Journal Entry 7

Time: Saturday, December 5th, 2020, from 10:30 to 11 am

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

Temperature: ~50℉

Weather: A clear day with no clouds and little in the way of wind

This is my final formal journal entry. As such, I will be conducting an overall assessment of my site and how it has changed since early October. In addition to this I will be conducting my usual phenological observations. 

It was somewhat early in the morning when my friend and I started heading towards Ravenna Park. Usually I would take a winding route to my observation site, avoiding Cowen park, which is directly adjacent to Ravenna Park. However, this time I approached my site from a different direction, allowing me to see a few extra species. It was a bright and clear morning and there was plenty of animal activity in and around my observation site. In particular, I saw a trio of Golden Crowned Kinglets on some Sword Ferns near my site. They eagerly flew from frond to frond, occasionally hovering underneath the fronds to probe at the undersides with their beaks. In time they flew off into some brush elsewhere, and I did not manage to get a video or photograph of them. They don't seem to be nearly as afraid of people as the other species I have observed in Ravenna so far, as they will often come up real close to observe or perch on a shrub, paying little heed to people. I must say I enjoy seeing the Golden Crowned Kinglet the most, in part due to their little chubby frames, in part due to their ability to hover, almost like hummingbirds, and in part due to their willingness to be observed up close. I saw and heard an American Crow as it perched upon one of the bare Red Alders near the creek. In time the crow flew off, perhaps to feed, perhaps back to its nest, I honestly don't know.  Since the American Crow was high up in the Red Alder, I did not manage to get a decent photograph with my little phone camera. I also saw an Eastern Grey Squirrel, fat and rotund and it practically dragged itself through the thick blanket of Red Alder and Bigleaf Maple leaves that covered the upstream portion of my site. I did not observe this individual collecting leaves. If I had to guess, he was getting ready to hole up for the winter, not to hibernate, as tree squirrels don't generally do that, but to cozy up in a bundle of leaves during the wet season. I also heard a variety of other species, such as a Bewick's Wren, a Red Breasted Nuthatch and numerous Black Capped Chickadees. In the case of the Bewick's Wren I was unable to record the call due to my phone running out of space, but I was able to record a Red Breasted Nuthatch and Black Capped Chickadee call on my friend's phone as we were heading out of the park. I did not see the Red Breasted Nuthatch, nor any of the Black Capped Chickadees directly. However, it was nice to get out in nature and show my friend some of our native bird species. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to recognize so many birds in Ravenna Park. I was not able to see many of them, but I still managed to get some behavioral observations for the Golden Crowned Kinglet, so I am not particularly upset over that fact. I did not observe any invertebrate life during my last outing, as I did not feel inclined to dig about in the dirt again. 

Regarding flora and fungi, I have a few things to note. For whatever reason, the Beaked Hazelnuts downstream still retained my leaves when I visited. The Black Cottonwoods, the Bigleaf Maples and the Red Alders have all long lost their leaves, but the patch of Beaked Hazelnuts downstream persist in keeping their green garments. As I have noted upon before, I think this is due to the amount of moisture in the ground that these particular Beaked Hazelnuts are growing in, as the more upland and drier areas in the very same park contain Beaked Hazelnuts that have long since lost their leaves. The Vine Maples, predictably, remain bare. All of the evergreens on the site, such as the Western Redcedar, retained their foliage, hence the name. The Sulfur Tufts on the stream-side log that I noted upon in my last journal have since wilted, practically hanging in the stream in the process. At any rate, this hanging allowed me to get a good picture of the ribbing underneath the sickly yellow caps. Upon my approach to my site I also saw a few extra species, namely the Licorice Fern and the Western Hemlock. The Licorice Fern was growing out of the side of a large Bigleaf Maple on the side of a cliff, with each individual frond having its own stalk leading into the large bed of moss the fern was growing out of. The singularly pinnate fronds reminded me of Sword Fern fronds, just far more dainty and smaller in stature. The undersides of the fronds had little pockets of pollen arranged in lines running the length of the leaflets, not unlike that of a Sword Fern. I had been looking to document a Licorice Fern the entire quarter, and in my eagerness to get a good picture I almost fell down the ravine. I had to claw my way up the muddy cliff afterwards, but I got my shot. I also saw and photographed a Western Hemlock. Whenever I see a Western Hemlock, I always think of them as being a ratty and disorganized looking Douglas-Fir, in part because I grew up with a backyard full of Douglas-Firs and those are the trees I use for reference when I am thinking about conifers. They had little fine needles of varying size and thickness, giving the needles a generally disorganized appearance. Lastly, I also documented a Red Osier Dogwood on the border of my observation site. One of the leaves still remained on the bush, so I was able to document the distinctive dogwood leaf shape and pattern, as well as the opposite branching and the reddish stems. 

