Week 9 Journal

June 7th

65 Degrees F

Sunny

My Final Visit

Part 1

Week 1

Week 9

Me standing in Giant Horsetails for reference

     

     It was a bittersweet goodbye today as I observed the organisms at my site for the last time this year. However, I know that I'll be back next Fall to see how things are going, so that was a nice thought. Once again, I was amazed at how tall the Giant Horsetails had gotten. The first time I observed my site, they were just shooting up and didn't exceed a height of 6", now they're easily 4' tall and I have provided a photo for reference above. I had no clue how tall they were capable of getting and definitely didn't expect this size from the little reed looking chutes. As you can see from the difference in the two site pictures, little of the original foliage in the little meadow remains, as the Horsetails have taken over almost completely. The salmonberries are all ripe now for the most part and will soon be at the end of their growth period. They are tasty! The birds were especially loud on this day I noticed. I wonder if the babies are all born yet. Black-capped Chickadees, American Robins, as well as song sparrows were all over the place, flitting around. As for the mud that once plagued the meadow floor, much of it has dried up and now much more of the landscape is walkable. 

Part 2

Plant: Despite the way it sits and only the wind can move it, I can tell it is alive. Each of its components is like one of my arms or legs, a limb, part of the whole and part of the Earth. 

Bird: You can follow to your hearts content, but never catch. With your hands at least. To be this free is something a human will never know. In observing such a creature, you see that it is very simple. Yet, we will never be as complex. If only they could teach us how they see the world.

Animal: All it wants is food and shelter. Much simpler than myself, it's beautiful because it bypasses intricacies and focuses on necessities. The priorities are obvious, and for that, I have respect. Learning from this thing is easy as you watch it survive, only living in the present, never occupied with the future. 

Part 3

The perception of my site has definitely been altered throughout the course of this quarter. During the first week, I was unable to really zone in on any one organism and sort of just saw the site as a small area with a bunch of plant species. Eventually though, I could key in on each individual species of not only plant, but animal and invertebrate as well. Seeing how many life forms one small area can support was one of the biggest lessons I learned. Biodiversity is immense in Seattle thanks to places like Ravenna park and I hope it will be around for many years to come. I was able to really get to know the park after repeatedly returning over the course of nine weeks and I'm so happy I did. This site has become a major part of my scholastic career at the University of Washington because it is now a place of solace that I can visit when I need to clear my head and just relax. With minimal foot traffic along the path near my meadow, I am able to relax and reflect on life somewhere that isn't surrounded with concrete or steel. And that, is something beautiful.

At the beginning of the quarter, I really knew very little of the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Being from Leavenworth, a town just across the mountains, I was a bit disappointed with myself for not knowing more than I did. It is alright though, because Envir280 filled that gap for me. Knowing the glacial and forest history of Seattle makes the region so much more interesting to me. When we spend time in a place like Seattle, its easy to forget what it once was and just accept it for what it is now, a huge booming city. But knowing on a deeper level is something that everyone should do at some point. Because once you know its history, you begin to wonder what it will be like in the future. That is an interesting thought; things can change so vastly. There is still much of the Puget Sound region to be explored for me though. Seeing as I had to miss the trip to Lake Crescent, I would love to visit the Olympic Peninsula to see all it has to offer. I have experienced many of the plants and animals of the forest and wetlands, but coastal areas is where I lack knowledge and experience. I hope I can fix that very soon.

To intimately know a natural place is to be attached to something at the deepest of levels. When you get to know a place well, it becomes something you care about. You want nothing to change it or alter the beauty it has to offer. It seems that today, people are becoming less connected to the natural environment and that is a scary thought. Mostly because without the connection, the concern lacks as well. We need to find a way to continue people's love of nature for the next generations, because they will most likely decide what happens to the remaining wildlife the Earth has left, even though it is already dwindling quickly. Knowing multiple places as well is also key to connecting to one on a deep level. You know what other places have to offer, and you can decide which ones bring you the best, most comforting feelings, and you know what types of landscapes you want to avoid. Everybody is different, therefore they look for different aspects of nature for comfort. I hope to never lose my drive to get to know nature more deeply, at any scale. I plan on continuing to explore what I can, when I can and to experience as much wilderness as possible. It brings me joy to share what knowledge of the natural world I have with others who are lacking, because I can see the feeling it gives them, and I know it is a joyful one. One that is the beginning of a new love.

Weekly Journal 8

Ellensburg, WA

May 31st

Sunny, 75

May 31st Field Trip Experience

Umptanum Ridge

     The drive down interstate 90 to the Ellensburg area was a beautiful way to start the Saturday off. When we arrived at the Umptanum Ridge trailhead, everyone hopped out of the vehicles, ready to begin a fun filled day of learning about natural history! There was a slight hiccup right off the bat, however, as a few of us rushed off to find a hiker who had fallen from a rocky cliff and was injured. Getting him out of there and checked out by an officer was kind of a rush and it felt good to be the ones who assisted. 

     Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera on this portion of the trip because I knew we might be hiking some somewhat rocky trails, and my previous phone didn't make it out of the last field trip alive. So I'll just explain it! I ventured off of the beaten path with hopes of finding a reptile, but to no avail. However, I did find a nice patch of prickly pear cactus that I alerted the class about. As everyone flocked around to admire, Tim began to tell us about the tall sagebrush that grew in the area. I found it ridiculous that some of those bushes that were no taller than four feet could be somewhere around 100 years old! 

     The rest of this portion of the trip was filled with more learning of shrubs and birds. It was really nice getting to use the scope and seeing some of the birds that dwelled up on the rocky cliffs that were far off in the distance.

Yakima Canyon

     Later in the day, the class visited a lithizol community comprised of mostly rocky soil that actually supported a range of healthy organisms. Many of these were different types of flowers such as the Erigeron, Thyme desert buckwheat, Balsom root, Rocky Mountain Iris as well as some stiff sage brush. Learning the difference between stiff sage brush and the variety found at Umptanum Ridge was interesting, and made sense based on the difference of water availability in the two locations. 

     I spent most of my time here looking under rocks for the infamous horny toad. Unfortunately, I was unable to find one but my classmate did! The spiny lizard had rough skin and seemed surprisingly calm in the hands of a human. This was the first of the species I had ever observed so I was very excited. While I was searching though, I did happen upon two scorpions. After being a bit startled, I just observed them and they were fairly docile. I just gently put the rock back over them and let them continue doing whatever scorpions do. 

                                                                      Pollinating Bumble Bee

Bitterroot





 Scorpion

Stiff Sagebrush

Waterfall Trail

     Our final destination on the field trip was a trail that led to a waterfall after about twenty minutes of walking. Along the trail, we saw a plethora of bird and plant species. Some of the plants and shrubs along the trail included: Rocky Mountain Iris, Cypress trees, and timothy grass. One of the most interesting parts, however, was getting to see a woodpecker up close through the scope as it pre-bored its digging holes in a snag. Observing it methodically move around the trunk of the tree and use its feathers for support was a treat. It still baffles me that a bird can peck such deep holes into wood like that. 

Cypress

Rocky Mountain Iris

Week 7 Journal

5/28/14

3:00 PM

65 Degrees F

Partly Cloudy

Week 7 Journal

This week the site seems to have grown exponentially in terms of the giant horsetails and skunk cabbage. The horsetails themselves are at about 4.5 feet now. I heard a few more birds this week compared to last week. Specifically the song sparrow as well as a number of crows that were eating some scraps of food left behind by visitors. 

The brown creeper nest I found two weeks ago was still in the tree bark, however I did not see it or evidence of offspring so I'm assuming it left for another nest. 

Like last week, I was able to find many bugs, especially millipedes and mosquitos because of all the moisture on the ground. In the thickest parts of the horsetails the ground is complete mud. 

Gray squirrels were everywhere around the site and chasing each other around trees which I've heard is a mating ritual of sorts. In any case, it is funny to observe.

Fungi and Lichen

On this tree I was able to find two different species of lichen. The more prevalent free/yellow species appears to be of the crustose variety while the light gray species in the small patch is a foliose. It is interesting how two species can live in such close proximity to each other.

This fungus enjoyed the benefits of a fallen nurse log as it grew out of its rotten exterior. This species had long slender gills beneath the caps and produced a greyish spore.

This species of fungus was very rigid and stubborn when it came to prying it from the log. The spores produced were black when tapped out. There wasn't much as far as gills went, and this species really had no stem.

I found a fruticose lichen in a ball laying at the base of a tree. There was more attached high up as well. The majority of the mass was green with some brown and gray portions as well.

This fungus was very stubborn when it came to its attachment to the tree. No spores were produces from its hard, thick body when prompted. It appeared to be feeding on the heartwood of the tree. I wonder if it was negatively affecting its host.

Lastly, a lichen that greatly resembles a head of lettuce. Of the foliose variety, it was fairly flexible and had deep dimples in the surface of the leaves. The hue of green changed in different locations on the lichen. I'm wondering if this was due to sunlight exposure. 

Week 6 Journal

 Weekly Journal # 6

Nisqually River Delta:

The wildlife preserve here was one that consisted of such a variety of organisms the it was hard to take it all in within just a few hours. One of the first aspects about the park that I noticed was its abundance of bugs and insects. There were many damsel flies as well as various beetles to capture the attention of a few of us who wanted to take the time to check them all out. The most interesting organism in the park to me, was the tent caterpillar. They had huge colonies bunched together atop tree branches interwoven with their silk. Another exciting point was that the herbivory was so clearly present in these areas. The leaves around the caterpillar nests would be desolated and only the vascular tissues remained in many. Lastly, there was a huge green darter dragonfly in the lawn between the two barns that had sitting on it a green darter dragonfly. I thought it was beautiful but I found it admirable to see how excited Charlie got over it. He was a solid bug guide throughout the entire trip.

