kates17's Journal

Today we met at the Biology Study Area in Hitchcock Hall to start working on our waterfowl tour and website. We decided that the Union Bay Natural Area would be the best location for our tour, as this is a great bird watching spot and there are several bodies of water.

Although the term "waterfowl" generally denotes ducks, geese, and swans, for the purpose of our Blogger website and iNaturalist group, we have decided to expand the definition to include all water birds found on campus (to narrow it down a bit for the bird group). This expanded definition also includes herons, saltwater shorebirds or waders, and gulls. However, for our tour, we will focus on geese, swans, and ducks.

For my "station" on the tour, I will be talking about some lesser known ducks. Specifically, my talk will cover mergansers and teals. The most common of these at UBNA being the Hooded Merganser and the Cinnamon Teal.

Here is the link to our Blogger site if you want to check it out! We also have a linked iNaturalist account (which sadly does not have very many species, as my iPhone camera is not very efficient in capturing anything that moves/is far away).

http://waterfowluw.blogspot.com/

You can read my species accounts for the following species on the website:
Western Gull (Laris Occidentalis)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)

Today I walked around UBNA looking for waterfowl, but to my dismay I did not see very many waterfowl at all! In fact, the only specimen I did see was one lone duckling in the pond, surrounded by lily pads (Nymphaeaceae). What a let down!

The trail

The sky: Partially cloudy (clouds about 25%)

Wetland in UBNA

The one mallard I saw in the pond

Lily pads

It was a nice day (upper 60s-low 70s!) and I was already down at the CUH planting corn for my urban farm class. While we were planting, we saw the coolest thing... a small bird nest tucked away in a row of lettuce mottistone! It had 4 speckled eggs, each about 1 inch in length.

I'm a little worried about the placement of these eggs, as they could easily be broken by an unaware farmer's shovel. It turns out that they are killdeer eggs, as I saw the mother bird return to protect her eggs soon after we gathered around her. I think all the attention made her nervous.

The Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a plover (a shorebird! maybe qualifies for our waterfowl project?) They have a white breast and belly, brown back/wings, and reddish orange eyes. The breast also has 2 black bands. The Killdeer nests on the ground (as seen at the CUH) and are also seen running/walking along the ground in distinct spurts. They break into flight when they are disturbed. They prefer open spaces/fields with low vegetation (like the CUH). Killdeer can swim as they are shorebirds; they are also found on sandbars and mudlflats, but seldom actually in the water. Killdeer are opportunistic foragers who feed mainly on invertebrates (earthworms, insects, snails, etc) but have also been known to eat dead minnows, frogs, and other small creatures.

This weekend the weather was perfect for a hike! I headed up to Twin Falls Natural Area in Olallie State Park to get some exercise and do some natural history.

The river, lined by Big Leaf Maple trees

The sky: 50% cloud cover, warm weather (low 70s)

Another shot of the river

Standing on the edge of the water

Some of the dominant species I recognize include:
Salmonberry
Swordfern
Scotchbroom
Big Leaf Maple
White Cabbage Butterfly
Dull Oregon Grape
Pileated Woodpecker (AWESOME!)
Douglas Fir (Huge! Must have been 30 feet around)
Yew
Spruce
Nobel Fir
Birch
Ash
Alder
Chipmunk (So cute, but too quick for my iPhone camera! My photo is blurry...but I will add it anyway)

This trail follows the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. I must say, I think this is one of the best waterfall hikes in the Seattle area! We hiked about 3 miles down the trail and back. The trek was a bit steeper than I would have liked (considering my knee injury--ouch!) but I managed. There were some really amazing trees on this hike. There was one fir tree that was absolutely ENORMOUS! I've never seen such a huge tree (but I suppose I have never been to the Redwood Forest...). Regardless, this was a very impressive tree. I believe this area is old-growth, because there was a wide variety of species and a dense understory.

The waterfall (upper)

The waterfall (lower)

Standing on the bridge by the waterfall

View from the bridge...look at all the different species of trees!

Home, sweet home! Today we arrived at our home on Westcott Bay, which is on the Northwest side of San Juan Island, about 1 mile from Roche Harbor. The weather was cloudless blue sky and temperature in the high 60s-low 70s.

Mona the camel and myself

Upon our arrival, we visited with our neighbor's camel (yes, a camel in WA!) then dug clams in the bay in front of our house when the tide was out. I wish I would have taken pictures of the various types of clams we dug up, but my hands were pretty dirty. I will include photos of the species from another source (I do not own these photos).

The bay when the tide is out. If you look closely, you can see a few gulls AND the silhouette of two herons wading.

Ricky (boyfriend), Cameron (brother), and I digging for clams
Westcott Bay Sea Farms is at the end of our street. They sell gourmet varieties of seafood, including clams, shrimp, oysters, mussels, and crab; many of these are caught in the bay from cultivated beds.
Here are some clams found around San Juan:

Manila Clam (Venerupis japonica)
These are sold at the end of the street

Geoduck (Panopea generosa)
These guys have HUGE tongues

Razor clams (Siliqua patula)
These clams have the ability to burrow away from clammers!

