Diario de ablevins

Pack Forest, WA. 2012/03/31

At around 9:20, our ENVIR 280 class had departed for Pack Forest from the University of Washington, Seattle campus. Along the way we passed by many species of trees and animals, but I am still only learning the basics of identifying and understanding common native and invasive species, let alone at a distance and at 60mph. The weather was clear as we made our way down, we all anticipated heavy rainfall, but it never came. The one species that I could confirm from a distance was Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius), which we saw very frequently.

We then arrived at the Pack Forest compound at approximately 11:30. As we exited our van to load our gear into the cabins, I witnessed a single American Robin (Turdus migratorius) upon hearing its song and seeing its red breast in a White Pine (Pinus Strobus) that was around 10m tall. The weather was slightly chilly, but nothing that a warm jacket could not handle.

We then set out on our first hike of the day, which was to be cut short by the necessity of returning for a bit of lunch by 12:30. And so, we eagerly scampered into the woods along a trail due south of the compound. The ground was wet from rain that morning that we had fortuitously missed, the remains of which were alluded to by moist foliage, tree bark, puddles, and mud. I fortunately had waterproof boots on, but others were not so lucky and had soaked feet within the first five minutes of our expedition.

The first plant that I noticed upon walking into the woods was the rich understory comprised of mostly Salal (Gaultheria shallon) with sparse undercuttings of Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), we also spotted two types of fern: Western Sword (Polystichum munitum) which was practically as prevalent as the Salal, and we found one patch of Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza), which was on a dead log right next to the trail. There were few signs of animals as far as I could tell, but we did hear the incessant and yet beautiful songs of several Pacific Wrens (Troglodytes pacificus) and some more American Robins (Turdus migratorius) along the way. The trees were mainly Douglas Firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in this section of the forest (which I learned to identify by their irregular, mouse-tailed pinecones), although some Big Leaf Maples (Acer macrophyllum) were also present. We had not been travelling very fast along the way as we stopped to identify several species in detail using Pojar's Plants of the Pacific Northwest and the knowledge of our teachers as guides. As we approached 12:20 and were about to turn around, we saw a beautiful Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis) shrub without berries, but with gorgeous white flowers. I learned that summer contains all of the sweet berries and winter has many starchy and waxy berries. We headed back in order to get lunch and it only took about five minutes. At 13:00, we would depart for another jaunt into the forest, but this time to the east.

As we left for the next hike we saw a large Red Alder (Alnus rubra) and several of its felled companions (appeared to be of natural causes). Its branches crept onto the large grass plain near the compound and filled the air with its long red catkins. We also saw that it had many distinct lichens and mosses on its trunk and limbs. We saw Usnea Lichen of some variety, Evernia lichen of another variety, and Parmelia Lichen as well. Apparently all of these lichen are in the Family of Parmeliaceae. there was also Xanthoria parietina present as well it was widespread and of a particularly bright orange hue. I am really quite glad that we stopped to examine this tree, because I learned much about lichens. We were able to identify the distinct cyan Tube Lichen (Hypogenia physodes) and Hooded Bone Lichen (Hypogymnia physodes) on many of the trees.

There was a large amount of Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) in the understory surrounding this area and still more Salal (Gaultheria shallon) and ferns. As we entered the forest along a path, we saw that there was much Tall Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium) and Dull Oregon-grape (Mahonia Nervosa) which can be told apart by the amount of main lines in each leaflet and to some degree the amount of leaflets on each leaf. Before this I had no idea that leaflets were an actual thing, and had always assumed that leaves were simply leaves no matter what formation they were in. We came upon a large mucky pond on our left as we headed down the path. There was a large variety of Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) present along the path near this area and a large anthill on in between the path we were on and the pond. It must have been two-thirds of a meter tall and one meter wide and had many ants on and around it with red heads and black thoraxes and abdomens. I dared not touch it because I dislike being bitten by ants. There were also many horsetails (Equisetum) along the path, many of which were dead at the base and rotting.

