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