Sitka Nature: Recent Episodes
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https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240630_KCAW_SITNAT_Kari_Sagel_Brooke_Schafer.mp3Download Radio Show
The June 30th show featured a conversation with Kari Sagel and Brooke Schafer in our semi-regular cross-over between the Sitka Library Show and the Sitka Nature Show.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #318 – Kari Sagel and Brooke Schafer first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240616_KCAW_SITNAT_Damiel_Graham_Zach_Laperriere.mp3Download Radio Show
The June 16th show featured a conversation with Daniel Graham and Zach LaPerriere. Daniel was the artist who crafted the Sitka violin commissioned for the Sitka Summer Music Festival by Marcel and Connie LaPerriere, it was the made out of wood sourced in Sitka by Zach LaPerriere. We discussed the of the practical aspects of what went into the gathering the wood and making the violin, as well as some of Daniel’s philosophy when it comes to working with wood and creating pieces with practical and artistic elements.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #317 – Daniel Graham and Zach LaPerriere first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240602_KCAW_SITNAT_Eric_Matthes.mp3Download Radio Show
The June 2nd show featured a conversation with Eric Matthes. We spoke about his experience developing the Ḵaasda Héen Monitoring Project. This project grew out of experience trail running along Indian River trail during the heavy rain that led to the August 2015 landslides in Sitka.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #316 – Eric Matthes first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240519_KCAW_SITNAT_Greg_Jensen.mp3Download Radio Show
The May 19th show featured a conversation with marine biologist Greg Jensen. He was in Sitka as part of the Scientists in the Schools program through the Sitka Sound Science Center. Among the activities he participated in, was sea week at the elementary school (which has been going since at least the time I was in elementary school 40+ years ago). This lead to conversation about getting out to the beaches as children, how this ignited his passion for observing and documenting marine life, and some of what he’s learned over several decades spent exploring the waters of Puget Sound and beyond.
You can find Greg’s field guides at Molamarine.com.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #315 – Greg Jensen first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240505_KCAW_SITNAT_Liah_McPherson_Andy_Szabo.mp3Download Radio Show
The May 5th show featured a conversation with Liah McPherson and Andy Szabo. They have been in Sitka this spring spending time on Sitka sound surveying and documenting Humpback Whales and Gray Whales. We spoke about their work here, and how it fits within a broader studying using drones and camera technology to measure body size and condition of individual whales. They are able to track how individual whales gain and lose mass throughout their seasonal feeding, breeding, and migration cycles.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #314 – Liah McPherson and Andy Szabo first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240421_KCAW_SITNAT_Richard_Nelson_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The April 21st show featured a conversation with Richard Nelson. Originally recorded and aired in spring 2017, we shared recordings and discussed some of mysterious calls and songs that birds make.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #313 – Richard Nelson (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240407_KCAW_SITNAT_Laura_Kaltenstein_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The April 7th show featured a conversation with Laura Kaltenstein, which was originally recorded an aired in late April 2023. We spoke about where birds nest around Sitka, some of the nests we’ve noticed over the years, and how we found them.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #312 – Laura Kaltenstein (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240324_KCAW_SITNAT_Lauren_Bell.mp3Download Radio Show
The March 24th show featured a conversation with Lauren Bell, research director at the Sitka Sound Science Center. We spoke about her transition from graduate student to her current role, goals and challenges of working on research which is motivated and connected to the communities where it occurs, and some of the projects the Sitka Sound Science Center is actively working on around the region.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #311 – Lauren Bell first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240310_KCAW_SITNAT_Jon_Shaw_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The March 10th show featured a conversation with Jon Shaw, a bryologist at Duke University whose research is currently focused on Sphagnum (peat mosses). This conversation was originally recorded and aired in the summer of 2018 when he was making a short visit to Sitka. We spoke about what makes Sphagnum mosses unique, and the role they play in carbon cycling. Jon also shared about some of the work being done to try and understand what might happen with Sphagnum as the climate shifts.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #310 – Jon Shaw (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240225_KCAW_SITNAT_Adam_Haberski.mp3Download Radio Show
The February 25th show featured a conversation with Adam Haberski, who has been studying a group of rove beetles present on sky islands in the southern Appalachian Mountains. We spoke about rove beetles (Staphylinidae), how what he’s learned about the evolution of the group he has studied might inform similar studies on beetles in Southeast Alaska, and more generally about documenting beetles and other arthropods around Sitka.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #309 – Adam Haberski first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240211_KCAW_SITNAT_Barth_Hamburg_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The February 11th show featured a conversation with Barth Hamburg, retired landscape architect who is responsible for the design of many trails throughout Southeast Alaska. We spoke about some of these trails and the challenges Southeast Alaska presents to building and maintaining trails. This conversation was recorded and originally aired in December 2022.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #308 – Barth Hamburg (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240128_KCAW_SITNAT_Matt_Wilson.mp3Download Radio Show
The January 28th show featured a conversation with Matt Wilson, aquarist at the Sitka Sound Science Center. We spoke about the life cycles and jellyfish and challenges with keeping and rearing them, as well as more generally about the art and science of encouraging and maintaining healthy diversity within an aquarium setting.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #307 – Matt Wilson first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2024/20240114_KCAW_SITNAT_Joanna_Young_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The January 14th show featured a conversation with glaciologist Joanna Young, who studies the effects of retreating glaciers on watersheds downstream. Originally recorded and aired in October 2022, we spoke about glaciers, and her work with Girls on Ice Alaska.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #306 – Joanna Young (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231231_KCAW_SITNAT_Paul_Norwood_Brooke_Schafer.mp3Download Radio Show
The December 31st show featured a conversation with Paul Norwood and Brooke Schafer. The Sitka Nature Show ended the year as it began. Paul and Brooke shared about some of their experiences from the last year, including learning to scuba dive, and further travels and explorations around Southeast Alaska.
The Anatomy of a Wolf Den Site: A Field Report
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #305 – Paul and Brooke first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231217_KCAW_SITNAT_Bill_Foster_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The December 17th show featured a conversation with Bill Foster, who passed away in November. Bill was a guest several times during the early years of my show, and the conversation featured in this show is one I recorded with him in 2014. As was often the case in my conversations with him, we wandered a bit but inevitably came around to birds, birding, and birders. Bill also was an enthusiastic supporter and user of Sitka trails, and we spent the last part of the conversation talking about our experiences on the trails around Sitka.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #304 – Bill Foster (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231202_KCAW_SITNAT_JCedarleaf_KLabounty.mp3 Download Radio Show
The December 2nd show featured a conversation with Jen Cedarleaf and Kitty LaBounty, we talked the Christmas Bird Count in Sitka (present and past), and more generally about birds and birding.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #303 – Jen Cedarleaf and Kitty LaBounty first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231119_KCAW_SITNAT_David_Jadhon.mp3Download Radio Show
The November 19th show featured a conversation with David Jadhon. He was in town to search for nudibranchs, and we spoke about his burgeoning interest in marine invertebrates, as well as his experiences working as a research assistant on Middleton Island studying the Black-legged Kittiwakes that nest there.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #302 – David Jadhon first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231105_KCAW_SITNAT_Zach_LaPerriere.mp3Download Radio Show
The November 5th show featured a conversation with Zach LaPerriere. As it often seems to, our conversation started with wood, trees, and craftsmanship, and wandered from there.
Zach mentioned the Sitka Violin project, which is underway.
You can learn more about it and follow the progress on the Sitka Violin Facebook group set up by Marcel LaPerriere
The luthier commissioned to build the violin is posting on his youtube channel, where you can see the work in progress.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #301 – Zach LaPerriere first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231022_KCAW_SITNAT_Richard_Carstensen_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The October 22nd show featured a conversation with Richard Carstensen, originally recorded and aired in spring of 2021. We spoke about what he’s learned observing mountain goats on the slopes above where he lives, and the surprise of finding very tall trees on steep mountain slopes. \
You can see more of what Richard’s been working on at Richard Carstensen’s JuneauNature Site
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #300 – Richard Carstensen (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231007_KCAW_SITNAT_Scotty_Gabara_encore.mp3 https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20231007_KCAW_SITNAT_Scotty_Gabara_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The October 7th show featured a conversation with Scotty Gabara, originally recorded an aired November 2022. We spoke about a project he is involved with which is looking at the effects of glacial runoff on shoreline and nearshore marine ecosystems We also discussed his interests in natural history, diving, and underwater nature photography.
See Scott’s photos and learn more about his work
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #299 – Scotty Gabara (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230924_KCAW_SITNAT_Connor_Goff.mp3Download Radio Show
The September 24th show featured a conversation with Connor Goff, we talked about Sitka bird, birding in Sitka, around Alaska and beyond.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #298 – Connor Goff first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230910_KCAW_SITNAT_Matt_Muir.mp3Download Radio Show
The September 10th show featured a conversation with Matt Muir. We spoke about how iNaturalist, and the community of enthusiasts it’s drawn togehter,
has inspired, motivated, and otherwise supported our naturalist journey. Matt also spoke about his current big year efforts, and the people he’s met and naturalized with along the way.
Matt’s big year journal on iNaturalist
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #297 – Matt Muir first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230827_KCAW_SITNAT_Kitty_LaBounty.mp3Download Radio Show
The August 27th show featured a conversation with Kitty LaBounty. We spoke about mushrooming, fall colors, learning about plants through gardening (including using native plants), visiting national parks, and more.
Links to things mentioned in the show:
Subpar Parks
Alaska Native Plant Society
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #296 – Kitty LaBounty first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230813_KCAW_SITNAT_Starling_Birch.mp3Download Radio Show
The August 13th show featured a conversation with Starling Birch, videographer and mountain adventurer. We talked about the pleasure and pain of adventuring into the mountains. We also considered the motivations that drive us to put ourselves in often unpleasant and potentially regretful circumstances when exploring the challenging landscape that surrounds us in Sitka.
Be sure to check out Starling Birch’s Youtube Channel for many short videos documenting some of his adventures around Baranof Island and beyond.
Starling Birch on Instagram
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #295 – Starling Birch first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The July 30th show featured a conversation with Derek Sikes, curator of insects at the Museum of the North and Professor of entomology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. We spoke about bug camps, collecting, more generally about terrestrial arthropods in Alaska, and some particular questions of current interest. If you have ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #294 – Derek Sikes first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The July 16th show featured a conversation with Matt Bracken. We spoke about his time in Southeast Alaska as the research he’s worked on, including growing up in Petersburg, and returning each summer over the past decade to continue studies investigating marine biodiversity, especially in the intertidal zones. If you have questions ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #293 – Matt Bracken first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The July 2nd show featured a conversation with Rich McCLear. A long-time Sitka resident, in recent years Rich has taken to going for a daily walk with a camera. We spoke about his history with Sitka, and how the regular walks and the intention to take pictures has impact his experience and ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #292 – Rich McClear first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The June 18th show featured a conversation with Britta Jensen. Originally recorded and aired last fall, in this conversation we spoke about efforts to better understand the eruptive of the Mt. Edgecumbe volcanic field by studying the tephra/ash deposits in the area. If you have questions or observations you want to share, ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #291 – Britta Jensen (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The June 4th show featured a conversation with Ian Hewson. We spoke how the results of a study he and colleagues did looking at a virus associated with giant Pacific sea cucumbers (Apostichopus californicus), as well as more broadly about viruses in the environment, and the investigation leading to the discovery of ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #290 – Ian Hewson first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230507_KCAW_SITNAT_Bird_Songs_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The May 7th show featured recordings of many common Sitka bird songs, and pointers for learning to recognize which species is singing them.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #288 – Bird Songs first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230423_KCAW_SITNAT_Laura_Kaltenstein.mp3Download Radio Show
The April 23rd show featured a conversation with Laura Kaltenstein. We spoke about which birds nest where in the Sitka and shared stories of nests we’ve found over the years.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #287 – Laura Kaltenstein first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230409_KCAW_SITNAT_Andy_Liah_Dana_on_Whales.mp3Download Radio Show
The April 9th show featured a conversation with Andy Szabo, Liah McPherson, and Dana Bloch. Andy is director of the Alaska Whale Foundation. Liah and Dana are graduate students studying whales. They were in town working on a project to measure body condition of Humpback Whales that gathered in Sitka Sound to feed on herring. They use a drone to get imagery of the whales from above and can use this to model the whale’s size and compare changes to individual whales over time.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #286 – Whale Researchers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy clouds and frequent rain. Winds seemed diminished from yesterday.
I ended up having a full day, with little outside time. This morning I finished up gathering the information I needed to get my taxes taken care of. My timing at the tax accountant was not great, as I had to wait the better part of two hours (for all but the last few minutes of that, no one else showed up that would have been in front of me if I had come later).
I made a brief stop by Swan Lake and saw a Northern Pintail (reported earlier by DK) at the far upper end. It’s the first of those I’ve seen this year, my 84th of the year. I’m a couple species ahead of the pace for birds compared to the past couple of years. I also got my first decent look at (and photo of) a Savannah Sparrow for the year.
I did go out again later in the afternoon. The channel was much quieter (I had seen many gulls there on a brief stop before going to the tax office).
Most of the ducks seemed to have left Swan Lake, and I didn’t see the pintail.
I checked the mouth of Indian River in case it might have flown to the park. It’s possible that it did, but I didn’t see it right at the river mouth.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Busy Day and New Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Cloudy with periods of rain. Breezy and cool. Snow level down to around 2000 feet.
Connor flew south on the early flight. I headed out late this morning with the intention of going to get the car. Fortunately he parked in 7 day parking, since I was downtown before I realized I had not brought the spare key with me.
When I had started out the rain was light, but it had gotten heavier. That and the blowing wind diminished my motivation for going back home and then heading out again.
Instead I checked on prices of note cards at a couple shops downtown. I will probably get some printed, and it looks like I should aim for a retail price around $4-$6 depending on size and quality.
I got a report of an odd looking scaup. My first impression of the photos was Greater Scaup. However, its bill was oddly pale behind the tip, more like a Ring-necked Duck.
This scaup has a paler than typical beak behind the dark nail at the tip
Conditions weren’t great, but I spent some time hunkered under a tree at the lake trying to get some photos. I’m pretty sure the bird is a Greater Scaup. In reviewing photos, I’ve seen others that have a similar pale (though not quite as pronounced). This bird is nearing completion of molt into adult plumage, and I think that is also contributing to its slightly off look. The shape and size seemed consistent with Greater Scaup. It didn’t stand out to me from the others that were there. I would expect a hybrid to have at least some difference in head shape and size, given how much different a Ring-necked Duck is.
Althoug the bill of the bird in front has more pale on it and it is not finished molting into adult plumage, it has a similar size and shape to the more typical scaup on the right
I returned this evening when the clouds had thinned and the rain let up and got slightly better photos.
The Hooded Merganser was on the lake, as was the Pied-billed Grebe. The latter is showing the dark bar on its beak now.
I spent part of the day trying to work out where to get note cards printed. I may try a couple different places and see about quality and service. Pricing varies significantly, and it looks like shipping charges might as well. It would be easy to dither on a decision, but it’s probably best to just get some printed in small volumes, see what I learn, then do larger volumes with that in mind.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Swan Lake Scaups first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with some rain.
I went out this afternoon with the thought that I might walk the Starrigavan ATV trail and hope for a grouse to call.
When I got out that way and found a steady rain falling, I decided I was not that ambitious.
It looked like at least some herring spawn was taking place from near Sea Mart out as far as Kerr’s Island. I couldn’t really tell how much of it was active spawning versus remnants of earlier spawning still coloring the water.
I looked at the channel, where it was mostly quiet. A few Long-tailed Ducks and mergansers were on the water. Perhaps a few dozen gulls total.
I got a report of a Ring-necked Duck on Swan Lake earlier in the day. I checked from my car when I was headed out, but didn’t spot it. On my way back, I got out and looked from the peninsula. I saw both Greater and at least one Lesser Scaup, but still didn’t find a Ring-necked Duck. This is one of the few winters I remember where I didn’t see any. I would expect some will show up on the lake this spring, and if not, then in the fall.
I made a brief stop to check moths at the park. I didn’t see as many of the *Malacodea pulchraria* moths as yesterday, but there were still a few.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Early April Gray first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny skies until this evening when clouds began to move over from the west. Freezing temperatures overnight warmed into the 40s, melting what little snow fell late last night.
I woke early this morning and heard a robin singing loudly outside. It’s the first I’ve heard in full song. I promptly went back to sleep.
I decided to head out during my call this morning. I drove out Halibut Point Road to see if herring might be spawning. I did not notice any areas of active spawn as far out as Kerr’s Island.
*Malacodea pulchraria* has an early and short flight season. They are variable in shade, with this one being on the paler and more contrasting side
After the call, I went for a walk around Totem Park. Several spring moths (Malacodea pulchraria) were on the walls at the visitor center.
Spring can seem slow in the weeks after equinox. Slowly but surely plants are pushing forward
I checked the spot where fern-leaved goldthread grows. I didn’t see any flowers blooming. I didn’t notice any blueberry flowers out either.
This evening I drove out the road again.
The lighting was not the best, but I could see cloudy water indicating spawning inside of Kerr’s Island. I went down to the shore and was able see a few herring in the shallows.
I’m not sure how consistent it is, but it seems like I’ve typically observed herring actively spawning on a falling tide. They start before it’s fully out, and it’s hard to say how long they continue.
I had set out with the idea of stopping by the tidepools at Little Magic Island. When I arrived there, I saw herring had also been spawning. The tidepools were cloudy and had bubbles on the surface, so I didn’t try and look into them.
Herring spawning activity turned the waters green
The herring spawn was happening from at least Little Magic Island to Magic Island. I’m not sure how much of the shoreline from there to Kerr’s Island was seeing spawn happening.
Spring song bird migrants have started showing up. A Savannah Sparrow was reported at Swan Lake today. Also I think robins are arriving from south. It’s hard to be 100% we’re not seeing robins that overwintered, but the behavior of newly arriving birds strikes me as different than the overwintering ones. The new arrivals are often out in open areas by themselves at first. In the coming days and weeks we’ll see more of them, though not really behaving as a group.
This afternoon I caught up on the last of my observations from January through March. I also published the last photojournal for that time period. It’s the first time since I started doing iNaturalist that I’ve kept up this long. It’s also the first time in a long time that I’ve kept up with publishing photo journals this far into the year without at least some gap.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spring Moths and Spawning Herring first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Frosty overnight, with occasional periods of rain sometimes mixing with snow during the day.
I met up with Kitty around midday and we drove out to Starrigavan to take a walk along Katlian Road. I saw a report (either last fall or earlier this year) that the crews working to construct the road from each end had met, though there was still much work to be done. There are still signs posting the road is closed, but I regularly see people walking it on the weekends. The first mile or so appears to be basically completed, so I suspect they don’t mind people walking there, especially when they’re not working.
The only other time I’ve walked out that way was in January 2022. This time we went as far as last year. At that time the worked appeared to be stalled out at a steep section (though I apparently didn’t take any pictures).
Last year this was a blasted rock face. The original line for the road went along the left edge of the frame, much lower than they've cut the current road. Presumably due to steepness of the slope and/or rock that wouldn't hold up, they've found it necessary to push higher
It looked like they may have opted to go up and over that part. Based on what’s there now, it would be a steep, narrow section with quite a drop off. Perhaps they’re planning to blast it down a bit so it doesn’t go up quite so far. They may also widen it.
While we were on the north side of the ridge, we regularly heard and saw falling rocks (mostly small ones) from the uphill side of the road. I think it was due to the overnight freeze causing some expansion with temperatures finally warming enough to melt the ice while we were there.
After I got some lunch at Beak, the next stop was Cascade Creek.
I wanted to revisit the *Macrodiplophyllum flaccidum*. This time I found a couple other patches of it on the same rock. I didn’t look any further.
The channel only had a few gulls, and none that looked unusual.
I’m almost caught up getting my January-March 2023 observations into iNaturalist. I’ve also done well getting photojournals published. On the other hand, I’ve neglected finishing up getting my observations from 2022 into iNaturalist.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Walking Katlian Road first appeared on Sitka Nature.
View of Sitka Sound from near the 5th tee on the Sea Mountain Golf Course. I am often struck by the gray to blue transition of the water (due to whether it's reflecting blue sky or clouds)
Mostly cloudy with a little rain. Clearing near sunset, with low clouds beginning to form late (after dark).
Total precipitation in March was almost 3 inches below normal (3.06 inches vs. a long-term mean of 5.91 inches). This year’s precipitation is about half what we had at this time last year. (Last year was exceptionally wet in January and February.)
The channel had very few gulls. I suspect they’re out where the herring are spawning.
I drove out to Starrigavan this evening to see if there might be spawning happening along the road system. I didn’t see any.
While out that way I walked around the golf course. It was quiet bird-wise there. I imagine it will pick up with migrants soon.
I was slightly surprised to see this buck rub right along the path up to the 5th hole tee
While driving Swan Lake, I noticed fish surfacing. I think they were going after chironomid midges that have hatched in number in recent days.
Taken at twilight, this is a focus stack of two long exposures (one for foreground focus, the other for the waterfall)
As light was fading this evening I drove out to Herring Cove. I wanted to experiment with light sculpting/painting. It’s a technique of photography where photos are are taken in the dark, and artificial light is used to illuminate parts of the scene. The particular technique I tried involved illuminating different parts of the scene separately, then combining the images into one later.
One of 30+ images that went into a composite - this one with the light illuminating the waterfall
Though the final result was interesting, and quite different from a straight long exposure, I wasn’t excited by the results I got. However, I was primarily wanting to experiment, and I did learn something from the experience, so I considered it a success. I’ll probably try it again in the future.
This is a composite of 30+ photos. Each was a 30 second exposure taken in the dark with a patch of the scene illuminated by a light I was holding
I may also try doing a different mix of the composite. In this one I largely took all the light and made it as even as I could. I may find something more compelling by leaving more of the scene darker.
By the time I was finishing up, a nearly full moon had come around enough to clear the mountain and shine down. I left my camera going for a 11+ minute exposure while I walked up the trail to the split rock and back. It’s always a little surprising to me how much long exposures by moonlight can look like they were taken in daylight.
Lit only by the moon, this scene was captured with a 695 second (11+ minute) exposure at ISO 800, with the exposure further boosted 1.7 stops
I stopped to take photos of Silver Bay on my return. Low clouds were beginning to form around the mountains. Perhaps a precursor to the “areas of fog” mentioned in the forecast.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Moonlit Night first appeared on Sitka Nature.
The needles turning orange are a sign of infection. This is probably caused by *Dothistroma septosporum*
Overcast with rain later in the day.
I didn’t get out much. This morning I had a call, and this afternoon I worked to figure out what I needed to fulfill a request for a larger print than I’ve been typically making.
By the time I was ready to go, I didn’t have much time before I needed to meet with some visiting whale biologists to record a conversation.
I stopped to return a book I had borrowed from K. Hanson. He was in the process of harvesting the last of his carrots. He said he got about 80 pounds from his one bed (which looked like it might have been 8’x12′ or so).
The conversation went well, but by the time I made it out of the station, light had started to fade.
I stopped by the channel. Common Mergansers had gathered up in some numbers, but there were few gulls. I had seen more earlier on my way to the station, but only scanned the briefly.
I went by Baranof Street to check the pines. On a closer look, especially checking the older needles, I saw there were fruiting bodies of a fungus.
The older, now dead, needles show more of the black fruiting boadies of the fungual pathogen
I looked at the forest service webpage featuring common forest insects and diseases in Alaska. From there I followed the link to the information about Dothistroma needle blight, which I think is causing the discolored needles.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Needle Blight on Pines first appeared on Sitka Nature.
I saw a few dead shoots of *Hookeria lucens*. I thought they might have parasitized, but didn't find anything conclusive. Perhaps a closer look with a microscope will reveal something
Overcast, with light rain in the afternoon. Light winds.
When I checked the radar late this morning and saw rain moving closer from the south, I decided to put off lunch and get out before the rain arrived.
I stopped at Sandy Beach and accidentally locked myself out of my car. Fortunately Connor was about to take his lunch, so he was able to bring the spare key to unlock the doors.
In the meantime I walked on the beach for a bit.
Gull activity had caught my attention. It appeerad they were finding food on the shoreline, but it wasn’t obvious what. As best I could tell they were picking things off the surface. However, it was not something with much bulk.
When I got down to the water and looked, I could see what looked like the gurry stuff that sometimes comes ashore in the channel. Unless the currents were extra strong, that seemed unlikely. I wonder if there had been a test set earlier and what they were finding remains from that.
The channel had some gulls, but none unusual.
I revisited the *Metzgeria* I had photographed yesterday. Looking closer today, I’m pretty sure it is infected by a fungus. I’ll probably need to take some photos through a microscope to have any hope of an ID.
After spending much time at Moller Park earlier in the winter, the crane seems to have shifted to hanging out on a few different lawns along the margin of Swan Lake
The Sandhill Crane was in a yard next to Swan Lake.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sandy Beach and Liverwort Follow up first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear with temperatures in the 40s. Breezy (in the afternoon, at least).
The Gavan Hill ibuttons were due for servicing, so I walked up there late this afternoon.
When I headed out, I noticed the breeze felt chilly. Once I was on the trail the breeze was no longer so apparent.
Many of the shore pines in the muskeg near the start of the Baranof Street connector did not look very happy. Several have died not far off the trail, in the direction of the cemetery but that’s been going on previously.
Many of the shore pinees in this muskeg had needles turning orange due to a needle blight
What stuck out to me today was how many of the trees had many (or all) of their needles turning orange. It was not just the ones near the trail, but also others further back in the muskeg. I wonder if there is a disease affecting them.
I stopped to check out liverworts on a couple of cedar trees near the low point between Pherson Street connector and the Cross Trail intersection.
I noticed a thallose liverwort that at first made me think Pellia. I’ve never seen that growing up on a cedar tree, so I took a closer look. The lobes were too narrow, and looked different in other ways as well. I now suspect it’s Aneura pinguis, but I’m not sure.
I took pictures of *Metzgeria conjugata* even though it looked a bit battered. I assumed it was due to recent freezing and the winter season. Upon reviewing my photos, I noticed black bits associated with the bleached out parts. Now I think what I had attributed to seasonal wear and tear is probably due to a fungal infection. I’ll need to go back and make a collection. There are some folks who do bryophilous fungi, so I might even be able to get a name on it, if that’s what it is.
I only noticed the black stuff on the liverwort when I reviewed the photos at home. I think it is a bryophilous fungus
Pale patches lit up by the sun on an alder along the cross trail puzzled me until I got close enough to see they were patches of Scytinotus longinquus that had been infected a mold-like fungus (maybe a Hypomyces) that had covered them in cottony white.
I let the sun on a moss covered outcrop be an excuse to take a break while on my way up the hill. I climbed up and investigated. While there, just a handful of feet off the trail and in plain sight, someone came down the trail and walked by without noticing me at all. To be fair, I was behind the rock from where they were coming, but all it would have taken is a glance to the right as the passed, and I would have been right there.
The ibuttons were still about 100 hours from full, but it was good to take advantage of the dry weather. It made for a more pleasant outing.
I found only small pockets of snow in the woods. This was around the 600ft level
While walking back, it occurred to me that the Baranof Street to Indian River road loop is a nice route for observing important types of habitat in this area. There’s both high and low productivity old growth, a couple sections of second growth, some wind throw, muskeg, and riparian habitats. I think all of our local tree species except cottonwood can be found right along the trail. I may work on a little self-guided tour sort of thing that folks could refer to as they walk the trail.
Along Degroff Street I noticed a chunky looking bird up in a branch. Before I got my binoculars on it, I was trying to make sense of what it might be. Once I had a better look, I realized it was a (the?) Townsend’s Solitaire. I didn’t notice any berry bearing trees nearby (it was on a spruce branch), but it was reported in the same area within the last week or so. I imagine it must be finding something.
As I approached my porch, a chickadee flew up and landed on an old crab pot Connor scavenged (I’m not sure what he intends to do with it). It started picking at a crevice. I couldn’t figure out what it might be going after. I didn’t thin there would be any spiders or insects there. When it pulled out a peanut (or something like that), I realized it had stashed it there previously and was retrieving it.
At first I was puzzled about what it was going after, but I eventually worked out that it had stashed food and was now retreiving it
I saw on Facebook the whales were active not far off between Sea Mart and the breakwater for awhile late this afternoon or early evening.
I spent a chunk of the afternoon updating my print sales spreadsheet. I have now sold 185 prints of 100 different photos. Only seven photos have 5 or more prints sold (in various formats), and those account for nearly 1/3 of total prints sold (and almost half of total revenue). If I include the two additional photos that have 4 sales, it’s over third of total prints and over half of total revenue.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Walk to Gavan Hill Trail first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy, sun broke through occasionally. Temperatures in the 40s, breezy out of the north.
I went for a drive out the road this afternoon.
95 Barrow’s Goldeneye at the mouth of Starrigavan Creek were the most I’ve seen this year. It could be some have come from further south, or maybe they’re moving around locally.