Butter clams (Saxidomus gigantea)
Yum! My favorite type to eat, these are commonly found from AK to Northern CA

Littleneck (Protothaca staminea)
Cultured commercially with the Manila clam

Pacific gaper (Tresus nuttallii)
These clams squirt water up from holes in the mud.
(Source for all: http://www.asnailsodyssey.com/LEARNABOUT/CLAM/clamType.php)

At 5 pm on Fridays, the sheriff (who is our neighbor across the street) brings up a big bucket of meat scraps from the butcher and feeds the eagles while bystanders watch with cameras. The birds have become accustomed to this weekly ritual, so when we arrived at the top of our street, they were already circling above and perching near the feeding spot.

Bald Eagle soaring

Bald Eagle perched

I also saw a Common Raven and a Blackbird.These birds look fairly similar, with glossy black feathers. However, the raven is much bigger and has a black beak, while the blackbird is significantly smaller with a yellow beak.

Later, we paddled the canoe around the bay and observed at least 5 different species of seagull, all floating intermixed around us. In my research for the waterfowl group, I learned that there is a great deal of hybridization among gulls. As if they didn't look enough alike to begin with, Western Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Slaty-backed Gulls, and various other Northwest species hybridize---making it even more difficult to tell them apart!

See that little dot? That's us in the canoe. See those even TINIER dots? Those are seagulls (and possibly a buoy).

A slightly closer shot of us in the canoe, with a couple gulls to the left

San Juan Island, WA (San Juan Archipelago in the Puget Sound)
Island Coordinates: 48° 31′ 55.44″ N, 123° 1′ 45.31″ W

Today we visited one of our favorite spots on San Juan Island, Deadman Bay (or as my dad told me for the first 10 years of my life, "Jellyfish Beach", because "Deadman" was too scary...ha!).

The information sign for Deadman Bay Preserve.
"This property was purchased in 1995 by the citizens of San Juan County through the San Juan County lank Bank with assistance from the Trust for Public Land and Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board. It provides access to 1600 feet of shoreline including beach, tidepools, and rocky bluff. It also protects 16 acres of diverse forest, coastal prairie, and wetland habitat including a seasonal stream. Trails connect to adjacent Limekiln State Park and Land Bank Limekiln Preserve."
Reading this sign made me think about why I love San Juan so much. I guess I'm biased, but I think San Juan Island is one of the most interesting places in Washington (and the world)! The diversity of contrasting, interwoven landscapes and ecosystems on this relatively small island are manifold (55.053 sq mi). San Juan Island is considered a temperate forested island throughout, but taking a walk around this island sometimes feels like taking a walk around the world! Rocky shorelines are carved out among immense balsaltic rock formations that shelter the beach and extend out like jagged fingers into the Salish Sea. As I venture away from the smooth-pebbled beach, the driftwood bulkhead quickly blends into a golden prairie grassland where colonies of non-native European rabbits run in haphazard configuration and crickets chirp from their hiding places in the grass. If I travel around the island, I find dense stands of old-growth Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar, meadows, mountains, murky mires, freshwater lakes, breathtaking cliffs, tranquil bays, and views of the Puget Sound and other forested islands. No wonder UW has a research facility here!
Here is a cool link about San Juan's Natural History: http://www.outdoorodysseys.com/about-the-san-juan-islands/natural-history-of-the-san-juan-islands/

Today I will take a look at both the marine and terrestrial biotic communities.

These pictures were all taken on the same day in February this year. I think the arrangement highlights the contrasting diversity of the landscape. (top= our yard on Westcott Bay, middle= prairie grasslands at south beach, bottom= rocky shoreline)

Here at Deadman Bay, there is a little cove with a relatively small beach compared to South Beach. The cove is sheltered by large rock formations. The beach is not sandy, it is covered in small pebbles. I love to come here and hunt for agates! Above the beach, the shoreline is rocky and lined with Pacific Madrones and various forbs. The bright orange California poppies are blooming everywhere and are especially numerous on the rocks. The rocks are covered in colorful lichens (I think that is what they are?) They are even more prevalent at South Beach, so I will post some pictures with my entry for that location. In the summertime, there are usually a bunch of jellyfish washed up on the beach (hence my father's nickname, "Jellyfish Beach"). This is a great spot for kayaking, and there are often kayak tour groups gathered here in the summer and late spring (although none today).

Holding a Hermit Crab

We went to Deadman Bay specifically to visit the beach and tidepools, and compare the interesting array of terrestrial and marine species. Some of the species I could identify, some I could not. I gave it my best shot, so if I get some of these wrong please feel free to correct me! I would also really appreciate any help identifying species I have marked as "ID Please!".

