Anna’s hummingbird at Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve

The first significant rain of the season landed softly on the leathery green-gray leaves of the pallid manzanita. The plant’s twisted dark maroon bark glistened with water droplets. Fresh milky-white flowers covered two of the manzanita plants. Lichens and moss turned bright green from the moisture. Anna’s hummingbirds had appeared in full force congruently with the manzanita blooms: they chirped and chattered and swooped down to drink pallid manzanita nectar. The Pallid manzanita is the defining species of a plant community called maritime chaparral.

Anna’s hummingbird rests in a stand of maritime chaparral

Pallid manzanita flowers at Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve

Bark of a Pallid Manzanita plant at Sobrante Ridge