(Gooshúḵ jinkaat ̱ḵa keijín hinyikgáaxu G̱ájaa Héen wátx’ áwu ← practicing Lingít, probably not totally correct and might not even be sensible)
Some of the 95 Barrow's Goldeneyes at the mouth of Starrigavan Creek
On a stop at Sea Mart I saw a Raven fly up with a clump of what looked like surf grass. Two other ravens chased it around.
By the time I grabbed my camera and got out of the car, I didn’t see the chase happening. However, I did notice one raven on the rocks below Pioneer Park and next to it was the clump of grass.
It messed around with it for a few moments before taking off. When it did, one of the other ravens (there were at least two or three in the vicinity) started chasing it. They flew several circles overhead, with a third joining in the chase briefly. They flew further up the shoreline and too far away for me to try to keep up with following them visually.
I’m guessing the ravens were playing chase more for fun. If the other ravens had actually wanted the grass, they presumably would have continued after it when it had fallen to the ground instead of waiting to pick up the chase again later.
I watched the channel. There were probably two or three hundred gulls there, so well down from what it had been. I imagine many have moved out to where herring are spawning.
I saw no swans at Swan Lake. Though I hadn’t taken a look specifically to check, I hadn’t noticed them there the past couple of days. Before I had seen them near the peninsula even when I was driving along Halibut Point Road. It seems like they left over the weekend.
The paper reported the first opening of the herring fishery happened at Aleutkina today.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Ravens Playing Chase first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear. Frosty overnight with temperatures in the 40s. Becoming breezier as the day progressed.
The tide has been trending well below predicted. After a call this morning I went to Little Magic Island to check the tidepools.
We cannot display this galleryI forgot my light which limited what I could try and photograph, especially when I realized the camera light ring wasn’t working very well in the water.
This leather star has been in the same tidepool each time I have visited. It has moved around a bit in the pool (which is only about 3 feet across in its longest dimension)
The water is looking murkier. I think the plankton blooms have started.
The water is not as clear as it was a month ago. Plankton blooms have begun
It also seemed to be molting day for the crustaceans. I saw barnacle molts and at least one hermit crab molt in the pools.
I was back at my car and had just set my camera down when I noticed something on the surface of the water not far off shore. Just a moment later a whale surfaced. It’s tail came up and disappeared before I could my camera up for photos.
The whale was travelling parallel to the shore heading north, so I went to Magic Island to see if I might get a better opportunity for photos there.
I did see it from Magic Island, it had moved further out.
A bumblebee flying about didn’t land where I could see, so I wasn’t able to document it (and see what species). It’s the first I’ve noticed this year.
There were not many gulls in the channel.
I didn’t hear whether there was additional spawning today.
Today I worked on cleaning out my email inbox. I got it down to under 35 (it’s been between 90 and 200 for several months or maybe even a year). My target is under 15, but I’ve rarely managed to keep it there for long. I’ve got some ideas I’ll try for managing my email better.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Little Magic Island and Magic Island first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear skies, frosty early with temperatures climbing into the 40s. Light winds.
The tide was more than a foot below predicted. I went out to Little Magic Island to check the tidepools again.
Today I saw a bunch more barnacle-eating dorids (*Onchidoris bilamellata*) than I have seen previously. I’m sure they’ve been there the whole time, I just didn’t happen to notice.
I made note of various starfish I’ve been seeing in pools. I guess I should decide whether to document them. I’m kind of curious if they stay (or return, as the case may be) to the same location. One leather star I’ve been seeing has moved around a bit, but I’m not sure about the ochre stars. It may also be worth paying attention to the anemones. I don’t usually think of them as moving around, but they can.
After a walk around Japonski Island (where the channel was not very busy with birds), I spent the remainder of the afternoon watching the local production of the musical Amelie, then joining friends to eat dinner and visit.
Herring began spawning today around Shoals Point. I don’t think any fishing took place, however.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Tidepools Revisited first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230326_KCAW_SITNAT_Jim_Baichtal.mp3Download Radio Show
The March 26th show featured a conversation with Jim Baichtal. We also spoke about about black-tailed deer in Southeast Alaska, and some what is known about their life patterns. Jim has also been working with the Mule Deer Foundation to help start local chapters in Alaska and work towards securing partnerships and funding in support of restoration habitat in Southeast Alaska. There will be an event at the Elks Lodge on April 23rd.
Sitka Black-tailed Coalition
Mule Deer Foundation
Listing (with links to PDFs) of scientific research papers about Sitka Black-tailed Deer
Abstract of presentation to be given by Flavio Augusto da Silva Coelho of University at Buffalo at upcoming 13th International Mammalogy conference in Anchorage):
The mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) has a complex history in North America. The two distinct black-tailed deer (BTD) subspecies, Sitka and Columbian BTD, are hypothesized to have survived in Ice Age refugia along the Pacific Northwest Coast, followed by migration and hybridization. Hence, they provide an exemplary system to explore patterns of postglacial population dynamics.
We analyzed genome-scale data from samples spanning the last 13 thousand years ago (ka) to unveil the evolutionary history of Sitka BTD in Southeast Alaska (SEAK). Two separate maternal lineages inhabited SEAK, the first comprising samples older than 8.5 ka with a mule deer haplotype, and the second, younger than 7 ka, with a Sitka BTD haplotype, suggesting a Holocene lineage turnover in SEAK that was possibly associated with a known cooling event around 8.2 ka and higher sea levels.
Estimated by molecular clock calculations, the distinct modern Sitka BTD maternal lineage appeared by 10 ka. Nuclear genome data place ancient SEAK samples in a gradient between the two BTD subspecies, with the younger group closer related to modern Sitka BTD than the older one. Clustering analyses suggest the older group has a shared ancestry between Sitka BTD and mule deer, while the younger one belongs to the same group as modern Sitka BTD. Further analyses are exploring whether BTD may have survived in a single coastal Ice Age refugium.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #285 – Jim Baichtal first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and cooler today. Snow fell overnight, and later this afternoon. There was not any significant accumulation.
After finishing up my setup for the Rainy Day Bazaar and leaving Connor to take care of my table, I headed over to the harbor for the Food Web Cruise.
Fortunately, winds were reasonably calm, and the swell had settled down a bit, so it was relatively smooth cruising.
We spent most of our time out along the eastern shore of Kruzof near Inner Point. We saw plenty of whales, but they did not seem especially organized in their behavior (i.e., no bubble netting).
This murre appears to have an injury on the back of its head
I did not see many of birds. A few scattered murres and cormorants. I was talking to others for a lot of the trip, so certainly didn’t spot everything. I watched more carefully during the faster moving part of the trip when we headed in, but gulls, murres, eagles, and cormorants were mainly what I noticed.
From the harbor, I went back to the Rainy Day Bazaar and took over from Connor. He said things had gone fine, that it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be (he might have even enjoyed himself a bit from the sounds of it).
A few of the prints I sold at the Rainy Day Bazaar. I take pictures of everything I sell because I don't currently have a better system for tracking which prints sell
I had my best single day of sales so far. My picture of the full moon rising over the Sisters continues to be popular. It and the variations of the moon setting behind the lighthouse are easily my best sellers. The pair of Cedar Waxwings and photo of a Bald Eagle coming in to land are also popular. All of those combined still made up less than half my print sales (18 out of 48 in various sizes, but mostly 4×6).
Falling snow made splotches of white in this picture of a junco in my yard
After finishing up my radio show, it the light was fading. I liked the snowy mountain look, so stopped by Crescent Harbor to get some photos.
This evening it felt good to just sit in one place and not need to talk after a long day full of activity.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Food Web Cruise and Rainy Day Bazaar first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy, becoming partly cloudy as the day went on. The clouds were such that the sun shone where I was for significant chunks of the day. Light winds in town.
Although it hasn’t been all that windy in town, I think the story has been different offshore. Buoy conditions had waves over 10 feet, but they have started to diminish. Hopefully there’s not too much swell for tomorrow’s cruise.
I was on the morning interview for Raven Radio talking about the food web cruise tomorrow.
From the radio station I went to Little Magic Island to check out the tidepools.
I’m thinking about making something of a habit of going there regularly. The nice thing is the tidepools are relatively small, so they don’t take too long to check. I’m curious about the consistency of organisms. So far I’ve found the branched sapsucker repeatedly on the same piece of seaweed, but I only saw the leopard nudibranch the one time.
Before returning home, I checked out the channel. I spotted the Slaty-backed Gull in the flock on the ramp.
Crow Behavior
A pair of crows were engaging in interesting behavior over a mussel. In hindsight I wish I had paid a little more attention and/or made note at the time about which bird was doing what.
The crow on the right is displaying to the other one. It seemed to be at least somewhat related to the mussel underneath the crow on the left (which it had been dropping to try and crack)
As best I can remember and/or reconstruct (from photos and video), one had a mussel it had dropped a couple of times, but had not yet successfully cracked. I had a shorter video that started after the bulk of their interaction was done (so I didn’t upload it). Here’s where I am hazy about which crow started with the mussel, and which ended with it. The (not uploaded) video suggests it switched beaks, but the second bird who ended up with it walked away upon discovering it wasn’t cracked open. I’m not sure which picked it up again.
In the video below, the crow that had been in control of the mussel and dropped it another time or two was approached by the second crow. As seen in the video the second one came up and did the, bobbing head bows, plus the rattling sound and eventually seemed to be allowed to take the mussel.
Again, I lost track/don’t remember which one of the crows ultimately kept the mussel. Whichever did, it dropped it a couple more times and then ate it. I’m wondering if this was all part of a courtship ritual.
I was feeling tired after my earlier than normal rise time and spent part of the afternoon napping.
This evening I transported most of the stuff I’ll need for the Rainy Day Bazaar down to the Centennial Building. I’ll to take a few more things down in the morning and finish setting up before leaving it to Connor and heading over to the food web cruise.
There seems to be just two swans left at Swan Lake.
Later this evening I saw my first moth of the year at the porch light.
The first moth I've seen this year
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Tidepools and Crow Observations first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Cloudy with minor breaks in the afternoon and evening. Cooler temperatures. Snow mixed in with rain this morning.
This morning I recorded conversation with Jim Baichtal for my next radio show. Before getting to the conversation for the show (about Sitka Black-tailed Deer), I got some updates on Kruzof geology. It sounds like he and Britta will be here in June to do some field work.
I went out for birds this afternoon.
I saw a pair of Wood Ducks at Swan Lake (and later heard from Connor the crane had been there at least briefly).
From the kelp patch pullout I saw a Pigeon Guillemot. It did not come too close to shore, but slowly worked its way south while I was there.
This time of year seems to be the best for observing Pigeon Guillemots from along the road system
I’m still waiting to see my first Red-necked Grebe, perhaps there will be one on Saturday’s food web cruise
Occasionally a gull has much more vibrant color in their bill and/or legs than the other gulls
Gulls were less abundant in the channel again. Perhaps there have been fewer deliveries coming in the past couple of days? Or maybe they’re moving out and about for herring?
Lower numbers of gulls may be why there were a few more Long-tailed Ducks in the central part of the channel.
When the gulls show up to the channel en masse, the Long-tailed Ducks tend to vacate. With gull numbers dropping, I've seen more in the centeral part of the channel again
There was a break in the clouds as the sun was setting. I expected it was a limited break. I got busy working on stuff (with a couple of busy days coming up) and didn’t look out again until much later.
At nearly 11pm I happened to look at Facebook and see a bunch of aurora pictures posted from this evening. However, when I looked out it become cloudy. I guess the break had been brief, just not as brief as I expected. Based on the photos I saw, the show as pretty intense while it was visible.
I did see a caddisfly at the porch this evening. It’s getting to be insect season. I’ll probably try to get my uv light going again soon.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Bird Watching on a Gray March Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with occasional light rain. Temperatures in the 40s and breezy.
I went out for a bit this afternoon. There were still plenty of gulls in the channel, but not on the Japonski Island side shore. I spent a few minutes scanning without spotting anything unusual.
From Kerr Island pullout I saw whales in the far distance, but not bubble net feeding.
Five river otters swimming together was unexpected.
At Swan Lake the ice is beginning to open up around the edges. A single Bufflehead and the Hooded Merganser with both in the open water near the peninsula.
I sat on the shore for a bit to take some pictures. With the limited open water, they stayed closer than they probably would have otherwise.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Waterfowl at the Edge of the Ice first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny, becoming overcast. Light raining begining this evening. Calm winds.
I hope to ge up into this area later in the year after most of this snow as melted
I was not feeling too ambitious today. I did go out to Silver Bay. I didn’t see much action out there on the water. Snow has been shedding a bit on the slopes above treeline.
Clouds were beginning to form over the mountains.
I checked the gulls in the channel. I didn’t spot anything unusual.
I did find a Glaucous Gull at Indian River mouth.
I was a little surprised to see the Pied-billed Grebe at the grid. I watched it briefly until it swam under North Pacific Seafoods
White Cheeks was at the feeder in my yard.
I saw some reports that whales were not far off the beach at the park this morning. They were bubble net feeding of Galankin Island later. Perhaps the same group?
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sun on the Mountains, Birds on the Water first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy, becoming mostly clear by this evening. Calm winds through much of the day. Light winds out of the north this evening.
I watched the gulls from the ramp in front of UAS this morning while on a call.
There were lots of gulls, but I didn’t spot any of the unusual ones.
Several eagles were perched at various points along the Japonski Island shoreline. I’m not sure what drew them there, but they would scatter nearby gulls when they took off from time to time.
Before heading home, I drove out the road. While scanning from Kerr’s Island pullout, I spotted whales bubble-net feeding out by Little Gavanski Island. They were much too far out for good views, but a couple boats in the area were probably enjoying the whales.
I spent much of the afternoon working on some recent collections.
Among them were a possible bryozoan on some seaweed, two collections of *Riccardia* (uncertain whether they are the same species or not), a *Hypogymnia* on a spruce twig, three or four lichens on an alder twig, *Belpharostoma tricophyllum*, and *Kurzia*.
I followed up by spending a much of my later evening processing the photos (primarily doing the focus stacks).
In between, I went out to Little Magic Island for low tide. The tide ended up being a -2 (nearly a foot lower than predicted) at 7pm. I didn’t make it out as early as I might have liked. The sun was still up when I left a few minutes before 7.
The sun dropped behind a bank of fog laying across Kruzof Island as I walked down on the beach.
At first there seemed to be enough light for photos, but I underestimated how quickly light would fade. Soon it was getting dim and I hadn’t brought a light other than my phone. I did use the light on my phone for a few minutes, but I didn’t want to submerge it (though it should be waterproof, it didn’t seem worth the risk).
While there I did find the branched sapsucker again (this time I took photos).
In a lower tidepool I found a nicely patterned chiton, but struggled a bit to get pictures with the lighting options I had.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Birds, Whales, and Sunset Tidepooling first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with occasional light rain. Temperatures in the 30s. Calm winds.
I woke this morning to see snow partway down Gavan Hill. It was clear temperatures had dropped significantly since yesterday.
I got a report of a Slaty-backed Gull at Totem Park this morning. The tide had come up since it was seen, so I didn’t head down there.
I checked the channel from both sides. Gull numbers appeared much higher than yesterday. I didn’t find any unusual gulls in the mix.
I met up with Kitty and we walked around Mosquito Cove trail. I wanted to check a couple of things that I had previously observed. As it turned out, I didn’t find either of them.
I did take pictures of several mosses and liverworts on the wet rock outcrops along Mosquito Cove.
Coming back around on the shore side of the loop, we heard a big crash. At first I thought something had fallen at the loading facility across the bay. Then I noticed what sounded like a whale breath.
When I looked out I saw a splash and then heard another crashing sound, though not quite as loud as the first. It took a minute to get to a place where I could get out on the shore for a better look.
I got photos of the Humpback Whale coming up out of the water. It wasn’t a full on breach, but when it fell over, the splash did make a sound. I think the first (loudest) crash had probably been a full breach.
I got a text that the Slaty-backed Gull was found near Indian River mouth. I’m not sure when the text had been sent, but I didn’t get it until viewing the whale.
At Eagle Way Beach many gulls were on the rocky point. I didn’t find a dark-mantled gull among them. Nor did I see one among the gulls at the river mouth.
I saw Connor and Joe (who had refound the gull and texted me) on the park side of the river. I called Connor and found out they weren’t seeing the Slaty-backed Gull.
I decided to check the channel and asked Connor to let me know if they refound it at the park.
On my first scan of the channel, I did not find it. However when I looked again awhile later, I spotted on the roof of a building across the channel.
The dark mantle of a Slaty-backed Gull sticks out relative to the other more common gulls
It was distant enough that pictures weren’t great, but the dark mantle still stood out.
I drove over to Katlian Street and was able to get much closer looks from there. The angle wasn’t great, but good enough.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Mosquito Cove Mosses and Slaty-backed Gull Search first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Partly cloudy early, becoming mostly cloudy with rain later in the evening. Temperatures into the low 50s. Quite breezy with some strong gusts.
I had agreed to go on a walk with some college students here on spring break. They wanted to learn about mosses. I had suggested Kitty come along, since she knows much more than I do about the botany of mosses.
Now that I am familiar with *Orthotrichum pulchellum*, I'm finding it much more frequently by looking on red elderberry branches
I met Sejal, Cora, Brady, and Eric (Cora’s dad) at the park at 10am. Kitty was running a little late, but I was surprised she had made it at all due to the strong, gusty winds raising whitecaps all across Crescent Bay.
The folks were enthusiastic about mosses, birds, and other things we saw. We walked around the park, up Westwood Trail and then through part of the SJC campus.
Along the way a couple different Pacific Wrens sang songs that seemed to be approaching full vigor.
We looped back towards the park along the seawalk. While some of us were checking out some mosses on the beach, Kitty noticed a boat on its side in Crescent Harbor.
Strong successive gusts of wind pushed this boat over on its side as it was leaving the harbor
It turns out it had been heading out of the harbor to go get ice (so was probably riding fairly high). Apparently a strong gust of wind caught it broadside and pushed it over.
Early this afternoon Connor spotted a banded junco in the yard. I was able to get some photos.
One of the juncos banded in our project, most likely in fall 2019
At the channel I saw a large pale first-year gull, without a by-colored bill. It might be the same one I saw yesterday and am wondering if it’s a Glaucous x Glacous-winged hybrid?
I spotted a California Gull out in the mix and was able to get some photos before I lost it in the multitude.
The more extensive black on its primaries and yellow feet indicate this is a California Gull
When I came back later in the afternoon, the California Gull on the ramp at the edge of the flock. That made it much easier to photograph.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Morning Moss Walk, Afternoon Birding first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Some of the many gulls are using the ice on Swan Lake as a resting place
Mostly cloudy, temperatures in the 40s. Gusty winds out of the southeast and occasional rain showers.
Temperatures were warm enough, it looked like it was above freezing at least to 2500 feet, and probably higher.
I went over to the channel while on a call this morning. There were plenty of gulls out on the water, but few came to shore while I was there.
A pair of Green-winged Teal were at Swan Lake. I wonder if they were two of the three birds that spent much of the winter at Starrigavan, but it’s hard to be sure.
On a return to the channel later this afternoon, many gulls were on the ramp. Most were Glaucous-winged Gulls. I also saw Cook Inlet Gulls and a handful of Thayer’s Gulls and Herring Gulls. Also one Glaucous Gull.
On a visit to Little Magic Island it was still breezy, but a lower tide and less wind than yesterday made it easier to poke around in the tidepools.
My timing wasn’t the best. I got hit by stronger winds and a bit of a rain shower for part of the time.
I did see the branched sapsucker on the same *Codium fragile* as I first found it. I didn’t take any additional photos. I did spend time with coralline algae and revisited other tidepools on the north side of the island.
Two species of coralline algae
Before heading home, I made a third stop at the channel. This time there were again fewer gulls on shore. One large first year gull seemed on the pale side for a Glaucous-winged Gull, but had a mostly dark bill. I wonder if it might be a hybrid between Glaucous-winged Gull and Glaucous Gull.
This gull seems too pale for a pure Glaucous-winged Gull. The dark bill makes me wonder if it's a hybrid Glaucous x Glaucous-winged Gull
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Birding and Tidepooling first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Windy and rainy, temperatures in the 40s.
Much of the snow melted off overnight and through the day.
I heard strong gusts of winds overnight. It was still pretty gusty at times today.
Gull numbers continue to increase. I visited the channel three times, but didn’t see any unusual species. Connor saw a Glaucous Gull this evening, but when I went an hour later (my third trip), the channel had far fewer birds.
I went back to Little Magic Island. This time I brought a chisel to collect a small chunk of rock with lichen I had observed previously.
I also wanted to revisit the tidepools. The tide was low enough, but wind blown waves were pushing into a couple of the lower pools. The wind also raised ripples on the surface of the pools, so it was difficult to see in them.
I did get a couple pictures, and a collection, but will need to go back again to find one other thing I want to revisit and collect for better photos.
The first in-person natural history seminar since 2019 took place this evening. Simon Hook spoke and shared some of his pictures and stories from his time in Antarctica late last year. The last time he was a guest on the Sitka Nature show, we spoke about his experiences there as well.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Channel Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Snow showers this morning with brief sunny breaks between. Becoming overcast in the early afternoon. Snow started again later in the afternoon and changed to rain this evening. Breezy with temperatures in the upper 30s.
Snow started sometime early this morning. By the time I was up and about, a couple of inches had accumulated. With warming temperatures, it started melting off.
I first took pictures of this windthrow in 2012, when it was already at least a couple of years old. It is recognizably the same windthrow, but there are apparent changes
I revisited the shore below the kelp patch pullout. Mostly to follow up on a lichen observation I had made. I needed more than I had photographed on my earlier visit.
While there, I was curious if I could refind the conch. The tide was out significantly further than when I had first found it. That contributed to my disorientation as I tried to remember which rocks had been checking out when I noticed it. With some help from the gps coordinates recorded when I took pictures, I was eventually able to locate it again.
I had similar troubles with the lichen I was interested in. I remembered the area I had seen it, but had forgotten the rock it was on was not an one that stood out very much. I did find it, took additional photos, and scraped a bit off for a collection.
The tide was out far enough for the pools at Little Magic Island to be exposed, so I went there next.
What had seemed like a warm-ish breeze at the kelp patch pullout now felt quite chilly. The wind also rippled the surface of the tidepools, limiting my ability to see into them.
I didn’t find the branched sapsucker this time. I did find a leopard nudibranch (*Diaulula odonoghuei*), the first of those I’ve seen in a couple of years.
I will try to get back in the next couple of days, since there were some small growths on seaweed that I think might have been bryozoans. I didn’t get very good photos, so I’ll probably try collecting a bit to look at under the microscope.
One nice surprise was finding two California mussels (*Mytilus zonarius*). The large one several inches long. They are the first I’ve come across along the road system (they can be abundant in places along the more exposed outer coast).
Thayer's Gulls are common here, and now considered a subspecies of Iceland Gull. This gull is paler than our typical Thayer's Gulls, and may be one of the other subspecies
Gull numbers in the channel were up since yesterday. I saw one that seemed on the pale side. I wondered if it might be pale enough to be a Kumlien’s Gull. I didn’t see any Glaucous Gulls or dark-mantled gulls, but I’ll keep checking.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Tidepooling on the Ides of March first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny this morning, becoming partly sunny this afternoon.
While out today, I went by Little Magic Island. My initial motivation was to check on Draba grandis, a plant that is common on rocky shorelines in the area. I have only found it three places along the road system.
The Draba was up. I guess I don’t know if the rosettes formed last summer/fall, or have already grown this much during the winter.
I noticed some tidepools I think I’ve before, but probably haven’t spent much time looking at. Usually if I’m there for low tide stuff, much more shoreline is exposed, and that’s where I’m spending my time.
Today I realized that despite there relatively small size and location at about the 2ft tide level, they have some interesting stuff in them.
The highlight was a branched sapsucker (Placida dendritica), a species I have only seen once before.
This was only the second time I've observed a branched sapsucker
Longliners have begun delivering their catch after season opened on the 10th.
Accordingly, gulls have gathered in greater numbers in the channel.
I didn’t see anything unusual on my first visit. I went to look a second time, but right as I parked, a dog walker went down on the ramp and all the gulls there took flight.
I took that as a sign to go elsewhere, and ended up checking the turnaround (where I had noticed some gulls on an earlier drive by, but hadn’t stopped).
I didn’t find many gulls there, but did take some pictures of the Sandhill Crane with some nice light.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Gathering Gulls first appeared on Sitka Nature.
This rock stack probably won't survive the next high tide
Mostly clear this morning. Clouds slowly moved over from the south through the late morning and afternoon. Calm winds and temperatures in the low to mid 30s.
The past couple of days I’ve heard White-crowned Sparrows singing in the yard. Juncos have been singing for awhile during the sunny patches. None of it sounds like actual territorial singing. It’s more practice for what’s to come.
Longline season opened on the 10th, though I don’t think many boats have returned with deliveries just yet. I suspect by the weekend we’ll be seeing many more gulls in the channel.
Reviewing photos from the buoy today, I noticed lights showing up in the far distance. I’m guessing they’re longliners waiting while their lines soaked.
I checked some of the usual places today for birds, but didn’t see too much.
I noticed a couple of sea lions with some gulls hanging out by Little Magic Island. I am guessing the gulls are hoping for scraps if the sea lions bring up any fish. This is not the first time I’ve seen gulls doing this in recent days. I suspect once there is more food readily available, they won’t follow the sea lions so much.
I poked around on the rocks below the kelp patch pullout. I found a large conch shell that I’m guessing is not native to this area. I suspect it’s been on the beach for years.
I'm pretty sure this conch was brought here from somewhere far away (maybe Hawaii?)
The tide getting high and still coming up. I did look at some of the high intertidal snails and limpets.
I also checked out lichens on long-stranded driftwood and the highest intertidal rocks.
This black crust lichen has a bit of a yellowish edging. Growing on shoreline rock
Although the rocks are mostly head-sized and larger, and this is a location I would not expect to get too much wave action (not like Sandy Beach), everything seems quite eroded.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Shoreline Rocks, Shells and Lichens first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and cool, temperatures into the mid 30s. Breezy in some locations, but much reduced from yesterday.
I drove out the road around midday. Driving along, I noticed a few gulls and cormorants had gathered near where a sea lion surfaced a couple of times. I didn’t stop to watch.
I stopped by the Sealing Cove hawthorne tree. Three White-crowned Sparrows and a Golden-crowned Sparrow came along foraging in the patches of grass that were snow free.
I counted ten robins working the two strips of lawn showing along the road and along the parking lot.
I heard what may have been a finch of some sort calling. It sounded to me like it was coming from the trees on the hill where the old watertower stands. I wasn’t sure what the bird was, and never got a look at it.
On an afternoon walk around Japonski Island I didn’t notice it.
I didn’t spend long looking, but didn’t notice any swans at Starrigavan today.
It was a pleasant evening a Moller Park (with plenty of daylight at 5:30pm after the time change). Connor showed up late, and no one else showed at all. He and I played catch for a bit.
Connor noticed the Sandhill Crane flying over the old hospital towards the turnaround. I went by there to take some pictures. I suspect it will soon begin wandering from where it’s spent the winter, and (hopefully) eventually join up with a flock of cranes flying north.
A look at the channel did not reveal a Ring-necked Duck. Perhaps if it’s still around and the lake opens up a bit later in the week, it will show up there.
The scaups were back in the middle of the channel this evening. I hadn’t seen them earlier in the day, and am not sure where they were.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Evening Light first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230312_KCAW_SITNAT_Kitty_LaBounty.mp3
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The March 12th show featured a conversation with Kitty LaBounty. We spoke about signs of the season and her recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #284 – Kitty LaBounty first appeared on Sitka Nature.
The two large (for the location) Mountain Hemlocks in the middle of this photo are ones I've noticed since I was young. It looks like the one on the left may have died.
Continued mostly sunny and cool. Temperatures in the low 30s during the day.
I didn’t get out much today. I made a couple of brief explorations either side of recording a conversation for my radio show tomorrow.
Depending on weather over the next few weeks, there may be some additional accumulation at higher elevations, but probably not much
A Ring-necked Duck was reported in the channel again today. I found out it had been seen by itself on the far side across from the ramp at UAS.
I worked a little harder to see if I could refind it. I looked from the ramp a couple different times, and also checked spots from Katlian Street. I didn’t have any luck finding the duck, but did see an American Coot. It had been reported a couple times earlier in the winter in the area by the float plane dock. I hadn’t bothered to go look for it. It was nice to see it today.
This coot moved off the lake last fall and has spent the winter along the channel
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Mountain Snow, Lingering Coot first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Thin broken overcast for much of the day. Temperatures in the 30s.
I stopped to watch from the kelp patch pullout today. Juncos and sparrows visited where I’ve scattered food periodically. Out on the water I saw a Horned Puffin and Pigeon Guillemot.
Nothing was really capturing my attention for photos, so I decided to go by Baranof Street Cemetery and make some observations of lichens.
After posting on iNaturalist, I learned this is a recently described species, split out from *S. fuliginosa* (which is what I had thought it was)
Today I happened to notice one that looked different to me. I’ve probably simply overlooked in the past on the several occasions I’ve looked at the trees where it was growing. I almost did so today, because it had the appearance of bits of shredded or decayed material on the tree trunk.
