For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. I know this isn't a particularly good picture of the tern, but it was constantly flying around and diving into the water, so I was lucky to get this shot where the black stripe on the top of the head and the long, narrow beak are clear. This bird was about a foot long with a 3 foot wingspan and a forked tail. I observed it diving for food a couple times. It actually dove from a few feet in the air into the water. There did not appear to be any others like it nearby and the only other thing I observed it doing before it flew off was being chased by a gull.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This seaweed was common all over the beach. It looks strange when it's flattened out at low tide. This particular specimen was about 7 inches long and was a light brown color. I thought it was sea lettuce at first, but, as was helpfully pointed out to me, this Porphyra doesn't grow in clumps as with this specimen and sea lettuce does.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This shrimp was found hiding under some small rocks in the same tidepool in which I observed the live sand dollars and the hermit crab. It was barely 2 centimeters long and I think it might not be an adult yet. It had white along its spine, though that isn't something that can be seen in the picture. The white stripe is what led me to the species.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. These little hermit crabs were all no more than a centimeter long and could be found living in the tide pools all across the beach. This particular species is identified by the small blue dots on their bodies, which can hardly be seen in the picture but is something I observed when actually looking at this particular specimen.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This was an amazing thing for me to get to see. I had never once before seen a live sand dollar, only the dead ones that litter the beaches as sea shells to collect. What looks like mud covering them is actually a fine layer of spiny, tube-like feet that is used in feeding. I was extremely interested to learn that these are just burrowing sea urchins. They lived in the tide pools along the beach alongside hermit crabs, other smaller crabs, barnacles, and mussels. Each one was about 2.5 inches across.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. These barnacles were all over the rocks covering the beach's ground. It was nearly impossible to walk without stepping on them. They varied in size from less than an inch across to two inches across and lived both outside and inside the tide pools. The ones inside the tide pools were particularly interesting because I got to observe them sending out their thoracic appendages (the cirri) to filter feed, searching for zooplankton and detritus in the water. I had never seen them do that before, I had only read about them doing it, so I was glad to get to witness it.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. In case it's hard to tell from the picture, this crab is purple. Yet another crab I found that was, unfortunately, dead. As with the yellow shore crab, I didn't see any other crabs of this same species on the beach during my time there, I only saw tiny crabs less than an inch wide in the tide pools. This particular purple shore crab caught my eye both because I was looking for crabs (I love watching them walk) and because of its purple carapace. It was about 3 inches wide, a little bigger than the yellow shore crab, and again, it had all of its legs, claws, and its entire body intact. Perhaps this crab dried out in the sun as well.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This crab I found was, unfortunately, dead. I did not see any crab of this size alive on any part of the beach. The only other crabs I saw were much smaller, less than an inch long. This particular yellow shore crab was about 2 inches wide and had all of its eight legs and both of its claws intact. In fact, the crab as a whole was extremely intact, which was surprising as tide had been out for an hour already and I assumed the gulls would have tried to eat this crab already. I wonder if this crab dried up in the sun. I don't know what else could have killed it since there was no evidence it was attacked. I also wonder if I might see more of these if I were to visit the beach in the early morning.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This was one of the various seaweed species on the rocky beach that I knew I could identify fairly easily. The large air pockets on the ends of the plant made it easy to identify. Oddly, the species I wanted was Fucus gardneri, but iNaturalist has decided that doesn't exist, so I have to go with Fucus distichus. This seaweed was not common along the beach and I only saw a few patches like this one here and there. It grows in small clumps and, in the clump I saw, each part of the seaweed I saw was about 3 inches long.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area in which I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. The beach was absolutely covered with these mussels! It was impossible to walk without stepping on them as they covered every single inch of the rock on the rocky beach. Some were living in tide pools and others were living out in the open with no water. All of them were about 2 inches long and were living alongside acorn barnacles, small shore crabs, hermit crabs, and even sand dollars in some spots. One reason I can think of for their great abundance is the absence of their natural predator, the starfish.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. The bird on the right in the second picture is a female house sparrow. The male is the more brightly colored bird that is the main focus of the first picture and is on the left in the second. A small group of these birds that appeared to be one male with a group of three females was flying around the edge of the pier looking for scraps. This makes sense, as house sparrows are very social birds. The male I saw was about 5.5 in long and the female was a little bit smaller than that. They did not seem to be bothered by all the humans or the larger gulls around.
