Week 2

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2014

Time: 11:30 – 12:30 am

Weather: Sunny, slight breeze

Temperature: 54°F

Location: Wolf Tree Nature Trail – Discovery Park

Phenology and activity: 

I returned to the same area and sat on the same log as last week to observe seasonal changes and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of change that occurred in 7 days! First of all, the deciduous trees had begun to grow leaves. Rubus spectabilis ("Salmonberry") that were as tall as me last week, now tower over me a foot with their plentiful leaves. I noticed this initially because in order to reach the log I sit on, I have to make my way through a patch of salmonberry bushes (I would not have chosen this path to my sitting log last week if I had known what these plants would grow in to). Last week, these Salmonberry bushes were small and had very little leaves forming. This week the plants were beginning to flower with magenta flowers (drawn below). The forest was much drier than last week, the moss and wood was not soggy and the fallen leaves crunched under my feet as I walked. There was a strong scent of Lysichiton americanus ("Western Skunk Cabbage") through the forest. These plants were flowered and are common throughout this sight. There were even more flying insects than last week. There were constant bird songs from different birds while I was here. I saw an Turdus migratorius ("American Robin") close by on a branch. I saw a Selasphorus rufus ("Rufous hummingbird") feeding. I saw what I believe to be a Melospiza melodia ("Song sparrow") performing its call repetitively. It had a brown stripped body and a lighter stripped marking over its eye. This bird was very vocal!

These flying black beetle insects were all over the salmonberry plants. 

Sketch of a flying insect - currently unidentified

The following six sketches are part of a field drawing exercise of a salmonberry bloom:

3. Memory sketch of a salmonberry bloom

 4. Contour sketch of salmonberry bloom

5. Gesture sketch of salmonberry bloom 

6. Diagram sketch of salmonberry bloom

7. Experimental line sketch of salmonberry bloom

8. Study drawing of salmonberry bloom

Dicentra formosa ("Western bleedingheart") was blooming this week which was not in bloom in week 1. Blooms are light pink/purple in color. The stems grow vertically but the blooms slump over and hang upside down.

Western bleedingheart sketch

Genus oxalis ("Wood sorrels") cover the ground surrounding the salmonberry at my location. The large clover-like green leaves are soft and blooms are not yet present.

Young Pteridium aquilinum ("Bracken fern") is present along the trail. Its leaves were relatively short and small.

The following is a sketch of an unidentified ground plant. It's leaves were light green, soft, and lobed. No blooms were present.

Many Alnus rubra ("Red Alder") trees are present and are full of slightly-toothed, ovate green leaves with gray/tan smooth bark with lichens. 

Red Alder gesture sketch

Repeat photos for week 2:

View from log

  Additional view from log

Close up of  Vespula pensylvanica ("Western Yellow Jacket") on back left leaf

Close up of Red Alder covered with Icicle moss

Last week I wrongly identified a tree to be a Grand Fir tree. After more consideration, I believe this tree is a Douglas Fir.

Distance photo of tree

Close up of pine

Additional repeat pictures from week 1 but at different spatial scales:

 View from sitting spot on log

View of log from trail