Overall I would say that my observation site has changed dramatically since I began my observations. The once green and leafy shots of the upstream waterfall and the downstream patch of trees have transformed into a largely brown and bare scene. The Vine Maples that drape the waterfall are not completely bare, looking less like a cascading roof of green and more like a woody cage surrounding that part of the stream. The Black Cottonwoods, the Red Alders and the Bigleaf Maples have all lost their leaves, leaving the ground littered in a blanket of brown, wet detritus. The Beaked Hazelnuts have persisted in retaining their leaves, lending a bit of extra green downstream to the Western Redcedars. I have noticed more bird activity over time, though that is likely more to do with me paying more attention to bird calls as class has progressed. The Common Snowberries and other deciduous plants have also lost their leaves, though the Common Snowberry in particular still retain at least some of their distinctive white berries. My close up location has become increasingly covered with leaves, particularly Bigleaf Maple leaves, which were absent when I first started my documentation. I have also observed the growth of mushrooms, particularly the Sulfur Tufts, on the log in the shot, though they often grow in such a way that is not easily visible from the overhead shots. Below I have posted a variety of pictures. Not only did I photograph my usual shots, but I also photographed four other species in particular, those being the Red Osier Dogwood, the Licorice Fern, the Western Hemlock, and the Beaked Hazelnut. I also have included a couple other photos, but they don't directly pertain to any specific journal requirements. Furthermore, one can also see some of the past pictures I have taken, so that one can see how my site has changed visually over time.

The 50 m^2 shot of the downstream portion of the site that I took during my last visit. One can see how most of the deciduous trees are bare, save for the patch of green in the center top portion of the site, those being the persistent Beaked Hazelnuts. The other green trees in the shot are largely Western Redcedars. One can also see the thick layer of dead leaves on the ground.

My most recent 50 m^2 shot of upstream. One can clearly see the waterfall, as well as the various bare Vine Maples hanging over it, those being the small woody stems located towards the top of the shot. The larger stems towards the bottom of the shot are Bigleaf Maple saplings, also bare.

My first 50 m^2 shot of downstream. One can see how downstream was far more green a few months ago. The greenery on the left is a Bigleaf Maple, whilst the trees in the center are the Beaked Hazelnuts and Black Cottonwoods. At this time all three of these species retained their leaves. The Red Alders had already begun dropping their leaves, hence why one can see leaf litter on the stream banks.

My first 50 m^2 shot of upstream. The picture quality is not perfect, but one can see that the Vine Maples still retained their leaves at this time, representing the large patch of green to the left of the photo. If I am not mistaken the leaves in the foreground belong to Bigleaf Maple saplings. 

One of my new 1 m^2 shots of the stream side long. Once can see the variety of leaves on the ground, such as Bigleaf Maple leaves and Red Alder leaves, all of which are brown.

My second new 1 m^2 picture of the log. For all of my secondary pictures I dug at the earth with my boot to see if there were any large invertebrates in the soil. Generally speaking the soil right next to the stream is waterlogged and does not contain large insects. Again, one can see the bare earth to the left of the shot, and various Bigleaf Maple and Red Alder leaves to the right. One can also see how a portion of the area has become flooded by the stream as it has become swollen with the winter rains.

The first 1 m^2 shot that I took. Once can see how the Bigleaf Maple leaves are absent on account of the Bigleaf Maples still retaining their leaves at this time. Moreover, one can see the recently dropped Red Alder leaves, still green from the tree on account of Red Alders loosing their leaves when they are still green and the leaves in question being fresh. Lastly, one can see how a larger portion of the area is not flooded due to the stream being lower after a very hot summer.

The first 1 m^2 shot that I took after digging into the earth. I believe I took this shot during my second week, as I had screwed up with my photos the week prior. By this point the Bigleaf Maples had begun loosing their leaves, hence the presence of Bigleaf Maple leaves in the shot. The ground was noticeably less wet and soggy due to the stream being lower before the winter rains. One can see the edge of the log at the top of the photo. Again, I did not get a perfect picture, but I hope that one can see the things I am explaining. 

Picture of the Licorice Ferns I nearly fell down the cliff to stake. I included this picture in part because I almost fell down a ravine to take it, in part because I find Licorice Ferns to be a very cute and dainty plant. I like ferns in general, but this is one of my favorites. It just screams "Pacific Northwest" as it grows out of moss that is in turn growing out of a Bigleaf Maple. Before this point I had not actually photographed one, so I decided it would be fitting it if I included one in my final journal post.