It was here that I learned to differentiate the different plants that I and most other people call 'grasses' as well. Apparently there are three types. This rhyming method immediately stuck in my head upon hearing it...how could it not!

1. Sedges: They have edges, and are normally triangular-ish in shape.
2. Rushes: They are luscious, have round stems, and are normally stiff with brown and green flowers.
3. Grasses: They have asses (referring to their hollow interiors).

I encountered my first Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) plant as well just a few feet further. It had no berries, so I had mistaken it for Rubus armeniacus, but one of my classmates told me that the upright standing of its single stem and its light brown exterior meant it was Salmonberry. We also saw much Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) along the path and some Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora) on the ground. We heard the tell-tale flat note of the varied thrush, although we did not see any.

At around 16:00 we set out for Mt. Rainier National Park. When we got there we were greeted by some snow on the ground and the crisp mountain air. We took a long loop around a spring-fed pool that was rust-colored due to high iron content. The pool itself is loaded with a mix of what appeared to be grasses and rushes. We saw Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), Yellow-Cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis), Silver Fir (Abies alba), Pacific Yew (Taxus brevifolia) and Western Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana). The understory here was noticeably more sparse than at Pack Forest, and it looks like with the harsher climatic conditions here, trees must go through a more arduous process in growing to such large sizes. I was most impressed with the magnificent Western Red Cedar trees. They were enormous, and many of the fallen ones lent their nutrients to young saplings. One of the more interesting species that I was able to see was near the pool. It was a bright orange slime mold on the side of a rotting log. In addition, I found a beautiful specimen of a green tube lichen with a red tip, later I identified it is Lipstick Powderhorn (Cladonia macilenta).

After dinner we all met up to log our journals and learn to categorize native trees in the Pack Forest Lodge-Room. It was equipped with a fireplace and was very relaxing.

That night at around 22:00, around one-fourth of our class group decided to go on a night hike to listen for owls. We were out until around 23:00 without any owl hoots, even using digitally recorded owl sounds to provoke them. We did catch a red-eyed, brown backed, white bellied frog however in a puddle along an old logging road that circled around from east of the compound to the north, and then back to the lodge going south. It was dark and quite rainy during this particular adventure. Fortunately we had several flashlights with us on hand.

Species List:

Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
White Pine (Pinus Strobus)
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
Western Sword (Polystichum munitum)
Douglas Firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza)
Big Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)
Red Alder (Alnus rubra)
Tall Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
Dull Oregon-grape (Mahonia Nervosa)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Horsetails (Equisetum)
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora)
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
Yellow-Cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis)
Silver Fir (Abies alba)
Pacific Yew (Taxus brevifolia)
Western Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana)

Usnea Lichen
Hooded Bone Lichen (Hypogymnia physodes)
Parmelia Lichen
Xanthoria parietina
Tube Lichen (Hypogenia physodes)
Lipstick Powderhorn (Cladonia macilenta

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Pacific Wrens (Troglodytes pacificus)

2012/04/01

Pack Forest, WA. 6:15. I arose early with four other brave souls to a damp, lightly rainy, and crisp morning. We were fortunate enough to get warm mugs into our hands as we set out on an adventure of early morning birding. We had high hopes of more people showing up, but a late night after a long day can make waking up a bit more difficult than would otherwise be anticipated.

