Port Ludlow, April 21-22, 2012

Today the forest around Port Ludlow Bay was lush and green with new growth. The salmonberry bushes have grown to about seven feet tall and are blooming with fuschia pink flossoms. The weather is in the fifties, and there is a light cloud cover but the sun has been peaking through. In a very tall tree high up there is a large nest. I am not sure what bird it belongs to, but it is smaller than an eagles nest usually is. There are many new shoots of beach grass on the beack, and the skunk cabbage have large new leaves and bright yellow flowers in the swamp.

Aggregating Anenome, Anthopleura elegantissima
Ochre Sea Star, Pisaster ochraeceus
Northern Kelp Crab, Pugettia producta
Balnus nubilis
Western Skunk cabbage, Lysichiton americanus
Hairy Hermit Crab, Pagurus hirsutiusculus
Tresus nuttallii
Nucella lamellosa
Stinging nettle, Urtica dioica
Salal, Gaultheria shallon
Western Swordfern, Polystichum munitum
Purple Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea
Salmonberry, Rubus spectabilis
Fucus garneri
Turkish Towel, Chondracanthus exasperatus
California mussel, Mytilus californianus
American Robin, Turdus migratorius
Baldhip rose, Rosa gymnocarpa
European Holly, Ilex aquifolium
Red elderberry, Sambucus racemosa

Posted on May 1, 2012 06:35 PM by andymj andymj

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Columbian Black-tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus ssp. columbianus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

I saw these deer prints on the beach. There were many prints scattered in the sand and of varying sizes. I believe it was a black-tailed deer that made these because they are quite common in the Port Ludlow area.

Photos / Sounds

What

Red-berried Elder (Sambucus racemosa)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

I saw these red elderberry blossoms in the forest. They were still a little green but just about to bloom.

Photos / Sounds

What

European Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

I saw many holly plants near the edge of the forest and very sparse holly plants in the forest. None of them had berries and they were not very tall.

Photos / Sounds

What

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

There were many new small lady fern plants unravelling in the forest. They were only about a foot high, and some were much nearer to the ground and still in a curl form.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

I saw several of these limpets nestled among the barnacles attached to the larger rocks at high tide.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

I saw several of these tall grass and brush area between the forest and the beach. They had new clumps of leaves and there were several old red rose hips still attached.

Photos / Sounds

What

Northern Kelp Crab (Pugettia producta)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

There were several of these crabs laying in the sand today in the sun. I thought at first they might be dead but then I saw that their mouths were moving. Later I saw one walking amongst the crab grass.

Photos / Sounds

What

Large White-headed Gulls (Genus Larus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

I saw this juvenile seagull floating in the bay. I believe it was a juvenile because of its speckeled gray markings.

Photos / Sounds

What

Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

I saw this sea star attached to the bottom of a log on the tide flats. It was fairly large, much bigger than my hand. Only a few legs were visible.

Photos / Sounds

What

Frilled Dogwinkle (Nucella lamellosa)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

Groups of these sea snails covered the larger rocks in the intertidal area. They seemed to prefer the eastern side of the rocks where they where found in greater numbers.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

A lone orange nucella lamellosa on a rock in the intertidal zone.

Photos / Sounds

What

Frilled Dogwinkle (Nucella lamellosa)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

I saw groups of these egg sacks nestled amongst the sea snails in patches, I am almost certain that these are the eggs of the sea snail.

Photos / Sounds

What

Aggregating Anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

Many of these anemones were scattered all over the wet sand on the beach in varying sizes.

Photos / Sounds

What

Aggregating Anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

This is an Aggregating Anenome opened in a tide pool.

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Geoduck (Panopea generosa)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

There many geoducks out and about in the sunny weather with their necks above the ground, and they would periodically squirt water in the air.

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Gaper (Tresus nuttallii)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

I believe this is a neck of a horse clam, one of many that was visible on the sand.

Photos / Sounds

What

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

I was lucky enough to have my camera with me when a robin landed close by and looked straight at me. It seemed larger than most robins.

Photos / Sounds

What

Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

I spotted this birds nest on a very high up branch in the forest. I do not know what kind of bird or creature made it, but it was quite large, and made with sticks that stuck out in all directions.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

I saw many of these larger barnacles attached to the larger rocks in the intertidal zone

Photos / Sounds

What

Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

Many of these plants covered the forest floor in heights up to two feet high in some places. They didn't have any berries or flowers.

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Hairy Hermit Crab (Pagurus hirsutiusculus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

This hermit crab was crawling around in a shallow tide pool in the tideflats on this sunny day. It crawed into its shell when it was picked up, but then slowly re-emerged. Its legs were curved and had varying colors of brown stripes on them.

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

There were several of these skunk cabbages blooming yellow flowers in the swampy forested area near the beach. Their light green leaves were beautifully backlit in the sun shining through in patches through the trees.

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Vetch (Vicia sativa)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

These little vines with an opposite leaf pattern and curling stem grow purple sweet pea flowers later on. Right now they are without flowers on the Olympic Peninsula.

Photos / Sounds

What

Slender Stinging Nettle (Urtica gracilis)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

There were many of these plants growing relatively low to the ground in the forest. The leaves were cerated and were in an opposite leaf pattern that rotated perpendicularly up the stem.

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 22, 2012

Description

This sword fern was just one of many that covered the forest floor. Some were quite large and reached around four feet tall.

Photos / Sounds

What

Rockweed (Fucus distichus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

This type of seaweed was attached to the rocks nestled by barnacles on many of the larger rocks in the tideflat areas. It has a pod-like structure and a bumpy texture.

Photos / Sounds

What

Black Mussels (Genus Mytilus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

Clusters of mussels were found on sticks, branches of trees, and large rocks in the tide flats. They were usually found next to barnacles.

Photos / Sounds

What

Turkish Towel (Chondracanthus exasperatus)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

This type of seaweed wasn't as common as most of the seaweed that covered the beach, but every once in awhile I would come across a small piece of this purpleish red seaweed with tiny bumps.

Photos / Sounds

What

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

The large salmonberry bushes in the forest were bright with new leaves and blossoming bright fuschia flowers. On this sunny day, they were beautifully lit up across the forest.

Photos / Sounds

What

Purple Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

Observer

andymj

Date

April 21, 2012

Description

This small foxglove plant was growing in the forest undergrowth near an opening in the trees.

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