For more information on the habitat, vegetation, and weather of the area where I made this observation, please see the journal entry for April 28, 2012 here on iNaturalist. These gulls were all over the beach today. There were both juveniles and adults flying around together looking for food at low tide. The one I observed had the typical gray back end with the white head and chest and orange beak. This one was about a foot or so long from head to tail and was searching for crabs and other small creatures to eat in the tidepools on the beach. None of them seemed particularly wary of humans and flew away only if one attempted to walk right up to them.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area this common earthworm was found, please see the journal entry for March 27, 2012 here on iNaturalist. For information on the weather that day, please see the journal entry for April 27, 2012 here on iNaturalist as well. I found this rather long earthworm being attacked by a crow in a clearing near Hansee Hall. The crow flew off and left the worm behind alive and well when I approached, so I decided to take a picture of it. This earthworm was about 6 inches long and had the characteristic clitellum of annelid worms like earthworms. Part of its back end appeared to have been ripped open by the crow and picking it up got my fingers covered in a thick, clear goop. I'm sure the crow came back to finish what it started when I left.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation on the area in which this was found, please see the journal entry for April 12, 2012 in my written journal. For information on the weather, see the journal entry for April 26, 2012 on iNaturalist. I know I already have salal observed at Pack Forest, but I wanted to show an example of salal that has its flowers that will soon become berries. This was found near the Center for Urban Horticulture in the UBNA growing in a large bush with some deciduous trees and strawberry plants.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area in which this plant was found, please see the journal entry for April 12, 2012 in my written journal. For more information on the weather that day, please see the journal entry for April 26, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This chickadee was found hopping all over the branches of a deciduous tree next to a small pond in a secluded part of the Union Bay Natural Area off of the main path on a small and hard to spot path. These birds are, however, extremely common and can be seen all over the UBNA and all over UW Seattle campus. This bird in particular was about 5 inches tall.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area in which this plant was found, please see the journal entry for April 12, 2012 in my written journal. For more information on the weather that day, please see the journal entry for April 26, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This tree was found growing close to the Center for Urban Horticulture and it seemed to be a favorite of the little birds that were hopping around the trees in that area. This tree had flowers, but it appeared that the petals had all fallen off, so it is likely that the flowers bloom in early spring. The leaves were divided into 5 large points and two smaller points on the bottom. This tree was about 15 feet tall and it was probably planted there.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of Ravenna Park and on the weather of the day this was found, please see the journal entry for April 24, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This holly bush was about 10 feet tall and was growing just off one of the higher paths at Ravenna Park near the basketball court. It did not have berries yet.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of Ravenna Park and on the weather of the day this was observed, please see the journal entry for April 24, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This fern was growing all over Ravenna Park and some of the plants did not have all of their fronds completely unfurled yet. The fern I observed was about 3 feet tall and had at least 15-20 different fronds. Each little leaf on each frond was divided into many smaller parts, as shown by the up close picture I took.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of Ravenna Park and on the weather of the day this was found, please see the journal entry for April 24, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This barred owl was sitting on the lowest branch of a large conifer tree just off the path at Ravenna Park's forest. It was a little more than a foot long from head to tail and looked like it was trying to take a nap when I happened upon it. I was able to tell it apart from a spotted owl by the pattern of its chest feathers. This species has only spread to the western United States in recent years and they actually prefer suburban neighborhoods to old growth forests, which may explain why I found it in a park in the middle of a more suburban area of Seattle. These owls are partly responsible for the decline of the native northern spotted owl.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of Ravenna Park and on the weather of the day this was found, please see the journal entry for April 24, 2012 here on iNaturalist. This western skunk cabbage is extremely common in Ravenna Park, as it was likely planted there by conservation groups in an effort to boost populations of native plant species. The leaves reminded me of lettuce and it looked odd growing in large patches all over the wet ground near the stream by the path through the park's forest. Some of the plants had large yellow flowers, but the ones I got pictures of did not yet.The leaves were about a foot and a half tall and the flowers grow in a spadix in a large yellow spathe. The leaves of this plant are the largest of any native species in this region. The plant grows from rhizomes and it can produce enough heat to melt snow while it is blooming. The flowers appear in spring.