Another shot of the Licorice Fern. One can see the pods of pollen underneath the singularly pinnate fronds.

Shot of a Beaked Hazelnut leaf. I decided to include the Beaked Hazelnut in my final journal in part because this plant has really grown on me. Before taking this class I did not even know we had native hazelnuts in our state. After learning about this little tree, I can now pick them out in a whole host of places. I also find the shape of their leaves to be appealing, with the little butt at the base of the leaf making identification easy. Moreover, I find it interesting that this particular patch of Beaked Hazelnuts have retained most of their leaves into December.

Farther out shot of one of the Beaked Hazelnut trees. One can see how the tree is looking a little sparse, if still decked with some remnant greenery.

Picture of a Red Osier Dogwood near the Beaked Hazelnuts. One can see how the veins of the leaf don't fully make it to the edge of the leaf. I chose the Red Osier Dogwood for my last post for many of the same reasons I chose the Beaked Hazelnut. I really like the shape and color of the Red Osier Dogwood and I wish I could them in spring when the stems and leaves are fresh and fully colored. It was nice to learn about this plant in class. One can also see in the shot how this is pretty much the last leaf on the plant. I have yet to include these guys in one of my posts and I felt it right to include them this one last time.

Picture of the opposite branching of the Red Osier Dogwood.

A faded red stem of the Red Osier Dogwood.

Picture of a Western Hemlock. One can see the differently sized needles that gives this plant its Latin name of "Varied-Leaf Hemlock." I have begun to appreciate these trees more, especially since I have learned their importance in our local old growth forests as being the climax species in our region. Previously I thought them to be inferior to the Douglas-Firs that I loved during my childhood. This was also the first time I had photographed a Western Hemlock in my visits, so I thought it fitting that I include some photos of this tree in my last post.

Broader shot of the Western Hemlock, where one can see the trunk and the surrounding vegetation.

1) How has your perception of your weekly observation site changed through the quarter? Think about how it has changed phenologically, and how your relationship to it has changed accordingly. 

At the very beginning of my visits to my site I thought that the location was very pretty and not much else. I was largely focused on the things that I understood, namely the stream and the few plants that I already knew. The quarter prior I had taken a physical geography class and I had learned much about hydrology and the course of streams. As such, if one reads my earlier posts, they can see how much time was spent describing the stream and the surrounding topography, with terms like "cut bank," "point bar" and "meander" peppering my writing. As I learned more about the native plant species around me, and later the variety of birds in the area, I started noticing more specific plant species, such as Vine Maples and Beaked Hazelnuts, both of which I did not note upon in my initial posts. As my observation site became more flooded, as the leaves fell and the area became more drab in general I began to resent my site. It became a mud hole with a variety of testing material within it, certainly not a place one would go to have fun. However, upon my last visit, when I was fortunate to visit during decent weather with a friend, I actually have begun to appreciate the area again. The bare trees now host a wide variety of bird species that I am now knowledgeable of, and I can now fully appreciate everything that is present on the site, save for the fungus. I still hate fungus and this class did not change that. Still, it has been rewarding to see how my site has changed over the last few months, and looking back as a write this final journal post I almost feel a bit of pride for what I have accomplished during this course and during my fieldwork.

2) How has your sense of the Puget Sound Region changed through the quarter? Think about the body of knowledge we have explored and the wealth of experiences we have had both locally and on travels around the region. (if you were working outside of the region, due to COVID-19, feel free to interpret this more freely to the region you are in, if that makes sense).

Well, due to COVID, my actual experience outside has been limited and we have not actually meet together as a class. However, by learning more about the variety of plants and birds in the local area, as well as the geological history of the region, I have begun to appreciate how much biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity we have here in the Puget Sound Region. I actually know what makes an old growth forest an old growth forest, which, believe it or not, was something that I did not know before this course. I rather liked the ecological portions of the course, and it really has made me appreciate the variety of life here. I also have learned about a great variety of urban woodlands in Seattle. For instance, if it were not for this course, I would have never heard of Ravenna Park. Through the quarter my sense of the Puget Sound Region has become more pronounced, as I can actually recognize what sets the Puget Sound Region apart from surrounding areas like the northwest coast and the inland regions across the Cascades. In other words, I actually know things about the Puget Sound Region now and I feel more attached to the natural environment in which I grew up. It is nice to know about all of the plants and birds in the land of my birth and how they interact with one another. It has really given me a sense of how this land is different from areas like the eastern Washington basin and the Olympics.

