Dan (Perishables) Orders and maintains merchandise to sell at SVC, MCVC and online; maintains inventory; fulfills online orders Mountain Talks Lead(s): Mike Brandy Other Members: Steve Smith Develops program and presents Mountain Talks Native Plant Garden Lead(s): Carol Lane Other Members: Carole Leadem; Leslie Contreras; Judy Quinlan; Mary Jankowski Maintains, repairs and replants native garden at MCVC Nominating Lead(s): Mark Brauer Other Members: MDIA Executive Committee Recruits and nominates board members and officers Outreach Lead(s): Mark Brauer Other Members: Steve Smith Develop and maintain relationships with external partner groups and community Park Maintenance (MVG/TRP) Lead(s): Steve Smith Other Members: Dan Fitzgerald Coordinates with MDSP the repair and improvement of parks structures and the removal of non igneous material from the park Peregrine Team Lead(s): Vacant Other Members: Leslie Contreras, Steve Smith Educate public and monitor the status of the falcons throughout the nesting season. Recruitment Lead(s): Linda Kwong, Leslis Contreras Other Members: Develop a strategy to increase diversity of MDIA board Trail Maintenance Lead(s): Carol Lane Other Members: Coordinates MDIA sponsored trail maintenance activities and budget Trail Signage Lead(s): Steve Smith Other Members: Dan Fitzgerald Coordinates trail sign maintenance and installation with MDSP Volunteers in Park Lead(s): Dan Fitzgerald Other Members: Budget item only: for budget requests from MDSP for VIPP Website and Social Media Lead(s): Terese Dixon Other Members: Steve Smith Designs, updates, and maintains the MDIA website and social media presence

Geology: Our understanding of the geological history of the rocks and structure of Mount Diablo has undergone major changes during the past 30 years, and even now geologists are still trying to unravel the complicated history of the mountain. This complex history is not unique to the mountain, but to our region as a whole, since Mount Diablo has been caught up in the processes that have shaped the Coast Ranges over the last several million years. Paleontology: Mount Diablo State Park contains geological formations rich in fossil resources. Marine mollusks of Miocene age are abundant along the southern flank of the mountain. Fossil plant material is also common in this area. Along the southern boundary, 9 million year old river deposits have yielded a large number of vertebrate fossil fragments including sabre-tooth cats, mastodons, horses, camels, and llamas. Photo: Devil's Pulpit is an erosion-resistant block of chert standing along Mary Bowerman Trail near the summit of Mount Diablo | Ray Mengel __Mount Diablo Guide 3 cups Blueberries 3 cups Flour 1½ cups Butter Geology: Our understanding of the geological history of the rocks and structure of Mount Diablo has undergone major changes during the past 30 years, and even now geologists are still trying to unravel the complicated history of the mountain. This complex history is not unique to the mountain, but to our region as a whole, since Mount Diablo has been caught up in the processes that have shaped the Coast Ranges over the last several million years. Paleontology: Mount Diablo State Park contains geological formations rich in fossil resources. Marine mollusks of Miocene age are abundant along the southern flank of the mountain. Fossil plant material is also common in this area. Along the southern boundary, 9 million year old river deposits have yielded a large number of vertebrate fossil fragments including sabre-tooth cats, mastodons, horses, camels, and llamas. Photo: Devil's Pulpit is an erosion-resistant block of chert standing along Mary Bowerman Trail near the summit of Mount Diablo | Ray Mengel __Mount Diablo Guide Mount Diablo Geology Featured Articles Geologic History Guide to Mount Diablo Geology Geology FAQ Geology Guides & Maps Geologic Guide to Mount Diablo State Park Geology Road Map Trail Through Time Geology Map of Mount Diablo Geologic Guide to the Falls Trail Loop Mining Clayton Quarry Cowell Cement Industry Gold, Silver, and Copper Mines of Mount Diablo Quicksilver at Mount Diablo ___ Roi Peers

Sharp-shinned Hawk Diurnal Birds of Prey Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus Winter Diurnal Birds of Prey Daniel Fitzgerald This long-tailed bird hawk has a dark back and rusty barred breast. Immatures have rusty streaked underparts. This hawk is very similar to the Cooper’s Hawk but slightly smaller.

Burrowing Owl Diurnal Birds of Prey Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia All Year Diurnal Birds of Prey David Harper David Harper This small spotted owl lives in ground squirrel holes, feeding on insects, lizards, and small rodents. One of its warning cries sounds like the rattle of a rattlesnake.

Hermit Thrush Thrushes and Thrashers Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus Winter Thrushes and Thrashers Daniel Fitzgerald It is not uncommon to see this bird on the side of a woodland trail during migration and winter; but it may also frequent chaparral, scrubby areas, or other habitats with dense undergrowth. Olive-brown or grayish-brown back and head typically contrast with rufous tail; also, tail is occasionally quickly raised and slowly lowered. Compare with Swainson’s Thrush . Diet includes insects, small amphibians or reptiles, and fruits.

Chipping Sparrow Towhees, Sparrows, Juncos, and Longspurs Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Summer Towhees, Sparrows, Juncos, and Longspurs Daniel Fitzgerald Frequents open woodlands and forest edge; also frequents brushy and shrubby habitats. In breeding plumage, combination of dark bill, reddish crown, black eye line, white eyebrow, and unstreaked breast identify this sparrow. Nests in trees. Nest is a cup-shaped structure built from grasses, weed stems, and small roots. Feeds mostly on plant seeds; insects and other invertebrates supplement diet during breeding season.