Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
Today, I took a short journey to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, specifically the Wilderness Creek Trail. It's right off highway 900 between Renton and Issaquah. The day is rainy, overcast, and mid-50's temperature. The dominant species in the area are Maple trees, Cedar trees, Hemlock trees, Oregone Grape, ferns, nettle, and western sweet coltsfoot along the trail. I found many slugs and snails along the buffer of the trail. I couldn't see any other animals or insects. Since it's the first day of rain in a week, I hoped to find some fungi in the forest. However, even when I turned over dead logs, I could only find white traces of myccorhizae. I did find witch's butter and a small cluster of white fungi under one log. I found many types of mosses and lichens on the trees on the perimeter of the trail. I sketched what I'm guessing is sweet grass on the trail because it was found sparsely. In addition, there were many small flowering plants in both yellow, pink, and purple varieties. Surprisingly, further up the trail, I found one plant which I assumed to be a weed due to it's likeness of several I've seen closer to the city. It was around 8 inches in height with leaves just as long and 2 inches wide. The leaves are intricate; a record is sketched in my journal. One Cedar I found had a shiny black substance coming out of a hollow part of the tree. I assumed it to be sap, but the consistency, amount, and color was too questionable. Overall, a good day to find some native Puget Sound species!
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Melicgrasses (Genus Melica)Observer
ajwick24Description
This was found on 'Wildnerness Creek Trail'. It reminds me of a sweet grass. There were small (2-3 cm) fronds at the end of each grass.
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum)Observer
ajwick24Description
I have never seen a fern like this in Washington! Unfortunately it was the only one in the area. It's located next to a stream at the entrance of the park. I noticed other plants that may have been carried from a horticultural nursery down the highway. You never know what's native!
Photos / Sounds
What
Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum)Observer
ajwick24Description
This forb was found along the trail in moderate occurrence. The western colt's foot was far more abundant, but of course, I don't know what this one is or if it's invasive. The flowers has rounded petals and also small round spiked orbs-i'm guessing this will turn into a flower. I made a sketch of the orb in my field notebook.
Photos / Sounds
What
Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)Observer
ajwick24Description
This bush looked very similar to the "forb" described in class yesterday during group-led tours. I assume it's a salmon/thimbleberry.
Photos / Sounds
What
Forkmosses (Genus Dicranum)Observer
ajwick24Description
This moss was found on a conifer stump. I know it's not a moss because of the fronds projecting from the main area, but I'm having trouble coming up with an id of it.
Photos / Sounds
What
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)Observer
ajwick24Description
This plant looked exactly like a raspberry. It was intriguing to find one growing randomly by the trail. However, this is a very popular trail and it seems likely that someone or something brought it here through some circumstance. Is it likely that it would just be wild?
Photos / Sounds
What
Ater-group Arion Slugs (Subgenus Arion)Observer
ajwick24Description
This slug was found under a leaf by the trail. There were lots of slugs and snails on this daily observation.
Photos / Sounds
What
Candy Flower (Claytonia sibirica)Observer
ajwick24Description
This small white forb was found in large amounts along the trail. Due to the amount of wildflowers along the trail, i'm guessing this and the other yellow petalled flower thrive in disturbed soil. Not sure about the id on this one.
Photos / Sounds
What
Osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis)Observer
ajwick24Description
This was a medium sized woody plant near the trail. I have not seen one like it.
Photos / Sounds
What
Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa)Observer
ajwick24Description
This tree was very difficult to identify. It has a VERY large trunk, about 4 feet across. It was also very tall, at least 3-4 stories tall. The leaves were very hard to see since they only sprouted at the top of the tree. I tried to magnify with my camera, but got some very blurry leaves. At the top, there was strange orange coloration on the bark. I tried to capture it in one of the photos. Amazing tree!
Photos / Sounds
What
Varied Rag Lichen (Platismatia glauca)Observer
ajwick24Description
I found this lichen, along with several other mosses and lichen, on a fallen conifer.
Photos / Sounds
What
Beard Lichens (Genus Usnea)Observer
ajwick24Description
This lichen i believe is nicknamed 'old man's beard'. I'm not completely sure.
Photos / Sounds
What
Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs, and Allies (Class Agaricomycetes)Observer
ajwick24Description
This fungus was discovered under a fallen conifer log. The mycelium was clearly seen on the underside of the log and this fungus was found on the side, creeping out from underneath.
Photos / Sounds
What
Oregon Forestsnail (Allogona townsendiana)Observer
ajwick24Description
This snail was located on the top of a small log next to the trail.
Photos / Sounds
Observer
ajwick24Description
This black substance was leaking from a Conifer at a curve in the trail. It was very mysterious. The black looks exactly like oil for a car.
Photos / Sounds
What
Witch's Butter (Tremella mesenterica)Observer
ajwick24Description
This fungus is quite interesting. It looks like a mix between a morel and witch's butter. I showed someone a picture, they couldn't identify it, but said it was quite poisonous.
Comments
Add a Comment