Union Bay Natural Area 4/23/12

Coordinates: Lat. 47.65543
Lon. -122.29435

Weather: 65 degrees F and sunny! Only whispy clouds low on the horizon, and a strong breeze.

6pm-- I'm here just to wander today and enjoy the sun. The UBNA is a wetland meadow with tall grasses and shrubs surrounded by a few stands of deciduous trees. The central part of the meadow is 80% tallgrass with dispersed Large-Leaved Lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus) and what appears to be dried fennel stalks. Why do meadows like this form as opposed to forests? Just because it is too wet for other things to grow? I know that lupin are nitrogen fixers, meaning they are capable of growing in less nutrient rich soils, perhaps that's the case with this meadow? There are also a number of large ponds in this natural area that are inhabited by a wide variety of water fowl.
The meadow is considerably drier today than the last time I was here with class on April 12, the lupin don't have large water droplets as I photographed that day. There are so many birds, as usual, but today they seem to be making a particularly loud ruckus! The tall shrubs near the ponds sound especially alive, quivering with all of the movement of those spring-charged birds. The Red-Winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) seem the rowdiest of all, aggressively attacking the air with their calls. Once again I have trouble trying to describe their call even though I have finally come to recognize it. It sounds two-toned, and almost metallic- easily distinguished from that of other birds. Many sparrows (swallows?) swoop over the meadow as well, always scooping upward afterward and displaying their shape against the sky. Catching bugs?
Crows seem to bully the other birds around and make an unbelievable cacophony from their high tree perches. I wonder whether or not they eat smaller birds. Why travel in such large groups? They are almost frightening, I can see why someone would devise a horror film about them..
The waterfowl appear mostly paired as they float along the lake. I see a few Buffleheads(Bucephala albeola), many Mallards and a Great Blue Heron on a mission through the sky. They squawk with such an awkward and loud force.
A few Black Cottonwoods (Populus trichocarpa) by the water are SO HUGE. I wonder how old they are! Peering up into their giant green dappled branches sends dreams of elaborate tree houses zooming through my head.
Everything is 1,000 shades of green, I wish there were a place to simply post photos of the meadow as opposed to the specific species--it sure was beautiful today.

Publicado el mayo 1, 2012 05:29 TARDE por jesscubb