What a crazy year weather-wise! Doug has experienced it all this past year on The Mountain and there have been some improvements in park trails that will be a big help during wetter weather.

Frustration: not being able to find and document a plant that supposedly exists on the Mountain. Finally locating it is sometimes just good luck - and often it’s with a little help from friends. Doug Allshouse continues his search to document the flora and fauna of the Mountain.

A visit to Owl Canyon guarantees surprises as you find in David and Doug's most recent rare plant alert. So keep your eyes out, there are always new species to be found, even on our old friend, San Bruno Mountain. Remember to share your finds with David and Doug who search the Mountain every weekend for new finds.

All of the rain this season meant showy displays of local flora to be enjoyed this Spring. Doug enjoyed them all in his wanderings - owl's clover, goldfields, johnnie tuck and clarkia. Birds also enjoyed the abundance - and Spring arrivals like Swainson's Thrush and Wilson's Warbler could be heard singing. And there is an exciting butterfly story - the reintroduction of the extirpated Bay Checkerspot butterfly to the Mountain by Dr. Stu Weiss of Creekside Science. 

David Nelson and Doug Allshouse have taken a couple of months to confirm their finding before putting out the word. Another species thought lost to the mountain - the Artist's Popcorn Flower - has been found!

We were treated to a Winter with water - and lots of it! - a novel concept for the last several years. Storm after storm, dropping inches of rain, created waterfalls in Owl Canyon and seasonal wetlands not seen in ages. Doug spent this last Winter enjoying all the Mountain had to offer - rain or shine - often with his fellow botanist David Nelson. Together they've made several interesting discoveries on the mountain.

While waiting for Spring to bring flowers to vascular native plants, David and Doug found themselves distracted by fungus (mushrooms) and other eucaryotic organisms that are NEITHER plant nor animal!  Fairy Fingers?  Witch's Butter? Clever names for very strange looking multicellular organisms.

Doug's Mountain Journal looks back on Autumn 2016 on the Mountain - through the fog. August, sometimes known as Fogust, should have been known this year as Foggyust, which bled into Fogtember. Would we ever see the sun again?

Yes! David and Doug are still combing San Bruno Mountain every Saturday, weather permitting, to document all plant life on the Mountain. This massive undertaking is for their upcoming book on the natural history of the Mountain. David said they have completed the text portion and are now working on the photographs which need to be optimized for the book - a lengthy and time-consuming project.

Another journey on the Mountain - Doug revisits Summer on the Mountain as we move slowly into Fall. There are late Summer bloomers dotting the hills with color and still evidence of Spring breeders - always something new to enjoy.

Spring is when botanizers head out in search of rare and unusual plants. In addition to increased visibility, foliage and flowers ensure a proper ID - critical to the work Doug is doing on the Mountain.

The last four weeks set an all-time record for new and important botanical discoveries on the Mountain! David Nelson and Doug Allshouse continue their work to catalogue the Mountain's plant species and locate rarities. This is another edition of their Rare Plant Alerts.

How are the oddly bell-shaped manzanita flowers pollinated? - get the inside "buzz" from Mountain botanizers David and Doug.

Latest Rare Plant Alert from David and Doug - they found new areas where the endangered Mount Diablo Sunflower is growing on the Mountain. Another success for these intrepid botanizers!