Although I was looking right where it was growing, I almost didn't notice this lichen as something distinct. It turned out to be a new species for me
It turned out to be the dendriscocauloid form Dendriscosticta gelia, a new species for me. Apparently it grows in this shrubby form when associated with cyanobacteria, and a more leafy form when associating with algae.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post New Lichens first appeared on Sitka Nature.
A thin overcast developed overnight and persisted throughout the day. There were minor breaks, but not much direct sun in town.
Yesterday I noticed a report of a (the?) Townsend’s Solitaire at a hawthorne tree over by Sealing Cove. It had been posted three days earlier, and I’m not sure how I missed it.
I checked it out early this afternoon. While watching, a robin flew in. No solitaire while I was looking.
I spent some time along Lincoln Street beach. I wanted to look for a fungus that I’ve previously found fruiting on an old stranded drift log this time of year.
I found one of the black cups, but didn’t notice any others during my brief search.
The tide was up, but there was still enough room to go around on the rocks.
I made observations a few lichens. One I recoginzed and have a name for. Another I think I recognized am might have a name for. The third is one I’m not sure about. Though I must have seen it before, I’m not sure if I’ve ever taken pictures.
Herring boats were tied up at the transient float in Crescent Harbor. Things will be picking up soon.
Seiners have begun to arrive for the herring fishery
I don’t think long-line season has opened yet, but it should be soon. Gull numbers will increase dramatically when the fish plants start taking deliveries.
An ebird report came in of 17 Ancient Murrelets (in several groups) and 21 Horned Puffins out on the sound. The puffins have been around this winter, but that’s a surprising number, even so.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Lincoln Street Lichens first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Sunny and breezy, though much less windy than yesterday. Temperatures to the mid-30s.
Rowan wanted to get lunch at Backdoor. On the way she pointed out a bunch of crocus up in a yard along Seward Street.
After lunch we went out to Starrigavan.
I was curious if swans were still around. Last year, all but one had left by this time. In some years they’ve left as early as February, and other years as late as April. It seems to depend a great deal on how cold the late winter is (they leave earlier when it’s warmer).
I saw only three swans, all in Starrigavan creek by the bridge (the tide was up). I suspect they’ve left, as on prior trips 10-15 have generally been visible in the estuary area. None were at Swan Lake when we went by there, but some were reported at Totem Park (presumably the same ones that had been at Swan Lake).
In Starrigavan Creek, Mallards and three Green-winged Teal seemed to be getting food off surface of creek. I am curious what it was.
My best guess is seeds from the trees (spruce and alder, probably hemlock as well).
Seeds of alder, spruce, and probably hemlock floating on Starrigavan Creek
I heard multiple Squirrels calling during my time on the bridge over the creek. One wanted to come across but thought better of it as it approached me.
Our next stop was Magic Island. Other folks arrived at the same time, so we went to the bedrock mini-cliff. There was a nice pocket there in the sun and out of the wind
This fire ring was new to me
I saw a whale out closer to Kasiana Island than our shore.
Flies were active where there was old seaweed, but I didn’t work too hard to take many pictures. There weren’t many where we were sitting.
A Pacific Wren came by foraging repeatedly. On one visit, it went right under Rowan’s legs. She was sitting on a small ledge, and had her feet out.
This wren returned repeatedly to poke around in the mosses and rock crevices looking for food
Before leaving we did a little easy climbing on the rocks.
We saw a few people out on Swan Lake. So Rowan and I walked around for a bit.
This evening I downloaded my observation data from iNaturalist and looked at my species accumulations. I didn’t quite get all the data I wanted (I hadn’t selected some columns), so I will need to download it again. They discourage doing it often (resource intensive), so I’ll wait until I’m caught up with 2022 observations.
I’ve had a remarkably steady increase in total species, at about ~110 per year for 20 years now. (I am looking only at Southeast Alaska observations). It will be interesting to break it out by taxonomic group. I suspect birds and vascular plants will show something closer to a curve over time.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Starrigavan Creek and Halibut Point Rec Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast early, becoming clear by mid-morning. Slightly warmer and windier.
Clouds overnight kept temperatures from dropping out of the high 20s, which in turn allowed the sun to warm things up a bit more than on previous days.
I’m not sure the winds were actually much stronger than on Sunday. It may have just been the direction they came from made them more apparent at my house and where I went this afternoon.
I did check out Silver Bay. Winds seemed similar there as on Sunday, with perhaps a bit more snow blowing off the peaks.
White caps covered much of the waters beyond the breakwater on the north side of town.
I went as far as Kerr’s Island, where I poked around a bit on the beach.
*Bangia* is a hair-like red algae that shows up high in the intertidal during late winter
I was curious if I might find some of the stuff I’m calling Rivularia atra (pending confirmation/correction). I found one bit that I think was it, but didn’t bother to pull out my magnifiers (which would made made the search easier).
A steady stiff breeze kept the whitecaps up, but it didn’t hit the shore so hard. However, it was punctuated at times by stronger gusts. A couple of these hit while I was one the rocks. They made it difficult to stay stable.
The rocky shore just south of the Sandy Beach parking lot was more in the lee of the wind. I found a convenient rock to lean against and enjoy the sun on my face. I’ll have to try and remember the rock, as it was the right size and angle to make a very nice backrest.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Gusty North Winds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and cool. Official temperatures down to 20F overnight with high around freezing. I suspect it was cooler at my house overnight, and similar during the day. Lighter winds.
When I headed out around midday, I was surprised to see the wind coming out of the southeast. It was not strong, but in this weather it doesn’t take much to feel chilly.
Out Halibut Point Road the wind was coming more out of the north or northeast, as expected for this sort of weather. I imagine the southeast wind in town was due to some sort of wraparound effect as it came out of Silver Bay.
I stopped at Little Magic Island hoping to find a spot on the beach in the sun but out of the wind. It wasn’t totally out of the wind, but good enough. (Had it been more sheltered, I probably wouldn’t have stayed quite so bundled up.)
I spent the better part of an hour enjoying the feeling of sun on my face and occasionally seeing what birds were about.
When I arrived a flock of crows was active. They appeared to be picking at king crab shells. Fresh king crab had been for sale over the weekend, so I suspect someone dumped the shells.
Male Common Goldeneye transitioning into adult plumage
When I first arrived, I didn’t see any birds on the water. Later on there were two Common Goldeneye (not a place I would have expected to see the) and three Horned Grebes.
I also saw a Northern Flicker fly by. After waiting more than two months for my first, I’ve now seen one four out of five days since.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunny Sit at Little Magic Island first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and chilly. Gusty winds at some locations (more than yesterday), and highs in the high 20s to low 30s (depending on location).
It was definitely windier in Silver Bay today. I stopped briefly to take pictures of snow on (and blowing off) the mountains.
The road was drier over all than yesterday, and I didn’t notice any thin/black ice (like there had been yesterday). Some sections that remain shaded much of the day are still covered in a layer of packed snow (now ice).
As I was arriving at Starrigavan, I saw a snow devil in the estuary. Illuminated by the sun with the darker trees behind, it was quite striking. I would have liked to get a video, but it did not last long enough for me to park.
I briefly saw another smaller one as I started walking a bit of the estuary life trail, but it was very short-lived and I didn’t get pictures.
Overall, it was not especially windy in the estuary. I guess maybe gusts coming down from above from time to time caused the snow devils.
I spent much of the afternoon cleaning up slides and coverslips. It’s been most of a year since I last used my microscopes. I had initially intended to get back to them sooner, but then life went on, as it does. It’s nice to have the area cleaned up.
With easier access, I tried to make a section of one of the small dark balls that I think might be Rivularia atra (or something related). I probably could have used a thinner section, and perhaps I will try again tomorrow.
Possibly *Rivularia atra*, or something similar - a section I cut and looked at from a collection made recently
With all the food Connor has out, pigeons have been more frequent visitors. We try to discourage them, since they they can eat a lot of food in a hurry. I periodically went to check and shoo the off. As a result, I saw several robins when they happened by. They’re the first I’ve seen in the yard this year. I also noticed a junco that might have been taking a snow bath as it worked its way down the neighbor’s roof. I later saw there were several trails down the snow, so perhaps that’s something they do often.
A bit of slow is blowing off the rim of Mt. Edgecumbe
I caught the sunset at Sea Mart before going to Moller for ultimate.
Vitskari Rock is several miles away and subject to a bit of mirage, while the closer rock is not. It made me curious how far out the mirage starts, and what factors might influence that
Only three of us were there. We played catch as the light faded. The snow was bit like sand. It was dry and powdery enough that my shoes didn’t get wet despite being out in it for the better part of an hour.
Jupiter is now lower than Venus in the sky. They’re still both showing nicely, but I missed their closest approach. I think the night they were closest was cloudy, and last night (when they were closer than tonight), I forgot to go out after the sky had darkened.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post March Outflow first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny with temperatures up to 40F. Light (but chilly) winds where I was.
On a drive out the road, it looked windy out of Bear Cove, but Sawmill Cove and the entrance to Silver Bay was calmer. not so much. The road still had ice and snow in places.
I walked around Japonski Island with Kitty. The sun felt warm, and fortunately the breeze was light, so it didn’t feel too cold.
At SEARHC there were 10 or so robins. I hadn’t seen many this year, but in the last week or so there have been more. It’s a bit too early for the spring migrants, so I suspect these ones may have come from further north. Either that, or they’ve been around town in other neighborhoods, and have just moved to places I’ve become more of aware of them.
Seeing the people on Picnic Rock shortly after the moon had risen above it (from my position) made me think that with some planning and luck, I could take a picture of people posed on Picnic Rock with the moon right behind them
The Pied-billed Grebe was back at Crescent Harbor today.
It was reported there this morning and still there when I went to look later in the afternoon.
When I first saw it from the seawalk, it had a large shrimp. I didn’t see if it managed to eat it, only that it no longer was wrestling with it by the time I got down to the harbor for a better angle and lighting.
Shrimp are spiny in general, and this one was on the large side. Perhaps the grebe was trying to break off legs/spines before trying to eat it
I went out for sunset. The sun is definitely setting behind Kruzof from the bridge (which I thought, but it was good to confirm). A clouds over Mt. Edgecumbe made me think there might be some nice color. I went out to Sea Mart to watch.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Late Winter Saturday Sun Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Partly sunny this morning, becoming mostly cloudy by midday. Temperatures into the mid-30s.
It snowed some inches overnight, but warmer temperatures reduced the snow pack today. Tomorrow it’s supposed to clear and then turn colder overnight. Outflow winds are forecast for the coming days.
By the time I went out late this morning, the roads were better than they had been early. Based on some social media posts, there were some issues this morning, especially on some side streets on hills.
After looking for two months before seeing my first Northern Flicker of the year, I was amused to see one show up outside my window this morning. It seemed to be checking out my suet feeder, but didn’t appear to eat any.
The tracks look like they're from skis. I suspect that would have been easier than plowing through the fresh powder without skis.
Other than a short drive to look for birds, I didn’t spend much time outside today. I certainly wasn’t feeling anywhere near as ambitious as the folks I spotted on Picnic Rock. With all the snow overnight it probably would have been a real slog to plow be leading through the powder. I suspect it was easier on skis, which I think they were on, based on the tracks I could see.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Snow and a Second Flicker first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with snow. Very cloud breaks between snow showers this afternoon allowed the sun to shine through briefly.
I went back to Starrigavan to follow up on a lichen I had not initially collected on my Monday visit.
The tide was out far enough for a reasonably wide band of snow-free beach.
I didn’t see the Hermit Thrush today, but several other species of birds I don’t typically associate with the shore were taking advantage of the bare ground in the intertidal zone.
Dark-eyed Junco has the most distinctive brown back of the head and crown contrasting with gray face that I ever remember seeing
A handful of Varied Thrushes and a Song Sparrow were not surprising.
I don’t remember seeing juncos down on the intertidal part of the beach before, but a dozen or more were foraging there today.
Perhaps most surprising was the Northern Flicker. It didn’t let me see it for long enough to see exactly what it was doing. After I initially saw it land on a rock, each subsequent time I saw it take off, it had been on the beach.
In addition to the Northern Flicker, I was able to add Red-breasted Sapsucker to my year list. I heard strange calls that I thought might be sapsuckers around the bayside picnic shelters. Investigating further, I got a brief look at two of them. They remained high in trees and I didn’t stick around for too long to try for better looks.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Starrigavan Beach Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Windy and rainy, temperatures up to the low 40s.
March got off to a fierce start.
Slush on the ground this morning suggested the light snow late last night may have become heavier before giving way to rain this morning.
I didn’t notice the winds at my house until late in the morning when they shifted more to south and southwest. Earlier it had been gusty, but more out of the southeast.
Peak gusts appeared to be late this afternoon and early evening at over 50 miles per hour.
Photos from Cape Edgecumbe Buoy around 6pm, March 1stWaves at the buoy got to over 34 feet this evening. With the direction out of the WSW, it may mean Sandy Beach will be seeing some big surf.
I went for a drive out as far as Kerr Island this afternoon. I did not see many birds on the water. Plenty of white caps, though.
At the kelp patch pullout, I did get a brief look at the White-throated Sparrow. It didn’t stay long, and I wasn’t able to get photos. I’ve seen it several times through the winter, but only sporadically.
This evening the UCSC field course students gave presentations at the Science Center. I attended.
Students only have a month to do their data collection and analysis, so of necessity the projects need to be relatively simple. One group looked at difference in two taxa of Fucus. I think they’ve been considered subspecies in the past, but it may be they are being elevated to species. (I had heard about this, but results are yet to propogate to iNaturalist.)
Based on what they said, it seems like it shouldn’t be too difficult to differentiate the species in most cases. Time will tell.
Others looked at interactions between predators and prey. In one case predators were tidepool sculpins (Oligocottus maculosus) and prey were yellow shore crabs (Hemigrapsus oregonensis). This surprised me because the sculpin is relatively small. It’s hard to see how they could get a normal sized shore crab in their mouth. The other combinations used sea stars (various species) and urchins (either red or green).
One group talked a bit about eelgrass wasting disease. I don’t remember hearing about it. They described the cause as a slime mold, which surprised me. Looking it up, the cause is Labyrinthula zosterae. Relying on the wikipedia article, Labyrinthula were originally thought to be slime molds, they are now understood to be in a different protist group within the phylum Bigyra.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Snow, Rain, and Wind first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly clear early, becoming overcast by midday. Calm winds and temperatures around 30F.
I didn’t make it out until the afternoon. I wasn’t feeling very ambitious, so added a drive out to Starrigavan with a needed stop by the grocery store.
Gull numbers at Starrigavan have been down recently. I only saw a handful today. Perhaps the herring have moved elsewhere, and the gulls followed.
White Cheeks was at the feeder this morning. I was able to grab photos through the window from where I was seated on a call.
I briefly saw an Anna’s Hummingbird visiting the hummingbird feeder. It’s been up for a couple weeks, but this is the first time I’ve seen it visited.
Light snow started late. The forecast for the coming days is not inspiring. From snow to rain and back to snow through Friday. Clearing and freezing temperatures on the weekend. It’s likely going to be slippery getting around many places.
I've heard Alaska Airlines jets will sometimes approach from over Baranof Island and come down Silver Bay. I've never been on a flight that did this, and suspect that it's what was happening here. In any case, I was a little surprised to see the plane coming from a different direction than I normally see.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Return to Gray on February’s Final Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and chilly. Temperatures near freezing with light winds.
There were a bunch of aurora photos from Sitka on social media when I looked today. As best I could tell, I actually waited too long to go out. It seems the brightest lights were between 9pm and 10pm. Based on the photos, they were quite bright. That probably explains the traffic I saw coming in while I was heading out to Starrigavan. Folks who had seen the bright lights and headed home when they faded.
After a late night, I wasn’t feeling too ambitious today. I did get out for a bit this afternoon.
A Hermit Thrush was seen at Starrigavan yesterday, so I decided to go see if I could find it.
High tides clear the beach of snow, making for easier walking
The tide was out far enough for the estuary to have emptied out (except for the shallow pool that remains), and some beach to be exposed on the bay side.
After scanning the estuary, I walked out on the beach. Several Varied Thrushes flew across and into the woods.
I was approaching the small highwater island that’s not far off from Mosquito Cove trail when I saw the Hermit Thrush.
The Hermit Thrush has grabbed something, but I can't quite tell what
I’m not sure what it was finding, but watched it foraging on the beach. It was still well in the intertidal among the sedge (Carex lyngbyei) remains.
I sat down to watch it. It continued to forage before stepping up on a rock and just standing there for several minutes.
While hanging out there, I happened to spot a bird fly up from the trees near the point. The Red-tailed Hawk began circling up and up, before heading towards town.
I took a look at some of the epiphytic lichens on the highwater island before heading back.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Starrigavan in the Sun first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and chilly. Into the 20s overnight and at or slightly above freezing (depending on location) today.
The newest section of the Cross Trail is a popular place to walk (or ski, when there's snow)
This afternoon I walked the section of newer Cross Trail with Kitty from Old Sitka to the junction. We passed several folks with skis (some carrying them, others still working at skiing).
I thought I might have heard a sapsucker when I first got out of my car, but I didn’t hear it again, nor could I see it.
The mountains over Silver Bay have accumulated more snow. It seems like often February through March is when the most snow accumulates in the mountains.
There were clouds in the west, so I didn’t bother trying for the bridge to see if the sun was now setting behind Kruzof Island. If it isn’t yet, it will be soon. With clear skies in the forecast for tomorrow, perhaps I’ll have a chance to see.
I did go out to Sea Mart for the sunset before heading to ultimate. It wasn’t as colorful as I thought it might be, but nice to see all the same.
We only had four show up, and played catch for a bit.
When I got home, the sky wasn’t yet fully dark, but I could see Venus and Jupiter together in the sky. Jupiter’s moons were showing nicely.
I think this may have been the clearest views I've had of Jupiter's moons
With the aurora forecast showing significant activity I headed out around 10pm to see if I can see them and get some pictures.
I drove out to Starrigavan and was a little surprised at how much inbound traffic I saw.
I saw a bright band as I came around Harbor Point, but there were already two cars pulled off there. There were many more cars at Starrigavan, and several groups of people watching from various points along the road.
With the bright moon off to my left, and a rising tide threatening to make the water deeper than my boots were tall, I just grabbed a quick picture of the northern lights from Magic Island and then moved on.
I wasn’t seeing too much, so decided to head back to Magic Island. The one car that had been at the parking lot on my way out was gone. I hadn’t anticipated how bright the moon was. It was going to make it difficult to see any lights in the west or northwest.
I waded across to Magic Island where I had a better view to the north. I could see some faint aurora, but I decided the moon was just too bright.
The 30 minute forecast was still showing high probability of aurora, and I wasn’t ready to give up yet.
My next stop was Sitka Memorial Park. I could see the lights there. Not especially bright, but I did set up and take a few photos.
From there I moved to Yaw Drive, where I spent more time.
At first there were lights over the Sisters. Then they went more overhead and to the east, rising over Verstovia.
They never got especially bright while I was out, though they were active.
While I was taking pictures of the aurora over Verstovia, I saw a couple different shooting stars over the Sisters. One was nicely bright to my eyes, and both probably would have shown well in a photo. I didn’t end up catching in a picture, though.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunny Day, Auroral Night first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230226_KCAW_SITNAT_Alia_Lesnek_encore.mp3 Download Radio Show
The February 26th show featured a conversation with geologist Alia Lesnek. Originally recorded and aired in July 2021, we spoke about her work investigating the timing of glacial retreat in Southeast Alaska, as well what raised marine clam beds tell us about ancient sea levels, and her recent experience in Sitka looking at ash and basalt from the Mount Edgecumbe volcanic field with a team of geologists.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #283 – Alia Lesnek (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Partly cloudy early, becoming overcast with snow in the afternoon. Temperatures just above freezing. Calm wind.
Snow accumulation overnight appeared to total 4 inches or so at my house. By the time I was out and looking, it was a little above freezing. I suspect it had already begun to melt and compact.
I woke and saw shining on Gavan Hill. I was tempted to get up, but after a very late night, I thought it better to go back to sleep.
With all the snow, I was not surprised a Varied Thrush showed up in the yard today. Connor’s been putting lots of food out, and the juncos plus a few other sparrows were actively feeding.
The wire mesh is to keep pigeons out of the feeder
After getting my radio show ready this afternoon, I drove out to Starrigavan for a look.
The water seemed extra calm after yesterday’s winds.
I stopped to take pictures of a Great Blue Heron perched on a rock that was barely showing above the surface.
Nearby four Barrow’s Goldeneyes were swimming.
I was looking down when I heard the heron start squawking and looked up to see it flapping its wings and the goldeneyes taking off.
Something set the Great Blue Heron off. It flapped its wings briefly and made loud croaking calls
My best guess is the sudden departure of the goldeneyes from nearby startled the heron (especially if it was on edge due to my presence). It’s also possible the heron started calling and acting agitated for some other reason, and the ducks flew because they were startled. It is amusing to think herons might like to scare other birds sometime. Perhaps they have a sense of humor.
Otter week continued, as I saw a river otter swimming across the bay while I was out for the heron.
This winter has been light on snow at sea level. I don’t miss the hassle of getting around in it after it turns to slush and/or ice. On the other hand, I do enjoy how the landscape looks when there’s fresh snow covering the trees.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Winter Birds and Snowy Landscapes first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and breezy through the day. Snow beginning this afternoon and accumulating 3+ inches by late this evening.
With the snow starting last night, and the winter weather advisory, I was a little surprised to see only enough to make the ground white.
This flock has a mix of Greater and Lesser Scaups. Can you distinguish them? See the edited photo in the gallery below for my IDs.
Through the morning and into early afternoon, there were only scattered flakes.
Once it started up in the afternoon, it snowed for a few hours. It wasn’t especially heavy, so by late this evening there was only 3 inches or so at my house.
I had calls this morning and wasn’t feeling too ambitious after lunch.
I did drive out the road and take a look.
While stopped at Kerr’s Island I saw a couple of river otters swimming across. Most weeks I don’t see any, but this was my fourth encounter in the last three days (though three of them were on one day).
I took pictures of a dead tree that is covered in lichens. I don’t remember if I had noticed it’s mostly *Usnea longissima*. For some reason it seems very happy in that snag.
After a late night and earlier than expected morning (my secheduled 8am call had been canceled yesterday, but then uncanceled this morning). I was feeling tired and took a nap.
Much of my evening was devoted to getting photos from a couple of last June’s low tide trips into iNaturalist and then catching up on publishing photojournals from this week of sunny days and late evening low tides.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Return of Snow first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Beginning clear with clouds moving in from the north and west later in the afternoon. Temperatures not above freezing during the day. Light winds. Snow started falling very late.
I spent part of the afternoon out and about. I did drive out to Silver Bay, but didn’t stop and take any pictures.
There was only one vehicle at Verstovia trailhead. I’ve been meaning to start doing some uphill walking on a more regular basis. Time will tell if I manage consistency, but today was a start, at least.
I’m not sure I went up Verstovia trail even once last year. It’s possible I went up to the first viewpoint in the spring, but I didn’t do any summer or fall hikes.
In the salmonberry thicket just up from the start of the trail, I noticed a flock of juncos foraging through. I pished a bit, and several of them popped up to check me out. They were more vocal than they often are in response as well. I wonder if it’s partly seasonal (i.e., they’re getting more aggressive as hormones ramp up for spring).
Verstovia trail starts going up right away. The stretches that are closer to level last only a few steps, not enough to catch my breath.
I wasn’t feeling ambitious. I just wanted to get a start going up, so I took it relatively easy walking about halfway to the first viewpoint (which is at 800ft). Even so, it was enough to get me breathing hard, my heart pumping hard, and even sweating in the chilly temperatures.
Where I stopped I noticed a blueberry bush with open buds. Looking closely, I think at least one of the flowers may have been damaged by this cold weather.
It looks to me like this flower has been damaged by the cold
The open buds made me consider temperatures on the slope. Generally temperatures drop with altitude. However, I think sometimes during clear weather there can be a temperature inversion. I am considering setting an ibutton or three at various points along the trail. It would probably be most interesting in winter, but wouldn’t hurt to get them started sooner.
By the time I came got down, the stratus clouds were getting close to town.
I drove out the Halibut Point road as far as Kerr’s island to take a look at various spots. A Red-necked Grebe was seen earlier in the day at Kerr’s island, but my first of the year will have to wait.
Seas were very calm. With little wind today, there was only ripples on the water. I think the large waves offshore have died down, so minor pulses of surge came in at the shore.
Between my feeling-off day, the sunny weather, and the low tides, I’ve not managed to keep up with my intended daily tasks related to catching up with photojournals and iNaturalist observations. The weather is changing, and tides are no longer getting so low, so I should be able to get back on track.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Early Blueberry Buds on Verstovia Trail first appeared on Sitka Nature.
With a little bit of mixed processing, I was able to bring out 2 or 3 of Jupiter's moons along with the thin crescent of our moon
Clear and cooler. Breezy, though less so than yesterday. Temperatures dropped down into the 20s overnight and at or just above freezing during the day.
After lunch I went up Indian River to take care of the ibuttons.
When snow is short-lived in town, it’s easy for me to forget about. I didn’t expect to see much heading up the valley. Instead there was some right at the start of the trail. In the forest the trail was mostly clear. There were a few icy spots, especially where there was little or no canopy overhead. By the first bridge, snow was more continuous, though not deep.
Fortunately warmer temperatures after the snow allowed it to get quite wet and freezing temperatures the past couple of days made for a hard crust. I was glad that it generally supported my weight and I only punched through a few times.
Crossing the first big bridge, I think may have startled a river otter. I heard a splash and looked back and down towards the river bank. I saw ripples in the water. A moment later the otter poked its head out. After peering out a couple more times, it decided to move up overland. I saw it briefly on top of the snow before it disappeared under a fallen log.
It may have been the same otter I saw further downstream on my way back. Again it was a splash that alerted me. This time the otter was climbing out of the river. It rolled a bit on the snow before moving on.
When I was done with the ibuttons I checked some bird locations while waiting for it to be near sunset.
My third otter sighting of the day was by O’Connell Bridge, I would be surprised if this was the same one as I saw up Indian River.
I saw this otter swimming toward the shore and moved to where I could see better. I spotted it eating. I presume a fish it had caught.
There may have been some interspecies drama between the otter and an eagle, or just an eagle curious about whether the otter left any food behind. I was looking away when the otter left, so I’m not sure which.
I saw this eagle land on the rock the otter had been on. Since I had looked away for a bit, I missed whether the otter left due to the eagle's approach, or if the eagle waited until the otter left. Moments later, a second eagle came in and pushed off the first before returning to its perch. This eagle flew and perched with a second on the navigation marker near the bridge
As I suspected, the sun dropped behind Mahknati Island. Plus there was a cloud bank (based on satellite imagery at the time, the clouds were 100 miles out).
This evening the moon had shifted significantly in the sky relative to the planets. Jupiter and the moon were close enough I could capture both in one picture at 500mm. Had I thought more about it at the time, I would have worked harder at getting a good shot with the hope of having Jupiter’s moons show up better [*Update: after reviewing my photos more carefully, and doing some editing, I found they showed better than I initially realized*].
Connor and I went out to Magic Island for low tide. It was still running almost 1.9 feet which made for a -2.7 ft low. A foot higher than yesterday evening’s tide, but still a good low for here.
A headlamp creates only a small patch of light below Orion and the immensity of the starry sky
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Otters and Moons first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and cool. Temperatures in the low 30s and gusty winds mostly out of the north.
I drove out to Sawmill Cove this afternoon. I was curious of the wind would be raising williwaws. As it turned out, winds were fairly calm. I think they need a more easterly component to really show up strong in Silver Bay.
After a sit at the kelp patch pullout (where I saw three Fox Sparrows, two Lincoln’s Sparrows, and the White-throated Sparrow along with juncos), I decided to walk up and check out a place along Cascade Creek.
Several pieces of bark were painted and hung in an alder along the trail
Last year I found Riccardia multifida for the first time. It seemed a good time to revisit it.
I failed to consider the possibility of ice, given the cold weather. I remember the general spot and recognized it without any problem. My memory is a little more hazy about the specific nook. Ice kept me from exploring as thoroughly as I would have otherwise. I’ll need to go back in warmer conditions.
I went to the bridge to catch the sunset, which was to happen at 5:15pm.
Walking up the bridge I saw a raven carrying a branch. I was too slow to get a picture. A second followed shortly after, and this one I did capture. They flew from the direction of Castle Hill over to Aleutski Island. It’s not the first time I’ve seen a raven carrying a branch that way. (I said Turning Island in that entry, but I think it’s what I’m calling Aleutski Island here. Different maps are not always clear.)
There were clouds where the sun was dropping to the horizon. However, I wouldn’t have been able to see it anyway, as it’s currently setting behind Mahknati Island from the bridge. I think there are two or three days where it sets in the gap between there and Kruzof Island. Considering the forecast for the weekend, I think my green flash season is over until the fall.
The thin crescent moon was not far from Venus and Jupiter in the sky later in the evening. I grabbed a couple of pictures from home before heading out for more.
