Final Journal Entry

June 10

Part I

What a lovely spring it has been.  It's as if though the will of the weather decided to give us some respite from an extremely moist March and April and allow the sun to shine down on us throughout much of May.  It's clear though that since the beginning of the quarter that Ravenna park has gone through great changes.  At the beginning of the quarter, much of the plant life was in a rather meager stage of development, just starting to sprout up from the ground, reawakening from its winter slumber.  Throughout my time in observing this park I've observed flowers bloom and fall to reveal ripened salmon berries, some of which I've been able to eat myself! Many flowers and other beautiful plants have made their debut and given way to other foliage.  Many kinds of mushrooms which weren't present at the start of the quarter have also begin to sprout out of the forest floor as well.  Above all, the dominating change which I've observed has been an intense peak in the size and scale of plant life, skunk cabbage which were once easily viewed have been taken over by giant horsetails which now dominate view as seen below.

The horsetail growth was an especially impressive feature of this season.

Ferns and other plants seen here have also grown to exceptional sizes, at the start of the quarter the lady ferns had just begun to pop out of the ground.

The aroma of the skunk cabbage now seems less potent than it was before.

Unripened thimble berries, I'll be sure to return in the summertime to try these out!

I managed to find a good deal of ripened salmon berries and treated myself to a few, but was certain to leave plenty for the birds to enjoy.

Here we see an amanita muscaria mushroom, these kinds of mushrooms grow all over the west coast and are rather iconic with their red caps and white dots.  You dare not eat these, they are quite toxic to humans and have also been known to send people into terrifying and delirious states, hence why they aren't nearly as sought after as their psychedelic counterparts.

Part II

The day is Nepto Centuri 835612, my ship was forced to crash land on the planet earth en route to the sun for a routine energy extraction.  Although I have passed this planet many times and wondered what was contained within its deep blue, green and brown surface the Zaptoonian government of Europa has issued a severe travel advisory against earth for fear that its inhabitants will learn of our existence and attempt to colonize our moon.  My micro-ship managed to land unnoticed in a small patch of green space which seems to be surrounded by a number of man-made structures that indicate heavy human colonization.  Upon departing my vessel I learned that I had entered a landscape which contained a large flowing body of clear liquids alongside a surface which is dominated by complex green entities.  These were unlike anything I had previously encountered in my aquatic home world on Europa.  Although they varied greatly in form, the ones which caught my eyes were growing in large colonies on damp surfaces.  Large and tall they were with with a number of protruding lines which ran all the way around the stalk, these colonies of lines occurred multiple times all the way up the stalk until the top, where they would slowly decrease in length.  The stalk of this entity was a lighter green than its protruding lines, and the colonies of lines which wrapped around the stalk were partially brown in color as well.  While this was certainly of interest to me nothing could have prepared me for what I encountered next.

At first it seemed as if though the only moving thing in this area was the flowing liquids on the surface, but a few minutes after landing I heard a flapping noise and was then faced with a large moving organism which seemed to fly aimlessly through the air much as my own ship would.  It then swooped down onto a nearby perch where I was able to observe it with ease.  This creature was all black in color, a rather shiny black at that which gave it a rather sleek and ominous appearance.  Its outer coating seemed to be made up of a number of flat appendages which collectively made a rather soft looking coat of sorts.  It had two limbs with sharp claws that used to grasp the surface which it was holding onto.  The head on this creature contained two eyes black as its coat, it seemed intent on looking around its surroundings, it was my hope that I would remain unnoticed as to not fall prey to its hunger.  After more time had passed it made a high pitched noise which seemed to signal its comrades to come to its side, it was then that I decided my safety was potentially at risk and that I better move on to somewhere safer.

I managed to successfully make contact with my home world and the support line for ship repairs was able to walk me through what needed to be done to get on the move again.  Although my comrades in Europa urged me to leave as soon as possible to avoid being noticed or eaten by the creatures there, I felt as if though I had just scratched the surface on a world full of unknown wonders and surprises.  Before my departure I noticed another much smaller moving creature which was making its way across the ground and recorded these words so that I may remember my crash landing fondly.

