4/4 Saturday. Fog, overcast, sunny. Was contemplating getting up at 5am to see the super red lunar eclipse. Good that I slept. Still had to get up early for my short hike. The Friends had wildlife biologist Bill Weiler (from Department of Natural Resource) lead today's hike. He is entertaining. He stops to point at things, and tell funny anecdotes. 
Most knowledgeable in the group is Ralph, whom I remembered from a Friends' hike 2 years ago, when he got pissed off of the hike leader / board member. This time, both Bill and the "sweep" Christin are patient. I learned Antelope Brush, Yellow Western Grounsel, Filaree, Western Stoneseed. Buttercup and Fairy Star at higher elevation, even in the woods. Most prominent today, at lower elevation, is Death Camas. Plenty Bi-colored Cluster Lily, Nine-leaf Desert Parsley.
22 of us started our hike on a small turn off Centreville Hwy in Lyle. Saw 2 nests of Western Gray Squirrel which is in danger in WA (edge of their territory), but plentiful in OR and CA. Continued upwards on last year's oak leaves, under evergreens, passed some powerline, reached a grassy plateau where we had lunch. A bit more oaks later the trail zigzag its way down large grassy meadow overlooking Columbia River.
Along the drive, yellow Lomatium Grayi and some orange California poppy line hwy-14. At the parking lot by hwy-14, a couple of Columbia Desert Parsley in seed already, some broad leaf Thelypodium high on cliff.
