By Jean Wheeler

September 4

The volunteer work party known as the "Weed Warriors" will meet from 9 am to about noon.  Anyone is welcome to join in and help pull obnoxious invading weeds and work on projects to reduce erosion. Wear comfortable shoes, long pants and sleeves, and park at the north end of 15th Street in Los Osos, avoiding driveways and mailboxes.

September 11

You are invited to the first showing and sale of the 2011 Elfin Forest calendar! This event will be held from 2-4:30 pm at the end of 12th Street in Los Osos, directly adjacent to the Elfin Forest trailhead. Parking is available at any of the Elfin Forest street-end entrances.

This year the calendar features the beautiful artwork of 20 very talented San Luis Obispo County artists. They are Jay Bonestell, Dave Chipping, Ken Christensen, Stuart Denker, Betty Field-Haley, Don Griffiths, Connie Harms, Heather D. Johnson, Larry Kappen, Janine Kirkpatrick, Larry LeBrane, Sharon Meyer, Alon Perlman, Shirley Pittman, Ellen Pool, Barbara Renshaw, Barbara Rosenthal, Arnie Setran, Laurel Sherrie, and Raechel Winn Yon.  All contributing artists have been invited to display their original calendar painting and two or three other pieces of their art for both show and purchase. You can buy calendars for $15 each at this event.  Every calendar purchased helps to protect the Elfin Forest.

September 18

Join Cuesta College biologist Robb Tibstra at 9:30 am for a reptile walk as he tours the Elfin Forest in search of the Coast Horned Lizard and maybe the Southern Alligator Lizard.  We'll be sure to find some Western Fence Lizards sunning themselves on the boardwalk rails.  Since most of the Forest's reptiles and amphibians are hard to find, Robb will bring reptile skins and perhaps a live critter or two so walk participants can see what some of those small and retiring Forest inhabitants looks like.  Learn how these elfin creatures behave, survive, and protect themselves from predators, and yes – boys!

Besides docent-led events, visit the Elfin Forest any day to experience the quiet natural beauty of this small wilderness area. Park at the end of any street from 11th through 17th streets off Santa Ysabel in Los Osos (please avoid blocking driveways or mailboxes) and take a sand path to the boardwalk or the wheel-chair accessible boardwalk entrance at 16th Street.

Coming Up in the Elfin Forest

By early September, the migration of birds to winter in our area or to pass through on their way to Central or South America has already begun!  Early arrivals to look for from Bush Lupine Point or Siena's View include ducks such as Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers, Blue-winged Teal and Cinnamon Teal. On the other hand, some of our summer nesting birds will be leaving us for the winter, such as several species of fly-catchers, wood warblers, swallows, and wrens.  Young of our year-round resident species have grown up and are leaving their parents to live on their own.

Although September is at or near the end of the summer dry season, a number of our maritime chaparral plants have adapted so well to summer drought that they are in full bloom now.  Expect lots of white flowers near the boardwalk, blooming on shrubs such as California sagebrush, dune buckwheat, coyote brush, chamise, and (closer to the ground) on California croton.  Pink flowers to look for are pink everlastings, California asters, and California hedge nettles, and the yellow of mock heather should still be widespread.

Even at this most stressful season of the year, a stroll around the boardwalk reveals lovely plants in glorious bloom and a great deal of bird and other animal activity.

Spotted Towhee image on banner by Jean Wheeler.