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area this plant was observed in and on the weather that day, please see the journal entry for April 23, 2012 here on iNaturalist. I found this little worm while trying to see what the roots of a plant looked like. It was clinging to the roots in the dirt and I pulled it out to get a better look at it. It was about two or three inches long and was a light to dark red color. These worms are not usually found in soil, but it was too small and lacked the large band of an earthworm, so I had to conclude it was a "red wriggler" as it is commonly called. These worms are often used in compost.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area this plant was observed in and on the weather that day, please see the journal entry for April 23, 2012 here on iNaturalist. These little caterpillars were in a bundle on the tip of a conifer branch beside Lake Washington in Magnuson Park. I pulled one off to look at it and put it back. They were each about an inch long and covered in fine orange hair with a brown body. They hatch in late summer to early fall and feed mostly on Douglas fir tree needles for the rest of the year with an increase in feeding activity in spring, making them pests. They become adults in June and breed and lay eggs in July.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area this plant was observed in and on the weather that day, please see the journal entry for April 23, 2012 here on iNaturalist. The organism I got a picture of was a male gadwall duck floating in one of the large ponds in the wetland area of Magnuson Park. These ducks were all over the park and some were walking around in pairs of male and female. The gadwall I saw was about 19in long and, as indicated by its black feathers on its rear, this is the middle of their breeding season. Female gadwalls look almost exactly like female mallards only smaller and with a white belly and speculum. Male and female gadwalls both go through two molt cycles throughout the year. These birds prefer open wetlands like the one I found this one in.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area this plant was observed in and on the weather that day, please see the journal entry for April 23, 2012 here on iNaturalist. These bracken plants looked like ferns, except they had a long stalk about 3 feet tall with 4-5 branches that the actual fronds grow out of. The one I observed was growing in a group of six others and I spotted more along the path growing in groups of about the same size. The plant was a light green and some of the fronds had not completely unfurled. This plant can be incredibly invasive and grows readily in disturbed areas. It contains carcinogenic compounds.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the area this was found and on the weather that day, please see the journal entry here on iNaturalist for April 23, 2012. This tree was found on the edge of a secluded path near the shore of Lake Washington at Magnuson Park in Seattle. The shrub was about 15 feet tall with slim branches and a slim trunk. The defining feature of this shrub is the "spray" of tiny white flowers that grows from each branch. This shrub in particular did not have its flowers as they don't bloom until early summer. The picture I have is of the "spray" from last year's bloom, which will fall off and be replaced later. The shrub is deciduous and prefers wet coastal environments like the one I found my specimen in. The shrub is also known as an ironwood because its bark is so hard and resilient and it has been used for nails in the past.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the Union Bay Natural area, please see the journal entry for April 12, 2012 in my written journal and, for information on the weather of the day this was found, please see the journal entry for April 19, 2012 (Union Bay Natural Area) here on iNaturalist. This willow was about 30 feet tall and towered over all of the other trees in the Union Bay Natural Area. It had draping branches and I was not able to get very close to it as it was surrounded by brambles and other trees. This tree is native to the west coast of North America and grows in habitats such as beaches, marshes, and floodplains, which explains why it was thriving in the Union Bay Natural Area, which is practically a marsh.
The bird in the distance is a male bufflehead from UBNA, the second picture is of a female bufflehead from the nearby Magnuson Park.
For more information on the habitat and vegetation of the Union Bay Natural area, please see the journal entry for April 12, 2012 in my written journal and, for information on the weather of the day this was found, please see the journal entry for April 19, 2012 (Union Bay Natural Area) here on iNaturalist. This picture of the bufflehead isn't nearly as good as it could be. The few buffleheads I saw in the Union Bay itself were diving for food too far off shore for me to get a better shot and the ones floating in the small pond in the center of the Union Bay Natural Area kept going behind trees and out of range of my camera. I was able to identify them as buffleheads by their black and white coloring, which was obvious even from that distance, and from their diving, as buffleheads are diving birds. These birds are known as sea ducks and they are among the smallest American duck species. I could not get an accurate idea of the size of the bird I observed, but I think it might have been about a foot long. It was most certainly male, as the females are brown with a small white patch on the sides of their heads. They are common in open inland waters and coastal areas on the east and west coasts of the United States, which explains why they were living in and around the Union Bay Natural Area. As I mentioned, they are diving birds and eat crustaceans, mollusks, insects, fish eggs, and aquatic plants. Buffleheads are monogamous and they go to the same breeding sites every year. They are popular among bird watchers for their black and white plumage.