After departing from the initial parking lot and seeing not only a Wilson's warbler but also a yellow warbler, who oddly enough, came out of hiding to the same call, we ventured out to the barn area where we watched the swallows roost in their mud nests banked against the roof eaves. It was kind of sad when I discovered a carcass of a baby bird stuck just inside the window of one of the barns. It must have fallen in through a hole in the roof then was never able to escape. 

Along the way we found a garter snake that a few of us unsuccessfully attempted to capture, as well as what I found to be the most interesting bird at the refuge, the yellow legs sandpiper. Watching it in the scope eating away at organisms deep down in the sand made me think of all the weird adaptations life comes up with to survive in different niches. 

Mount Rainier:

This part of the trip was breathtaking. The entire drive up was packed with scenic views of the mountain and park area, I'll definitely have to go back again and perhaps even climb it. Below is a sketch of the glacier seen from the bridge. Learning all about how the river channels change and hedge their own damns to begin a new path was very interesting. Also, being able to see where the glacier used to be in comparison to now was a bit mind blowing. Its fascinating to see how fast our climate can change these days. It makes you wonder how long before its all gone. The trip us to paradise gave a perfect view of the summit and really backed up its name. Unfortunately my phone broke on the way home so hopefully I'll be able to recover some of the photos I took.

Week 5 Journal

Invertebrates and Site Update

5/13/14

Sunny

6:00 PM

68 degrees F

The skunk cabbage at my site seems to be completely gone now, presumably it was taken over by the giant horsetails which are obviously the dominant open space species here. The horsetails take over the real estate of many other plants too, many ferns, thimbleberry bushes, and flower species have been pushed out of the little meadow that is most of my site. 

The Brown Creeper that I discovered last week seems to have completed the building of its nest. It has created a nice and seemingly safe place to raise its young under the flaky bark of its tree. Its interesting how difficult it would be to notice if I had not seen the bird actually fly in. 

The slopes at my site within 30 feet of the stream are still quite wet where I expected them to be more dry now due to the hotter weather. As I was searching for invertebrates I got my shoes stuck in the mud at least five times. There is some evidence of slope failure there judging by the overturned maple.

Invertebrates:

 Here is a photo I snapped of the yellow and black centipede found at my site as it was moving. It traveled quite quickly and never stopped. Terrain never seemed to be an issue for it as it just trampled over any obstacle in front of it.

Here is one ant I found away from its nest. Interestingly I didn't see any others around it so it must have been lost considering they usually travel together. 

Sitting on one of the thimbleberry flowers at my site was a honey bee. It was quite docile and ignored my presence as I drew it. It had a few full pollen sacks on its legs and looked like it would probably go drop off its load soon.

I had the pleasure of being bitten by a mosquito as the daylight was beginning to fade and they were out in force at the time. I took this opportunity to draw the mosquito. It hadn't sucked enough blood to show in its stomach yet. It flew away before it got full which I thought was interesting; something must have spooked it or maybe it just didn't like my blood.

As I was exploring my site for inverts, I happened to smash up a rotting log in hope of finding a grub. I have experience with this species from splitting wood at my family's Leavenworth, WA home and figured I could find the grub of the long horned beetle in the dead wood. When I pulled it out it wiggled around pretty vigorously for its fatness and seemed very unhappy I pulled it from its home. When I put it back after drawing it began to burrow back into the wood.



Other invertebrates I encountered at my site include many flies, they varied in size but never stayed still long enough to analyze, I think some were horseflies. I also ran into a couple bunches of flying gnats (dipterid nematocera) I belive. They stayed together in clusters as they flew, hovering about six feet from the ground. 

Week 4 Journal Entry

4/29/14

Sunny

68 degrees F

Week 4 Ravenna Park Observations

Here is my weekly photo. As you can see Springtime has arrived with a bang with almost every plant growing at great speed.

Everything is coming to life with incredible haste now that the temperatures are becoming warmer and the sun is out far more than before. There are also far more birds out now than in the previous weeks and often times you can see their nests. Most of the berry bushes such as the salmon and thimbleberries are beginning to flower and should be yielding some delicious fruit soon. 

Below I will be identifying some of the different plant species around my observation spot:

Giant horsetail

(Equisetum Telmateia)

Very common in large groups, a dominant species in wooded areas, needs sun.

Tips for identification: Horizontally shooting bristles up stem

Segmented stem/ very wet inside

More bristles along stem than the common horsetail

Indian Plum

(Oamleria Ceraciformis)

Fairly large compared to other shrubs, found in understory of area.