I kept an eye on the reported tide heights through the day. It was running 1.8 feet below predicted. This was enough to put this evening’s -1.7 to a -3.5ft. As it turned out, the reported low was -3.7ft. There’s a very good chance this will turn out to be the lowest tide of the year.
After the moon set, I spent some time on the beach at Magic Island. Gusty winds made it quite chilly. I didn’t find much on the south end of the island (which was more protected from the wind). When I went over to the north side, the wind seemed like too much.
I saw slime star on the north part of the beach. This was a new one for me. As it turns out, someone had observed the same one a few days ago while snorkeling. I’m not sure if they brought it up from deeper and it didn’t make it all the way back out, or if they found it more or less where I saw it.
It was just low tide when I left Halibut Point Rec, so I stopped by Sandy Beach on my way back. Mercifully the wind was much less, so the hour I spent wasn’t uncomfortable.
I checked the beach before walking the rocks on the north side (someone else was poking around the south side rocks).
Moonglow anemones apparently don't mind the sand
I found a couple sand dollars on the beach.
The most surprising thing I saw was a > 6inch sun star (*Pycnopodia helianthoides*). It’s easily the largest one of these I’ve seen since sea star wasting showed up in 2014.
At over six inches in diameter, this is easily the largest sun star I've seen since they all but disappeared in 2014
I felt much better today than yesterday. I think getting sleep helped. I saw today (from the many photos posted online) that the northern lights showed quite nicely last night. It’s just as well that I didn’t realize that. I would have been tempted to go out, and that probably wouldn’t have helped.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Under Clear Skies, Day and Night first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast, becoming partly cloudy. Clearing in the late afternoon. Chilly winds out of the north starting in the afternoon.
I made it out for some birding this afternoon.
I spent time at ANB harbor watching to see if a Horned Puffin might come close (Connor saw one right by the dock yesterda).
One puffin was out in the middle, but I never saw it come close.
A flock of Barrow's Goldeneye flew in and landed right near the Horned Puffin. I think it was startled at first
I did see a sea otter eating. It was not right by the dock, but was close enough for me to identify the red rock crab it had.
A ways out off the kelp patch pullout I saw a Pigeon Guillemot, my first of the year.
The sky was beginning to clear, and I wondered if there might be a nice sunset. I was feeling tired and decided not to try and stay out long enough to see. Based on photos I saw posted on Facebook, the skies did clear enough for some nice light. We’re nearing the end of green flash season (at least where I like to watch from). If skies clear out as forecast, I’ll try to make sure to take a look over the next couple of days.
Other than my afternoon outing, I spent a good chunk of the day resting. I didn’t sleep well last night. Today I have had a headache and the sensitive skin + mild whole body achiness that I associate with getting sick. Hopefully I will be back to normal soon.
Had I not been feeling off, I probably would have headed out for the tide this evening. Connor went out and met up at Sandy Beach with aquarist from the science center. He wanted a masked greenling for the aquarium, and Connor knew the pool where I had found them yesterday. It sounds like they found some other interesting stuff as well.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Channel Watching first appeared on Sitka Nature.
I think this is a young male Red-breasted Merganser just beginning to molt into black feathers on his head
Overcast with occasional rain. Temperatures in the upper 30s and light winds.
I went for a drive to check out birds for a bit this afternoon. It is Great Backyard Bird Count weekend. I had forgotten you’re supposed to submit lists with at least 15 minutes at a location, so most of what I’ve reported this weekend may not get counted. Perhaps I’ll make a more concerted effort tomorrow.
I don't know how many pictures I have of this view, but it's getting to be quite a few. I don't tire of it
I checked Sawmill Cove. I saw the usual assortment of birds there. This included the first year cormorant with white on its neck. It was too far out for me to bother with photos, though.
At the channel I saw a Horned Puffin preening in the middle off the ramp. I later heard from Connor one had been up close to the dock near ANB harbor around the same time.
The tide was trending nearly a foot below predicted. That would put the 6:30pm low at something like -3 ft (it ended up being -3.2ft).
With Ultimate at 5:30, I wasn’t sure I would make it down for the tide. However, I put my stuff in my car just in case no one showed up. The sun had set, but it was still light when I arrived at the field. As it turned out, only Connor and I were there. After 20 minutes or so of catch, we called it good.
Winds were calm and it wasn’t raining, so I drove out to Sandy Beach and spent about an hour there.
I had forgotten to put my magnifying lenses back in my backpack, so was a little disappointed to not have them.
I figured I would go down anyway, and would focus more on big things that were visible without trying to turn over rocks and look more closely.
I started by checking the sandy part for sand dollars, but didn’t find any.
From there I poked around in the north side rocks. I remain curious about the cement in the rocks. I don’t know how long its been there, but suspect it’s probably from World War II. I wonder why it was put there.
I don’t think I found anything new for me, but I was able to see some familiar faces (so to speak). I found a couple of two-spotted keyhole limpets (Fissurellidea bimaculata). It’s the first time I’ve found them, and only the second time I’ve seen them. Last year Connor pointed them out to me in the same area (though apparently I’ve not uploaded those observations yet).
Another highlight was seeing some good-sized fish in a tidepool. I was able to take pictures of two or three of them. At first I thought they were different species, as their color was significantly different. Reviewing photos, I am pretty sure I only got pictures of one species, the masked greenling (*Hexagrammos octogrammos*). Patterns on each fish were similar though the colors were different.
I had been out for about an hour and was starting to work my way back when my light turned off. It turned back on and ran on a lower setting for a couple more minutes before turning off again before I made it back to the sand. Getting across the rocks in the dark would have been a little challenging in the dark. Fortunately I had my phone and used its light to help find my path.
Tidepooling at night is a different experience. The intertidal zone is so rich with life, that it is often overwhelming. The limited patch of light surrounded by darkness forces a narrowing of focus and simplifies things.
It may also be that some creatures are out and about more at night than they are during the day.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Afternoon Birding, Evening Tidepooling first appeared on Sitka Nature.
This prickleback has a distinctive crest.
Overcast and rain for much of the day. Temperatures near 40. Despite temperatures above freezing, there was a snow shower around midday.
I held off heading out until later this afternoon.
Around 4pm I walked down to the beach for low tide. The predicted was a -1.8ft around 6pm, but actual levels were 0.5ft or more below predicted.
I checked barnacles on Sage Beach and was able to find dark ball-like growths. It occurs to me they may be growing on other things besides barnacles, but their contrast with barnacles certainly makes them easier to see.
I’m leaning more more strongly towards them being a green algae rather than part of a lichen.
I moseyed down the shoreline. Periodically I would pick something up to take a closer look.
In one clam shell half filled with sand, I found a juvenile red rock crab hiding out.
I eventually stopped and started turning over rocks. It was still light enough that I didn’t the light I had brought at first. That didn’t last long, though.
I didn’t find too many different things that caught my eye enough to take pictures.
After I put them in a container for better photos, these two polychaete worms became tangled up for a time. One is a deeper pink, the other more of a paler peach color
I did put a couple different polychaete worms in a container to take pictures. I would not be surprised if they are the same species, but they were different colors and behaved in a somewhat different way.
The deeper pink polychaete tended to coil up like this and occasionally thrash around. I never saw the paler one thrash or coil up
I moved once to a new spot where I saw a couple of pricklebacks. One of them stuck around long enough for me to get pictures. I was also interested to see that I found several flattop crabs at the second spot, but none at the first. They were not very far apart. Perhaps the latter spot was just lower enough on the beach to get into the zone where they live.
At the second place I stopped to turn over rocks I found flattop crabs, but I had not see them at the first place (which was not very far away)
With a heavy mist falling, cold hands, and daylight basically gone, I decided to call it good shortly before the actual lowest point of the tide cycle.
I tried whistling for screech owls near forested areas on my way back. I hoped one might respond, but I didn’t hear any.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Late Afternoon Trip to the Beach first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy clouds and rain. Temperatures near 40F.
I was on a zoom call this morning when Connor came up and told me about a Pacific Golden-Plover at Totem Park.
This was certainly unexpected, and provided sufficient reason for me to switch over to my phone and take the call with me.
Joe had messaged Connor and was still there at the end of the park where he had found the plover. The tide was coming off of high, and not much of the beach was exposed. He directed my attention to the plover sitting there at the edge of the seaweed.
I took a few pictures before stepping back into the forest to get out of the rain and chilly wind.
While walking around, I happened to catch sight of a Northern Goshawk as it landed on a branch of the trail. It didn’t stay there long, but I was able to take a few steps for a clearer view and get a picture of it perched. Then it took off.
After my call, I went back to check on the plover again. I didn’t see it, and messaged Connor. He said it had been scared and flushed by a raven (though later after I told him about the goshawk, he wondered if it had something to do with it) and flown over towards Cannon Island.
The tide had fallen enough to expose some of the beach. While I was standing there, a moderately sized flock of shorebirds flew in. When I took a few steps down to take some pictures, I noticed the plover take a couple of steps. I think it had been at least partially obscured behind a pile of seaweed. It clearly seemed uncomfortable, so I stepped back away to take photos of the other shorebirds.
As best I can tell, this is the earliest record for Pacific Golden-Plover in Alaska. The prior earlier record was on that showed up in Gustavus in early March. It’s also only the second winter record for Alaska. The only other winter report is from Sitka. One showed up along the runway in late December 2020.
I considered heading out for the 5pm low tide. Persistent rain and the anticipation of a cold wind kept me home.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Very Early Plover and Other Totem Park Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with some rain. Temperatures in the 30s and calm winds.
The low tide at 4pm (still in daylight) was looking like it would end up be -0.5ft or so (predicted -0.12). I thought I would stay home and get some work done before heading out for the tide.
Not long after lunch, I got a message from Karen J that a goshawk was perched on the raptor tree at the upper end of Swan Lake. I’ve been checking that tree regularly (and before I noticed the low tide, though I might walk over to look at it this afternoon). So far this year I’ve only seen eagles and a couple of ravens. (I last saw a goshawk there on the 31st of last year
This motivated me to get out earlier than I had originally planned.
The goshawk was still there when I arrived. I took a few pictures to document, and then continued on my way.
I saw the crane as well. It’s been much viewable (by me, at least) lately, but seems to be doing fine.
At the kelp patch pullout DJ whitebrows showed up briefly. I also saw a White-throated Sparrow. It’s been some weeks since the last time I saw one there.
I did head down to Totem Park for low tide. Although it did get down to -0.75ft, it wasn’t as low on the beach as I imagined it would be. However, I was able to access most of the section I had intended to poke around in.
A white-lined nudibranch was nice to see.
Two of the large lemon dorids in the current of a draining tidepool were unexpected. I’m not sure whether they were the same species or not (I’m not great with them). If they are different species, one may be a new one for me.
Crocus were up in front of North Pacific Hall on the SJ campus. If we get any sun (without going well below freezing), I imagine they’ll open up.
I don’t expect they will be there tomorrow, but I may go take a look (and bring a container and a light to try for better photos).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Afternoon Low Tide first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Cloudy with rain, becoming snow. Temperatures remained above freezing, but enough wet snow fell to form a layer of slush. The solid overcast broke up a bit in the afternoon as a more showery regime moved over.
I went out for a bit this afternoon as the sun was breaking through for the first time.It turned out to be only a brief spot of sun before the clouds closed up again.
Horned Puffin on the left with two Long-tailed Ducks behind and a Greater Scaup stretching its wings
I noticed a Horned Puffin out in the channel between the ramp and SPC. While watching it, I saw a second as well. They remained too far out for decent photos, but I did get a documentary shot.The first time I saw Horned Puffins in the channel was 16 years ago, almost to the day. They showed up again at least one other winter (where they were seen in the channel) since then. I think there was another winter or two where I saw at least one during winter in the inner part of the sound, but it’s definitely an unusual thing.
I’m guessing these have been around since late last fall. Connor saw one swimming by the park. They’ve been seen several places this year along the road system, but this is the first time I’ve seen them in the central channel so far.
I had seen a flock of Barrow’s Goldeneyes near the work float. After deciding the Horned Puffins weren’t likely to come any closer, I decided to go there.
When I arrived, I saw a Horned Puffin in that area. I ultimately saw three up at one time. I’m suspect (but don’t know for sure) that two of them were the same as I had seen previously. While I was watching, one came up quite near the work float. It saw me, started paddling away, then quickly dove.
I drove out to Starrigavan. I didn’t work too hard to see all the birds. There were two groups of gulls, which I briefly scanned. I didn’t see any that stood out to me.
I did enjoy seeing the very low clouds insinuated among the trees.
The very low clouds among the trees caught my attention
I didn’t see too many birds from Harbor Point, but there was a whale far off towards Olga Strait.
The boat is probably a trolling for king salmon, hoping they're around going after the herring that also brought the whale which is spouting to the ridge
This evening I made progress getting my work area cleaned up. I have many containers with varying degrees of labels. Most contain collections I have made within the past couple of years. In some cases, what was inside is pretty far gone. Too much moisture in the enclosed space supports mold. Far too many of the containers lack any labels, and I have little idea when/where I picked whatever is inside. I always think I’ll get to it quickly, while I still remember. All too often, I don’t. To be fair, I was better about things in 2022. I think most of the totally unlabeled things are from 2021 and maybe before.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Horned Puffins and Glimpses of Sun first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with light snow starting this evening.
I made a relatively brief trip out this afternoon.
On a stop at the kelp patch pullout, I was happy to see the junco with white eyebrows (which I think I’ll call DJ White-brows). Reviewing my pictures from last November it looks like the white has expanded a bit. There’s an outside possibly they are different birds, but it seems unlikely to me that two bird would have such similar patterns of leucism.
The tide was coming up, but still far enough out for some sand to be showing at Sandy Beach.
I poked around and made some observations of intertidal organisms. I was a little surprised I saw as many different creatures as I did.
I've never seen uncrowded Thatched Barnacles much more than an inch in height, whereas these are nearly 4 inches tall.
I’ve previously noticed the overgrown thatched barnacles. They grow tightly together, and very tall. Today I measured some at nearly 4 inches tall. I’ve never seen them anywhere near so tall in circumstances where they are not growing so tightly together. Clearly they would have too much drag to stay anchored if a lone one had the form they do when growing in a crowd. Perhaps there’s a limit to how broad of a base they can grow, but less limit on the height. Since the shell is housing the animal, I’m curious how the volume/mass of the barnacles compares between these tall crowded ones, and large individuals grown without any crowding.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post DJ White-brows and a Beach Visit first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast to partly sunny as occasional snow showers moved through.
By the time I went to bed near midnight precipitation had changed over completely to snow.
I woke this morning to a couple of inches on the ground at my house.
I was tempted, but didn’t muster enough motivation to get out and go for a walk while the snow was still fresh.
While on a call this morning, I noticed a different looking bird at the feeder. I couldn’t see it well enough without magnification (which I didn’t have immediately at hand), but it stuck around long enough for me to confirm it was an American Tree Sparrow. I assume the same one I saw earlier in the year, but it’s been a month or so since I last saw it.The clouds broke up and it was mostly sunny through the middle part of the day.
It was still sunny when I headed out mid-afternoon, but that didn’t last for long.Dark clouds moved across the sound and brought a decent snow shower which lasted the better part of an hour.
I spent much of it listening to an audiobook and watching birds at the kelp patch pullout. I was a little surprised to see four Fox Sparrows after never seeing more than one previously. I wonder if the snow or something else pushed them down from wherever they’ve been. Or perhaps the snow just prompted them to all be there at the same time instead of more scattered about.
As the shower tapered off, I moved to Sea Mart. In part I hoped Mt. Edgecumbe my show. It remained completely obscured by clouds, however.
Several miles out, Vitskari Rocks barely show through the atmospheric shimmer. To the righ of the main rock is the spray from a crashing wave
Seas at the buoy have been over 20 feet since yesterday evening. I could see large splashes on the rocks out in the sound. The waves coming into the beach at Pioneer Park were much reduced, but I did enjoy how they caught the light.
With the heavy clouds we’ve had much of the time this year, it’s been easy to lose track of how late the sun is now setting. Sunset is right around 5pm. When I saw Venus (I think) shining in a not-yet-dark sky, I was surprised to see it was already nearly 6pm.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunshine and Snow first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy overcast with periods of rain. Rain becoming heavier and mixed with snow later in the evening. Even later in the evening the mix was trending towards more snow (the forecast is calling for an inch of snow to accumulate overnight).
The forecast was for rain turning to showers in the afternoon. The satellite imagery suggested (to me, at least) there was a chance for a bit of clearing between showers in the afternoon. Rain did fall from time to time this morning and early afternoon, but mostly it didn’t.
In part because of the forecast, I didn’t motivate to head out until later this afternoon. I left even later because a heavy shower started shortly before I initially was going to go. The shower ended up being an extended one, and I went out into the rain anyway.
A 20 year old post recently came up in the ‘On This Day In…” and reading it reminded me of a mystery as yet unsolved. I had twisted open a spruce cone and found a larva in it. My (faint) memory is that it was white, but I don’t remember any details otherwise and didn’t take any pictures. I checked more cones subsequently but didn’t find another larva, though I did find a beetle (which I did not photograph either).
I set out today with the intention of checking out some spruce cones to see what I could find.
I walked down to Crescent Harbor to see if the Pied-billed Grebe might be there. It had been reported yesterday, but I didn’t see it today.
Spruce trees grow among the exposed bedrock between the tennis and basketball courts. I picked up cones and in the first one I twisted open, found something.
On the lower right there's what I assume is the entry hole. I believe a larva is inside the translucent membrane. I suspect this one may be using the cone to overwinter in relative safety (rather than eating and developing inside)
It looked more like a pupating larva, but I’m not sure if that’s what was going on. I could see the entry hole. That made me wonder if it was in the cone strictly for protection rather than food. I was overly optimistic thinking the rain would start to let up not long after I started. By this time my camera was getting pretty wet. I packed it away (which also made it easier to investigate the cones.
This insect larva seemed to have holed out the center of the cone.
It twisted apart a few others, and in one I found a pale (though I thought it was pretty white at the time, in reviewing photos I see it was more yellow) larva. It seemed to have made a tube for itself in the central part of the cone (maybe cones have pith?).
I brought the cones I found something in home. I’ll keep them in a container outside and see if anything might emerge.
My second intention was to visit Indian River and look for Scouleria aquatica.
I went to the elbow just downstream from the road bridge. There are boulders and exposed bedrock there which I have investigated in the past.I found Racomitrium (I think probably R. aciculare) with sporophytes on a riverside rock right away.
Poking around on other boulders I found what I think is *Scouleria*, but not with any sporophytes. They are similar enough that I definitely feel more comfortable identifying them if I can see sporophytes (which are distinctly different).
I photographed a couple other mosses and liverworts.
Behind a small patch of liverworts I picked up to get better photos of, I saw a cranefly larva. I took some pictures and left it make its way to cover. It’s not the first time I’ve found a cranefly larva like this. I’m curious which craneflies it would turn into. In hindsight maybe I should have taken it with me to see if it would emerge as an adult.
I imagine this cranefly larva must have some way of dealing with freezing temperatures. It was not buried far enough to avoid them.
As I was preparing to leave, the sky brightened a bit and the rain let up.
On the way home, I stopped by the national cemetery and revisited the pin fungi which grown on some polypores. I had first observed them last December but didn’t get very good pictures. I think today’s will be a bit better, but I may ultimately bring some home to photograph under more controled (and better) lighting.Only three of us at ultimate this evening. As I was driving there, a very heavy shower began. Hail/graupel started to mix in. Fortunately it didn’t last long. We played catch for a bit before calling it good.
I finished up getting quarter three (Jul-Sep) observations into iNaturalist today. So far I’m doing pretty well keeping up with this year’s observations as well. I’m going to try and be more disciplined about uploading observations as I go this year. I’m aiming to do 20 per day. I also want to keep up with photojournal entries. My aim is to keep up with the daily entry, and do at least one from the backlog each day. I’m pretty sure I can keep this up through spring, but it often becomes difficult in summer.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spruce Cones and Riverside Low-growing Plants first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230212_KCAW_SITNAT_Simon_Hook.mp3Download Radio Show
The February 12th show featured a conversation with returning guest Simon Hook. Our conversation focused on Simon’s experience working as a guide for visitors to Antarctica during the southern spring (November and December) last year.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #282 – Simon Hook first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy overcast with rain beginning in the afternoon. Light winds and temperatures in the low 40s.
Rowan mentioned there was thunder and lightning late last night. Until she said that, I hadn’t remembered hearing the thunder in a state of semi-sleep. I more clearly remembered hearing heavy precipitation. It sounded like hail, but could have been very heavy rain.
I didn’t get out until mid-afternoon. I had some mild regret about putting it off, as the rain had started shortly before I left home.
I had ideas of going to Indian River to look for Scouleria aquatica, a species I’ve only observed a few times. I saw a recent observation posted by someone else that could have been it (but didn’t show enough detail to be sure). I was surprised to see I had only observed it four times (and probably not at all last year). It’s easy enough to find, but it’s not so common and doesn’t grow in places that I come across very often it without making a specific effort to look.
Most times I stop by Sawmill Cove this winter, I have seen this cormorant
The rain and no conveniently close parking put me off that plan, so I drove out to Sawmill Cove. I saw a few of the normal birds (including white neck patches the Pelagic Cormorant) and a Thick-billed Murre. The murre was not especially close, but I was able to get photos that let me feel reasonably confident in my id.Although the rain hadn’t let up, I thought I might go down to the rocks at Whale Park. Upon arrival, I saw the near staircase was closed for maitenance.
I finally ended up at Sage Beach. I thought I might revisit a lichen (Tephromela atra) I’ve found here previously.
I didn’t end up finding it today, but did document a couple of other lichens that caught my eye.A good chunk of my day was spent working through photos and iNaturalist observations from last September. These included observations from a hike up Bear Mountain last September. A made it through all of those, and now just have scattered observations from a few days before I’m done with the July-September period. Hopefully I can wrap that up tomorrow.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Gray Day Birds and Lichens first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy at daybreak, becoming overcast by mid-morning. Light snow and rain developing late in the day.
I was up on the early side (for me) for a call, and saw enough of a break in the clouds to the call on the move.
One well placed gap to the southeast allowed shafts of yellow morning sunlight to highlight the snow covered trees.The light was spectacular, but it was hard to know where would be the best place for pictures. Even if I could figure it out, there wouldn’t be time to get there.
I started at the channel and took some pictures of the mountains. Most of the waterfront was not hit by the sun, so it wasn’t as compelling as it might have been.
One exception was Eliason Harbor.From the channel I went across the bridge and took some pictures looking towards the mountains.
I thought a fishing boat anchored out in the bay would accent the scene better from a different angle, so I moved over to Crescent Harbor. In the couple of minutes it took me to get there, the light had pretty much faded. (As it turned out, the boat was more broadside from that location, but would not have been in line with the best light.)
The forecast was for some sun today, so I thought the clouds might be breaking up.
I drove out to Sea Mart to see if Mt. Edgecumbe my catch some good light.
I did see a gap in the clouds. A bit of brightness along the rim persisted for a few minutes, but never grew. Eventually I moved out to Sandy Beach.
I spotted a Horned Puffin not long after I arrived. Later I thought I saw a Rhinoceros Auklet. Reviewing my picture of it, I decided it was more likely a Tufted Puffin.
Shortly before I left, the sun did find one sizeable gap and brightly lit the snow-covered slopes above tree line. It was a nice last hurrah for the sun.
Contrary to my understanding of the forecast, the gaps I saw were the last ones as the stratus layered continue to thicken.
At the kelp patch pullout I didn’t see many water birds, but did get pictures of the Fox Sparrow. I had previously seen it, but don’t think I had photos yet this year.
One other bird highlight was two Horned Puffins at the north end of the channel.Someone must have spread food shortly before I arrived at Swan Lake. A couple of swans and many Mallards were actively feeding.
People regularly drop corn and other bird food a the lake. Often there is a scramble to eat it
I thought it was interesting how the Mallards could basically walk under the swan. At one point I the swan tired of the Mallard horde, grabbed several and moved them away. Others got the message and backed off. That was short-lived, as they crowded back around shortly after. I believe this is a kind of gorse planted on the border of an Etolin Street yard
I haven’t checked for crocus blooming yet, but given the mild January and February, I wouldn’t be surprised if some are up. On the other hand, there hasn’t been much sun. I did see a landscaping plant blooming along Etolin Street today. I think it’s a kind of gorse, but I’m not sure.I recorded a conversation with Simon for my radio show this afternoon. We talked about his experience working as a guide for cruises to Antarctica in November and December.
On my walk to the radio station I checked the cottonwoods on Lincoln Street. I saw Lobarina anomala, something I don’t remember noticing on previous looks (not that there have been many).My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Morning Light first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy this morning, becoming overcast and rainy this afternoon. Breezier in the afternoon, temperatures in the 40s.
Given the sun I was seeing this morning despite the forecast for rain all day, I decided to get out and about while the weather held.
Herring Gulls have begun to show up. It's possible some are around all winter, but I tend to think of them as some of the earliest spring migrants
The tide was rising, but still just low enough for me to find the barnacles with the potential algae growing on them. I was able to pick up a couple of small rocks with several barnacles of interest.
While there, I poked around a bit more. A couple mosses caught my eye. Both on the trunk of a mountain ash.
I also found Lachnellula resinaria a small fungus that grows on resin (in this case of a spruce tree).Thicker clouds had moved over during my time at Starrigavan.
Driving back by the ferry terminal, I saw the mountains of Chichigof showing brightly. I think the clouds were still thin up that way. I stopped to take pictures. The atmosphere may have been unsettled in the 30+ miles between me and the mountains, as they never really came into compete focus.
I heard a comment about craving sun on the radio this afternoon. It happened to be not long after I had seen the photo above as I worked through September photos (mostly getting observations into iNaturalist). I know this time of year many people who live here seem to be missing sun and warmth (and often plan trips accordingly). I don’t remember feeling like that. I imagine it’s partly because I grew up here and am used to it. I still like to get out explore here, and see what’s going on through this time of year. I also wonder if working through my photos from the past year helps me feel connected to the warmer and lighter season during the dim gray days.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Morning Visit to Starrigavan first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with temperatures in the 30s. Light winds.
Snow last night was sufficient to leave the ground covered in a thin layer of white, but there was no significant accumulation in my neighborhood.
I decided to head out late this morning hoping to get to Starrigavan while the tide was still low enough for me to look for more of the barnacles with the possible seaweed growing on them.
I was too late for the beach, enjoyed the scenery. More snow had fallen out that way. Horned Grebe with fish - probably a kelp pipefish
At Kerr’s Island I spotted a Horned Grebe. It had caught a fish. It was very thin, almost hair-like. I suspect it was a kelp pipefish (Syngnathus californiensis).From Halibut Point rec I spotted a small dark alcid far out. I’m pretty confident it was a Rhinoceros Auklet. I think even at that distance the Tufted Puffin bill would have looked a bit bigger.
At the Kelp Patch pullout a (the?) Horned Puffin popped up while I was watching.
Thirty or so White-winged Scoters well out from Sea Mart were the most I’ve seen this winter.
I didn't see anyone on Picnic Rock, but I could see a trail through the fresh snow
I realized that earlier this month was my 20th anniversay of the first post in this blog format. I had been doing photojournal sorts of things for several years, but that was all done with static pages that I manually created indexes for. When I started experimenting with blog format in 2003, I tended to write a flurry of several short entries, often in a single day. I might then go long weeks (or months) without posting. It was 2006 before I moved to WordPress and tried to develop consistency around posting. In 2007 I merged my older photojournal approach into blogging format.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post A Touch of Snow first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Frosty morning with overcast through the day. Light winds and snow very late.
I went out Halibut Point Road to see what I could see this afternoon. I continue to hope that I might cross paths with a Yellow-billed Loon, but so far that hasn’t happened.
I saw more birds today than I had yesterday at my stops, but things were still much quieter from Harbor Point than they had been last week.
A sea otter was not too far off shore at the kelp patch pullout. As I’ve observed in the past, an immature gull was hanging out by it. Presuably hoping to pick up a scrap or two. I was starting to head home, but I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my observations for the day. I stopped to visit the rock beach south of Harbor Point.
The tide was still quite high, but I did have enough room to check out the handful of larger boulders on the beach.
I was mostly focusing on lichens, and took pictures of several different ones. A couple were ones I recognized and have names for, a couple others I recognized and don’t really have names for. Yet others seemed unfamiliar to me.
On my way in, I noticed the snow-covered mountains standing out against darker gray clouds behind them. It’s a seasonal sort of look that I enjoy, so I made a couple of brief stops to take pictures. They aren’t likely to be ones I think are worth printing, but they do have some personal meaning and help remind me of ways I appreciate this place.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Shoreline Sightings and Snowy Summits first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Weather shifted to a more showery set up, with some sun breaks through the middle part of the day. Calm winds overall (at least when showers weren’t around). Showers often included graupel and snow mixed in.
Enough graupel and wet snow fell this morning for a layer of slush to form on the ground. It had mostly melted off by this afternoon in the central part of town.
I didn’t have a lot of ambition on my outing today.
