University District, Portage Bay Area 4/13

Date: April 13th
Location: University District near Portage Bay
Weather: Sunny and breezy, clear skies
Climate: Wet, seasonal

Observations:
While waiting for a friend to meet me for lunch i wondered around Boat street along Portage Bay. First, I saw a European starling that was finding food in the grass next to the Marine Science Building. The starlings peek was yellow, which will eventually turn back to brown after their mating season. They court and mate in the early spring, which is why its beak was yellow, and also probably why the area was so noisy with birds. I then saw a nest in a Big Leaf Maple tree nearby, but it couldn't of been a starling's nest because they only nest in cavities. I'm unsure who the nest belonged to. Along the side of the building I saw Cherry Lourel and Weeping Bottlebrush growing next to each other. I had also seen Cherry Lourel up in Pack Forrest, so i was able to identify it fairly easily. Weeping Bottlebrush eventually gets these amazing red flowers, since it was not flowering yet I assume it flowers later on in the Spring.On the other side of the lawn I found Viburnum that smelt amazing. I never knew how many varieties of Viburnum there were until I tried to identify this one! In front of the building there is some sort of pine growing, but i was unable to identify it. It had very long pine needles and small cones that were attached at the very ends of its branches. I then walked across the street to the water and saw a mallard duck bobbing it's head for food. An American Crow was nearby in the park area also looking for food. Near the crow I also found a lot of horsetails growing, which i remember seeing a lot of when i lived in Northern California.

Questions:
What makes the sterling's beak change color? Is it hormones, or perhaps the warmer weather? What type of pine did i see? What pollinates viburnum? Why does it smell so nice?

Species List:
Cherry Lourel (Prunus laurocerasus)
Big Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Viburnum (viburnum carlesii)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos)
Horsetails (Genus Equisetum)
Mystery Pine
Weeping Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis)

Posted on April 19, 2012 05:36 PM by lmcthe01