Word from the Lepidopterist

I published a short piece on the Starr King Open Space in Bay Nature magazine's most recent issue: http://baynature.org/issue/apr-jun-2013/

Starr King Open Space on Potrero Hill in San Francisco was known as "the field" when I was little girl, growing up a block away. I used to walk my dog, Poi Boy, here, and play here after school, sliding down the hills with cardboard under my butt. Many years later I learned Starr King is a great example of San Francisco's serpentine grassland habitat, which fosters rare native plants, many in bloom right about now. (I'm also leading a hike/picnic here on Sunday April 7th, click here).

Shortly after the issue of Bay Nature came out with my little article, editor Dan Rademacher forwarded me an email from Liam O'Brien, a famous lepidopterist (famous to me as I've laminated his lavishly detailed brochure on San Francisco's butterflies and hung it on my wall over a year ago). I was thrilled! Wow, the Butterfly Man?! For a burgeoning amateur naturalist (me), I think Liam is tops. 

Liam O'Brien, SFbutterfly.com

Liam said I could share his original email about my piece on Starr King, so here it is! 

Hey Guys -
Thought you should know because of my current issue of Bay Nature I set out for a piece of the city I'd never been too. Hard to imagine, but the fantastic Starr King Open Space had missed my radar. Margo Bors gloriously photography that accompanied the write-up made me jump on the 48 Quintara bus line ( how cool you guys even give directions...) Anyway, I got a little lost and had an amazingly encounter with a mammal for the first time in the city - a Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) was behind a fence. I know that's not a good sign of health ( nocturnal creature in daylight = rabies? Myth?) Anyway, positioned my iPhone 5 between the mesh and was rewarded. What a beautiful pied creature! I Prayed not to be Sprayed. Down the street at Starr King, saw my only second population of Goldfields ( Lasthenia californica ) in the city. I believe the only other place in San Francisco for this Serpentine obligate is Inspiration Point in the Presidio. Thank you, Bay Nature! Liam O'Brien
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfbutterfly.com

Upcoming Group Hike: Starr King Open Space in San Francisco

I recently published a small article about Starr King Open Space in Bay Nature magazine, and was pleased to hear from the editor, Dan, that a well-known lepidopterist in the city was thrilled by it. He'd never been there before and ended up seeing plenty of flowers, including rarities, and even some wildlife.

For the group hike of April 2013, I'd like to bring folks to Starr King Open Space on Sunday April 7th from 11 to 12:30.

Starr King Open Space is on Potrero Hill in San Francisco. It's relatively close to General Hospital, the 101 and 280, 23rd Street, and it was my backyard as I grew up here in the 80s and early 90s. I used to spend hours here, sliding down the hills on pieces of cardboard with other neighborhood kids, walking my dog, or watching the fog drape over Twin Peaks. I'm glad to know the place is protected now, and furthermore that with age you can even notice a lot more than when you were a kid---like seeing all the wildflowers and understanding how rare they are, like the mariposa lily.

We'll ramble around the 3.5 acres that make up this open space, visit a stone spiral in one of the meadows, see rock outcroppings that create a special habitat called serpentine grassland, and have a picnic with an amazing view of the city spread out before us.

Special Guests
Webb Green, Vice President of the Starr King Open Space (http://starrkingopenspace.org), will point out different kinds of wildflowers, many of which are rare and native. He's been on the board for a decade, and active with the land for twenty years. I'm hoping Julie Shumate, the President of SKOS, will attend with her kid, as they're good friends of mine.

Getting There

We will meet under the eucalyptus trees across the street from Starr King Elementary School (1215 Carolina Street, 94107--cross street is Coral Road) on Potrero Hill.

Bus: You can catch the 48 Quintara from 24th Street BART, or the 19 Polk from Civic Center BART---either will take you a few blocks from our meeting spot.

Car: Exit 101 to Cesar Chavez, go north on Potrero Avenue, turn right on 23rd, turn right on Carolina Street, proceed two blocks to Starr King Elementary School, and park.

Relevant Links
http://starrkingopenspace.org
http://www.potreroview.net/news10051.html
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nativeson/article/Enjoy-Starr-King-Open-Space-atop-Potrero-Hill-3518667.php

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