A Short Sketch of the Natural History of the Rockridge district of Oakland, California

by James K. Sayre

The Rockridge District of Oakland in Northern California lies between the bayside flatlands and the low hills that form a ridge that runs from Richmond and El Sobrante south through Berkeley and Oakland south down to the Mt. Hamilton mountain range above San Jose in Santa Clara County. The Mt. Hamilton peak is at 4,200 feet elevation and usually receives some snowfall each winter.

The elevation of the central part of Rockridge, say at the Rockridge branch library, is about one hundred feet above sea level. Since the entire district is on a slope, elevations will vary from street to street.

The natural history of the Rockridge area is a small subset of the natural history of the East Bay region in northern California. The climate is a mild Mediterranean type, with cool, wet winters and cool, cloudy summers.

Some links, mostly concerned with gardening in the Rockridge area:

Rockridge Mammals Rockridge Mammals


Some common birds in Rockridge (with notes): Rockridge birds


Bermuda Buttercups in the winter: .Bermuda Buttercups


Red Raspberries yield second crop in 2004 in coastal California..Red Raspberries


The Katydid that hitchhiked through the Caldecott Tunnel .The Hitchhiking Katydid Published in the Home & Garden section of the San Francisco Chronicle on 21 August 2004.


My childhood gardens, adolescent gardens and young adult gardens.childhood gardens


Scented Geraniums or Pelargoniums Scented Geraniums or Pelargoniums


Backyard ponds: building and maintaining inexpensive backyard ponds. Backyard ponds: building and maintaining inexpensive backyard ponds


Some west coast arboretums, botanical gardens and horticultural societies Arboretums


A gardening letter about using the Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus discolor) to add to home security (the old briarpatch trick) A gardening letter


The Early Girl tomato and the Late Girl tomato The Late Girl tomato 31 January 2004.


How about creating a letters-to-the-editor column in the Garden section of the Contra Costa Times? Garden letters-to-the-editor column? 20 March 2004


Gardening literature Gardening literature


My four favorite gardening reference books for the curious western gardener: Gardening References


A little kitchen window sill gardening: window sill gardening


Blue gum eucalyptus and other eucalyptus information Blue gum eucalyptus


Some interesting volunteer shrubs, climbers and trees have started growing in my backyard in the last two years Volunteer Plants


Some garden plants described: Some garden plants


Three blond lice: : Three blond lice

End.

 

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Author's Email: sayresayre@yahoo.com

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Web page last updated on 22 March 2005.