Emma Boulter, OC Parks resource specialist, works at Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. The preserve is part of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve, approximately 1,000 acres of open space in the heart of Newport Beach. We caught up with Boulter to ask her about springtime in the preserve. 

Q: What signs do you look for that spring is here and summer is near? 

Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve spans nearly 135 acres in the bluffs surrounding the bay, including the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Flowers are a wonderful sign that spring is here and summer is near! The preserve is home to annual wildflowers such as California poppies and fiddleneck, as well as the blooming flowers of our perennial shrubs. While on a walk around the bay, you can find bush sunflower, California buckwheat and black sage all blooming during springtime. Blooming flowers also mean there are pollinators! On a warm spring day, you can find monarch butterflies and native bees flying around.

Q: Can you suggest great views, hikes, etc. that you think are particularly nice this time of year?

On land, some of the best views after rainfall are from the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center patio. From here, you can look out over Upper Newport Bay and see the vibrant yellow bush sunflowers blooming in the upland habitat. There is also a wildflower garden on the roof of the interpretive center that features numerous native wildflowers found throughout Orange County that range in color from orange to purple and pink to yellow. If you’re up for a hike, Constellation Trail offers great inland views of the Santa Ana and San Gabriel Mountains. You may be able to catch a glimpse of the snowcapped Mt. Baldy and surrounding peaks.

Q: Anything else seasonal that visitors should look for? 

As we move from spring into summer, visitors at the bay will notice the marsh plants in the wetlands start to turn a bright green. This is because the marsh vegetation grows in the late spring and early summer, making views of the water quite spectacular.

Q: What are some of your favorite experiences during spring? 

One of my favorite springtime phenomena here at the bay is the arrival of the cliff swallows. Each year, cliff swallows travel from South America to their breeding grounds here in North America, and we have a nesting colony of cliff swallows at the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. It’s exciting to watch the adults build mud nests and raise their young.

Q: What makes Upper Newport Bay unique?

 It is one of the last remaining estuaries in Southern California. Estuaries, areas where freshwater and saltwater meet, are beneficial to the public and the natural environment. They filter out water that runs off our streets, act as a storm buffer and provide critical habitat and feeding grounds for a wide variety of native species and wildlife.

Q: Tell us about your job with OC Parks.

I am a resource specialist at OC Parks and work primarily out of Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. My main role is to develop and deliver a diverse offering of interpretive programs to visitors of all ages. I lead a wide range of programs, including nature-based children’s activities, toddler and junior ranger activities, bike-riding programs, guided hikes, art programs and restoration events.

While programming is my primary role, my job encompasses a wide variety of tasks. Some days, I may be caring for our reptiles in the interpretive center in the morning, then pulling invasive weeds in the afternoon. The variety of tasks and the opportunity to share a place that I love with others is what I enjoy most about this position.

To learn more about activities at Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve: ocparks.com/parks-trails/upper-newport-bay-nature-preserve