Week 7

11 May 2014
Mild weather, 65 F
Sun, blue sky, some clouds
18:00-19:00

This week I visited my site on a nice day, when there was a lot of activity in the air. I saw a lot of birds- a female and male Gadwall, red-winged blackbirds (including the one that likes to perch on the Oregon Ash near my site; they also seemed to be doing a lot of activity to protect their territory, with lots of chasing), swallows with white underbellies (these were very active too), and a Great Blue Heron. The composition of bird species has slowly changed over time. Two weeks ago, there seemed to be more Great Blue Herons around; now there seems to be more swallows.

On my way out of UBNA, I also saw two Canada geese and four young chicks- they are still yellow/brown and fuzzy at this point. The chicks were looking for food by the edge of the trail and the parents were looking out for them. After a few minutes of this, the parents crossed the trail to go to the other side of the grass, and the chicks scurried after them, which was cute to see.

As for vegetation, the grass has grown much taller since my last documented observation-- it is now about 3-4 feet tall. The new cattails are growing in as well and are replacing the dead ones. The blackberry bush at my site is now more prominent and is somewhat taking over the cherry tree's air space-- the blackberry branches are growing over the cherry tree branches. I also noticed some new vegetation in the grass (see picture on left) like this thistle-y, green plant that was growing among the grass. Its leaves are stiff and pointy. Its leaves look like elongated, narrow, and curled oregon grape leaves but I don't think they're related.

*Correction note: also one tree at my site, I identified as a cherry tree, but it is actually an apple tree.






This week the focus was on invertebrates. I found them difficult to observe since they were so small and moved around a lot. Some of them moved quickly too, and to places where I couldn't follow them (across water, for example).

Observation 1: Convergent Lady Beetle, Hippodamia convergens, Beetle Order

Observation 2: Blue Bottle Fly, Calliphora species, Fly Order (uncertain)

OR POSSIBLE

Green-blue Long-legged Fly - Condylostylus (uncertain)

Observation 3: Hymenoptera Order

 

These ones were found in shorter grasses. The one that was looking get off its blade of grass, I eventually rescued, but then accidentally dropped him into the water. I couldn't find him in it, so had to leave hoping that he would be able to make his way out...

Observation 4: Order Plectoptera (stoneflies) 

Observation 5: Order Odonata (dragonfly)

If it is a Striped Meadowhawk, Sympetrum pallipes, these ones tend to live near the edges of ponds, which is where I saw it. However, the guide mentions that their season runs from July-October, and it's only May now.

Other invertebrates I saw included a white gnat-looking insect (maybe a stonefly?), and a small thin fly with narrow wings longer than its body (again maybe another type of stonefly).