Bright yellow and slimy, it moved across the land leaving trails of itself behind.  Leaving remnants of its existence behind as it pressed on towards a new horizon, the yellow and slimy creature did crawl.

Part III

1) Ravenna Park means a lot more to me now than it did before, and even then I was grateful to live so close to the park.  Now I realize the the dynamic nature of this green space and am much more aware of the vast variety of species contained within.  Seeing how everything sprung up so heavily from the start of the quarter up until now was truly impressive and getting to try out the wild edibles that the park possessed and knowing where to find future ones has also been a treat in of itself!  My particular observation site became a hub for all kinds of neat bird activity and insect finding, it was here that i witnessed a number of crow fights and other birds flying around.  Coming here so often also helped me to reflect on the way that many people tend to treat city parks.  Finding trash in the form of beer cans was a frequent reminder that there are some who simply see parks as a way to escape from prying eyes and would rather treat the grounds as their own personal trash bin than actually reflect on the beauty and nature that is contained within.  It fueled my desire to help clean these parks up and only strengthened my passion for all the creatures and plants contained within our word.

2) Learning about the natural history of the Puget Sound has been incredibly enlightening, for a number of reasons.  Some of the facts that I learned about the way in which this land was formed through glaciation during the ice age has been very illuminating about our general geography, even if that can be something as simple as considering a walking path to avoid excessive drumlins.  It also gave me a new found respect for the nature in which the land can change in ways that devastate humans at times, as seen in the Oso disaster.  Many of these things are avoidable if we only take the right precautions as to where we as people decide to settle, and knowing this will definitely play a role in deciding where I purchase property for myself someday.  Above all though, I'm much more aware of the life around me in every single way after taking this class.  I cannot help but walk down the street and identifying all the various plants and animals around me, I've begun paying a lot more attention to birds and appreciating them on levels which I didn't really do so beforehand.  Going places such as the Nisqually River Delta and seeing the vast array of wildlife which is easily observed nearby my home in Seattle has been wonderful and only encouraged me in my pursuit of outdoor recreation and learning.

3) Knowing a natural place is being familiar with its plants, animals and geological phenomena.  It is to really understand not only what happens somewhere but why it happens as well, and to never be satisfied with the level of knowledge you possess, thus lighting fires which bolster your drive to press on.  But truly knowing a place goes beyond just being able to identify the species there and describe what you see using your basic senses.  To know a place in this world intimately is to form a relationship with it in where you are actively concerned about the well being of its ecology and the plants and animals within it.  Now more than ever I feel empowered and obligated to take the measures that I can to help maintain the integrity of the Puget Sound region, and this passion certainly extends out into the nature of the wider world. I also realize that the well being of my own species is in many ways directly tied to how many of the species in the natural world are faring, and that many can act as a sort of "canary in the coal mine" to give us clues to issues that could one day be detrimental to our own well being.

Weekly Journal 8

June 7, 2014

One thing this class has taught me is a new found appreciation for birds in this world.  Before really learning about birds in an academic setting and going out into the field and observing them for myself birds were often animals that I didn't pay much attention to in my daily life, but now I can't help but notice and be enthralled by birds and their behavior everywhere I go.  Ravenna Park has provided me with ample opportunities to watch birds live their lives in these woods, and although they are incredibly difficult to photograph this class has given me the skills to successfully identify a number of species.  In my time here I have observed American crow, American robin, song sparrow, white crowned sparrow, house finch, American gold finch, black capped chickadee, tree swallow, pacific wren, bewick's wren, yellow worbler and bushtit.  For my last standard journal entry I decided I would try and pay extra close attention to the birds and their behavior, it took me quite awhile of rummaging around the woods to find some good observation points but after awhile I was treated to quite the spectacle involving a group of black capped chickadees.