We began by warming our ears up to the songs of some American Robins (Turdus migratorius), whose songs seemed to surround us upon entering the outdoors. Then, we heard the complex calls of the Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis). This species of bird has a distinct niche of nesting near the ground in dome nests. They build many of them and then if they sense predators they will lure them away to the false nests. We got to see one of them do this, and it was fascinating to watch how quickly it could move from one tree to another. We also heard the shrill tones of the Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius), Dark-Eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis), and Spotted Towhees (Pipilo maculatus). We were lucky enough to see several Golden (Regulus satrapa) and Ruby (Regulus calendula) Crowned Kinglets, some Brown Creepers (Certhia americana), and a Northern Flicker Woodpecker (Colaptes auratus). In addition to these birds, we saw several Douglas Squirrels (Tamiasciurus douglasii), which were scampering about and chittering to one another...or perhaps at us. At 7:00 we went back to the compound to eat breakfast with the others and pack up to head to the Nisqually Estruary.

Nisqually Estruary, WA. 10:45. Along the way we saw more Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius), and at a distance some White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and an Elk (Cervus canadensis) (we think).

Upon arriving at the estruary, we left our vans and went into what was a large barn on an old farm (that is now the area's beloved estruary). It is difficult for me to think that the city of Olympia could have ever wanted to convert one of the last bastions of safety for local animal and plant life into a port, but that was at one time thought to be the fate of the farmland. Fortunately, the area is now protected, and its bounty can be shared with people, animals, and plants alike.

Nisqually Estruary is essentially a wetlands that flows into the Puget Sound, but human access is allowed along a wharf-like pathway that makes for quite a long walk (if you are paying attention to what is around you). We saw a large number of species in this area. These included: White Daffodils (Narcissus), Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), Himalayan Blackberries (Rubus armeniacus), Stinging Nettles (Urtica diocia), Flowering Red Currants (Ribes rubrum), Snowberries (Symphoricarpos), young Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Songsparrows (Melospiza melodia), Elderberries (Sambucus), Canadian Geese (Branta canadensis), three Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus), Bigleaf Maples (Acer macrophyllum), a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), a Harrier Hawk (Circus cyaneus), a Garter Snake (Thamnophis) and a Pacific Tree-Frog (Pseudacris regilla), Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis), and Brown Creepers (Certhia americana) hunting on Cottonwood Trees (Populus sect. Aigeiros). On our way back to the vans we saw a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) as well.

American Robins (Turdus migratorius)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius)
Dark-Eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis)
Spotted Towhees (Pipilo maculatus)
Golden Crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
Ruby Crowned Kinglets (Regulus calendula)
Brown Creepers (Certhia americana)
Northern Flicker Woodpecker (Colaptes auratus)
Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis)
Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Canadian Geese (Branta canadensis)
Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus)
Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Songsparrows (Melospiza melodia)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Harrier Hawk (Circus cyaneus)

Elk (Cervus canadensis)
Douglas Squirrels (Tamiasciurus douglasii)
White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Garter Snake (Thamnophis)
Pacific Tree-Frog (Pseudacris regilla)

White Daffodils (Narcissus)
Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Himalayan Blackberries (Rubus armeniacus)
Stinging Nettles (Urtica diocia)
Flowering Red Currants (Ribes rubrum)
Snowberries (Symphoricarpos)
Elderberries (Sambucus)
Bigleaf Maples (Acer macrophyllum)

Cottonwood Trees (Populus sect. Aigeiros)

Small Field Due East of McMahon Hall. 13:25.

I had not been back here since I was a freshman, but strange weather (cold showers, gusts of wind and breaks of sun), and a need to get away from my class readings have all brought me here. I was headed home from south campus not five minutes ago and there was a glint of sun. I decided to capitalize upon it and it brought me here, to a roughly 100 x 60 plot of meadow near McMahon Hall. This was a favorite spot of mine as a freshman, when I was nearby more often, but living on the other side of the University District for a year and picking up a job have cut down on the amount of time I am able to simply enjoy sitting about in the grass. Then again, what a perfect opportunity to learn more about the environment than to sit in a grassy meadow for ENVIR 280!

