Environmental Study Of Lechtenberg Park

[DougF]

Turtle

By all means' date=' do run on like that. Speaking of which, what most everyone stuck in mud or 'quicksand' doesn't want to do but should do, is fall on their face & swim. Head up crawl stroke of course.

 

Gotta run...................... [/quote']

 

Yes, this is the way to get out, I call it a "Frog Crawl" belly in the mud arms out and knees bent.

 

Just a slip sliding away, you should see me doing this quite a sight. :naughty:

[Turtle]

I managed to cajole that mysterious masked mammal Racoon to accompany this ol' turtle to Lechtenberg today for a 5 hour walk-about. There is more to report than I can ball up here yet, but here's a start. We have 3 new species of plants ID'd; 2 wildflowers and a tree/shrub.

 

The Fringecups I have tried for a year to pin down, and now with the closeups of the 'frilled' petals and the detail to see the 10 stamens, it's a lock. The forest floor is covered with them. :shrug:

 

Unlike Siberian Miner's Lettuce, plain old Miner's Lettuce does not taste like Spinach. Rather bland actually, rather like Iceberg Lettuce. Note the unusual leaves that completely encircle the flower stem. ;)

 

The Red-Osier Dogwood is not quite bloomed, but this ID is clinched by the opposite leaves and their distinctive parallel veins.

 

Back to the heat-pad on the back for a while and then I'll get to editing some of the video from my wade in Lacamas Creek. :) :)

 

Fringecup - Temlima grandiflora

 

Miner's Lettuce - Claytonia perfoliata

 

Red-Osier Dogwood - Cornus stolonifera

[Turtle]

Wading Lacamas Creek. The deepest spots I encountered went to ~2 feet. Video includes some underwater scenes, and not only is the water murky, it smells bad. :eek: :(

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60DA84iQKdM

[freeztar]

The underwater footage is awesome. Can you describe the enclosure you made for the camera?

 

Do you have an ID on that underwater plant? It looks like a type of eelgrass perhaps?

[Turtle]

The underwater footage is awesome. Can you describe the enclosure you made for the camera?

 

Do you have an ID on that underwater plant? It looks like a type of eelgrass perhaps?

 

Well, while I did make a waterproof enclosure for my Straight-Up-Cam work, I didn't think it was up to submerging so I wrote Santa requesting a post-season dispensation for a commercial housing. He was busy, but Mrs. Clause intervened, and on the condition that I employ the accessory in a never-ending battle for truth and justice, the dear Lady Fed-Ex'ed me the unit a few weeks after Christmas. :eek:

 

The unit is made by Sony & called a Sport-Pack. It is touted as good to a depth of 17 feet, has external controls, and even external waterproof microphones. So far so good, and that's fairly no lie.

 

Racoon spotted a heron roosting high in a Doug Fir, and I got a short bit of video here. I had left the tripod at our base camp, and that coupled with the distance, height, and bright back-lighting make for not-so-good quality. Still, most Heron pics have them walking/wading on the ground, and seeing one high in a tree is worth some interest. I am rather certain this is a Great Blue Heron, as the neck looks too long for a Night Heron, although in one of the enhanced stills I dropped into the video it looks as if there is a small crest on top of the head as the Night Herons have. Opinions? :autumnleaves:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6rl-7lKqQ

 

On the underwater plant(s), I'll have to poke around a bit with some resources as none of my books include them. :) :(

[Racoon]

There was a great nesting of birds, and a grand spot to clear and observe...

 

I think we made some nice inroads. :)

 

This was the best trek into Lechtenberg following Turtle yet.

[Cedars]

Racoon spotted a heron roosting high in a Doug Fir, and I got a short bit of video here. I had left the tripod at our base camp, and that coupled with the distance, height, and bright back-lighting make for not-so-good quality. Still, most Heron pics have them walking/wading on the ground, and seeing one high in a tree is worth some interest. I am rather certain this is a Great Blue Heron, as the neck looks too long for a Night Heron, although in one of the enhanced stills I dropped into the video it looks as if there is a small crest on top of the head as the Night Herons have. Opinions? :)

 

I agree with Great Blue. The bill length/shape is my primary decision maker. With the angle distortion (bird isnt side view and we're looking up), I dont think the beak would appear to be as long as it is with the Night Heron, as well as the head dexterity during preening, seems to give it the mobility of a head on a longer neck.

[Turtle]

I agree with Great Blue. The bill length/shape is my primary decision maker. With the angle distortion (bird isnt side view and we're looking up), I dont think the beak would appear to be as long as it is with the Night Heron, as well as the head dexterity during preening, seems to give it the mobility of a head on a longer neck.

