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Two Blues

The Bay Area has two common “blue” jays, the western scrub-jay and the Steller’s jay. A bird of the forest, Steller’s jay is a dark bird identified by its black crested head and harsh call. The scrub jay, light blue and gray, favors more open country. Both are often called blue jays, but this name is properly reserved for an Eastern species that is only rarely seen on the West Coast.

At a T-junction, the Cataract Trail turns left, and the High Marsh Trail goes right. Although you will be following the High Marsh Trail from here, you can get a fine view of the waterfall by turning left on the Cataract Trail and walking several hundred feet to a level area near the base of the falls. This route is well shaded, thanks to stands of Douglas-fir, coast live oak, canyon oak, tanbark oak, and California bay.

Now return to the T-junction and go north on the High Marsh Trail, a narrow, single track. Soon you reach a fork where the trail splits temporarily: stay right. At the head of a narrow ravine, the trail turns left, breaks out of the trees, and traverses a steep, grassy hillside beautifully decorated in spring with California poppies, bluedicks, lupine, and mule ears.