May 25, 2012 Union Bay Natural Area
Today I walked around the Union Bay Natural Area looking for wildflowers. It was around 2:00pm and the weather was warm but cloudy. The UBNA is composed of many grassy fields as well as a few lightly forested areas, and it meets up with Lake Washington. Along my walk I saw that there were many small flowers blooming in the grass, some of those being White Clover, Red Clover, and Black Medick. I also noticed tiny forget-me-nots and even aquatic forget-me-nots. Inside a stand of trees there were tall buttercups growing along the path, all in bloom with shiny yellow flowers. There were three beautiful blue lupines growing near the beginning of the UBNA, but I did not see anymore in the rest of it. As I was leaving across an open feild, a group of five Barn Swallows began circling me and coming so close that I had to be careful not to step on them. They only stopped circling and swooping me when I left their field. Perhaps they had a nest nearby and were afraid I would harm it.
Oregon Oak, Guercus garryana
Water Forget-me-not, Myosotis scorpiodes
Black Poplar, Populus nigra
Turkey-Tail, Trametes versicolor
Water lillies, Order Nymphaeales
Lupines, Genus Lupinus
Forget-me-not, Genus Myosotis
Buttercups, Genus Ranunculus
Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
Red Clover, Trifolium pratense
Black Medick, Medicago luplina
False Dandelion, Hypochaeris radicata
Small Camas, Camassia quamash
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Lupines (Genus Lupinus)Observer
andymjDescription
There were several purple/blue lupines growing near the beginning of the Union Bay Natural Area. The weather was quite windy, and cloudy with occasional sun. The lupines looked like they were just beginning to bloom, since the flowers had not yet reached the top.
Photos / Sounds
What
White Clover (Trifolium repens)Observer
andymjDescription
There was a large patch of white clover growing in the grassy field. White clover loves to grow in disturbed areas, so the Union Bay Natural Area is perfect for it. There were lots of honey bees buzzing around the blooms gather nectar.
Photos / Sounds
What
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)Observer
andymjDescription
There were a few taller red clover growing amongst the white clover. Their stems were longer and the leaves spread farther apart on the stem. The blooms were also larger and the petals more abundant than the white clover.
Photos / Sounds
What
Small Camas (Camassia quamash)Observer
andymjDescription
There was only one camas plant growing in the field. It looked to be old since the flowers were beginning to wilt.
Photos / Sounds
What
Black Medick (Medicago lupulina)Observer
andymjDescription
There were many of these small yellow flowers growing in patches amongst the clover in the open field near the entrance of the UBNA.
Photos / Sounds
What
Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)Observer
andymjDescription
Towards the back part of the UBNA in the more woodsy section, there was a large abundance of blooming buttercups lining the trail and going back until they met the forest. They were growing thickly and about as tall as my knee.
Photos / Sounds
What
Changing Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis discolor)Observer
andymjDescription
I am not sure if these are forget me nots but the flowers resemble forget-me-nots greatly even though they seem much smaller than usual.
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Cat's-Ear (Hypochaeris radicata)Observer
andymjDescription
These dandelion-like plants were growing sparingly throughout the UBNA. Their stems were taller, more wirey, and more firm than that of a dandelion.
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis scorpioides)Observer
andymjDescription
These forget-me-nots were growing in the water at the edge of the shore along the small pond that borders the start of UBNA.
Photos / Sounds
What
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)Observer
andymjDescription
In the large grassy field before you enter the UBNA there were about ten swallows swooping near the ground. As I neared the swallows, they began circling me and dive-bombing close to my feet. As I moved, they continued their circling until I left their field area.
Photos / Sounds
What
English Oak (Quercus robur)Observer
andymjDescription
Along the beginning of the trail there were several small oregon oak trees growing. Their leaves have a beautiful looping shape to them.
Photos / Sounds
What
Turkey-Tail (Trametes versicolor)Observer
andymjDescription
These turkey-tails were growing parallel to the ground along a log. They were not very large in size, and were spaced very close together.
Photos / Sounds
What
Black Poplar (Populus nigra)Observer
andymjDescription
I believe this is a black poplar tree. There were a few growing in the union bay natural area and were quite tall with branches that would shoot nearly straight up.
Photos / Sounds
What
American White Waterlily (Nymphaea odorata)Observer
andymjDescription
These water lilies were growing in the long pond bordering UBNA as well as in Lake Washington. These water lillies are invasive. They were not blooming as of yet.
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