Thus far, the weather has not changed much, but the wind is rustling the taller grasses across the field to the east. To the north of me is a patch of Salal (Gaultheria shallon) below some Western Red Cedars (Thuja plicata). A few American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) just flew overhead and I am hearing an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) somewhere above me, although I have not caught a glimpse of it yet. I am unsure of the type of grass that is here in the field, but it is intermixed with Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), which are in full bloom (I recently heard that they are quite tasty to eat when they are young!) and there is a large amount of what looks to me like hearty and thick Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) edging the fences of the meadow. There is also a thinner variety of Blackberry (which I believe is Pacific Blackberry (Rubus ursinus) trailing amongst the grass spilling further into the meadow. Right now I am sitting under a Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) trying to avoid the cold bursts of air. The clouds are getting darker overhead, which means more rain. I will certainly be coming back here when I have more time and better weather to see how things have changed.

Species:

Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
Pacific Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

My Father's Backyard, Cromwell Area, Gig Harbor, WA. 12:10.

My parents would always joke that my brother and I were practically born in the Puget Sound. From the time we could swim to the time we had to pack up for college we would go on to spend much of the summer either playing sports or at the water. Around six years back, my Dad started renting a very small, yellow house on the water with the intention of buying it one day. Unfortunately, the home's owner is a very old man with many sentimental ties to the house. For the majority of his life, that house held his backyard -the Puget Sound- and many fond memories to boot. I don't blame him for not wanting to sell it at the moment, but maybe some day. My Dad does not seem to mind renting the place at all however, he is just happy to spend any of his time away from work there. It certainly is nice to be able to go and visit him here from time to time when I can get away from work and school. Living here in high school, I never realized just how lucky I was to be able to look out onto the sea each morning. It quite literally is teeming with life.

Looking out through a pair of binoculars, I can see the characteristic Pacific Northwest skyline, gray with a chance of gray. On the neighbor's dock sits a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) eating a small Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisuch). I can see exposed Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis) on the pylons of the dock facing me. On the small lawn in front of our house stands a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) perched on one leg. It keeps looking back at me as I scribble thoughts down on paper, seeming to not care for my desire to watch it rest. For the past couple of minutes a Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) has been circling overhead looking for a meal but it has not taken a dive yet. A flock of Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis) has landed near the Bald Eagle on the dock, perhaps looking for scraps.

If it were a sunnier day I might be able to see into the water and catch a glimpse of some starfish or perhaps some dungeness or rock crab, but I will have no such luck today. It is getting a bit chillier now and I will have to go back inside so I do not catch a cold. Getting sick in the Spring is one of my least favorite things, and I do not intend to start my sunny days off incorrectly. I scared away the Heron in my attempt to go inside, but I caught a glimpse of a Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) peeking out of the water near the neighbor's dock.

Species List:

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis)

Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisuch)

Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis)

Ravenna Park. 15:30.

Today has actually been fairly nice outside. I was anticipating rain, and began my morning biking with rain pants on in preparation, but I didn't encounter any.

I began my chilly descent into the north-west end of Ravenna Park. It is quite a nice bike ride on a hot day, but it feels as though it is less than 4.4 C on a 10 C day...especially considering wind while biking. I locked my bike up to a wooden fence near some Douglas Firs (Pseudosuga menziesii). I still have difficulty telling these magnificent trees from their relatives using bark pattern, but as soon as I can see the characteristic squirrel-tailed cones on a branch, I immediately know what I am looking at. It is worth mentioning that this park was carved out due to glaciation. as was much of the region. This explains why the ground is so hard. The park is essentially a sanctuary for large trees, including firs (douglas included) and large western red cedars (Thuja plicata). I still have difficulty telling cedars apart, but I do know that Thuja plicata's close relatives do not grow at this low of an altitude in this region. Plus, the aroma of the western red is quite noticeable as we learned at Pack Forest.

