Did you know that ladybugs migrate and fly to some of the same destinations in the East Bay during the winter months? Why? Not sure. How? Also not sure. It’s nothing that I ever expected, even when I heard about it for the first time. But sure enough they keep coming back in massive red hordes!
Their return is consistent enough that the East Bay Regional Park District has signs and photos posted by areas that they’ll make large colonies. From a distance they blend in quite well, hanging on to the outside of stems and leaves. Their movement from afar is too little to be seen. But up close, it’s a busy spectacle of ladybugs.
They weren’t the only things with wings on the hike. A bunch more birds, including a Marsh Wren and a Band-tailed Pigeon, likely firsts for me. Thankfully getting some pictures in the dim light before they flew off.
With most of the trail shaded by enormous redwood trees, it’s prime area for mushrooms to grow.