 

Roger that. I soooo want to find those Night Heron again. We are on it like Heron droppings on bushes under trees. ;)

 

Now to a plant mystery. Another one I have not been able to ID for several years and it's everywhere in these mixed forest areas. Photo below. The oval leaves are rather soft, not waxy, and the margin is smooth (no teeth whatsoever). The plant grows shrublike, to small tree size that I have seen. The photo is the first time I have caught it blooming, so I hope this helps us to pin this one down. Without further ado, I give you Unidentified Shrub - Shrubus unknownia: :D >>

[freeztar]

Roger that. I'm on it like pollen on an anther...:D

 

Do you have any more pics of it?

[Turtle]

Roger that. I'm on it like pollen on an anther...:)

 

Do you have any more pics of it?

 

I have one other closeup of the bloom with a scale; Racoon held the scale for me so I could have both hands on the camera. We ran across this when we were following the Herons and as I say, I left the tripod at base camp. :doh: Always somethin'. :D

 

Also in the previous photo, in the lower right corner is another of the shrubs with a better view of whole leaves. ;) :D

 

[Turtle]

Racoon collected a branch of briar with some unopened blooms, which I brought home and put in water. One of the blooms is now open, and I have ID'd the briar as Trailing Blackberry - Rubus ursinus. This is, according to my field guide, Washington's only native blackberry. Note the tell-tale recurved thorns along the stems. ;) :D

 

PS Don't forget that I am trying to maintain a complete index of ID'd species in post #1 of this thread. If you, dear reader, see an error and/or omission, please bring it to my attention. :D

 

trailing blackberry - Rubus ursinus

may 10, 2008

lechtenberg park

clark county washington - native

 

[freeztar]

Racoon collected a branch of briar with some unopened blooms, which I brought home and put in water. One of the blooms is now open, and I have ID'd the briar as Trailing Blackberry - Rubus ursinus. This is, according to my field guide, Washington's only native blackberry. Note the tell-tale recurved thorns along the stems. :D ;)

 

Trailing blackberry, my favorite of all the Rubus (that I've tasted anyways).

To me, the berries taste like cotton candy. :D

 

I'll have to see about the other plant tomorrow (I keep most of my books at the office). I had little luck with online searching so far. The flower looks like a Rosaceae to me, but it could very well be something else. More to come...

[Turtle]

Trailing blackberry, my favorite of all the Rubus (that I've tasted anyways).

To me, the berries taste like cotton candy. :tongue:

 

I'll have to see about the other plant tomorrow (I keep most of my books at the office). I had little luck with online searching so far. The flower looks like a Rosaceae to me, but it could very well be something else. More to come...

 

I hope to get to sample some this season. My only quibble with this briar is that it is the one that is tough, long, and likes to ride about knee high off the ground within the brush. :eek:

 

Roger on other plant. The closest my Washington guide seems to come is the Black Huckleberry, but it says the leaf margin has fine teeth? They don't picture the flower either. :doh: :shrug: We'll get 'er done.

 

Racoon collected other samples to send home with me, and I think I have nailed the ID of another of those, despite the fact the bloom hasn't opened. I didn't photograph the bark of this native shrub, though I pointed it out to Rac and recalled seeing it in my guide. Now I have put it all together.

My guide quotes Meriwether Lewis from Fort Clatsop in 1806. "The seven or ninebark...is also common in this quarter."

 

Pacific Ninebark - Physocarpus capitatus

may 10,2008

lechtenberg park

clark county washington - native

 

[freeztar]

As far as the mysterious white flowers go, I think I've found it.

 

Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon serviceberry)

 

Do you concur?

[Turtle]

As far as the mysterious white flowers go, I think I've found it.

 

Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon serviceberry)

 

Do you concur?

 

I have looked at that several times as a possible in my Washington fieldguide, but they bolden a reference to the upper portions of the leaves:

...small, rounded leaf with regular notches on the upper half...

 

Even under magnification, the margins of these leaves are smooth all around. I will be having more looks in the field for additional clues, and most certainly waiting for some fruits to appear. :confused:

[DougF]

Most excellent video Turtleson,

I take my hat off to both of you.

 

:) :hihi: ;) :bow:

[Turtle]

Most excellent video Turtleson,

I take my hat off to both of you.

 

:hihi: :hihi: :bow: :bow:

 

Thanks Doug. :) Thanks also to Racoon, Cedars, Tormod, Freeztar, Buffy, other respondents, and readers. More often than not, my obsessive/compulsive pursuits have landed me in trouble, and this has made for a nice change. So, that said, I went back today. :hihi: :hihi:

 

As usual, I recorded/collected more than I likely can process, but I'll giver it a go. Here's the first newbie from today: :)

Creeping Buttercup - Ranunculus repens

may 14, 2008

lechtenberg park

clark county washington - introduced