At Sawmill Cove there I saw the Pelagic Cormorant with white neck patches again. Also other Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorants and Common Mergansers.I didn’t work too hard at looking, but didn’t notice any murres on the bay.
Views of the mountains surrounding Silver Bay were quite lovely.I delivered the last of my bird calendars while I was out that way. A snow/graupel shower hit as I was going down Shotgun Alley. Although it turned the road white, fortunately it didn’t get slippery. I was surprised to see a pretty radical change to the look at the bottom of the hill. What had been a small forested knob (former islet) with a cabin tucked behind the trees has been completely cleared and a very large house is going up.
I went as far as Harbor Point in the other direction. I appreciated the views, but saw very few birds and no sea lions or whales. The herring must have moved elsewhere.
I was a little surprised to see ravens picking at a deer hide along the channel. Deer hunting season ended last Tuesday. Presumably someone just got around to tossing out the skin.
With my binoculars I could see ravens doing their synchronized flight dancing over Verstovia. I took some pictures from the channel. On a stop at Crescent Harbor I could see them better (being nearly a mile closer certainly helped).Connor spotted a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched in a tree as we were sitting down for lunch. I saw where it was (across the road and a house or two back), but couldn’t see it well enough to know what it was without binoculars. It took off before I could get a better look.
Collected on Starrigavan Ridge 12 August 2022
Motivated by a couple observations I recently posted from a full day last August, I started going through and organizing some of my collections. I found the ones I was looking for from that day. I got additional photos of the lichen, but will need to do a bit more organizing to have better access to my microscopes for the photos I need to work on for the mosses and liverworts.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Nice Views on a Showery Winter Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and breezy. Light rain becoming heavy. Temperatures near 40. Snow level down to 1000 feet or less.
While out and about today, I drove by Moller Park and saw the Sandhill Crane there for the first time in a couple of weeks. It’s been reported a couple of times by others since the last time I saw it a couple of weeks ago, so I was not surprised it was still around. I have been checking Moller most days, and haven’t seen it. I’m curious where it’s been spending more of its time.
I walked a circuit of Japonski Island with Kitty. Perhaps it was the chilly wind, but we didn’t see much bird activity. Mostly one flock of juncos near Coast Guard housing, and the water birds in the channel.I did spot what I’m reasonably confident was a Horned Puffin in the channel. I didn’t get photos and saw it only briefly a couple of times, and quite distant. However, the compact shape, white breast and black upper parts are distinctive. Given how unusual they are most winters, I probably wouldn’t have been willing to call it that if I hadn’t already seen one in the area recently.
Three of us showed up for ultimate this evening. Fortunately the heavy rain held off during the half an hour we played catch. Gusty winds made it challenging to throw accurately and catch at times.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Birds on a Breezy Sunday first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with some light rain during the day. Chilly. Temperatures in the 30s.
Although it was above freezing while I was out, clear skies lasted long enough last night for some things to freeze around the house. I noticed ice in the hummingbird feeder, and one of the gutters.
I waited until later in the afternoon to go out to Starrigavan. I wanted to revisit the mystery dark balls growing on the barnacle shells. High tide was near noon, and I wouldn’t be able to get to them until the tide had fallen four feet off it’s 10+ ft high.
When I arrived at Starrigavan shortly before 3, the tide was still too high.I passed some time by walking through the hike in part of the campground.
I was able to find yellow and black springtails I had first noticed last year. In order to maybe get an identification beyond family, I will need to collect one of them. I was puzzled that they would not jump when I took pictures, but did jump as I lifted the little container to capture one. When I tried going with the container without taking pictures first, they wouldn’t jump. I was able to catch three or four, but I’m not sure if any were the larger females that I need for identification purposes (they were too small for me to see well enough without the additional magnification my camera provides).
With the heavy clouds, light was starting to fade when I went down to the beach around 3:45pm. The tide wasn’t quite as low as my previous visit, but I thought it was low enough.
As it turned out, the tide was only just low enough. At first I wasn’t finding any of the barnacles with the dark growths on the shell. When I looked right at the waters edge, and even in the water, I started seeing them.I spent the evening working on observations last August 12th. It was a very full day, with a trip down to the park very early for moonset, followed by a trip to little magic island for low tide, then a hike up Starrigavan Ridge and back down by Eagle Dip Lake. I still have observations from the hike, but the low tide observations were enough to put me over 1000 for Alaska last year. It was a productive day at the beach, as I saw at least two or three new-to-me species.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Starrigavan Observations first appeared on Sitka Nature.
The way the low light caught the cornices on Verstovia drew my attention
Overcast early, becoming mostly clear by midday.
I noticed it looked like a break in the clouds around 8am. It was before the sun was up and I didn’t go take a closer look, so I wasn’t quite sure. When the sun had risen a few minutes later, the clearing was confirmed.
Over the remaining morning hours, I was mostly focused on calls (and doing some photo editing in the background), so didn’t really track the clearing conditions. I was a bit surprised at just how sunny it was when I went out around noon.
I spent most of the afternoon out and about. I was not feeling too ambitious, and mostly watched birds on the water from my car.
Horned Grebes swimming near the Sea Mart parking lot
I stopped at Sea Mart to take pictures of Mt. Edgecumbe, and saw three Horned Grebes (and possibly another 3 or 4 more further up towards Sandy Beach).
I don’t usually stop at Kerr’s Island, but did today. This stop resulted in my biggest surprise of the day.
At first glance I assumed a Rhionceros Auklet had popped up.
At first I thought a Rhinoceros Auklet had popped up between the island and shore. These are good birds for this time of year, but not super rare. When I got a closer look through my camera, I realized its bill was too thick. It was a winter plumage Tufted Puffin, the first I’ve seen. It appears to be the first winter report for Southeast Alaska in ebird, though there are older reports from Sitka not in ebird.
Looking very different in winter plumage from what I'm used to seeing in summer, the very thick bill and dark gray front are how I recognized it as a Turfted Puffin
Mostly Black Turnstones, there are at least five other shorebirds in the mix
I called a flock of shorebirds Black Turnstones on my ebird checklist. Upon review of photos at home, I found a couple of Surfbirds and two Rock Sandpipers in the mix as well (so edited my checklist accordingly).At Harbor Point I counted 60+ Common Murres. They were all quite far out, so no pictures. Eagles were active out in the distances a well. I am guessing there were herring out that way.
At Starrigavan the tide had dropped far enough from the midday high for some beach to be exposed. A few gulls had started to gather. I didn’t find any unusual looking ones in the mix.
Since skies had cleared nearly to the horizon, I stayed out for sunset.
The nearly full moon was already high above the Sisters and Verstovia.
It was not quite a clean horizon. However the clouds were thin enough for me to catch a bit of a green flash and even a bit of blue at the end.I am down to a handful of days to finish up for last August’s observations in iNaturalist.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Unexpected Sunny Day – Birds and Views first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Adult female Wood Duck
Low overcast with light drizzle occasionally becoming heavier rain.
I wasn’t sure where I might want to go today, but headed out anyway.
Swan Lake is always a good spot to check, so that’s where I went first.
Since the ice melted out, several swans seem to be spending most of their time at the lake.
An American Wigeon was eating grass on the peninsula.
A male Gadwall was resting with Mallards.
It got up when I stepped out and drew the attention of the Mallards (who were coming over in case I had food). Immature, female, and male Wood Ducks at Swan Lake
All three Wood Ducks were also at the Peninsula.From the lake I ended up at south Halibut Point Rec.
In the past I’ve found some interesting small lichens on the spruce twigs. However, they’ve done a fair bit of trimming of the spruce branches adjacent to the trail which runs along the shoreline.
I didn’t find too much, but did notice a couple small lichens on a spruce twig.
A moss growing on a spruce trunk caught my attention. It seemed fairly obvious and maybe even distinctive, but I don’t remember noticing it before.
I couldn’t find any sporophytes growing from any of the several clumps I checked. I did notice there were gemmae, so maybe that will help me get a name for this one.[Update: the next day, Kitty asked me why it wasn’t Ulota phyllantha. That had crossed my mind when I saw the gemmae, but I hadn’t remember seeing it with such straight leaves like this. This was faulty memory on my part. I have a very similar looking picture that may have even been from the same tree. That one had more gemmae on it, so I probably recognized it at the time because of that.]
This morning I mostly caught up publishing photojournal entries from this year. I just have yesterday’s (and now today’s) left to do. I’m considering beginning to publish ones from last year. In the past I’ve thought about prioritizing the more interesting ones, but I think it will probably be more effective if I just start working backwards. (This will help build my daily publishing streak going in both directions, which I suspect will be more motivating.)
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Waterfowl and Epiphytes first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with occasional rain. Temperatures in the low 40s and light winds.
I went out to Starrigavan this afternoon. Connor had seen Herring Gulls there yesterday, so I thought I would see if they might be around.
Gull numbers were down from what I had seen on previous days. (It seemed like bird and whale activity off Harbor Point was also not what it had been. Perhaps the herring had moved elsewhere.)
I ended up poking around on the beach a bit by Old Sitka State Historical Park. Though similar in coloring during the winter, Rock Sandpipers are significantly smaller than Surfbirds
Among the 25+ Black Turnstones there were two Surfbirds and a Rock Sandpiper.I didn’t find any Herring Gulls among the 50-100 I saw on the beach.
My biggest curiosities of the day came from looking at barnacles.Several of them had black ball-like growths on them. At first I thought it might be Collemopsidium, a lichen that grows on shells in the intertidal. However, when I’ve seen it before, I don’t think the black bits were so large (though maybe some were).
At first I thought the dark blobs might be a lichen, but now I'm thinking they're probbly a green algae (seaweed).
When reviewing my pictures at home, I noticed they appeared to be a very dark green (one showed green where thin enough for light to pass through). I probably need to go back and collect some to section and look at under a microscope. I noticed patches of orange on many barnacles. I suspect it's iron oxide stain, but if so, I'm not sure why its so patchy. For that reason, I wonder if it might be due to a lichen or some other biotic cause.
The second barnacle curiosity was orange patches on the surface of many shells. It’s possible it’s some sort of iron-oxide staining, but if so, I wonder why it’s so patchy. Another possibility I’m considering is that it’s a lichen (or perhaps a thin film/crust of algae or bacteria).On this day in 2017, I did a review of the first month of the big year project. I felt like I was going pretty hard that year, and had made it up to 99 species (in the end, it ended up being 111 species and 130 unique taxa for the month as more got identified to species.
In contrast, I’ve felt like I’m taking a comfortably steady approach and am up to 125 species with 147 unique taxa.
It’s a similar story with the Sitka observations as a whole. We have 474 observations with 256 unique taxa this year. In 2017 it was 569 observations, but only 228 unique taxa.
For me personally, I attribute this to knowing more of my neighbors (and knowing them better) now than I did then. Another contributing factor was my decision in early 2021 to start and maintain a streak of making early observations. I don’t think anyone else locally is keeping a streak of daily observations, but I do believe several of us have improved our knowledge of the organisms we share this area with, and that’s reflected in a greater diversity of species being observed.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Old Sitka Beach Curiosities first appeared on Sitka Nature.
I call this junco White Cheeks. I first noticed it last winter.
Overcast and calm. Temperatures in the lower 40s with occasional rain, mostly later in the day.
Both cheeks have white patches.
Early this afternoon white cheeks the junco was in the yard. I was able to get some photos. I imagine white cheeks is a regular visitor, but I’m not always watching the yard.I spent some time this afternoon sitting at the kelp patch pullout. I did see the Fox Sparrow again, but wasn’t able to get a picture. It stayed too far back in the bushes and kept moving enough that I couldn’t get focused fast enough for even a partially obstructed shot.
This morning I saw on a comment left on an observation I posted recently. Following up on it, I realized I had misidentified a moss I had found last year, and continued the same mistake this year. This observation (and the first one) were both from Thimbleberry Lake Trail. I had also seen what I believed to be the same species on Japonski Island, so I decided to return there today.
I now think the moss is Orthotrichum pulchellum, a small moss (even by moss standards). It’s been easy for me to forget just how small it is when I’m mostly looking at the macro photos of it. Today I took a picture with scale (a quarter) that helps.At both locations I found the moss growing on elderberry. I wouldn’t be surprised if it grows on other shrubs. Perhaps now that I have a better sense of it, I’ll find it more often.
The first of three piles of feathers. The orange tips made me think it was likely to be a Varied Thrush
While poking around in the bushes at the end of Seward Avenue, I noticed some feathers on the ground. Stepping forward for a better look, I saw a few more a couple of feet away. These included wing feathers, and I confirmed my suspicion they were Varied Thrush. I saw a third pile on a rock a few feet away. In the second pile of feathers, I found a few primaries.
The piles were in locations that were reasonably consistent with my memory of where I saw the Sharp-shinned Hawk (from the other side of the patch of bushes) a few days ago. I wouldn’t have guessed the hawk had something as large as a Varied Thrush based on what I saw when it flew. However, the feathers didn’t look very old, and it seems somewhat unlikely that two kills would have taken place at the exact same location in a short period of time.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Some of Our Smaller Neighbors first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with rain. Calm winds with temperatures in the 30s. Snow level down to near 1200 feet.
With a return to rainy weather, I found it easier to stay at at home for more of the day.
It’s just as well, since I had some bureaucratic stuff to deal with (some stuff mixed up) that kept me on the phone for much of the morning.
Fortunately I was still able to work on photos and upload observations. I made progress on August observations from last year. It will take a fair bit more time to get through what remains of that month, but I think September will go faster.
I drove out to Starrigavan this afternoon. Gulls were once again out on the beach. This time I took a picture, but didn’t go out on the beach for a closer look.
I didn’t see whales from Harbor Point today, but sea lions were still active. A dozen or two murres were out out further than I cared to take pictures of.
A Bald Eagle perched in a tree right by the pullout. Bedraggled looking in the rain, it seemed to be keeping an eye on the goings-on out on the water.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Gray and Wet first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny through the morning, becoming overcast by later in the afternoon. Calm winds, temperatures in the 30s.
Kitty is nearing 1000 species for Sitka in iNaturalist, so we went out today to see about getting some species she didn’t have.
Although the Sandhill Crane was reported by someone within the past couple of days, I have not seen it at Moller Park for at least a week. It wasn’t there today.
Lesser Scaup (in the channel) and Peltigera neopolydactyla were easy pickups on Japonski Island (since I had observed both recently and knew where to find them).
I suspect this crow is one I've been seeing for over a year..
While at the channel, I got pictures of the crow with a deformed bill. I will try to remember to go through my photos of the last 1-2 years and see whether I can confirm that I’ve been seeing the same crow for that long. I first remember seeing one with a crossed bill. I think this is the same bird, though the upper part broke off.
It was cool in the shade, but a pleasant walk around the Estuary Life trail at Starrigavan.There was a larger flock of gulls out on t75he tide flats than I’ve been seeing lately. The harsher midday light and the distance dissuaded me from working to hard to look them over.
Driving back towards town I spotted a whale blowing. I pulled off at Harbor Point to watch for a bit.
I was surprised to see a blow right along the shoreline below. Although the tail lifted up, I hopped out of my car in case it might come up again where I could see.
Moments later I noticed bubbles coming to the surface.
I had just watched a whale dive with tale coming out, so was surprised to see bubbles coming to the surface in a line moments later
They were followed by a whale emerging for a breath.
This surfacing also ended with the tail coming up.
I didn't see the first whale tail good enough to say whether this was the same whale showing its tail flukes twice in short order, or a second whale
I’m uncertain whether it was the same as the first whale, but given how close they were and the fact that the tail came up both times, I’m leaning towards thinking they were different.
I’ve not often been in a position to see what’s going on in the moments before a whale surfaces. I know when bubble feeding bubbles come to the surface before the whales do. I am curious if what I saw this time is something that happens during regular surfacing-to-breathe cycles, or if it was not typical (and if so, why was the whale doing it?).
We had five at ultimate this evening. Conditions were calm and chilly. We tossed a disk around for awhile, but no one was feeling too ambitious about playing a small game, so we called it good at playing catch.
After yesterday’s hike, I wasn’t going to be surprised if I felt sore today. I did feel a bit stiff, but no real soreness.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Harbor Point Whale first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2023/20230129_KCAW_SITNAT_Brian_Buma_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The January 29th show featured a conversation with Brian Buma. Originally recorded and aired in fall 2021, in this conversation we spoke about his work on cedar decline, landslides, and some of the challenges understanding ecological processes over broad distances and long time scales.
Learn more about his work at brianbuma.com
His book Atlas for a Changing Climate is available on Amazon, and other booksellers]
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #281 – Brian Buma (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear, calm, and cool. Overnight lows officially were only down to around freezing, but it was certainly at least a colder at my house. Officially it got up to 45F today, though I think places without direct sun probably didn’t see that anything so high.
A distinctive spruce with three major supports. The gap underneath is around 4ft high
I was reminded recently of a spruce I call the tripod tree that grows well up Indian River valley. I’ve been by it at least a couple of times since I first noticed it on a hike with my brother nearly 20 years ago. The last time I visited was early 2015, and I thought it was time for a return.With the pleasant weather, today seemed like a good time to make the trip.
I headed out shortly after noon with the intention of being back in time to catch the sunset.
I made good time (30 minutes) up to the first bridge. From there I left the trail. I made my way through the forest mostly following a mix of hunter and game trails. It’s not very brushy, but there are plenty of fallen trees of varying ages as well as very wet low areas which can be annoying.
The streams were flowing higher than I would have guessed, especially the west fork tributaries. We did have some heavy rain earlier in the week. Early Wednesday the Indian River gauge peaked at over 25ft. It was back down below 22ft today, and continuing a slow downward trend. I imagine there is still plenty of water moving down through the ground (especially if it was warm enough to melt a fair bit of snow – which I think it probably was).
It took me an hour to make it up to the tripod tree. I was not 100% sure I would be able to find it at all. I knew roughly where it was, and once I got to that area, it seemed familiar. I did not have any trouble getting to it. Much shorter after the top broke off about 10 years ago, the big hemlock is still alive
On the way down I went by the big hemlock. It is much shorter than when I first saw it (on the same 2004 trip with my brother). The top was broken off by late 2013. I’m not sure if it happened that fall, or maybe the year before.Despite the damage, it still appears to be alive. There are two or three large branches below the break that support many additional smaller branches with green needles.
I mostly kept moving throughout the journey. If I had more time, I’m sure I would have poked around a bit more and seen what I could discover. Instead I just paused briefly for a few things that caught my eye as I walked.
Snakeskin Liverwort (*Conocephalum conicum*) has a sporophyte in development
One of my pauses was for an extensive area covered in Conocephalum. Last fall I had trouble finding enough of it to collect for use in a natural history class. I remembered seeing larger patches, but I didn’t remember where. I got my answer today.I was interested to see sporophytes are already starting to develop on the Conocephalum.
At one point on my way back down the valley, I found it expedient to crawl on a gravel bar under a log that had fallen across the stream. Fortunately I noticed some alder nodules and wanted to make an observation right after that. My phone had come out of my pocket, and I have no idea when I would have noticed otherwise (nor if I would have figured out where it had come out). My legs were definitely feeling it, but I did make it back in time for sunset.
I briefly considered walking out to the beach at the park for a picture of the lighthouse with the sunset. I decided the clouds didn’t seem promising for a good picture there, but it was probably just as much that I didn’t feel like walking out there with tired legs.
I did go up on the bridge. I appreciated the look of the sun as it set behind thin clouds. No green flash, but it has moved much further north. Still a ways to go before it gets to Vitskari Rocks, though. The hike was a bit over 6 miles. There was not any significant uphill, but going over and under logs isn’t as easy straight trail walking. I haven’t been as active enough to stay in decent condition, and I felt it. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m a bit sore tomorrow.
I didn’t go try for more comet pictures tonight. If it’s still clear enough tomorrow I might give it one more try. I felt like I could use the rest (and wanted to make more progress on getting more of last year’s observations into iNaturalist, and publishing photojournals from this year).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Revisiting Old Friends first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy this morning, becoming partly cloudy to mostly clear later in the day. Calm winds and temperatures into the 40s.
View from the Listening Place at Thimbleberry Lake
I went out to Thimbleberry Lake this afternoon.I stepped off the trail not far before it starts going more significantly uphill beyond the lake.
I was curious about the amount of fresh rock deposited in the forest. Clearly much water had been flowing in order to transport the rock. However, there was no water there today, and a nearby channel was not immediately apparent to me.
Much freshly deposted rock alongside this water course
I did find the channel and saw where it overflowed and spilled out. I’m still impressed at how much rock it took with it. One of these days maybe I need to get out during a heavy rain event and see if I can find something like this happening. I’m curious just how much water it takes to move the fist-sized and larger rocks. No water is currently running through where this rock has been deposited. The orange flag was one of several I saw mostly hung near the water course
I saw several flags, which made me a little curious. I was also curious about the stream channel, which the flags seemed to be close to. Given the stream channel, it wasn’t clear why so many flags were placed. It’s not the first time I’ve wondered about the mindset of someone who has put flags out. Deeper than it looks in the picture, this channel was clearly relatively newly scoured. There was not any moss or other growth on the banks, and roots were exposed where the dirt had been stripped away.
My curiosity was piqued when I came to a deeply carved channel the stream was flowing through. What surprised me was how fresh it looked. None of the banks had any sort of growth on them. In some places roots were hanging out where the dirt had been washed away. A short distance from the more freshly cut channel, I found what appears to be an older channel. There's enough stuff growing here, that it makes me think it's been dewatered for longer than I would have guessed the new channel had scoured out.
I poked around a bit and not far away found what I presume to be the old channel. I continued up to where the new and old joined. A little higher I noticed what might have been an even older channel. I’m assuming the flags were marking someone’s route for hunting. Sometime I might go back and see about going up the hill. If I went all the way up, I would come out somewhere in the vicinity of Picnic Rock or the saddle nearby.
The sun was dropping low, and this stump seemed to glow in the warm light
By the time I turned around, I saw I was going to have trouble making it to see the sunset. If clouds cooperated, it should have been possible to get the sun setting behind the lighthouse, but I wasn’t in time to confirm. Possibly an Erioderma
While wandering my way up the hill, I did find a rare lichen. A small branchlet with a lichen on it was laying on the mossy forest floor and caught my eye. I took some photos and put it in a collection bag. Erioderma sorediatum is one I had found once before. At first I didn’t remember it, but after getting home, it came to mind. I was able to confirm (to my ability) that’s what it was. [Update: I heard from someone much more knowledgeable than I that it looked a bit different than E. sorediatum, but he wasn’t sure what it is, so I’ll probably send the collection of for further study. Could turn out to be E. sorediatum afterall, or perhaps something even more unusual.] I was intrigued by the different growth form when I saw it. Unlike anything I had seen before. A cmment on my iNaturalist observation suggested this may be feeding sign by an insect (Caurinus tlagu). This still raises the question of how that would result in this growth form
I also noticed a liverwort with an odd growth pattern. It’s apparently a Scapania. I don’t know if it was something particular about this clump, or if it might be characteristic of a species. Generally speaking, Scapania can be a challenging group to ID. [Update: after posting on iNaturalist, I learned others have found similar growth on S. bolanderi, an abundant forest liverwort. One person thought it is due to grazing by an insect that likes to live on/among this species. In this area it would be Caurinus tlagu, though there’s a different species further south.]
Clear skies this evening inspired me to get out and try for pictures of the comet. Comet c/2022 E3 (ZTF) is visible as a fuzzy green blob behind the hazy clouds just up and to the left of center
In the darker area away from street lights I could barely see there was something there in my binoculars. However my camera picked it up reasonably well. Star (and comet) trails captured during a 4 minute 45 second exposure
I enjoy night photography, but don’t do much of it. Conditions are not often conducive for it around here. I’m not as skilled at the techniques as might be helpful, so it can be a challenge to get results I’m happy with. Even so, I get a certain amount of satisfaction with just the basic documentation I’ve managed. Perhaps at some point I’ll get a setup that allows the camera to move with the stars, allowing for much longer exposures which can better reveal deep sky objects.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Woods Wandering and Comet Chasing first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with drizzle this morning. Clouds lifting and even breaking up a bit this afternoon and letting the sun through.
Yesterday’s high of 53F (which happened in the middle of the night) set a record for the day. Today’s record is also 50F, but it doesn’t look like we reached it.
I drove around a bit this afternoon, but spent the bulk of my time on Japonski Island.
I arrived at Sealing Cove as a flock of crows flew in. They landed at a place where folks have been tossing bird seed for smaller birds. I had previously thought they wouldn’t really go into the bushes looking for food. I was wrong. At least about the bushes at this location. Perhaps in places where they are thicker, it might serve as a deterrent. The main problem with crows discovering a feeding station is they gobble up a lot of food quickly. It’s difficult (and expensive) to make sure there’s some out for smaller birds when crows are going for it.
I went back out Seward Avenue to look over the rock outcrops I had wanted to look at yesterday.
Nothing really caught my eye, and I decided to walk down to the shoreline.
I had left my big camera in the car to look at the outcrops. It would have been in the way, and I was parked right next to them. I decided to leave it in the car when I went down to the shoreline.
I guess it was time to reinforce the lesson that I should always have my camera with me.
I noticed a movement in the trees off to my right as I got down to the edge of the beach. Looking closer, I saw it was a raptor, probably a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
It seemed to have something, but I couldn’t really be sure.
I went back for my camera. While on the way, the bird flew past and up over the slope and into the forest. On its flyby, I saw enough to be reasonably confident it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk and that it had caught a smaller bird.
It didn’t look like it had gone too far into the forest, so I grabbed my camera and found a reasonable way into the woods.
Walking up the hill, I saw it fly off again from further up. I saw the direction it went, but not where it ended up.
Since I was already up there, I decided to explore the second growth patch of forest a bit. Once up on the hill, the forest opened up a bit. Based on a couple lean-to type structures I saw, I suspect it’s been cleaned out a bit over the years by folks gathering wood to make shelters and/or burn in a fire.
This shelter appears to be recently built based on the hemlock needles still green on branches, and fresh looking cut ends of the wood
One of the shelters seemed quite fresh. Hemlock needles were still on the branches, so certainly parts of it had been constructed in the past few months. It’s easily accessible from both the Coast Guard base and SEARHC campus, so I suspect someone(s) from one or the other was practicing shelter making.
Wider angle photo taken with cell phone
Going a little further, I noticed a fairly well-travelled path. The sun had come out and was casting nice light through the trees.When I grabbed my camera, I left my backpack. I didn’t figure I would have much use for the other lenses. I was mistaken.
Taken with 100mm lens
It would have been handy to be able to switch from my telephoto zoom to a wider lens to capture the nice light on the trail. I took a couple pictures with my cell phone. I was able to back up a bit to get one with the lens I had. It turned out okay, but I think would have been better had I been able to stand closer (a tree was in the way from further back).Coming out of the Beak this evening, I saw the crescent moon and stars. Arriving home I could see the big dipper and Polaris, so got out my binoculars to look for the comet that’s visible these days.
It’s not very dark at my house, but I was able to see a hint of the comet through binoculars if I looked out of the side of my eye.
I drove out as far as Harbor Mountain Road and found it too cloudy that way. Japonski Island had clouds in the way as well. I tried a couple other places as well, but the only place I checked that did not have clouds in the way was at my house. It’s supposed to be more clear tomorrow, so I’ll probably try to get out earlier in the evening.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Japonski Island Forest first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with occasional rain and drizzle. Fairly calm winds. Temperatures in the upper 40s to lower 50s.
Overnight I woke up a couple times to heavy rain, but by daylight it had let up.
After getting up this morning, I mostly worked on pictures and photojournals.
I’m getting closer to caught up with January. If I can manage a similar effort, I could be caught up by the weekend.
This afternoon I went over to Japonski Island to poke around a bit. Three birds I’ve not yet seen this year were reported this morning. I didn’t have much hope for the Peregrine Falcon (which was reported as a fly-over), but thought the flicker and Bohemian Waxwing were a possibility.
I had a call for part of the time. Between that and the drizzle, I mostly stayed in my car and watched.
While on my call, I kept an eye on the hawthorne tree at Sealing Cove. It was probably 30 minutes after I started watching that I saw the waxwing up on a wire above the tree. I suspect it had been on the far side of the tree the whole time. (I didn’t check the tree carefully when I arrived.)
At the channel I was a little surprised to see a good-sized flock of Barrow’s Goldeneyes down towards the Coast Guard dock. I’ve seen as many as a handful in the channel earlier in the season, but there were 25 in this flock.I drove down Seward Avenue with the idea that I would stop and look at some mosses on one of the outcrops at the end. Someone was parked in their vehicle there, so I decided not to stop.
On the left is *Peltigera neopolydactyla* and on the right *P. membranacea*
Instead I stopped at an outcrop a little further up the road. Instead of attending to the rocky part, I got distracted by well developed Peltigera growing on a mossy slope adjacent to the road. P. membranacea and P. neopolydactyla were growing together. This made a nice opportunity to compare them. In the field, it didn't seem like this Peltigera had veins, so I wasn't sure what it was.
