Journal 2

Time: Tuesday, October 20th, 2020, from 3:15 to 4:30 pm

Location: The far eastern portion of Ravenna Park in Seattle, WA. 

Temperature: ~57℉

Weather: Clear skies with intermittent cover and a light breeze.

Upon returning to my observation site near Ravenna Creek I immediately noticed a few things that had changed about the site. My close up observation spot, located on a patch of ground and a log on the cut bank, was missing the large characteristic mushrooms that I observed and described in the last journal post. The patch of bark the mushrooms had stood upon appeared to have been broken off, with the fresh wood underneath the bark having the appearance of being stamped upon or crushed. I also noticed that some newer, smaller mushrooms had appeared. These newer and smaller mushrooms had a dull grey brown color and a half spherical cap. The stalks were slender and the apex of the cap was noticeably darker than the rest of the cap. The caps were no more than a centimeter in diameter and the stalks were darker than the caps, as well as being no more than an inch, if that, in length. The other major difference that I noticed at the one meter square scale were the presence of Bigleaf maple leaves scattered among the Red Alder leaves, something that I did not note last week. There were also some thin red stalks, about an inch in length, sprouting out of the moss on the log, with these stalks having a slightly broader green tip. The ground near the log was still waterlogged and I did not notice any insects in the dirt. 

1 m^2 shot of the ground and the log. Notice the lack of the large mushrooms from before

The newer, smaller mushrooms I described above

Shot of the moss on the log

Second 1 m^2 shot. Notice the lack of insects in the dirt and the new Bigleaf maple leaves

For the two 50 m^2 shots I noticed less of a change. Some of the deciduous trees downstream, primarily Bigleaf maple from what I can tell, are beginning to turn brown, perhaps explaining the appearance of Bigleaf maple leaves on the ground. The maples near the upstream waterfall have yet to start turning brown, though the stream has recently swollen due to the recent rains. In the future I anticipate the stream swelling further due to the increased rains, as well as the eventually loss of leaves for the younger maples near the waterfall. 

50 m^2 shot of the downstream meanders and trees

50 m^2 shot of the upstream waterfall and maple saplings

During this particular visit I decided to go over to the other side of the stream to get a closer look at the flora over the waterfall. To my pleasant surprise I noticed another maple species further upstream from the Bigleaf maple saplings I noted last visit. There were numerous Vine Maples overhanging the stream; I suppose I just assumed they were young Bigleaf maples last post due to the Bigleaf maples hanging downstream of the waterfall. Vine maples have seven to nine lobed leaves with toothed edges and a more rounded profile; Bigleaf maples have only five lobes that are larger and more pointed. These Vine Maples had multiple sprawling stems that hung over the river, forming a pleasant looking thicket that provided the stream with ample shade. Some nurse logs near the stream had some of the larger orange mushrooms I mentioned last week, albeit far more out of the way and just above the rushing stream. They had the same orange color and thick stems, though I must say that the caps were less flat and had a more intense orange color, being more bell shaped than the flat caps of last week's mushrooms; they might be a different species. I also saw a pair of Eastern Grey Squirrels, with one squirrel chasing the other with such reckless abandon they nearly caused me to back into the rushing stream; they ran off just as quickly as they approached. Needless to say I did not have the time to photograph or sketch them. I would assume that the one squirrel was a male that was chasing a female for the purposes of mating, though I did not actually witness any such act. I also saw a Lady Fern a slight bit downstream from the waterfall. There was also a bird call that was short and had a rising tone, though I did not see the source of the call, nor did I recognize the species that made it.

Vine maple by the waterfall

Picture of the mushrooms I described above

Overhead shot of the mushrooms

Lady Fern on a log

I also saw and photographed many other species, though it is my opinion that it would be silly to describe each one in turn, especially after I have already derived plenty of dry and informational descriptions of flora and fungus already. I will still describe species, mind you, but there also something to be gained from simple pictures of many species. The goal of this section is to give a broader impression than the relatively narrow picture I have painted above. Plus, I already took all of these pictures, and I don't have all the time in the world to write descriptions; college is a busy time in life. I took all of these pictures in and around my observation area. 

Bracken Fern

Salal

Red Huckleberry

Common Snowberry

English Holly

Salmonberry

 

Thimbleberry

For my main set of sketches I decided to draw the Thimbleberry, in part because I just loved touching its leaves. They felt like soft butterfly kisses on my hands; no wonder they are often referred to as "nature's toilet paper." They have alternate branching unlike the maples they vaguely resemble and they lack the large spines of their blackberry cousins. The ones here were a couple feet tall and had thin green stems that were flexible. It seems to be past Thimbleberry season, so there were no fruits for me to sample. I must apologize in advance for my less than stellar drawing skills and penmanship, though I do hope some added captions will help to illustrate exactly what the drawings depict. I must also apologize for the lined paper; I was unable to find unlined paper by the time I went out. I chose to draw a Sword fern blade, a Tall Oregon-grape and a Low Oregon-grape for the last three free sketches. 

1 memory sketch, Exercise #3, Thimbleberry

1 contour sketch, Exercise #4, Thimbleberry

1 gesture sketch series, Exercise #5, Thimbleberry

1 study drawing, Exercise #8, Thimbleberry

3 additional plant sketches, Tall Oregon-grape, Low Orgegon-grape, Sword Fern

Overall that is a decent snapshot of my second visit to Ravenna Creek. In hindsight it would probably have been best to go earlier in the day so that the sun would not shine into the camera with the downstream 50 m^2 picture, but such is life. I suppose it was good that I went yesterday; today there was a thunderstorm and hail. I am learning more plant species and I am able to identify much more than my last visit, which pleases me. Decent progress over I would say.