Observed Terrestrial Species:
Hairy Catsear
Pacific Madrone
Osoberry
California Poppy
Various Seagulls
Grass

Observed Marine (Tidepool) Species:
Chinese Hat
Hermit Crab
Chiton
Northern Clingfish
Sea Anemone
Sea Snail
Barnacles

No Resident Killer Whales yet! They don't come until late summer.

After our stop at Deadman Cove, we continued down to South Beach, the southernmost tip of the island. This beach is near American Camp (aka Pickett's Redoubt, a National Historic Park due to the Pig War) and Fourth of July Beach. South Beach is similar to Deadman Cove, except there are large fields of prairie land behind the beach. In the summer, it is common to see hares running in groups around these prairielands. The prairie is covered in tall, yellow grass. I learned while writing a paper about the environmental history of San Juan National Historic Park that many of these grasses were introduced by European settlers. While driving past, we spotted another Red Fox! They are common throughout the island.

Red Fox near South Beach

The beach is covered in pebble sized rocks rather than sand and each stretch is separated by a large rock formation with tide pools. The bulk head is about 40 feet of drift wood. We spotted a group of 4 White-tailed deer just behind the bulkhead in the grass!

2 White-tailed Deer in the grass

Another White-tailed Deer

We saw a lot of the same species in these tidepools that we saw at Deadman Cove.

Ricky and I looking in a tidepool


Ricky and I climbing on the rocks

Cameron on the rocks...notice the color variation?
We saw some interesting lichens (?) on the rocks near the tidepools. At least I think they are lichens? I'm not sure! I will post some pictures and see what my peers think...

Colorful "mildew" on the rocks? What is this stuff?

Some kind of seaside moss?

Is that white round splotch a fungus? Hmm...

We also saw several types of seaweed. I recognize Bullwhip Kelp...but I'm not sure of the other names? I know I'm a bit late in posting these, but maybe someone will be able to help me identify the other types of seaweed. I will also do some research.

Coordinates: -122.36725200000 47.70886600000
Date: Mon 6/4/12
Location: Carkeek Park, Seattle, WA
Conditions: Overcast (near 100% cloud cover, no rain), comfortable temperature (upper 60s)
Time: Approximately 4:00 PM

Carkeek Park is located down a winding road surrounded by dense forest area. Although it is not raining today, the ground was slightly moist. There is a freshwater stream running through the area. It is surrounded by many Bigleaf maple trees. There is an assortment of other tree species, all of which have moss and lichen on the side. There is is a dense understory of decomposing organic matter and low growing shrubs. On the downed trees, stumps, and logs there is a variety of fungus, moss, and lichens. I am not very good at recognizing these species, but I spot several species I recognize, including shield lichen and antlered perfume (lichens); as well as fungus like artist's conk and turkey tail. Others I am not completely certain of, but I identified them to my best ability, given my limited knowledge of these species.

Most of the trees in the area seem to be deciduous, although there are also many conifers. I recognize western redcedar and douglas fir by their characteristic needles. As far as the shrubs in the area, I have come across several that I recognize, including salmonberry (I believe the berries are ripe!), indian plum, creeping buttercup, holly, and tall oregon grape. I know it is tall oregon grape rather than dull because the leaves are shiny, it has a woody stem, and it is taller.

According to a sign at the entrance to the trail, this is a salmon spawning area for Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta).

Examining a rotting stump, surrounded by beautiful green moss!

There is one fern that I don't recognize. It is listed as "ID Please!" in my observations. It looks quite different from western sword fern, which I also observe in the area. The fronds are somewhat rounded and less shiny. Here is a photo of both ferns:

Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum)

Unidentified fern

I also do not recognize these shiny black berries. I do not dare taste them, I made that mistake once before...and it was a good thing I spit it out, it was poisonous! I think I will settle for a photograph rather than a taste test this time:

Unidentified berries

However, I had no problem identifying the salmon berries (at least I hope...I feel fine, and I ate one, but I must admit it was a little tart)

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

I also came across an intriguing log with 2 very different slugs on it. One slug was dark brown and robust with ridges (more textured) and the other was honey colored, with a slightly longer, slender body and protrusive antennae.

The "interracial slug couple"
Also, is that some Genus Xanthoria I see in the background?

I only added species that I specifically recognized to the species list. I will add the more difficult ones later if I can identify them!

Species List:
Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
Slug (Gastropoda)
Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum)
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Western redcedar (Thuja plicata)
Tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
Artist's conk (Ganoderma applanatum)
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)
Western trillium (Trillium ovatum)
Horsetail (Equisetum)
Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)
Orange Jelly Fungi (Dacrymyces palmatus)
Shield Lichen (Parmelia sulcata)
Antlered Perfume (Evernia prunastri)
Genus Hypoxylon
American robin (Turdus migratorius)
Genus Xanthoria