While I was there, I noticed another one that seemed a little different. The color of the others was variable, but none seemed quite as green as this one. It also was much more consistently showing the white underside where the margins were curled over a bit. When I looked underneath, I was struck by the lack of veins. I’m not sure, but I think it might be P. malacea. I’ve not knowingly seen P. malacea though it’s possible I have pictures that remain unidentified. When I first saw this, veins weren't apparent. After a piece I brought home had dried a bit, I could see there were broad veins and decided this was P. neopolydactyla (perhaps just a younger part)
I brought a piece home, and after it had dried, I could see there were actually broad veins. I’m pretty sure it is P. neopolydactyla. Perhaps it’s a younger part.I was able to complete getting my July observations into iNaturalst. I’ve now started on August. I’m up to 944 species from Sitka with an additional 19 from elsewhere in the state. I’ll easily surpass 1000 for the year in Alaska. It’s a little less clear to me whether I will make it for Sitka, but I think I probably will.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Japonski Island Birds and Lichens first appeared on Sitka Nature.
As yet unidentified lichen
Heavy overcast with rain through much of the day. Temperatures in the 40s.
When I arrived at the kelp patch turnaround this afternoon, I was a little surprised to see a Horned Puffin sitting on the water not too far out. It didn’t stay for long, but I was able to get a documentary photo.
The rain was sufficient to discourage me from trying to do too much out in the weather (it becomes difficult to see and photograph things through wet lenses).
I don't remember noticing *Platismatia glauca* could get so frilly
I did pick up a branch and was curious about a frilly lichen that I think is Platismatia glauca. I mostly think of them having broader leaf bits, which this one also had. I intially mistook this for a strange looking Parmelia because there are bits of that species growing around the margin of the main lichen. The color is surprisingly similar.
I stopped by Sealing Cove and checked out lichens on one of the planted apple trees. One I thought looked like a strange Parmelia. It turned out to be a Physcia. I think I was thrown off a bit by little bits of Parmelia growing along the margin. After it was pointed out to me on my iNaturalist observation, I understood why it wasn’t really fitting in with my expectations. I think the first Long-tailed Duck I've seen on land
At the channel a Long-tailed Duck was sitting at the edge of the ramp preening. I think it’s the first one I’ve seen on land.
I’m down to one day left in July to finish uploading observations.
It was a nice surprise to see a caddisfly visiting the porch light on this January evening
When I stepped out on the porch late this evening, I was surprised to see a caddisfly had been attracted to the light. I’ve not been checking every evening, but when I have, I’ve not found anything in several weeks.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Lichens in the Rain first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with rain. Temperatures in the 40s.
I didn’t get out until this afternoon. I had a call this morning, and then decided to wait until after lunch. The weather was more amenable to poking about outside in earlier, but I didn’t have the daylight to see if it might lighten up a bit.
Had I remembered tonight was a negative tide (with an atmospheric push, it got down to below -3ft), I might have been less motivated to get out in the rain this afternoon.
Probably brought down in a recent wind event, this hemlock branch was host for several epiphytic lichens, mosses, and liverworts
After a stop at the kelp patch pullout, I followed up on my desire to revisit a fallen hemlock branch I had checked out at the path of hope yesterday.With magnifying lenses I was better able to see the various lichens, mosses, and liverworts on the branch.
*Caurinus tlagu* was described as a new species only a few years ago
I noticed a small insect on a lichen. It was still while I took photos. I recognized it as Caurinus tlagu, a species I’ve only found once before. That time it came out of a liverwort collection I had made. It was a nice surprise to find this one in the field.
I revisted the lichen that appeared to be infected by a fungus. Today I took better photos and made a collection, in case it ends up being useful for someone. A comment I made in my 2017 photojournal for this day caught my attention. I noted were it not for the big year project, I probably would have just stayed inside. Over the past couple of years, since I decided I would make an observation each day, I haven’t considered the possibility of staying inside all day. Even when I had covid last summer, I went outside for a few minutes to make observations in the yard. I guess that’s the motivating power (for me, at least) of a streak.
I’ve not seen the Sandhill Crane at Moller Park recently. Nor have I seen any reports in ebird. The last report is mine from the 19th. Hopefully it’s just hanging out elsewhere for a bit, or has decided to move on. That seems nicer than the other likely possibility that a predator of some sort got it, or it has starved.
A bit of ice did remain on Swan Lake today, I guess maybe 25-35 percent of the surface. Five swans were there. I suspect ones that have been at Totem Park.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Investigating a Hemlock Branch first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and breezy. Temperatures in the upper 30s rising to the low 40s late in the day. Occasional rain the morning with more steady rain in the afternoon. Heavy rain late this evening. Snow levels dropped down to near 1000 feet.
I didnt get out until early afternoon. By this time, it was raining, and the light was dim.
Swan Lake is down to maybe half covered in ice. With the wind, rain, and 40+ temperatures this evening, I wouldn’t be surprised if much or all of the remaining ice is gone tomorrow.I went by the Path of Hope to check the upper end of the lake for birds. I didn’t see much other than Mallards.
Possibly infected by a lichenicolous fungus, this *Hypogymnia* is breaking down
While there, I took pictures of a liverwort and a couple of lichens plus a lichenicolous fungus (which I’ll probably need to go back and collect). All were on a hemlock branch that had fallen down. I’m not sure if it happened in the most recent wind or before that. I continued to make progress on uploading photos and publishing photojournals from this year. I’ve now finished up through the 12th.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Discoveries on (Another) Gray Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with showers. Breezy, with temperatures in the low 40s and dropping later in the day.
As forecast, the winds died down overnight. Yesterday evening folks posted on Facebook places where winds had damaged things downtown. A street light, harbor sign, and shop window all were taken out.
Lichenicolous Fungus on *Parmelia* - possibly *Nesolechia oxyspora*
I went out to south Halibut Pont rec this afternoon. There was enough chilly wind coming off the water that I didn’t spend too long poking around for epiphytes.
I enjoyed the dramatic lighting while was there.I stopped to watch waves at Sandy Beach. The tide was falling and well off the high.
This was the last surfer on the water catching the last wave before coming in
The surfing waves are best when the tide is higher. Despite the waves rolling in, the last two surfers gave it up while I was watching. That didn’t stop some young kneeboarders from heading out into the surf coming in over the sandy part of the beach.I didn’t see any birds on a brief stop at Sealing Cove.
I delivered another bird calendar today. I have one person who ordered left to hear from about where to drop it off.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Breaking Clouds and Waves first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Plus one Rock Sandpiper
Overcast and windy, with plenty of rain. Temperatures up to 50F.
As the day went on yesterday, temperatures increased into the upper 40s. Overnight they continued to stay high (for the season), and became even a bit warmer as the wind brought warm air from the south.
This morning saw rain with moderate gusty winds. We had a break in the rain early in the afternoon. The winds picked up, and became strong later in the afternoon. Heavy rain started this evening.
The buoy data is not transmitting full set of weather data (nor photos), but it is still showing wave heights. Seas pushed close to 30ft this evening.
I went out around midday and stopped by Sage Beach to see if shorebirds might be on the rocks.
The tide was an hour or so past high. However, it was still probably around the 11ft level or so. Today’s weather pushed the 11+ predicted high over 12ft.
A mixed flock of Surfbirds and Black Turnstones was resting on the rock. I thought I spotted one Rock Sandpiper. I was able to get pictures to confirm it before they all took off and flew away. I think they were startled by three crows flying over, but I’m not sure. White patches on its neck make this bird distinctive. I've regularly seen it at Sawmill Cove this winter
Conditions were calmer in Silver Bay when I went out that way. I saw the Pelagic Cormorant with white patches on its neck in Sawmill Cove again.I didn’t plan to head out again after lunch. However, the rain had stopped and it seemed nicer out. I also had calendars to deliver, so drove out Halibut Point Road.
With my focus on the calendars, I had forgotten to bring my camera. I wasn’t able to get pictures of the whale I saw off Harbor Point. Nor could I try and see if the eagle that swooped down to the water caught something.
This afternoon at sunset, after a gray day it turned to color. There must have been a break in a higher level of clouds that allowed the sunset colors to develop. The red/pink light filtering through the lower level clouds seemed closer to lavender or purple. A break in the low clouds allowed me to see the higher pink clouds. Light reflected off them and through the low clouds appeared purple a few minutes earlier
Low clouds were nearly continuous over my neighborhood, but I did get a brief look through a small whole that opened up.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Then There Was Color first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and rain. Not as windy as forecast had called for. Temperatures in around 40F. Snow level down to under 1000 feet.
I spent part of the morning processing the dead spruce twig I brought home yesterday. It had several lichens and a liverwort or two that I want to investigate further. I didn’t make it to investigation, but did get it cut up into more manageable pieces while discarding parts that I didn’t need.
This afternoon I went out to Sawmill Cove for the first time in at least a few days.
During my time there, I saw the usual ducks, cormorants, and gulls in/around the cove. Further out at least a handful of Common Murres. I also saw a lone sea lion. It may have been resting, as it didn’t seem very active. The Sandhill Crane is continuing at Moller Park. The coot at Swan Lake continues its apparent absence.
I got nice looks at sparrows at Sealing Cove, and stopped briefly by the channel (where I didn’t notice anything unexpected).I spent chunks of time today working through photos from last July. I uploaded 168 observations, and only have three days left to finish up the month. My bout of covid that month meant I wasn’t so active for about half of it. August will likely not go quite as fast.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Gray Bays and Days first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with a bit of sun this morning, becoming overcast with some rain this afternoon.
High tide was this morning. I thought I might want to visit Magic Island or elsewhere along the shoreline. Instead of heading out when I was tempted by the nice light this morning, I waited until after lunch.
On the plus side, I made good progress on processing photos and uploading observation from last July. On the other hand, the weather this afternoon was a bit less inspiring.
When I made it out the road, several cars were parked at the south Halibut Point Rec lot. The tide was also still too high to get to Magic Island without getting my feet wet. Instead of stopping, I went all the way out to Starrigavan.
From Harbor Point (or maybe a little before), it appeared there was some lingering slush on the road. This surprised me a bit, but I later learned there had been something like freezing rain at Starrigavan early in the day. I’m not sure if it was actual freezing rain, or a rain shower followed by clearing which allowed the water on the ground to freeze.
Possibly *Frullania*
I visited the small high water island at Old Sitka. My primary interest there was epiphytic mosses and lichens. There are plenty on some of the branches. I brought one dead branch home with me. It will take a bit of processing to get photos and decide what to put in collection bags for possible further work. If you're feeling ambitious, see if you can find the Rock Sandpiper in the flock of Surfbirds
On my way back in, I did stop at the rec to see if there might be some Surfbirds. I didn’t notice any on the beach, but did happen to catch a flock flying by. Reviewing my photos carefully, I found one Rock Sandpiper in the mix. Both were new birds for the year.I ended up going down a bit of a rabbit hole with Atriplex this evening. I may ultimately write up a full post on what I currently understand, and the questions that I have. For now, I just wrote an extended comment on an observation I added from last July.
The coot at Swan Lake hasn’t been reported since Sunday. I haven’t seen it on the peninsula where it’s normally been when the lake is mostly frozen. Perhaps enough has opened up along the margins that is spending time elsewhere?
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Lichens and Liverworts first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Cloudy and breezy with periods of rain. Temperatures in the 40s, dropping to high 30s this evening.
This afternoon I went for a walk around Totem Park.
Had I left earlier, I could have avoided some rain.
I checked out where a large spruce had been cut down between Oja and Etolin Streets. It’s changed the view there a bit. I have previously noticed birds perching in that tree on many occasions. Now they’ll presumably use the smaller (though still not small) pine trees that remain.
While walking toward it, I caught sight of a bird flying up and away to my right. It was the Townsend’s Solitaire. I think it had been in a hawthorne tree, but I’m not sure.It was quiet bird-wise on the water. Perhaps they were hanging out elsewhere because of the gusty winds. They had diminished a bit by this afternoon, but they were still pushing up waves on Crescent Bay.
Maybe *Ochrolechia oregonensis*
I was glad to get to the forest at the park. The rain hadn’t been sufficient for there to be dripping, so it was still relatively dry and out of the wind.
I spotted the female Hooded Merganser that’s been reported from time to time in the park this year. Conditions weren’t good for photos, but that didn’t stop me from getting a documentary shot.
As I was leaving the park, I noticed skies brightening over the water. The rain had let up while I was in the forest. I thought the brighter skies might mean at least a brief spot of clearing.
What I didn’t anticipate was an even heavier rain than had been falling earlier coming in advance of the clearing. On the upside, I did get to see a rainbow as I got close to home.I forgot to mention yesterday a young child (maybe between 4 and 6 years old) at Moller Park who was interested in the Sandhill Crane.
The child appeared to be trying to walk toward the carefully, so as not to scare it. The crane was having none of that, and continuously walked away. Before long it flew off. The interaction reminded me of a time at the beach when Connor and Rowan (then 6 and 4) were trying to get better looks at shorebirds. Their manner of ‘carefully walking’ was very similar.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Rainy Day Bright Spots first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast without much rain (at least that I noticed). Fog early, but lifting by late morning. Fairly calm. Temperatures in the low 40s.
After a mild start to the year, the forecast is calling for stormy weather late this week. Temperatures associated with that are predicted to be in the mid 40s.
Although it’s been 3+ weeks since it was cold, I expect we’ll have at least one more good cold snap before winter is over.
Yesterday I heard from Karen J that herring had moved in by the north end of town. I didn’t see much out that way on a drive to Starrigavan. That was partly because visibility was low.
Today I noticed at least a couple of Humpback Whales between Halibut Point Rec and Middle Island. I suspect two that I saw off Harbor Point were different ones.
At Harbor Point I also saw a group of Steller Sea Lions right off the point. Bald Eagle with fish it had plucked from the water. Possibly a herring
Further out, an eagle swooped down and grabbed a fish. The fish was large enough I could see it in the picture. It seemed consistent with a large herring, but I’m not sure if there are other possibilities.
At the rec I noticed two related species of moss (Polytrichaceae) growing together. One was Polytrichastrum alpinum, and I’m not sure what the other one is. It was called a Polytrichum when I posted on iNaturalist, but I’ll need to do more work for a chance at coming up with a species name.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Wildlife Out the Road (Early Signs of Herring Season?) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast in the morning. Drizzle and low clouds arriving in the afternoon. Temperatures in the low 40s and calm.
Around midday, I went out to Whale Park with Kitty and walked out along the path there.
She wanted to see the dwarf mistletoe on the fallen hemlock that I had recently noticed.
We continued along further, but the arrival of a drizzle shower prompted a turnaround before we got to the big pullout area.
The clouds thickened and the gray day became dimmer, and even less conducive for photos.
With my on-going streak of writing daily photojournals (which is unbroken since 19 December 2020, now over 750 days – though most remain unpublished), I often find myself giving some thought to the photo part of the journal during the day.
It was getting later (relative to sunset). I had only taken three quick photos of different organisms with my cell phone during the walk out at Silver Bay. I wanted more to have for the photojournal, so I made a point of spending a bit more time out than I might have otherwise.
I was over at the channel and struck by how different the lighting was today compared to yesterday.
I also checked out some lichens on trees that are likely to disappear when a new Coast Guard dcok is built. I noticed what I think are lichenicolous fungi on a Ramalina and on Parmelia. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get a name for them, but that’s how it goes.This morning I caught up uploading the photojournal writing so far this year. I began publishing entries from the first of the year later this evening.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Motivation on a Gray Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with occasional rain. Light winds.
I didn’t do much outside today. It was a quick check of a couple feeding stations. I’ve run out of food, so haven’t been able to replenish lately. Probably as a result, there’s been less activity on my recent visits.
I made a brief stop at Sandy Beach. The tide was coming up, but hadn’t yet covered the higher zone where mussels and barnacles hang out. Recently I realized that I have far fewer observations of mussels than I might have guessed, given how common they are. I made sure to get an observation of them during my time at the beach.
Reviewing my photos and prior observations later, I discovered the scouring-pad algae (Endocladia muricata) is another common species I’ve hardly made note of. Prior to today (and pending completion of last year’s uploads), I had only observed it twice. Assuming I didn’t make any observations of it last year (which I don’t think I did), the last time was in 2017.Not long before sunset a small break in the clouds opened up to the southwest.
I happened to be checking out the channel from UAS at the time. It made for some nice light on the far side waterfront.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Afternoon Light at the Channel first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Partly cloudy into early afternoon, becoming overcast. Calm winds, temperatures in the low 40s.
Mostly clear skies this morning motivated me to get out. I took advantage of mobile technology to participate on scheduled calls while out and about.
Gulls were finding something to eat at the surface of the water
Out at the kelp patch pullout, I noticed a couple gull flocks that appeared to be in a bit of a feeding frenzy. While I watched, a Bald Eagle or two made a pass. It was enough to scatter gulls, but the eagle(s) didn't seem to find anything of interest
An eagle or two flew over and checked things out, but did not stick around.They gradually moved towards Sea Mart. The movement was not continuous. They would fly from one spot to another, then return near to where they had been. I am curious what they were finding.
I did not see any other diving and/or fish-eating birds in the mix. I suspect whatever the gulls were excited about was not fish. Perhaps krill?
I thought something might have washed ashore when I saw a group of gulls on the beach at Sandy Beach. When I checked where they had been (they left before I got there), I didn’t see anything.
Clouds to the southeast prevented direct sunlight until mid morning. It finally got high enough to brighten up the slopes of Mt. Edgecumbe.
I saw three White-throated Sparrows at Sealing Cove. Two were tan-striped and one White-striped. Over the past few weeks I’ve only seen one at a time, so it was interesting to have all three present at once.Early this afternoon I recorded a conversation for my radio show on Sunday.
Afterwards, I revisited the downed hemlock just past Whale Park. I had neglected to collect a lichen that turned out might be of particular interest.I got it, and ended up documenting and collecting several others.
Among them I picked up four Hypogymnia species which I think may all be different ones. I photographed two other species. One, H. hultenii is one I knew. The other I thought I might know, but now am thinking I should have collected it. It could be the same species as one that I did collect, but it isn’t immediately obvious to me that it is.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Morning Along Halibut Point Road first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy becoming overcast with occasional light rain. Calm winds.
This afternoon I drove out to Silver Bay.Sawmill Cove was quiet during the few minutes I spent watching there.
A few small groups of Common Murres were out on Silver Bay and into Eastern Channel. At couple were well transitioned into summer plumage.
This hemlock came down during one of the strong outflow events last November or December
I had previously noticed a downed hemlock outside the railing a bit beyond Whale Park.I parked at Whale Park and walked out to the hemlock.
I thought I might find some dwarf mistletoe, and then wanted to look for other epiphytes.
I was not disappointed on either count.Though easy to overlook on a first glance, I saw several sprigs of dwarf mistle growing from the branches. I’m curious what blooms and/or seeds look like. I suspect I would need to find it on an intact tree later in the year.
This lichen and another related one have distinctive holes in the underside
I investigated only one of the branches that had been near the top of the tree. A few lichens I recognized, and several others I did not. I photographed and collected a handful. I left with some intention to return and investigate further.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Lichens on a Downed Hemlock first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with temperatures in the lower 40s.
I devoted most of my morning activity to working on photos from last November. I was working both on culling and on processing to upload observations for iNaturalist.
I made some progress, and there’s a decent chance I’ll be able to finish up the October-November period within the next few days. Last January is also almost complete, but most days from February-September will need at least some attention.
I drove around to some bird locations after lunch, but wasn’t feeling too ambitious about it.
I did see a White-throated Sparrow along Edgecumbe Drive. I suspect it’s a different one than any that have previously been reported. It’s hard to say for sure, but I think there have been at least 9 different White-throated Sparrows in town this winter.
I noticed an informal little side trail at the Cascade Creek trailhead for the cross trail. It took me down to the creek.
The Cross Trail Bridge over Cascade Creek
I walked up the creek for a bit, before it got to an inconvenient place to pass. From there I climbed up the steep side and cut over to the main trail and back to my car.
I photographed a handful of species on this rock in Cascade Creek, including one that was new to me.
While along the creek I stopped and looked at mosses and liverworts. I focused my attention on a particular rock in the stream channel. I imagine during high water it has water over much of it. If so, it’s not been enough to scour the vegetation (though much of it was growing on the downstream side).
*Macrodiplophyllum flaccidum* was first described in 2016, it is reported to grow on rocks along streams. This is the first time I have found it
I had noticed on the satellite imagery this morning that it was clear to the south west. The clear area seemed to be following the clouds north, and I wondered if there might be an interesting sunset.
When I returned home an hour or so before sunset, clouds prevailed. There were some small breaks, however. As sunset approached, I noticed sunlight peaking through, so I decided to head down to the bridge.
As it turned out, there was a nice gap near the horizon that the sun was moving through. However, right at the horizon another layer of clouds (which satellite imagery suggests was ~45 miles distant) hung right at the horizon.
A different perspective
Even so, with light wind and temperatures well above freezing, I enjoyed my time and appreciated the colors after the sun dropped out of sight.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Mosses, Liverworts and a Timely Break in the Clouds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly clear early, becoming overcast by afternoon. During the transition to overcast, some dramatic clouds showed up to the south.
Light rain began midafternoon, with heavier rain this evening.
Outside time was limited for me today.
I checked Lance Drive and Indian River road in case I might see a Steller’s Jay or Northern Flicker. I did not.
At Eagle Way, I noticed three otters swimming directly towards where I stood above the shore. When they saw me watching them, they changed directions and headed towards the river mouth.
The channel and Sealing Cove were both quiet when I stopped by.
I did see the coot and two Wood Ducks on a slow drive by of the lake.
The Sandhill Crane was at Moller Park.
For the past few months I’ve not had fully functional software that I use to upload photos to my website. The page had an error. I was happy to see it functional today. I will find it much easier to upload photos to publish and update photojournals (which I intend to be do more consistently again).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Changing Weather first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and warm for the time of year. Temperatures into the low 40s.
When I looked outside this morning, I could see frost covering the ground. Temperatures overnight were likely significantly cooler at my house than the official low of 33.
With a call this morning, I didn’t get out until after lunch.
I drove around the industrial park and didn’t see the bunting. The cove didn’t have many birds when I looked, though I didn’t stay long.
I stopped along the road around Herring Cove to check out bryophytes on one of the roadside cliffs. I photographed and collected what I think may be as many as five species. I’ll need to do some additional work at some point if I want to get most of them identified.
On a stop by Totem Park, a couple of dippers were behaving somewhat aggressively towards each other. I got pictures of one as it stood on a rock below the foot bridge. It chattered in the direction of another dipper.A Fox Sparrow at the kelp patch pullout was a new year bird for me. So far I’ve managed to see a new bird each day of the year. That streak will certainly end soon.
The Brambling showed briefly while I watched near Sealing Cove. I walked up on the bridge for sunset. Clouds on the horizon kept me from seeing the sun drop below the horizon.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Warm (for January) Sunny Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and calm. Temperatures into the low 40s.
The official low overnight stayed above freezing. However, when I stepped outside this morning, I found frost on my car. It had nice feathery patterns, and I took a little time to take pictures of some.
Lucky Chance peaks rise up behind the end of Silver Bay
My first stop was the industrial park and Sawmill Cove. I did a couple of drive arounds of the park with a stop on the dock between. I don’t know if the Snow Bunting is still around, but I didn’t find it today.
I checked Totem Park for the Hooded Merganser, but didn’t find it. I did hear a Hairy Woodpecker, my second year bird of the day. (I heard Red Crossbills when I stepped out on the porch this morning.)
It looks like fall and winter high tides pushed seaweed up nearly to the trail
I ended up walking around the park before heading back to my car.
On an afternoon walk around Japonski Island, I didn’t see anything unexpected. I noticed a White-throated Sparrow calling from the bushes along the fence near the lagoon. The light was poor, but I was able to get a confirming photo when it perched near the top of a short hemlock.A second trip out to the industrial park did not turn up the bunting.
I didn’t have high hopes for the sunset. Haze and/or high clouds seemed to be present out to the west.
I headed down anyway. This was my first chance to see where the sun was setting since a couple of days before winter solstice.
As it turned out, the clouds had dissipated enough that the horizon itself was clear.
Sometimes a bit of green shows at the edge of the sun, though it can be difficult to see against the brightness of the sun
I’m glad I went. I got pictures of the best green/blue flash I’ve seen from the bridge. I still haven’t mastered how to get the best exposures, but they were good enough (and better than a couple of previous misses of green flashes).
A big challenge is the sun is still quite bright, even when only a tiny fraction of it is still showing. The green flash itself is bright enough to be blown out in the photo if it isn’t very under exposed. On the other hand, too under exposed and it looks like just a spot of color on a dark background.Sun disappears with the last light showing green then blueLots of folks were out and about today enjoying the unseasonably mild temperatures for a sunny day this time of year.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Winter Sunset with Green-Blue Flash first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy, becoming rainy in the afternoon. Gusty winds and temperatures near 50.
I went out to the industrial park this morning. This time it did not take as long to spot the Snow Bunting. I was able to get a couple of distant photos as it foraged along the side of the road.
Before long, it took off. I tried following it slowly in my car. It kept moving, and I quickly lost track of it.
I spent some time down on the dock. There were a handful of birds in the cove, including a Common Loon. Winds blowing out of the valley included some big gusts that shook the car and lifted spray off the water.
Coming back up from the dock I saw the bunting flying around again. I wasn’t able to see where it ended up. I drove around the loop a couple of times without any luck, and decided to go back towards town.
The Gavan Hill ibuttons were overdue for a check. I parked at Pherson Street and went up to take care of them.
Considering how little I’ve been getting up hill over the past few months, I felt like I made pretty good time. I paused a couple of times to catch my breath on the way up, but completed the round trip in about an hour. Perhaps the frown seen on the way up is a warning of the stairs to come
The forecast called for a fair bit of rain to come today. I decided to push back lunch.
I returned to the industrial park. Again it didn’t take long to initially spot the Snow Bunting again. It took off before I had a chance to park and watch it. It took several flights (with me attempting to locate where it landed, only to have it fly again) before it landed in a place that I could see it from the road and it was far enough back that it didn’t immediately fly off. The Snow Bunting picked up grass and worked them with its bill to get out seeds
This time I parked and watched. It actively foraged along the ground, grabbing last year’s grass stems and pulling off seeds. Possibly it was eating seeds of other plants as well.As I had hoped it might, it gradually came closer to the road. When I wasn’t moving, it seemed unconcerned with me in the car. When it skipped a little bit down the road behind me, I was able to back up very slowly without it taking off. I’m not sure if it had just gotten comfortable with the car, or if it just needed to be moving very slowly.
I was grateful no other cars came driving by while I was trying to get photos.
For a time the Snow Bunting sat still and looked ot the sky
I spent more than a half an hour watching it feed, and getting what pictures I could in the dim light.As I drove back in, a bit of rain started.
I made a stop at the park to check if a Hooded Merganser seen by the foot bridge might still be there. I didn’t find the merganser, but I did see a dipper upstream. It was my first of the year.
Today marked two complete years that I have at least one observation on iNaturalist each day. The last day I don’t have an observation was a busy gray January day. As I mentioned there, I had started thinking about getting photos each day. It was a bit later that I expanded that to an observation.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Snow Bunting Success first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with rain. Temperatures around 40. Light winds.
Calls this morning meant I didn’t get out until later.
I suspect this may a crow I've seen from time to time over the past couple of years. Maybe the first time it had an overgrown bill. On later occasions (such as this one) it had broken off.
After checking many of the usual places closer to town, I went out to the industrial park.I had recently posted on Facebook about some of the unusual birds that have been around so far this year. I also requested folks let me know if they had seen anything unusual.
I got one comment about a white bird out by Silver Bay Seafoods, but they weren’t able to get close to it for a good look.
Once I confirmed it was a land bird, I suspected Snow Bunting. This was my motivation for heading out.
On a pass around the industrial park, I didn’t see it. I did see a fire engine going slowly, and stopping for extended periods. Later it went around the loop a couple times with lights and sirens. I think it was a training session.
After watching from the dock, I checked for the bunting again. This time I parked along the loop and watched from a place where I could see fairly well.I caught sight of white song bird flying over a building across the park. The fire engine was on that side of the loop, so I opted to go out on Sawmill Creek Road.
It almost looked like the bird may have landed on the roof, so I walked up Blue Lake road far enough to be able to see. I didn’t see it there, nor did I refind it in the fading light.
I did consider the distant, brief view I got as sufficient to be fairly confident it is a Snow Bunting. The only other remotely plausible options that size and color would be McKay’s Bunting or an albino (or nearly so) bird.
Hopefully I will be able to find it and get conclusive looks plus photos in the coming days.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Quest for a White Song Bird first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with light to moderate winds. Temperatures in the 40s.
I didn’t spend much time outside today. Just made a round of checking for birds this afternoon. As the light was fading, I moved a car which meant a walk around Japonski Island.
Before heading out, I paused to watch the junco flock feeding in the yard. I was happy to see an American Tree Sparrow. I was pretty sure I had seen one the other day, but it was nice to confirm it with a clear view.I checked the Lance Drive and Eliason Loop areas while out. I was looking for a Steller’s Jay (one had been seen in that area this week, and I’ve seen a number of them around there before). I also checked for Eurasian Collared-Doves. They’ve become scarce in recent years, but lower Lance Drive neighborhood is a place where they’ve been seen more often than other areas.