Climbing through some of the back trails of Ravenna woods I followed the familiar sound of a group of chickadees calling out to one another with their signature "dee dee dee" sound.  What I found then was exactly the kind of spectacle I needed, a very small and fuzzy black capped chickadee fledgling perched on the branch of a small tree.  Not wanting to disturb the fledgling and alarm the nearby parents I quietly sat down on a nearby log and began to sketch the small bird.

Although blurry, the fledgling can clearly be seen in the center of this photo.

A simple sketch of the chickadee.

As I was sketching the bird, other more mature chickadees could be seen flying around in the branches above, moving frequently in a rather fast manner.  They would perch on a branch for a few seconds, seeming to look around their surroundings quickly and let out some noises then move again.  After observing them for awhile something changed though, a neighborhood cat who was wandering the woods found me in my spot, and in addition to seeking attention from me also seemed to notice the chickadee fledgling in the tree.  The cat stared intently at the fledgling as if though to show its interest in making the young bird its dinner, this seemed to spark an alarm in the adults who were flying around in the trees.  Suddenly the movement of the birds got more rapid and they unleashed a number of distinct warning calls to each other.  Then more birds began to show up, before long there were a total of 4 adult chickadees flying rapidly around the fledgling which remained unmoved in the branch.  This went on for awhile before the cat got bored and moved on, the birds then seemed to calm down as well as they noticed their threat leaving and the fledgling remained unharmed.

Although it was friendly towards me, I encouraged this cat to get moving so it would no longer bring stress to the Chickadees.

Another bird that stood out to me was a white crowned sparrow which was perched on the top of a small western hemlock.  The bird sat up there unmoved for several minutes letting out many a call as if to signal others not to come near.  Between calls it would turn its head around and look around a bit, perhaps to see if any threats or competing males were coming nearby.  Eventually the bird flew off into the woods and I was unable to follow it any longer, but I greatly enjoyed watching it and attaching the words "I am a white crowned sparrow" to its call at every chance I got.

A sketch of the white crowned sparrow as it sat on top of a small western hemlock calling out.

Nisqually River Delta and Mount Rainier Field Trip

Once again the time to gather with fellow classmates for another field trip had come, bright and early we gathered at Wallace Hall for what was sure to be another fun and educational trip in the great outdoors of Washington.  The weatherman had been predicting heavy rain on this Saturday but we were pleasantly surprised with mere partly cloudy skies for the majority of the day, and partly cloudy west of the cascades always means partly sunny as well.  Our first stop was the Nisqually River Delta, a wildlife preserve south of Seattle which is a well regarded bird haven in the state, and in this aspect it certainly did not disappoint.  Right after disembarking our vans and gathering around  we knew we were in for a treat, numerous bird songs were heard right away and before we could even start out on the trails we had already spotted numerous birds such as a barn swallow and yellow worbler. 

When we finally had our fill of parking lot birds and instructions about our activities for the next few hours we made our way down the trails.  This area is undoubtedly a wetland habitat, as noted by the slow moving water, numerous ponds, plethora of pacific willow, black cottonwood and other wetland indicating vegetation.  

The clouds made for an extra epic sky today, and the lack of total sunshine probably aided our quest for bird viewing. Walking along the trails of this wetland some of the first species we noticed weren't birds but encompassed a wide variety of other wildlife.  

A rather striking garter snake with bright green stripes running down his body was a lucky find.

Hopping on the grass i found this small tree frog.  The tree frog is the most common species of frog in western Washington and is certainly a wetland indicator of sorts.

A rabbit was also seen hopping around the bushes.

This caterpillar was one of the many we found in the delta, at times they formed massive conglomerates held together by what appeared to be a fuzzy web like substance.

This convergent lady beetle is a wonderful reminder of the spring season to all and is best recognized by its bright red coloration with multiple black spots.

Although beautiful this dragonfly seemed to be nearing his last breath as it struggled to move and seemed unable to fly.