As I walked along the path, there were more Western Red Cedars, Douglas-Firs, and some Madrone Trees (Arbutus menziesii). There is an abundance of Sword Ferns (Polystichum munitum), Tall Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium) and its cousin Dull Oregon-grape (Mahonia nervosa) and Salal (Gaultheria shallon) that make up the majority of the understory in this forest, but there are many other plants as well. I saw quite a bit of English Ivy (Hedera helix), although I know that there are currently efforts to remove it from the area, and many Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale). In addition, I saw three Brown Creepers (Certhia Americana) and heard around seven American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) from afar.

Douglas Firs (Pseudosuga menziesii)
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
Madrone Trees (Arbutus menziesii)

Sword Ferns (Polystichum munitum)
Tall Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
Dull Oregon-grape (Mahonia nervosa)
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
English Ivy (Hedera helix)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Brown Creepers (Certhia Americana)
American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Green Lake. 15:00. Today was a truly gorgeous day to be outside and enjoying nature. Hardly a cloud in the sky and 15C weather are good enough for me, especially considering how poor the weather has been in recent months. My girlfriend and I decided to go on a walk around Green Lake to get some sun, and I figured it would be an excellent reason to journal. While Green Lake is in a distinctly urban area, it is still a good resource for local flora and fauna to thrive. It took about an hour to walk around the lake at a slow pace (I found out that walking and writing is a difficult task) and during the walk I saw a variety of species. First off, I saw a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) running across Green Lake Way towards the park with something in its mouth as we were approaching the lake. The object appeared to be red and crumpled, but it was moving too quickly to tell.

As soon as we approached the lake, I saw a Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) on a rock airing its wings out. It had bright green eyes and looked quite wet from a recent dive into the water. It was not eating at the time I saw it. I saw a two groups of Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) swimming near the shore. It appeared that they were looking for scraps of food from people eating near the water. One group consisted of an adult female and 10 offspring, and the other group consisted of an adult female and 9 offspring. As I looked at the ducks I noticed several large Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) near the shore.

The trees around Green Lake are numerous. They are mainly deciduous, and include many foreign introduced species, such as white and red Japanese Cherry Trees (Prunus serrulata), which are extraordinarily beautiful at this time of the year. It looks like they will be shedding their blossoms very soon though. There are a large number of Red Alder (Alnus rubra) and Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) here as well along the path.

Red Alder (Alnus rubra)
Japanese Cherry Trees (Prunus serrulata)
Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)

Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Due south of Anderson Hall. 15:45. Well, the weather is unfortunately not so great for my Mother's Birthday this year. Drizzly and cold is not a weather pattern that I like to encounter after a brief patch of sun, but alas, such is life in the Emerald City. Today I decided that on account of the weather, I would like take a quick run outside under the cover of a particularly large Western Red Cedar (Thuja Plicata) that envelops the quad between Anderson Hall and Bloedel Hall on the University of Washington, Seattle campus. While the area is well managed, I wanted to see what kinds of wildlife I could see within the branches and on the bark of this particular specimen.

Starting at the base, I found five Pill-bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) milling around at the base of the tree weaving in and out of its thickly-grooved bark. I was also able to count five Orb-weaver Spiders (Araneus) within within the first three vertical meters of the base of the tree, and one Wolf Spider (Pardosa vancouveri). An orange Ladybug (Harmonia axyridis) [perhaps an Asian Ladybug?] also flew near one of the Orb-weavers' webs, but was not caught.

Up higher in the tree was an American Crow. It did not caw very much as I was at the base of the tree but appeared to be interested in what I was doing and watched me for a few minutes before flying off. A Songsparrow (Melospiza melodia) was also flying to and from the tree and somewhere nearby, but out of my sight. I did not see where it was coming from.

If only I could have gotten a bit higher into the tree...there was surely more life in that tree that I did not see. Maybe I will go back later on in the quarter to see what has changed.

Western Red Cedar (Thuja Plicata)

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Songsparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Orb-weaver Spiders (Araneus)
Wolf Spider (Pardosa vancouveri)

Pill-bugs (Armadillidium vulgare)