I saw my first Pacific Loons of the year. Four of them were moving together, diving repeatedly as they made their way along. They were not too far off the shore by the kelp patch pullout.I spent most of my time this morning finishing up a calendar featuring mostly sunsets and moonsets. My mom had been interested in that as an alternative to the bird calendar I had already made (my dad has one of those, and they didn’t need two of them).
It featured pictures from 2022. Theoretically they’ll all get posted to this sight eventually. I’ll probably make a specific post like I did for the bird calendar, though.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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Overcast with occasional light rain. Temperatures in the low 40s.
Snow dropped a bit further on the mountains. Picnic Rock had fresh snow on it.
Hoping to pick up at least a couple of new birds for the year, I decided to walk down to the park.
Robins had eluded me so far, and at least a couple have been in the neighborhood recently. I started down Biorka Street. This would take a little out of my way for the park, but I would see more of the neighborhood.
Only a few steps down, I saw a bird fly across in front of me into mountain ash trees. It seemed about the right size for a robin. When I picked it out among the branches, I was surprised to see a Townsend’s Solitaire.
I flew down to a fence, and then disappeared.
Down at the harbor the Pied-billed Grebe was back near where it had been Monday. I took a couple pictures of it from the boardwalk. Perhaps not appreciating the attention, it started to take off. It then apparently changed its mind and went straight from near flight to underwater.
On return from the end of the boardwalk I noticed the grebe was near shore closer below the sidewalk part of the seawalk. I first saw the raven with a whole muffin started whole. A few minutes later, and some had disappeared. The rest was in two chunks. One partially down its throat, and the other in its bill
On my way out, I had noticed a raven with a full muffin. I had not given much attention, since I was more focused on the grebe. The same raven was still there, with part of a muffin in its beak. I first saw the raven with a whole muffin started whole. A few minutes later, and some had disappeared. The rest was in two chunks. One partially down its throat, and the other in its bill
Perched on the fence separating the sidewalk and playground, it seemed unconcerned with me. I was a little surprised that it sidled over my way. It came quite close as I took pictures. Finally I continued on to see about better pictures of the grebe, and it just let me walk by.One of my hoped for birds was a California Gull that was reported Sunday and Monday at the Park.
The tide was still too high for much beach to be exposed, so I didn’t hurry getting out to the end of the park.
By the time I reached the south point bench some gulls had started to show up on the shoreline. I sat and watched. As the tide continued to fall, more gulls arrived. They occasionally flushed and circled back to land on the newly exposed beach. I didn’t find a California Gull among them.
I took the trail up along the river hoping to catch sight or sound of a dipper. If one was along the stretch of river, I missed it.
A flock of juncos was in the cedar in front of Yaw Building on the SJ campus. I heard a couple in there and decided to pish. I was surprised to see a dozen or more pop out to look at me. It was getting late enough I considered the possibility they might have been in there to roost. It still seemed a little early for that, but they may have been gathering up in preparation to fly to roost.
On my way home, I crossed paths with DK, and we chatted while continuing on. He had seen the grebe in the harbor and was hoping to find the solitaire, so was curious where I saw it.
I ended talking to him for a bit outside my yard. In addition to visiting, I was holding out hope of seeing an American Tree Sparrow. I thought I saw one yesterday, but never had a very good look. A couple minutes later I saw a White-crowned Sparrow, and doubted original thought.
As it turned out, the extra time got me the robins I had been looking for. A pair of them flew up into the top of the tall spruce tree on the corner of Park St. and Biorka St.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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Overcast with temperatures in the 40s. Brighter skies and minimal rain relative to the past couple of days.
Despite a late night, I happened to wake up at and seem bright pink clouds out my window this morning. (Sunrise isn’t so early these days – when I looked at a clock, I saw it was already 8:30).
It was enough to get me out of bed to get at least a couple of photos. My view from the house was partially obstructed. I did not figure it would last long enough to be around by the time I got dressed and out to someplace with a better view. Plus I wanted to go back to bed.
I did make it out for a trip this afternoon. I didn’t have a lot of time before dark. I went out to Starrigavan and was able to see both the geese and a pair of Gadwall that have been there recently.At Halibut Point Rec I looked for the solitaire reported a week or two ago. There’s a good chance it’s moved on, but I figured it was worth a check.
In the already fading light, I walked around Totem Park hoping for a California Gull sighting.The biggest group of gulls (perhaps 50-75 total) flushed while I was still way up on the beach. Many of them didn’t return. Among those that did, I did not spot the California Gull that had been seen the past couple of days.
While I was out today (at the rec), my attention went to some moss on a tree. Hypnum circinale is a very common moss around here, and I often don’t give it a second glance. Today I noticed it, for whatever reason.
I briefly considered taking a picture, but it was on the shaded side of the tree. The light was too dim for a picture to turn out well.
However, the interaction reminded me that everything is new again. The first of the year is an arbitrary thing, but it serves as a refresh of sorts. I work on year lists of species (via iNaturalist).
A common speices, that I often walk by. However, at the beginning of the year, everything gets to be new again
When the year starts over, everything I see and choose to document is new to my list. For me it’s a nice way to infuse some novelty and help me remember to return to the familiar and have a bit of the new discovery experience.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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Common Murre in Sawmill Cove
Overcast with occasional rain. Calm with temperatures in the 40s.
Clouds were brighter this morning, and I thought about heading out right away. Instead I finished up my post on Monilinia. By the time I finished, it was lunch time.
I had hoped the skies would stay relatively bright (for an overcast day this time of year), but that’s not what happened.
By the time I ventured out early this afternoon, it was only slighter less dim than yesterday. On the plus side, winds were calm.
One Lesser Scaup in front with three Greater Scaups
Scaups were on the Japonski side of the channel today. This allowed me to confirm there were both Lesser and Greater Scaups in the mix (as expected).Folks were pulling boats out at Sealing Cove, so I didn’t stay there long.
Common Murres with a possible Thick-billed Murre on Silver Bay
At Sawmill Cove a Common Murre was actively diving near the dock. Much further out I saw many more murres. Among them I’m pretty sure I saw a Thick-billed Murre, and possibly two. They were too far out for very good photos, however. Brambling with red tootsie roll pop wrapper accent
On a second trip by Sealing Cove, the Brambling came through. It’s been over a week since I saw it (or any reports of it), so good to know it’s still around. Wood Duck at Swan Lake
I didn’t check on the crane today, but did see three Wood Ducks and the coot at Swan Lake.I had just arrived home and Connor informed me a Pied-billed Grebe had been reported. The location was not entirely clear, but based on the checklist location and description, we figured it must have been in Crescent Harbor.
Pied-billed Grebe in Crescent Harbor
I started at the end closest to town and walked the main float. Before I got to the far end, Connor let me know the grebe was there not far off the breakwater boardwalk.
I wonder how long the Pied-billed Grebe has been hanging around. Perhaps it’s regularly been in the harbor (I don’t know that folks have been looking there much). There’s a chance that it is one of the ones that had been at Swan Lake prior to it freezing over.
Given the low light, more than one of my grebe pictures was blurry. This was especially true when it started swimming. Although I did have some sharp photos, I decided to experiment with Topaz AI sharpening software (which I had recently upgraded. The result was not as good as having a sharp photo to start with. However, I was surprised with how well it did given the very blurry starting place.My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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Prompted by a request from Mary Willson for more information about a picture I took of Monilinia, I started to gather what I knew. It didn’t take long before I realized I would probably be better off just writing this post.
Some Context and ReferencesMonilinia species can have a fairly involved life-cycle, including mummified berries in the summer and apothecia (fruiting cups) in the spring. For more details, see this report on M. vaccinii-corymbosi, an economically significant challenge for commercial blueberry growers. We probably have different species of Monilinia in Southeast Alaska, but it seems likely the life-cycle is basically the same.
The fungal host database is a compilation of literature records of fungus/host relationships. In this case, I searched for fungus genus Monilinia with host family Ericaceae (there are Monilinia species which infect plants in other families, but what I’ve observed here makes me primarily interested in those infecting blueberries and other Ericaceous shrubs).
Based on host records from the host database, it looks like the following species would be a starting point for species that could occur in Southeast Alaska:
- M. cassiopes (host: Cassiope tetragona)
- M. ledi (hosts: Rhododendron tomentosum, Vaccinium uliginosum)
- M. megalospora (host: V. uliginosum)
- M. oxycocci (host: V. oxycoccos)
- M. urnula (host: V. vitis-idaea)
- M. vaccinii-corymbosi (several hosts reported among larger shrub blueberries, though none listed which occur in Southeast Alaska)
iNaturalist observations of Monilinia in Alaska
My ObservationsI’ve observed two (possibly three) stages of the cycle.
I can’t remember when I first was aware of mummy berries, but I suspect it goes back to my childhood. (I will try to remember to ask my dad if he remembers finding them when he was picking berries and update this when I find out.)
I first found the apothecia stage in mid-June 2009. It was in a muskeg well up Indian River valley. I noticed a small cup on the end of a long slender stalk. My notes with the photo suggest that I looked for a berry at the time but didn’t find one. I don’t remember how I got a name for them. Kitty LaBounty was with me, and may have told me the name at the time.
I next found one in a muskeg on 1 June 2012. This time I pulled apart the Sphagnum to find the berry from which the fruiting cup had grown. Based on the berry’s shape and long stem, I believe the host plant was bog cranberry (V. oxycoccos).
In 2017 I began to an effort to seek them out. In May I documented them in a low elevation muskeg. (I think the same as where I had seen it in 2012.)
Since I had previously seen mummy berries on Harbor Mountain, I made a point of going up there when the gate had opened. I found several which had parasitized V. cespitosum.
I found at least one that appeared to have parasitized copperbush (Elliottia pyroliflora) – though that species was not in the list of hosts of Monilinia spp in the fungal host database.
I found another that wasn’t associated with blueberry (the host fruit did not appear to be a blueberry, and there were no Vaccinium nearby). It may have grown from Harimanella stellariana or Cassiope mertensiana, which were both growing where I found the fungus.
In recent years I have had no trouble finding Monilinia in the spring. For low elevation muskegs, I go looking for them in May. Though I have found one as early as late March (this is the only one I’ve yet found growing on one of the taller blueberries).
I haven’t made as much effort to find them at montane/subalpine elevations. However, based on what I have seen I would look for them there when the snow is still melting. When I’ve found them it’s not been long after snow has departed from a patch of ground (and they don’t always wait for the snow to disappear).
Questions Vaccinium cespitosum has apparently not been previously reported as a host (based on fungal host database records). Which species of Monilinia is infecting it? * Can Monilinia infect copperbush (Elliottia pyroliflora)? If so, is it a new species of Monilinia? * Cassiope tetragona is listed as a host for M. cassiopes. Can this species infect other Cassiope, in particular C. mertensiana? Can it infect Harrimanella stelleriana? * M. ledi has been reported to infect Rhododendron tomentosum (which would only occur at the northern margins of Southeast Alaska). Could it also infect the related labrador tea (R. groenlandicum)? In my memory, I found some I thought may have been associated with R. groenlandicum, but if that’s true, I didn’t document them well enough to be sure. (I think it was probably this observation, though.) * Are both V. ovalifolium and V. alaskaense susceptible to infection? Neither are reported as hosts in the fungal host database, but I’ve found mummy berries on V. ovalifolium. I don’t remember if I’ve seen them on V. alaskaense. I’ve not documented them, if I have. * I’ve previously noted a leaf blight. It’s reasonably common, but does not seem to significantly impact the health of the blueberry bushes beyond the occasional shoot dying back. The article linked near the top includes under symptoms: “severe wilting of vegetative and floral shoots, followed by a brown discoloration or blight, may occur in some years but not all“. Is the blight we’re seeing here related to that stage of a Monilinia* infection?
The post Mummyberries (Monilinia) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
In an effort to share more of the pictures that sit on my hard drive unseen by anyone but me, I’ve created a monthly calendar featuring some of my favorite bird photos from 2022.
This idea was conceived late in the season, and is a bit of an experiment for me. Rather than getting a bunch printed (which I might end up stuck with), I opted to go with an on-demand publisher. If you would like to have one and do not live in Sitka, you can order a copy on lulu.com to be shipped to you.
If you live in Sitka and would like to save on the cost of shipping, you can pay for one here. I will order the calendars at one time and can reach out to each person who paid for one to arrange for pickup or delivery when they arrive (which is likely to be mid-January).
If you don’t want to purchase this calendar, but would be interested in something similar next year. Please let me know (leave a comment here, or email me at sitkanature@gmail.com). If there is interest, I’ll try to do something similar next year (and get a much earlier start on it!).
The post Sitka Birds 2023 Calendar first appeared on Sitka Nature.
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The December 18th show featured a conversation with Barth Hamburg, who was a landscape architect with the Forest Service for decades. We spoke about a few of the many trails planned and designed in Southeast Alaska, focusing on ones around Sitka. We also spoke about some of the difficulties Southeast Alaska presents to building and maintaining trails, and how techniques have changed over the years.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #278 – Barth Hamburg first appeared on Sitka Nature.
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The November 20th show featured a conversation with Connor Goff. We spoke about our spring trip to Adak, his time out on Sitka Sound during the summer, and birding highlights from the year.
Connor’s photos of Wedge-tailed Shearwater (first state record)
Connor’s photos of South Polar Skua
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #276 – Connor Goff first appeared on Sitka Nature.
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The November 6th show featured a conversation with Scott Gabara. We spoke about a project he is involved with which is looking at the effects of glacial runoff on shoreline and nearshore marine ecosystems We also discussed his interests in natural history, diving, and underwater nature photography.
See Scott’s photos and learn more about his work
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #275 – Scott Gabara first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy clouds and showery rain through much of the day with minor breaks in precipitation from time to time. Winds much diminished from earlier in the week. Temperatures cooler, with overnight low in the 40s and today’s high in the low 50s. I was up early (for me) to drop my car off for servicing. ... Read more
The post Black-and-white Warbler first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast, becoming partly cloudy with a fair bit of sun. Temperatures into the lower 60s (will likely set a record for the date). I took my time getting going this morning. By the time I stepped out midmorning, it felt quite warm. I waited until nearly noon before heading out beyond my porch. I was ... Read more
The post Observations on a mid-October Afternoon first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and cool overnight, becoming overcast by midmorning. Rain started this afternoon and became heavy later in the evening. Last night when I stepped out, I noticed it was distinctly cooler relative to recent days. When I looked towards the sky, I could see stars. Although it remained clear overnight, and temperatures were in the ... Read more
The post Fall Views at Swan Lake and Silver Bay first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Thick clouds and rain, often heavy. Breezy. Temperatures early to 61F, but cooling later in the day. With gusty wind and rain overnight into this morning, I got up on the early side and headed out to see if any shearwaters or storm-petrels might have been blown in. I didn’t find anything like that on ... Read more
The post Blustery Gray Weather first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy overcast with periods of rain, heavy at times. Temperatures into the upper 50s and breezy (at least while I was out). I went out this morning to take care of the Gavan hill ibuttons. Before heading to the Pherson Street trailhead, I made a stop by the channel to check the gulls. A couple ... Read more
The post Gavan Walk first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with some low clouds early, becoming heavy overcast with rain by the afternoon. I had an early call that didn’t last very long. With a couple of hours before my next call, I decided to get out and take advantage of my early rise time and a bit of a break in the ... Read more
The post Heermann’s Gull Search first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast. Showers increasing in frequency later in the day. Temperatures in the 50s again, though it was down to the mid 40s overnight. When the clouds lifted just enough, I saw snow above abou 4000 feet on the mountains. The first snow I’ve seen this fall. Overall this October has been quite warm so far. ... Read more
The post First Mountain Snow first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy clouds with rain through the first part of the day. The sun came out later in the afternoon. Yesterday’s high of 61F tied the record last reached in 2015 (though I didn’t note it at the time). I think today was not quite as warm, but temperatures remained in the 50s. At first I ... Read more
The post October Birds and Foliage first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The October 9th show featured a conversation with glaciologist (and Scientist in Residence Fellow at the Science Center) Joanna Young, who studies the downstream effects of retreating glaciers. We spoke about her work on glaciers, as well as her involvement with Girls on Ice Alaska, a program of Inspiring Girls Expeditions. If ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #273 – Joanna Young first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy clouds and rain. Temperatures continued in the upper 50s to around 60F. Today was a fall market run by the same folks who organized the tourist markets I did during the summer. After checking the porch for moths (I found a couple), I packed my stuff up and went get set up. By the ... Read more
The post Fall Made in Sitka Market first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Sunny with light breezes warming into the upper 50s. With rain forecast to return tomorrow, I ended up spending most of the day outside in the sun. I had calls for the morning, but went for a walk while on them. First stop was Swan Lake, I saw the coot but not the Pied-billed Grebe. ... Read more
The post Sunny Day around Sitka first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Cloudy early becoming partly cloudy to mostly sunny. Temperatures into the low 60s. Yesterday’s high of 66F broke the record for the date. The previous high of 65F was set in 1964. I went out the road this afternoon. I had intended to walk around the estuary loop and see if there might be a ... Read more
The post Clearing Weather first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Warm and breezy this morning. Calmer and cooler with rain beginning later in the day. Temperatures remained unseasonably warm overnight, and was still up at 64F this morning. I helped out with pitching for the fall Raven Radio membership driving this morning. By the time I left (after visiting with some folks), clouds had dropped ... Read more
The post Gray Day with New Migrants first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Partly cloudy, breezy, and warm. I was a little surprised when I stepped outside this afternoon. It had been cool when I was out briefly in the morning. With more clouds today, I thought it would feel similar to the past few days. Instead it was distinctly warmer. The weather reporting said it was in ... Read more
The post Sunny and Warm October Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny with temperatures into the upper 50s after overnight lows in the mid 40s. I went for a walk around town this afternoon to enjoy the sun with some hope of turning up a wandering vagrant bird (a Tropical Kingbird showed up in Ketchikan yesterday – so it’s the season for it). Originally I ... Read more
The post Walk around Sunny Sitka first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Sunny skies. Cool this morning, warming to the mid 50s. The forecast fog did not develop overnight, at least not around town where I could see. When I stepped outside last night, it was distinctly cooler than it has been so far this fall. I didn’t notice any frost when I looked out this morning, ... Read more
The post Sunny Sunday on Harbor Mountain first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy early, becoming partly cloudy and trending towards clear by this evening. Last night when I stepped outside before it was quite warm and very wet and windy. The temperature was up to 61F. Based on the overnight weather reporting, the wind and rain lasted until sometime early this morning. I saw a few ... Read more
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Download Radio Show The September 25th show featured a conversation with Britta Jensen, geologist at the University of Alberta, Canada. Britta visited Sitka this past summer with a team of geologists to collect samples of volcanic ash. We spoke about these samples will be studied with the hope of better understanding the eruptive history of ... Read more
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Download Radio Show The September 11th show featured a conversation with Matt Muir. Originally recorded and aired in summer 2021, we spoke about Matt’s travels and interest in natural history, and our enthusiasm for iNaturalist. If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #271 – Matt Muir (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The August 28th show featured a conversation with Brooke Schafer and Kari Sagel. This was our (mostly) annual Library/Sitka Nature Show crossover. Among other things we spoke about Brooke’s adventures in southern Southeast Alaska and how our perspectives of places differs based on what is familiar to us. If you have questions ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #270 – Librarians of the Library Show first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The August 14th show featured a conversation with Mary Goddard. Among other things, Mary is an artist and wild food enthusiast who grew up in Yakutat and lives in Sitka with her family. We spoke about growing up in Southeast Alaska, experimenting with wild foods, and getting to know the natural world ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #269 – Mary Goddard first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The July 31st show featured a conversation with Elizabeth Graham, entomologist with the Forest Service working out of the Southeast Field Office in Juneau. Originally recorded and aired in August 2021, We spoke about the current western black-headed budworm defoliator outbreak affecting many places in Southeast Alaska, and how it fits into ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #268 – Elizabeth Graham (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show I originally prepared this conversation to air June 19th, and posted it to my website then. I later learned that it did not make it to air due to a technical mix up. I recorded a new intro and outro for this week’s show, but the conversation is the same as the ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #267 – Andrea Mott first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The July 3rd show featured a conversation with Matt Wilson, aquarist at the Sitka Sound Science Center aquarium. We spoke about some of the differences he’s noticed between Puget Sound where he’s previously lived and worked, and the Sitka area. We also discussed how careful observation and resulting insights are required to ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #266 – Matt Wilson first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The June 19th show featured a conversation with Andrea Mott, wildlife biologist with the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. Andrea is the researcher responsible for a the geolocator collar worn by a ‘Tule’ Greater White-fronted Goose that showed up in Sitka this spring. We spoke about the yearly and life cycles of ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #265 – Andrea Mott first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The June 5th show featured a conversation with Julie Schram, Assistant Professor of Animal Physiology at UAS. Based out of Juneau, she was in Sitka as part of the Scientist in Residency Fellowship at the Sitka Sound Science Center. If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #264 – Julie Schram first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The May 22nd show featured a conversation with Kelcey Simic, Aurora Taylor, and Ellen Chenoweth. Kelcey is finishing up her Junior year at Sitka High School and participated in this year’s Rural Alaska Students in One-Health Research (RASOR) program. She spoke about her experience in the program and her project comparing the ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #263 – RASOR Program first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The May 8th show featured a conversation with Victoria Vosburg and Jen Cedarleaf. We spoke about the highly pathogenic avian influenza that is impacting birds throughout North America. At the time of the recording, it had not yet been reported in Alaska. However, within a couple of days the first cases were ... Read more
The post Sitka Nature Show #262 – Victoria Vosburg and Jen Cedarleaf first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and rain this morning. Becoming mostly to partly cloudy with scattered showers as the day progressed. Rain totaled about a third of an inch at the airport, but none fell there after 1pm. I made a brief trip to the raptor center at noon to check out an unusual moth which JC had found ... Read more
The post Lifer Moth, and Spring Birding first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny early, then mostly cloudy by midmorning. Calm winds. I had a call and decided to wait until after it was done to get out. I might have chosen otherwise had I realized the sun would go behind the clouds so quickly. I walked to Swan Lake. It seemed like fewer birds were singing, ... Read more
The post Birding around Town and Totem Park first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with light rain at times. The sun broke out for a bit later in the afternoon. I walked to and around the park this morning. On Park Street I heard what I think was a European Starling doing a very passable Fox Sparrow imitation. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get my recorder out fast ... Read more
The post Spring Birds and Other Observations first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Download Radio Show The April 24th show featured recordings of local bird songs and how to learn to recognize them. If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #261 – Bird Songs first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with a little bit of rain, but not as much as I might have guessed from the forecast. Looking at the radar imagery, it appeared to be falling more heavily elsewhere in the general area. Breezy out of the southeast. I went to Totem Park this morning around 9:30am. The tide was falling from ... Read more
The post Totem Park Wildlife first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Generally overcast with a little bit of rain late in the day. Temperatures in the low 50s, but without any direct sun the wind felt chilly. I headed down to the park around 8am. The tide was dropping, but still mostly up. I saw Black Turnstones and a few Surfbirds, a Marbled Godwit, and two ... Read more
The post Spring Birds and Flowers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
One of the openings along the totem loop at the park offers nice views of Crescent Bay and Mt. Edgecumbe
Sunny and calm this morning, light to moderate breeze this afternoon.
Overnight lows were down to 36F.
Connor had the day off got an early start birding.
He texted me about a Short-billed Dowitcher and a Semipalmated Plover at the park. I went to look, didn’t find either of them. While there, he told me about American Pipits and a Least Sandpiper, but I didn’t see those either.
Part of a large flock of Canada Geese
Shortly after I arrived at the park, I heard a flock geese flying over. I managed to catch sight of the hundreds of Canada Geese in a broad ‘v’. Today I definitely heard a Townsend’s Warbler singing.
The Turnaround was quiet again.
At the golf course I enjoyed the pleasant warmth of the sun. I spent part of my time there walking barefoot on the grass. I heard an Orange-crowned Warbler (first of season). At least 25 robins plus a couple of Varied Thrushes were out on the grass at various points.
From there I headed to Starrigavan.
Before I made it far, I Merlin flew across the street in front of me and landed in a tree. I pulled over to get a better look. It appeared to be another taiga form Merlin to me. I sat in the bird viewing shelter at Starrigavan for a bit. Two shorebirds flew in to the estuary pool. I thought they were Western Sandpipers.
Reviewing photos one was definitely a Least. I’m not as sure about the other. In hindsight wish I had tried for closer looks.
I suspect these are bear tracks across the snow
Scanning the distant ridge at the end of the valley, I noticed tracks on the mountain slope below peak 2880. My best guess is a bear made them.
A Marbled Godwit was reported along Cannon Island drive. After lunch I went and looked for it (with success). From there I went over to airport. I didn’t see a harrier, nor any other unexpected species.
The dandelions are coming into full bloom. I checked the end of channel and saw many Long-tailed Ducks are still around.
A lone Snow Goose was eating grass near the ramp in front of UAS. I went back to the park again. This time the tide was up higher. I didn’t see any shorebirds other than Greater Yellowlegs. (Connor later told me the Short-billed Dowitcher was with Greater Yellowlegs this afternoon when he was there, but I didn’t happen to catch them).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Birding on a Sunny Spring Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Cloudy overnight, partly sunny to mostly sunny throughout the day.
The forecast was for scattered showers overnight and through today. I could see big cumulus clouds that I think did have some showers associated, but they did not pass over the central part of town while I was up.
When I stepped outside this morning, it did not look like the ground was wet, but I did get a little whiff of petrichor, which made me wonder if there might have been at least a little bit of rain overnight.
I hadn’t decided where to start my outside time when I received a text about a Dunlin at Totem Park. I had been leaning that way, since I wanted to check the moths there, and this sealed it.
This time of year it often feels like the shorebirds are being slow to arrive. The only exceptions are those few years when they start showing up early.
I did see a few moths on the exterior walls of the visitor center. Lotisma trigonana (assuming I have the identification correct) is one I mostly associate with later in the summer, though I have seen it in the spring previously. Reviewing my iNaturalist observations of the species, I guess I don’t have a good reason for that, however. This is my second April sighting. I have two May sightings, and two early June sightings. Then one September sighting. This makes me wonder if it overwinters as an adult. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=59187&subview=table&taxon_id=318948&user_id=gwark
I’m pretty sure I heard a Townsend’s Warbler in the forest, but only heard it a couple of times and began second guessing myself because of kinglets. When I saw someone else reported Townsend’s Warblers in the area today, I decided to go ahead and count it.
I did find the Dunlin out near the river mouth with some Black Turnstones. I heard a Greater Yellowlegs, but no other shorebirds.
The tide was down to about -2 ft. I probably could have done some low tide stuff, but wasn’t feeling inclined that way today.
I visited for a while with DK (who had reported the Dunlin).
While visiting by the visitor center, a dog walking along shoreline scared the the birds up. There were plenty of ducks, but no shorebirds that I noticed.
I stopped by Swan Lake. I didn’t see the swan, nor any swallows.
The Turnaround was quiet.
I saw good numbers of gulls in the channel but didn’t notice any unusual ones. At the airport I walked the old road then returned to take pictures of the trailing currant I had noticed a couple of days ago.
It offered an opportunity to see the difference between pictures with and without the polarizing filter. The filter did cut a significant amount of glare from the leaves. I went home for lunch, and decided not to go out again this afternoon.
As it worked out, I ended up going out anyway when a friend needed helping moving something.
While out and about, I stopped by airport again and watched from car, but didn’t see anything of particular note.
I had a fire in the yard this afternoon/evening. It seemed calm when I went out, but after fire started I realized it was intermittently gusty. Fortunately nothing too strong. However it seemed quiet swirly.
Connor saw a Lincoln’s Sparrow on other side of the house, but I didn’t refind it when I went to look.
Recent freezing temperatures damaged some of the blueberry flowers
I’ve been wondering if the recent cold damaged berry plants. I’m not quite sure about salmonberries, but there is some damage to blueberries for sure. Some of my honeyberries showed damage as well. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spring Birds, Insects, and Flowers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Plenty of snow remains at higher elevations
Sunny and warmer. Breezy this afternoon.
Temperatures got to 56F, easily the warmest day of the year so far.
A Dark-eyed Junco that has been visiting my yard.
When I stepped out on the porch this morning, I noticed white-cheeks (the junco) in my side yard. It’s getting late in the year, but I think chances are still good that the bird will move on for summer. I would be happy to see it throughout the summer if it does stick around, though. I got a message about a Northern Harrier at the park this morning, but I was not able to get out until after lunch.
I started with a walk around the park.
Last night’s low was 39F, which may have encouraged some moths to be active after the string of cold nights. I found several on the walls at the visitor center, including Orthosia praeses, my first sighting this year. I briefly saw what I am pretty sure was a Criorhina fly, my first of the year. They’re convincing bumble bee mimics, but have a tendcy to hover in one spot. I will try to get pictures this year if I get a chance.
The tide was up, so not much beach to look at, but I wanted to check for a longspur which had been seen in the area betwee the forest and beach at the end of the park.