Although there were clearly a number of insects, reptiles and amphibians inhabiting this wildlife preserve the primary reason we came here was to see birds, and we managed to see a ton of them. Whilst walking on the trails we managed to see: barn swallow, yellow warbler, Wilsons warbler, crow, raven, bald eagle, bullock's oriole, brown headed cowbird, merganser, coot, rock dove, cinnamon teal, wood duck, mallard, Canada goose, red wing black bird, northern shooter, greater yellow legs and more.  Unfortunately birds are rather tricky to photograph as they always seem intent on flying away as my camera finally zooms in on them, nevertheless I managed to get a few good shots.

Tree swallow made themselves at home in the eaves of a couple defunct barns on the preserve, numerous nests were easily visible and at times you could even sneak a peak at the juveniles still inhabiting them.

 A tree swallow perches on a man made bird house, these birds have a striking blue color to them, combined with their white tummies they're one of the easier birds to recognize in this area.

While some birds make the old barns their home, for some it has meant an untimely demise.  This bird got stuck between the window and fencing inside the barn and most likely died of either dehydration or sheer panic.

A classic wetland bird, this red winged blackbird stood guard of its territory making its presence known with its signature call.

 While the adults may be a bit on the cranky side, this group of Canadian geese provided a much needed dose of cuteness with their flock of goslings which bumbled around the grass looking for tasty morsels and stretching their underdeveloped wings in a most adorable fashion.

The waters of the Nisqually river delta provided an unmatched bird watching experience for having driven under an hour south of Seattle, but it was time for us to depart for our next destination, the origin of the river itself.  We would set our for what would be a rather long and confusing drive to Mount Rainier National Park to see the origins of this river and to visit Paradise, a high alpine wonderland giving visitors up close and personal views of Mount Rainier, Washington's most deadly volcano.

On our way up the mountain we came across this strange stream with a bright orange hue, we learned that this is due to heavy iron deposits in the rocks of this area which are revealed by the continuous water running over them.

Soon we reaches the Nisqually river in all its glory.  The river is a direct result of glacier runoff from the Nisqually glacier, which is currently undergoing rapid retreat along with most other glacial systems in the contiguous United States.

This large glacial valley is impressive no doubt, but the glacier used to be visible from the bridge several decades ago, it has now retreated back to a level which requires further hiking to reach.

The weather was pleasant, and the landscape beautiful, it would be hard to ask for a better place to be.

After a little more driving through some of the most gorgeous scenery one can find in the state we arrived at the Paradise visitors center parking lot to romp around in the snow and learn more about this fantastic, beautiful but ultimately terrifying volcano.

Sub-alpine fir were the dominate tree species at this altitude, notice their shorter limbs all throughout the tree which allow it to shed snow easier.

The snow here was quite deep.  Although there was certainly an academic purpose for us being here many of us could not resist ourselves and let loose our inner child which desired nothing more than to play around in the snow.  Snowball fights eventually broke out which involved nearly everyone in the group, including many of the TAs.

Although the mountain was shrouded in clouds that didn't prevent us from getting some glimpses of the top and a look into the glacially carved ridges and steep valleys of this mountain.  At multiple occasions we could catch clear looks at some of the mountains many glacier systems noticeable by a blue hue of ice.  Climbing this mountain is a dream of mine I wish to attain someday as I can only imagine how much grander the views from the top must be.

 Although our time with Mount Rainier was rather short it was a great pleasure to spend some time up here.  On our way out I shot this fantastic panorama of the mountain and its surrounding peaks which barely do this wonderland justice.

Wednesday May 14 
9:30 am
Sunny, 67 degrees Fahrenheit

Another week of beautiful weather has graced the Northwest and the humans have been living it up, so naturally I was excited once again to head into Ravenna park and see how the plants and animals were faring on this fine spring week.  I walked down to Ravenna park in the morning as I like to do and was greeted with many signs of spring.  The chirping of songbirds, the vibrant spring flowers and the sight of cottonwood fluff flowing through the air all served as excellent reminders to the progress of the seasons that's at hand.

A group of blooming nootka rose flowers, they smelled wonderful! Note the honey bee extracting nectar from one of the flowers on the right side of the photo. 

