Читать книгу Afoot & Afield: Orange County. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

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Late winter to mid-spring is the best time to appreciate the cornucopia of Orange County’s native plants. Many of the showiest species—the annual wildflowers—burgeon at this time, and other plants exhibit fresh, new growth. For more information about the wildflowers, shrubs, trees, and other flora typically found in Orange County, see Appendix 2.

Creatures Great and Small

Your first sighting of an eagle, mountain lion, badger, or any other seldom-seen form of wildlife is always a memorable experience. Because of the diversity of the still-natural parts of Orange County, they are host to a healthy population of indigenous creatures, including a few rare and endangered species. If you’re willing to stretch your legs a bit and spend some time in the areas favored by wild animals, you’ll eventually be rewarded by some kind of close visual contact.

While doing fieldwork for an earlier edition of this book, Jerry Schad was lucky to spot a young mountain lion while hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains, and a golden eagle while driving on Interstate 5 through the hills of south county.