Tips for identification: Long, ovular leaves.

Thin, bendable stems.

Western Sword Fern

(Polystichum Munitum)

Found mostly on hillsides, grows in large patches together.

Tips for identification: Leaves attach to stem at a node.

Serrated edges of leaves resemble a blade or sword.

Glossy, rigid leaves

Salal

(Gaultheria Shallon)

Prefers shady understory

Tips for identification: Thick, deep green, waxy leaves.

Serrated edges on leaves.

Tiny sharp point at tip of leaf.

Thimbleberry

(Rubus Parviflorus)

Found in prominent sunlight

Tips for identification: Leaves are extremely soft

5 points per leaf

White flowers

Fragile red berry produced when ripe

Brachen

(Pteridium Aquilidum)

Very common in large groups, a dominant species in wooded areas.

Tips for identification: Fronds shaped like triangles

Each frond usually has 3 leaflets

Thick, root-like stems

Oregon Grape

(Mahonia Aquifolium)

Prefers partial shade and moist soils

Tips for identification: Sharp serrated edges on leaves

Leaves are shiny and rigid

Red stems

Small, blue berries when ripe

Snowberry

(Symphoricarpos)

Grows in partial shade in understory

Tips for identification: Small, very soft, ovular leaves.

Some leaves are lobed, some may not be.

Variance of green shade in leaf color on same plant.

Forget-me-not

(Myosotis)

Found in sparsely vegetated spots with little shade

Tips for identification: Tiny yellow ring around middle of blue flower

Small leaves with large serrations

Found often times on hillsides

Weekly Journal 3

April 22, 2014

Sunny, 50 degrees F

12:00 PM

Weekly Journal #3

Weekly site photograph

Unfortunately, this week I was unable to attend the Olympic Peninsula field trip with my classmates, therefore I will be updating my readers on my normal site in Ravenna Park. 

One example of competition within species that I noticed this week was amongst two grey squirrels quarreling over food. Both seemed to want to forage the same tree for cones, and neither seemed to want to give up their territory. Eventually a victor was crowned and the other fled the tree to find new pastures.

A disturbance I noticed was a heavy rain and the damage it can do to the trees in the area. With extremely damp soil, there were many trees that uprooted and tipped over which will eventually lead to to death for them.

The best example of predation I found present around my site was a pair of humming birds feeding on flying insects. Watching them hover around and strike their prey with such precision was quite the treat.

The soil moisture of my site was definitely the factor with the most impact on vegetation species. As mentioned above, the wet, loose soil on the hillsides mostly, contributed to a large number of fallen trees which, when uprooted, caused a major change to the look of the landscape. The trees I saw most commonly tipped over were red alders, along with a few western hemlocks.

The thumbnail sketch above is a representation of my observation site. The story I would like to portray here is one of competition for sunlight. As the larger trees around begin to bloom and grow more steadily due to increased light, a sense of competition should begin to occur among the plant species here. Already you can tell the ground shrubby plants are battling for what they can like the common and giant horsetails and the bleeding hearts (pictured below).

The most striking change to the phenology to my site this week was the addition of this bird family and their nest. I am not sure on the species yet but it has a very high pitched chirp and its flight is extremely fast. Getting a picture of it still was a challenge. Perhaps it was doing its best to warn me away from its nest.

This bird chose to create its nest under a patch of bark that was pulled away from the tree. I could imagine this location serving as great cover from the weather as well as potential predators because of its height in the tree and overall camouflage. 

Ravenna Park Week 2 Observations

April 15th
Sunny
51 degrees F

Weekly Journal 2

Site Photo

This week's observations presented a little bit more life than the last, seeing as though Spring is almost upon us and the weather has been on a nicer streak. Plants that were newly flowering this week included the salmonberry with its bright pink pedals and thimbleberry and looked as though they would soon be producing fruit judging by their round, plump buds. The red flowering currant was also brandishing its tell-tale deep red flowers. 

Some species I hadn't noticed before or lacked the knowledge to identify include a big Douglas fir down in the small meadow, and a western hemlock. Today I learned about the big leaf maple: It has flowers that hang down lazily, winged seeds used for maximum dispersal, and bark that is thick and appears to travel along the trunk vertically with a "cracked mud" looking pattern. I also observed a red alder and noticed that it had smooth, spotty bark that looked almost like army camouflage. Another distinct attribute was its amazingly small seeds that looked like tiny pinecones scattered everywhere among the branches.

One blue flower I am still unable to identify grows in small patches and the plant is only about 6 inches tall. It must be some sort of wildflower. It has very soft, small leaves and the flowers bloom periodically up the whole length of the stalk. In the middle of each tiny flower is a yellow circle; the vibrant colors are undoubtedly for attracting small pollinators. 

Sketch Series