Thimbleberry flowers were also in bloom and beginning to show the first signs of fruiting.

The light of the sun was shining beautifully through the woods, I greatly enjoyed the view from here of this western hemlock and its exposed root system.

The leaves of the Oregon white oak are especially vibrant right now.

Although I couldn't capture the fluff of the black cottonwood on camera there are plenty of examples of this tree throughout the park.

Many of the berries seen in precious entries have begun to ripen, the salmon berries of Ravenna Park have now begun to take on a vibrant orange color signalling that they'll be ready to eat soon! I plan on snagging a couple for myself one of these days, while being sure to leave plenty for the birds to enjoy.

The Indian plums which were a very dull green a couple weeks ago are now turning to a more yellow hue, still a ways away from a full ripening.

One of the many birds providing a lovely symphony of songs the American Robin is easy recognized by its bright orange belly.

Spring has brought out many creatures easily noticed through bird migration but it has also brought back many of the insects that laid dormant throughout the winter months.  Ravenna Parks wet environment with plenty of plants and dirt provides a good home for many insects and invertebrate.  Here are a few examples of some of these creatures I was able to locate on my visit to the park today.

A common pillbug was scurrying around a stump, at first it balled up in fear when I tried to photograph it but eventually it loosened up and allowed me to properly observe it.

In my search for insects I decided to dig around a bit in the rocks and dirt and found this little centipede crawling around.

Signs of spittlebugs were all over plants in the park, here we see the foamy substance they secrete all over a dandelion.

A daddy longl egs clings to the underside of a buttercup flower.

A couple of black flies resting on some foliage near Ravenna Creek.

Digging around in the moist soil near the creek revealed several earth worms such as this one.

Wednesday April 30
11:30am
Sunny, 73 degrees Fahrenheit

With a recent and unexpected jump in our temperature I was excited to return to Ravenna Park once again to see how the vegetation had changed over the last couple weeks as a result of the warmer weather.  Walking through the park on this sunny and warm day reminded me of the pleasant Northwest summer that is on its way and got me excited about the plethora of outdoor activities that await me.  There was a nice calm breeze in the shade of the trees that make this park incredibly pleasant to be in on this hot day, and the wildlife around me seemed to relish in how much nicer it had become.  The chirping of birds and squeaking of squirrels dominated the soundscape of Ravenna park as I walked to my spot to see how the plant life was coming along.

The park has seemed to take on a deeper green as we've progressed into Spring, many trees such as Big Leaf Maple have experienced substantial growth in their leaves.  Lichen growth also continues to be very noticeable in the park and is found on many tree branches such as the branches pictured in this Pacific Yew tree above on the right.

As I made my way to the observation spot I also noticed that many shrubs were beginning to develop small green berries that will eventually ripen into fruits enjoyed by humans and birds alike.

The small, green and unripe fruits of the Indian plum are showing up.

As are the fruit of the salmon berry.

In my observation spot it was clear that the small plants in the area that were just beginning to come to have had experienced serious growth over the last few weeks.

The vine maple leaves have sprung out and color the creek side in even more bright green.

Lady ferns have also grown.

As have the common horsetails that dot the ravine side.

Overall my observation spot had indeed experienced a good amount of growth but the sheer quality of this days weather and the amount of joy I got out of being in Ravenna Park encouraged me to press on and explore more of the park away from this simple observation spot.

On Tuesday when class met at the Union Bay Natural Area we learned that many birds this time of year are pumped full of testosterone and will be displaying more aggressive behavior.  This was evident in the amount of small bird squabbles I witnessed whilst walking through the park. Everywhere small songbirds seemed to be getting into squabbles over what I can only assume would be territory and mating rights.  Even a group of crows were continually chasing each other through the trees, stopping on occasion as if to take a rest from the horse play.

An American crow perches on a branch after a tumble through the woods with his fellow crows.

Eastern Gray Squirrels were out in large numbers as well.

Even this banded garden spider seemed to be basking in the glory of the sun