Vic led a birding trip to Big Bear Lake, California last weekend. We mostly drove around on dirt roads in the mountains, then walked a short distance to Bluff Lake. Wildflowers were spectacular. Here are some shots.
Santa Ana River at Middle Control Road near Angelus Oaks
Next to Santa Ana River
Santa Ana River
Santa Ana River by Middle Control Road, near Angelus Oaks
California wild rose
White Yarrow
No clue what these flowers are
Close-up of corn lily flowers
Corn Lilies
Did I mention that it was COLD? Yes, it was August, but there were ice crystals on the grass
Ice crystals on a sage leaf
A sunflower of some sort
If this were spring, I'd say that this saprophyte was snow plant. Others thought it was named pine drops.
Here is the group of birders that Vic was leading. I don't think he's in the picture. Oops, yes he is. Both he and our son Scott pointed out that he's in the red jacket in back. Hey, I'm working with a 2-inch photo, gimme a break.
Backlit Jeffrey pines. If you sniff the deep cracks in the bark, you can smell vanilla.
Western fence lizard
Purple asters. They may be called Showy Asters.
Vic (in red jacket on left) and his group of birders
Our first view of Bluff Lake
Bluff Lake
Bluff Lake
Northern Bluets (I think)
A bumblebee shows us his heinie, and the stuffed pollen sacs on his legs
Rangers Buttons
Paintbrush
columbine
Corn Lily at Bluff Lake
Saprophytes, maybe pine drops
female mallard
Bluff Lake
A saprophyte, maybe snow plant
Old log cabins by Bluff Lake
Can't remember this flower, maybe loosestrife
corn lilies
Scarlet bugler, I think
Lemon Lilies
California wild rose
Great trip. Part II will cover where we stayed.
Lou Murray's Green World 
Pretty sure the yellow flowers just after the white yarrow are St John’s Wort. And yes, the magenta one is Loosestrife (also known as “fireweed”, because it grows lushly in burned over areas).
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Helen, thanks for the confirmation. Vic and I were arguing about whether is was loosestrife OR fireweed. Same thing. Ha. Who knew?
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OOPS!!! I’ve been carrying around false information in my head for many years and passed it on here. The flower in question is fireweed, Epilobium angustifolium. It has 4 petals. Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria has 6 petals. I knew that loosestrife was an agressive “escaped exotic”, and is actually illegal to sell or grow in many places and (may have) simply assumed that it was the same as fireweed, because overall they look so much alike. Sorry.
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Helen, thanks for the correction. Now I hope that the image of that flower will stick in my mind as FIREWEED. Thanks.
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I agree with Helen above, looks like St. John’s Wort. What I can’t tell is if it’s one of the native or invasive cultivars. I’d presume, based on where you saw it, it’s native. I’m impressed you found Columbine still in bloom!
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Clare, thanks for the confirmation on the St. John’s wort.
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Hi Lou,
My name is Jane and I’m with Dwellable.
I was looking for blogs about Big Bear Lake to share on our site and I came across your post…If you’re open to it, shoot me an email at jane(at)dwellable(dot)com.
Hope to hear from you 🙂
Jane
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