3) What does it mean to intimately know a natural place? Think about this question in terms of the process of "doing natural history" and the outcome of repeated experience in nature. Also think about it in terms of scale—you have done close observation of one site, as well as developed broader appreciation of the range of interconnected ecosystems as one travels across this region). Is there as much to be gained (or more?) from close observation of nature in a city park, as compared to field trips to far flung places or inspiring view points in the mountains, and how does repeated observation at a small scale inform your understanding of areas further afield? (if, due to COVID-19, you have never observed nature outside of your journal site, then just think about your journal site. If you other experience with nature was outside of the region, then think about comparisons to broader scales).

To intimately know a natural place is to understand how it functions and how this functioning compares to other natural regions. For instance, understanding the role of precipitation patterns in the Puget Sound and how it leads to the widespread prevalence of conifers over broad-leafed trees would lead into the concept of intimately knowing a natural place. Seeing how this process is played out first hand as part of the practice of natural history further reinforces this understanding of how natural processes work in a particular area. Learning about different systems, how they function in a similar way and how they fundamentally differ also reinforces the understanding and intimacy one share's with a natural landscape. For instance, the various lectures delivered on the ecosystems of Chile served to reinforce the class's understanding of the Puget Sound Region, both through direct comparison. The temperate rain forests of Chile were used to highlight certain concepts that are important to understanding the Puget Sound, such as how orographic lifting over a mountain range leads to heavy rainfall on the windward side of mountain ranges near coasts. Natural history is a general body of knowledge that encompasses many aspects of a natural place, and the practice of natural history, of going out into natural places to experience them directly, reinforces the understanding one has of a natural place and how it functions ecologically.

4) What do you feel are your most important personal outcomes from this class? What is the value to you of nature observation, and any other skills you have garnered, and how have you changed from week 1 to week 10?

To be perfectly frank, not everything that I learned during this course is personally important to me. Learning about native plants and birds, learning about their ecology, learning about Puget Sound ecology and the geological history of the Puget Sound were all things that  I find to be personally important. I might be going into ecological restoration for awhile after I get my bachelor's, so an understanding of local ecology really goes a long way. Nature observation and field work are both things that are important to me, both personally and in terms of a possible future job. However, things like sketching and learning about what I can only describe as indigenous nature mysticism is far less pertinent. Knowing about indigenous views on nature is only really practicable when working on tribal lands, and even then there are specialists that focus on these specific areas, mainly on how to attain permission to conduct a work project. I am less of a people person, one might say. In the other career I am trying to do, that being archaeology, the human subjects in question are already dead, so the skill of understanding mystic beliefs about nature is less than helpful to me personally. Since I have started this class my knowledge of native plants, animals and ecosystems has expanded greatly, along with my general skill in identifying and learning new species. After this class is done I might just work from my field books to learn more species and how to identify them.

5) Has your overall perception of nature and natural history, and the place of humans in nature, changed this quarter? Please incorporate insight from personal observation, as well as insight from our reading of Braiding Sweetgrass and conversation with Robin Kimmerer.

My perception of nature, natural history and the role of humans in nature has changed to become more holistic. I suppose one of the main concepts that I found to be practicable and useful in Braiding Sweetgrass and Kimmerer's work was that people can actually have a positive impact on the natural landscape. This ties into my work with ecological restoration and how humans can improve and fix problems present in an ecosystem. Another concept from Kimmerer that I find useful is how humans can be integrated into natural systems to encourage more respect for natural landscapes, as well as the faults in engaging with restoration on a purely economic basis. We must have some sort of moral force in our culture that encourages stewardship of the land and engagement with the land through natural history. In other words, we have to form a partnership with the land that is mutually beneficial, whereby we improve the natural landscape and we are rewarded with a more vibrant and useful environment. Overall, I would say that humanity should strive to be the partner of nature in a mutually beneficial relationship that is good for both parties. One part of this relationship can be ecological restoration, of which I am personally involved. I am of the opinion that healthier local ecosystems are also beneficial to people; the relationship is mutual. Nature is everything that surrounds us, including urban forests and parks, as well as human-altered landscapes like agricultural fields. Natural history and fieldwork is a way for humanity to engage with nature, to understand it, and perhaps how to formulate a more healthy and productive relationship with it for the benefit of both parties. This view stands in contrast to my earlier view of nature as a big collection of resources to be used for our own benefit and ourselves alone.