March 24th – Redondo Beach

Date: 24th March 2020

Location: 33.83, -118.39 and at approximately 60 feet elevation.

Site Description: This site is at a coastal bluff in Redondo Beach and the plants and animals recorded were located on a side of a steep hill where the soil was only mildly sandy.

Species Account:

Sea Fig, Carpobrotus. 4” tall, most commonly known as an ice plant, covered nearly all of the hill and had a few flowers in bloom every few feet. https://www.americansouthwest.net/plants/wildflowers/carpobrotus-chilensis.html

Rabbitfoot Grass, Polypogon monspeliensis. Species of grass native to southern Europe but now found all over the world. About a foot tall and growing in bunches around the Sea Figs.

Cheesewood Mallow, Malva parviflora. Native to Northern Africa, Europe, and Asia. Growing in large batches with leaves 6” wide. There were no flowers currently in bloom.

Botta’s Pocket Gopher, Thomomys bottae. Native to western North America, specifically California. Seen digging a hole and removing plant life surrounding its hole by bringing the plant down into the hole. Only ever showed its face, not any of its body. https://ovlc.org/ojai-wildlife/bottas-pocket-gopher/

Bird Grasshopper, Schistocerca. I found this insect on my walk to the site. I witnessed a predator-prey interaction as my cat, Frankie, attacked and ate the grasshopper.

Narrative: It was sunny, around 60 degrees F, and mildly windy. There were a surprising amount of people at the beach that were in groups close together.

Additional Photos and Media:

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