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

Weekly Journal 1

April 8th, 2014

3:00 PM

Rainy, 57 Degrees

The spot I decided to pick came after about half an hour of exploring Ravenna Park's extensive trail system. A little downed log provided the perfect place to sit and observe my surroundings while also being sheltered from the rain thanks to a big cedar tree.

The photo above will be my weekly replicated view. It shows most of the little meadow/clearing in front of my sitting spot and provides a good view of the landscape including many plant species. It will serve me well in seeing the changes of the area over the next quarter. 

Within one meter, when I turn around there is a steep bank which has a flourishing population of different plants maintaining the stability of the hill. Some of these include ferns, nettles, and dandelions which happen to be in bloom right now. To the front, at the beginning of the clearing there is a thick matting of grass and some kind of short green shrub with thin, brittle branchings. just to my right is my rainy savior, the tall cedar. 

At fifty meters there is a plethora of different species. As for animals, I can hear small birds singing and even spotted a gray squirrel foraging for food on the ground. Hopefully when the weather is more favorable I'll be able to observe them for longer. There are western sword ferns and spiny wood ferns scattered around as well as the giant horsetail and western skunk cabbage. Right now the salmon berry appears to be in bloom as well as the cherry blossom.

Not sure what species

Western sword fern (I think)

Giant horsetail

As I sit in this huge woodland area amidst the busy city of Seattle, I am reminded of my hometown of Leavenworth, WA or more specifically the area along Blewet Pass where the woods are quite similar to this location. Many of the same species flourish there and the feeling you get when immersed in the wild is comparable. It has always been a place of solace for me, especially when I return from months of living in the city with little connection to the natural environment. Although now that I know Ravenna Park is so beautiful I'll have to come by more often. 

One of my favorite pastimes when possible has been hiking and exploring the mountain habitats our state has to offer. Leavenworth is placed within the Cascade Mountains and has many trails for travelers to peruse. I have only to scratch the surface of many of this long list but I hope to cover more within the coming years. Growing up there instilled countless memories and a love for nature that could rival so many places. 

I remember a specific time when two friends and I hiked up to Lake Stewart, which is around three miles one way. The whole time up the sun was shining and the wildlife was blossoming. Once at the lake we enjoyed some fishing and took in the scenery before we went back down. Times like these are what have made me interested in the natural element of our environment.