The wind was blowing out of the southeast and hitting the end of the park. Despite the warm sun and relatively warm air, it still felt cool.
I did not find the longspur, but did see a couple of Savannah Sparrows when they flushed as I walked along (despite me trying to walk slow and pay attention).
Mostly Mallards, but also at least three Northern Pintails and an American Wigeon resting at high tide.
Mallards, pintails, wigeons, and mergansers were resting at the edge of the sedges above the water in the estuary. I didn’t see any shorebirds.
I stopped by Swan Lake to see if any swallows might have arrived. I didn’t seen any, but the lone swan was still there.
I spent the last part of my outside time at the airport. The wind was not as strong, though the sun was mostly behind a cloud while I was there.
I did prune back some of the spruce branches to give more light to the mountian hemlock I noticed yesterday.
My stop at the channel was brief when I saw only a single gull.
Looking at the tracks on Verstovia, I noticed someone built a snowman on picnic rock. I think it must be 5-6ft tall based on how it looks compared to people I’ve seen up there. I saw 3 or 4 Fox Sparrows near the feeder this morning. Rowan told me she saw robins, brown sparrows, chickadees, and White-crowned Sparrows in the yard this afternoon while I was out.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spring Weather first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Sunny and warmer, with temperatures up into the low 50s. Breezy this afternoon.
I got up early to see the moonset.
I didn’t use an alarm, but did wake up more often during the night in anticipation of getting up early. At 5:15am thought I could sleep once more time, but then didn’t wake up until 5:55pm – I hoped to be out the door by around that time.
I didn’t dally getting my stuff together (it helps that I don’t drink coffee or eat breakfast) and drove out to look. I realized I probably had just enough time to get through the park if I hurried.
It would have been nicer if I was about 5-10 minutes earlier, but made it work. I was reminded that I like being out early, but I don’t like getting up early. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to do the former without first doing the latter.
A bit of haze really dimmed the moon, so it didn’t stand out as well as I might have hoped.
As it dropped and faded in the haze, difficult to make sure it was lined up how I was hoping. With the moon out of sight, I walked the flats at the park. I didn’t see any shorebirds other than a couple of Greater Yellowlegs.
I went out to the golf course. It was quiet there. The sun was not yet shining above Harbor Mountain when I arrived. Some of the ground was still frosty. I heard a couple of American Robins singing aggressively, but they soon stopped.
I heard a junco calling (alarming?) near the 7th green. It stopped without me seeing anything (including the bird making the calls).
As the sun rose above mountain, I could feel some warmth. However it was behind a high thin cloud layer (cirrostratus?) which made it weaker than it could have been.
From there I drove out to Starrigavan. There were no shorebirds that I saw, but some ducks were around. The tide was out.
On a brief stop at Halibut Point rec I observed dabbling ducks in tidepool including pintails and Green-winged Teal with the Mallards.
I ended my outing at the airport. I had a two hour call which I was on for most of the time I was there.
I spent the first part of my time walking the old road. I did not see anything new, though I was hoping to see a harrier.
I sat down by the edge of the lagoon and noticed there was water flowing in through the rocks.
Possilby three-spined stickleback
Small fish (three-spined sticklebacks?) darted about right at the inflow. They went into hiding when I moved too much. I then found a spot to lay on moss and relax in sun.
I was facing a clump of trees and had an idle thought come to mind about mountain hemlock and whether there could be one growing at this spot.
While listening to my call I observed patterns of green on the spruce needles. Different shades for last year’s vs two year old needles as well as differences between the upper and lower surfaces.
I happened to notice some different looking needles and realized a small mountain hemlock was growing there practically swallowed up by the spruce. I suspect it had gotten started a few years ago, but as a slow grower, it is now being overwhelmed by a much faster growing spruce. I might bring some clippers to prune back the spruce a bit, otherwise I don’t think the mountain hemlock will last more than another year or two. (Longer term, there may be plans to develop this area in which case neither tree will likely survive, but I’ve been hearing that for years, so who knows if or when it will happen.) Near the end of my call, several Golden-crowned Sparrows flew by. Perhaps half a dozen or so. This made my 99th bird species for the year.
One of several Golden-crowned Sparrows along old airport road
After the call wrapped up, I went and looked for them. I found them foraging in the bushes just down the road a little bit. A harrier was reported this afternoon, so after I saw that, went out there again.
It was warmer, but much more breeze. Earlier had been a very light north breeze, but now it was a stronger southeast or south wind.
I noticed fewer birds than this morning, and no harrier showed while I was there.
I didn’t expect to get out again, but a message from Connor prompted me to go down to the park. He reported seeing a different looking yellowlegs.
The bird on the left has more orange legs than a typical Greater Yellowlegs
It did seem subtly but clearly different than the three Greater Yellowlegs it was with. In particular it had legs that are orange rather than yellow. I think it may have been slightly smaller, but it was difficult to tell. It also appeared darker and/or had more barring than the other birds. I think it’s most likely a Greater Yellowlegs.
I spent an hour livestreaming some inaturalist identifying and an initial culling of today’s photos. Photo editing+streaming seems to push my computer to its edge, so we’ll see if I keep that up. I may limit it to the later stages of editing when I’m taking more time with each photo and preparing them for iNaturalist and/or uploading into my photojournal.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Setting Moon, Spring Migrants first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Partly cloudy and calm. The official temperature topped out at 49F, the warmest it’s been since last Sunday.
I spent the middle part of the day on a boat trip with a short stop at Point Brown. I got picked up at the work float and we went through the channel.
Only a few cormorants were on the rocks by Kasiana and Middle Islands. We paused to look, but did not see any Brandt’s Cormorants.
Plenty of Harlequin Ducks, as I’ve seen previously this time of year. I’m assuming they are pausing on migration to nesting grounds. We do have plenty that winter in the area, but it seems like numbers are higher this time of year.
Hundreds of Surf and White-winged Scoters outside of Crow Island. They took off before we were anywhere near them, and since I already saw a Black Scoter this year, I was less motivated to work at trying to identify all the birds I could.
Looking west along Point Brown beach
The tide was up enough that bird viewing wasn’t great in Port Krestof. Pigeon Guillemots were on the water and there were four Trumpeter Swans near or on shore. I saw Canada Geese, Mallards, and I heard Green-winged Teal. I’m sure there were more species, but couldn’t say which ones.
We walked the beach down by someone of the cliffs along Point Brown. Hundreds of gulls were hanging out, but I didn’t spot any obviously different looking ones. I also didn’t work to try and see if there might be a California Gull in the mix. 6 or 7 Greater Yellowlegs were the only shorebirds of the day. Kitty gathered some herring eggs for her garden. There were plenty that had washed up, and I suspect she wished she had brought more buckets.
I will need to look at this liverwort with a microscope to try and figure out which species of Frullania.
I picked up a couple of Frullania collections. I’m going to need to take a closer look to see if either might be F. franciscana. I also picked up a smaller dark liverwort. Long strands, but very thin, almost hair-like to the naked eye. I think it might be the same species I found on Chaicheis last year, but haven’t yet followed up on.
Green-up has yet to come along the Point Brown shoreline
Plants were only just starting to come up a little bit, so there wasn’t much fresh green. I did see my first Savannah Sparrow of the year.
On our return, we followed the Kruzof shoreline most of the way to Shoals Point.
There were many Gray Whales starting from Kamenoi Point beach and peaking in numbers out by Shoals Point. There were 20+ spouts visible at a time in that area.
Brant on the water, Annahootz mountain rising in the distance
We saw Bonaparte’s Gulls, Rhinoceros Auklets, and Brant, each of which were new for me for the year. Dozens of loons were in a loose group. All the ones I saw appeared to be Pacific Loons. I later saw someone reported a Yellow-billed Loon from the area on ebird. I was a little bummed to have missed it.
We looped around through the middle part of the sound, but did not see much there.
Swell breaking on approach to the Inner Point shoreline
The waters had been glassy near Kruzof, but there was a small chop on the way back. A long period swell also seemed more noticeable. I was aware of it before because, despite the calm conditions, sizable waves lifted and broke at Inner Point. Ultimate had a reasonably good turnout this evening. We had the lights, but probably will not need them for much longer.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Point Brown and North Sitka Sound first appeared on Sitka Nature.
One of many Fox Sparrows working the leafy debris among the thickets between holes at the golf course
Mostly sunny, temperatures in the 40s, light winds.
Quite similar to yesterday. Clouds mostly stayed out offshore to the southwest and further to the north. A few did end up over the mountains.
I was considering where to go today and got a message about kestrel at the golf course.
American Robin on the grass at the golf course
On the 7th fairway I was trying to count the robins, when they plowed up and away from me. A Merlin came flying up off to the right from behidn me and perched in a tree overlooking the course.
Merlins which nest in this area are much darker and browner, compared to this gray Merlin which I believe is the Taiga form
Taking pictures as I got closer, I got a few before it took off. It was much paler and grayer than I typically see. I think it may be a Taiga type (using Sibley’s classification) I saw no birds at pond.
View of Mt. Edgecumbe from the 6th tee on the golf course
I spent a little over an hour hanging out and observing by the tee for the 6th hole. Nice mix of birds and activity. I got a look (no photos) at a Rufous Hummingbird for the first time this year. I had been hearing it doing flight display calls, but didn’t see it until it seemed to be checking out a Downy Woodpecker on a willow near the pond below me.
Many Ruby-crowned Kinglets were singing and foraging in the shrubs and trees at the golf course
Quite a few Fox Sparrows and Ruby-crowned Kinglets where calling, singing, and foraging. Also a couple of flickers and a couple of Red-breasted Sapsuckers. I missed photos of a yellow jacket due to unhelpful camera focus settings which took me too long to change.
After an hour and a half, I decided to give up for the time being.
I stopped at Halibut Point rec where it was fairly quiet. The tide was most of the way up.
I had started towards Starrigavan when I got a message the kestrel was by the driving range.
I didn’t take long to get back, and was able to see the kestrel by the driving range. I chatted with DK for a bit and we watched it come and go. Seeing its patterns this time, I suspect it had been there while I was there, but I was looking more towards the north end where the one last fall had frequented.
I didn’t get great photos, but it was getting to be lunch time and more golfers were showing up, so I called it good.
I made a quick drive by the airport and didn’t see anything.
I spent the rest of the afternoon at home. I thought about going back out this evening, but decided I needed to make progress on projects that have been lagging.
I did a little cleaning and organizing, but have lots left to go.
I figured out how to get livestreaming set up on my computer. I tried it out with recordings direct to computer to test hardware and such. A few wrinkles, but I think I’ve mostly got them figured out. Next step is to try livestreaming.
I think I will livestream both photo review/editing and iNaturalist identifying. I spend time doing both of those things almost every day, and it doesn’t seem like it will be much overhead to do the streaming. Doing the tests, I found it easy to talk through what I was doing. When working through photos, talking both about the photos, and my approach, as well as the story of the day from when the photos were taken. On iNaturalist I talk through what I’m seeing and what I’m thinking for the identification.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Golf Course Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Sunny and cool pattern continued. Calm winds through this morning with a little breeze picking up in the afternoon into evening.
Mt. Edegecumbe on a spring day seen from O'Connell Bridge
Clouds appeared on the horizon, but mostly stayed out away from town. Some moved in from the north, but broke up. Yesterday’s low of 29F tying a record for the date (previously reached in 1967). This morning it only got down to 31F, not quite reaching the record of 29F set in 1972. I wonder if the cold temperatures will be enough to cause freezing damage to some of the plants.
Earlier in the week I heard what I thought might have been a junco alarming in the morning. On a subsequent day, I saw a Fox Sparrow making the calls. The sparrow was sitting in the bird feeder. I couldn’t see anything in particular for it to alarm at.
This morning I heard it again. It was once again at the feeder. I did not see any cats or other potential provocations. Sections of the yard were blocked from my view, however.
Pyramids partly reflected in a tidepool on the flats at Totem Park
I had calls, but decided to take them while out and about. I walked to park and around the beach. No shorebirds that I noticed.
Close inspection reveals SJC faintly visible where the surface polish on the rock has been removed.
I stopped along the rocks between Sage Beach and the park. I looked for a modern petroglyph I had photographed in 2017, but couldn’t find it. While looking, I did find three others I don’t remember seeing before.
One looked tapped in with a blunt object (perhaps another rock?) which mostly just scarred the surface polish.
NKH below, and maybe ED[?] above
The others appeared to have been created with something more like a screwdriver using different techniques.
From there I walked over to the airport. It’s hard to say if I might have missed some things due to split attention, but I did not notice anything new for the year or unexpected.
I stopped at Swan Lake before going home. There seems to be just one Trumpeter Swan remaining.
I first noticed this modern petroglyph in 2017, but had difficulty relocating it because of the seaweed growing over it.
I went back out again this evening after reviewing my 2017 petroglyph photo. I did refind it with the reminder. I had missed it in part because seaweed was growing in it. The changed appearance made it a little more difficult to spot.
A friend had some time to kill, so we went for a bit of a drive as the sun set. The nearly full moon caught my attention on way back towards town from Sandy Beach.
I requested to be dropped off at Crescent Harbor and spent some time watching the moon and taking pictures. I learned about birder livestreamers on twitch on the ABA podcast
It made me wonder if it might be worth trying something along those lines. I don’t think I would be interested in live streaming from out in the field, but it could be fun to stream photo processing and iNaturalist stuff. Most days I spend an hour or more working on these, and livestreaming may not add much overhead to the effort.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Continuing Sun, Full Moon first appeared on Sitka Nature.
The Sunny and cool weather pattern continued, though winds seemed to be a bit less. Today’s high was 47F.
It dropped down to 29F last night, colder than recent nights (calm winds probably helped).
It was calm when I headed out this morning and temperatures were warming rapidly in the sun.
No clouds were visible on this day, even at the horizon.
I could not see a single cloud in the sky this afternoon. That’s unusual for here. Usually it’s possible to see some distant clouds peaking over the horizon if there aren’t any elsewhere. I walked down to and then around the park.
I’ve noticed on these recent days that I sometimes make fewer observations during sunny weather, especially this time of year. I’m more inclined to relax and soak up the sun in protected places out of the cool breeze.
I saw a Bald Eagle flying down Jeff Davis street with grass in talons. Presumably going to a nest, but where? [Update: a few days later someone posted on the Sitka Birds Facebook group about an eagle nest in the spruce tree at the bottom of Jeff Davis Street. I need to remember to check it out]
I watched gulls coming and going (mostly coming) as the tide rose at the end of the park.
I thought it somewhat surprisingly quiet, traffic and boat noise seemed attenuated compared to other times, though I’m not sure why. I know these days are few in number, soon there will be many visitors and associated activity.
I noticed a few trailing currant flowers while I was sitting next to one.
Several males were taking an interest in a female Barrow's Goldeneye
Barrow’s Goldeneyes came in closer when the tide was up. Once again, duck activity was greatest in front of Merrill Rock compared to other parts of park, but I did see some ducks in the estuary.
A/the Greater Yellowlegs had moved over to the estuary by the time I got there (I suspect same one I had seen in front of the visitor center, anyway). I got a note about a Northern Harrier which took me over to airport this afternoon.
I spent some time sitting and watching, but saw no harrier. I might have heard a Lapland Longspur fly over, and also heard a Rufous Hummingbird, though didn’t catch sight of it.
Long-tailed Ducks are still around, but seem to be sticking to the north end of the channel. Even though not many gulls around around the central part of the channel these days, I’ve not seen the Long-tailed Ducks there either.
I did check out the satellite imagery on zoom.earth to see what the closest clouds were, and out to the west, they were comfortably over 100 miles distant.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Zero Cloud Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Continuing clear, cool, and breezy. Less breezy and a little warmer than yesterday, however.
Today was tax day for me, which took up most of my morning.
After finishing those, I went over to the airport. I saw a lone male Lapland Longspur along old airport road. It was reasonably cooperative as I watched, and eventually flew over the berm. Although I only saw the one, 30 were reported from the airport, so presumably the flock was elsewhere. I noticed the smell of mud again. Maybe it has to do with brackish water in part, as I noticed along Indian River by the estuary later.
Other than the longspur, while walking the road to the old long-term parking area, I didn’t notice too much else in the way of birds.
There are some feral raspberry plants growing along the old road, with salmonberry thickets a bit further off. I wondered (perhaps not for the first time) why the salmonberries haven’t taken over.
Walking back, I noticed a Song Sparrow flying up while calling or singing (I can’t remember for sure) and fluttering its wings before dropping back to the fence where it had taken off from. I’m guessing it was part of a courtship display, but I’m not sure.
With my attention directed that way, a snipe apparently became uncomfortable and moved in the vegetation below where the Song Sparrow landed. I didn’t realize it was a snipe at first.
I followed it and got a couple more brief looks, enough to see that it was a snipe. I was not able to get pictures, however. Eventually it flew up the ditch where I chose not to try and follow.
I did notice an area of moss and grass large enough for me to sit down in. I relaxed there and enjoyed the warmth of the sun for a few minutes.
From there I went to the park and walked around. It was calm along the beach until I got out near the point, where it became exposed to the wind. Some gulls were loafing out on the points of exposed beach, ducks and three Greater Yellowlegs were working the shoreline and shallows out in front of Merrill Rock. Given the number of birds there, I suspect that’s about the only place herring spawned along the park this year.
I got a message from DK about a Snow Goose at the golf course, so made my way back to my car.
On my way, I checked and did not find flowers on Osmorhiza or violets.
Snow Goose at the gold course pond
I found the Snow Goose in the pond where it had been reported. Two Mallards were there as well. I’m not sure if this is one that got left behind by a migrating flock, or if it wintered by itself north than most. I took a look at Starrigavan. It had fewer ducks than previous visits from what I could see (at least on estuary side).
I stopped at Halibut Point Rec and watched the mouth of Granite Creek.
This location the breeze was fairly light and I sat just above the shoreline and watched.
I did not spot any Bonaparte’s Gulls among the 100 or so that were on the beach. There were some dabbling ducks, mostly Mallards with at least one Northern Pintail.
I’ve fallen further behind on publishing photojournal entries, so I worked on that this evening.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spring Arrivals first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Snow on Cross Mountain is probably near its maximum for the year.
Clear, cool, and breezy, but warmer and less windy than yesterday.
Today’s highs reached into the low 40s.
Crescent Bay was white capping today, but north of the channel breakwater was not. The wind and gusts were down from yesterday, but also seemed to have shifted to have a more easterly component. With the complex terrain, it’s not always easy to tell what the primary wind is, and what is a result of shadowing and funneling due to terrain.
Seeing Crescent Bay so stirred up, I decided to check out Silver Bay.
Lucky Chance rises up from the end of Silver Bay
Thimbleberry Bay was also covered in whitecaps, but the mouth of Silver Bay was not. Looking down the bay I could see whitecaps between Bear Cove and the elbow of the bay where it turns out to Eastern Channel.
Bald Eagles were finding something to go after in Sawmill Cove
I apparently just missed a good show of eagle acrobatics at Sawmill Cove. I saw handful of eagles taking turns swooping at the water, but only for a couple of minutes. Folks in another car told me they had been watching for 20 minutes or so as the eagles used the wind to help position themselves for a dive to grab things off the water. I’m guessing it was morts from the hatchery facility, but I’m not sure. I got a note about Lapland Longspurs at the airport this morning.
While I was out this afternoon, I went for a walk in the area to see if they were someplace where I could see them.
I made a loop by going through the cleared staging area, passing up through the alders and walking down airport road, then coming back along old airport road.
At the old long term parking area, I noticed a hummingbird fly by. I suspect a Rufous Hummingbird given the time and location, but I did not see it well enough to be sure.
Water in the ditch was as low as I remember seeing it. The smell of muddy bank was in the air. I’m not sure what produces the smell, but it’s a familiar one that I’ve also noticed in Idaho (or at least it seems similar to me).
I went behind the berm hoping it would serve to block the wind while I laid back against my backpack and enjoyed the warmth of the sun.
The old alder leaves there were very dry. It wasn’t the only time I noticed how dry things seemed. Between the wind, sun, and very low for here (~25%) relative humidity.
Alpenglow on Verstovia
I’ll look into it more in the coming days, but it looks like we may be seeing record low average daily humidity marks for the date at the Sitka 1 NE station – though those records only go back to 2005. If I’m reading things correctly, it looks like there are only a handful of days ever at that station which have an average relative humidity below 40%. Depending on how today and tomorrow turn out, they could approach the record. (This makes me curious about the lowest measured relative humidity at any time as well – though that information will take a little more work to dig out.)
At the house, at least one of the rats has figured out how to climb up into the feeder. I watched it climb up the post this afternoon. It even took a break from eating to go get a drink out of the bird bath attached to the feeder.
I woke up this morning hearing what I’m pretty sure was a Dark-eyed Junco alarming in my yard. I couldn’t easily place where it was calling from since I was inside. I looked out the window and could not see it. A Song Sparrow joined in lightly calling. I could see it on the fence between my two neighbors to the south. Shortly after the Song Sparrow started, the junco quit, and the Song Sparrow didn’t keep it going. I’m wondering if there was a cat somewhere near the fence.
When I stepped outside a bit later, I heard a Fox Sparrow singing in the low continuous way that I tend to assume is a young bird practicing. It was in the brush pile, and I heard it again this afternoon singing even more quietly.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunny and Slightly Warmer first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny, chilly and breezy.
Yesterday’s 50+ temperatures felt like a distant memory with gusty north winds keeping temperatures in the 30s. The official high will be 39F, but as I was out this afternoon, my car’s thermometer showed temps at 36F and down to 33F, depending on where I was.
View from Halibut Point Road
This weather pattern is basically a winter outflow event. If it were happening earlier in the year, we would be lucky to see highs above freezing, and lows could drop down into single digits. On the plus side, despite the wintry weather pattern, the strong April sun felt warm in those moments between chilling gusts.
This rat tried a couple of times to climb the feeder, but I didn't see it have success getting in while I watched.
A couple of young rats did their best impressions of squirrels trying to get to the bird feeder. I’m thinking they were young because of their size and lack of wariness. They spent a fair amount of time out in the open over a couple of hours, at least.
The way the rat climbed around on branches reminded me of a squirrel.
I don’t remember seeing rats climb around on branches before, but these were up in the honeysuckle, on branches sticking out from the brush pile, and even climbed a tree at least once.
I saw this Peregrine Falcon for only about 5 seconds as it flew across in front of me while I walked old airport road
I walked old airport road this afternoon. I had a brief (~5 second) look at a Peregrine Falcon flyby. Thanks to the marvels of modern autofocus, I was able to get pictures. Otherwise I would have known it was a falcon, but guessed it was a Merlin (it didn’t seem that large to me – but it can be hard to tell sometimes).
Plentiful white caps grace the waters between the channel and Magic Island
The wind was raising whitecaps from north of the channel breakwater out to Katlian. I drove out to Starrigavan and saw a couple of big gusts hitting the water, but not consistently enough that I could get photos.
My first of season Northern Pintail
This evening Connor let me know there were Northern Pintails down in front of the visitor center at the park. Since I hadn’t seen any yet this year, I went down to get a look. With the pintails and the falcon, my year total is up to 88 species, four ahead of last year’s pace. That’s all well and good for this time of year, but the difference maker in the end will be how many unusual species show up. Last year was a good year for species that don’t get reported most years, more than making up for the handful of regular occuring species I didn’t happen to see. After my stop by the park, I checked out Silver Bay. The wind was gusting, but not nearly as strong as it seemed to be out of Katlian Bay.
I worked on gaining a better sense of the Radula species we have around here. They’re liverworts, and only three species are known from the area. It looks like in many (maybe most) cases they should be relatively easy to recognize. I’m pretty sure I’ve already observed all three, though I hadn’t previously had names on most of my observations.
Dandelions blooming across from Sealing Cove parking lot are the first I’ve seen this year.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Winter’s Encore first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear skies. Frosty overnight, with temperatures warming into the low 50s today. Breezy after late morning.
Temperatures dropped enough overnight for needle ice to form
It looks like today’s high was 52F, so the streak of days less than 51F ends at 158, just one day shy of tying for 5th longest. (As an aside, I had completely forgotten that I wrote up something about these sort of streaks last year as we were approaching a record late date for the first 50F day. I was reminded when I saw the post show up in the “On this Day in…” list today.) The sun felt warm, but anywhere there was a breeze, it still felt chilly.
I walked 8+ miles total today.
I started with a walk around the park. I hoped to see the Northern Pintails that had been reported in town (though I wasn’t sure if that’s where they were seen).
Plenty of Mallards, but I didn’t see any other dabbling ducks.
A Greater Yellowlegs was working the edge of the river in the estuary.
I saw a Downy Woodpecker in an alder along Jeff Davis street. That was a new one for me this year. I checked Swan Lake, but some folks were talking on the peninsula, so there wasn’t much nearby.
This sign is where the route up to Bear Lake begins and marked the turnaround point for this day's walk.
Kitty and I walked two and a half miles out Green Lake Road and back. The salmonberries aren’t much further along than when I was there a few days ago. Perhaps next weekend would be a good time to check back and see if there are more flowers with hummingbirds visiting. Although it was quite chilly in the shade, once we made it far enough around to be in the sun, it felt pleasantly warm.
Birds were mostly quiet, though I heard later from Connor that he had heard a screech owl along the road not too long before we passed by (he had passed us on a bicycle not too long before hearing it).
I also saw a report of a mystery bird up by Blue Lake. If I had seen it soon enough, I probably would have suggested we walk up there instead.
This yellowjacket (Vespula acadica) seemed interested in a glass that held a sweet drink.
While enjoying the sun on the porch at the Beak, a yellowjacket flew up to check some things out. I was able to get some pictures, and I’m pretty sure it’s a forest yellowjacket. It’s a species I’ve photographed twice before, the last time was in 2009. (This makes me wonder what the longest gap between sightings of a particular species is for me. At 13 years, this one would probably be in the running.) We went out to Starrigavan and I showed Kitty the Neckera menziesii, but didn’t take any pictures while I was there (except for the moon).
Turnout at ultimate was pretty good this evening. We even played seven on seven for a while. We were able to see the sun dropping behind the camelback/crater rim while we played, and it wasn’t completely dark even as we were wrapping up around 9pm.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunny and Warm(er) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2022/20220410_KCAW_SITNAT_Jason_Briner_Caleb_Walcott_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The April 10th show featured a conversation with Jason Briner and Caleb Walcott. This conversation was originally recorded and aired in 2019 when they were in town to conduct research related to Caleb’s master’s project.
Caleb recently let me know that a paper based on his master’s work has been published in Geochronology.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #260 – Jason Briner and Caleb Walcott (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear skies this morning, with clouds slowly building into the later afternoon. After a period of overcast, clouds broke up again in the hour or so before sunset this evening.
An unidentified tortricid moth
A tortricid moth on the wall by the porch light was doing its best imitation of a white-shouldered moth. I took care of my radio show this morning and had a turn as part of the pledge drive for the station over the noon hour.
After I was done there, I checked out the channel then drove out the road.
There were not many birds in the channel, though a decent flock of gulls and an eagle or two were wheeling above. I saw the Greater Yellowlegs at Starrigavan again. The dabbling ducks were out on salt water. The tide was out too far for me to be able to identify them, and others were walking dogs on the beach, so I didn’t check things out further.
I stopped at Sandy Beach for a bit and made my observations for the day.
I'm not 100% sure but I think this is twisted soda straw (Melanosiphon intestinalis) because there are no constrictions, and some of the tubes seem twisted.
I had in mind to search for intertidal rove beetles. When realized I didn’t have a good container to put any I might find in, I didn’t try too hard for them. Instead I just made observations of more or less familiar mid/upper intertidal organisms. This evening I made progress on last year’s observations. Only two days with observations remain. One, a June day on the Chaicheis will end up being my biggest day (observation-wise) of the year. Fortunately, I’ve already got over half the day’s observations done. The other day is from early November, and mostly what remains are a bunch of gull pictures from the channel that I’ve not been excited to sort through more thoroughly.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunny Breaks at Starrigavan and Sandy Beach first appeared on Sitka Nature.
It appeared an afternoon shower was coming down north of the road system
Overcast and rainy this morning, transitioning to convective showers with small breaks showing blue sky and even a little sun later in the day.
Rowan went with me out to Starrigavan this afternoon.
I wanted to see look for the yellow and black springtails I had found on a recent trip
As I scanned the estuary while still driving, I noticed a Greater Yellowlegs.
This prompted a side trip to the viewing platform so I could get a better look at it (my first of the year).
We heard a Red-tailed Hawk, sounded like across the estuary, but couldn’t see it.
Dozens of robins flew up from estuary meadow.
Walking around loop to walk-in campground area, we heard the hawk again.
Looking up to try and see it, Rowan noticed two raptors up high. I took pictures.
Although it was flying high in poor light, the photos I got were enough to confirm a Golden Eagle. Other than the nesting pair at Blue Lake a few years ago, this is the only one I've seen.
One clearly a Bald Eagle, the other I thought might be a Golden Eagle. Not good photos, but good enough. Head/neck did not extend as far out, body was all dark. A bit of pale seemed to show on back of head and neck. Three new species put me ahead of last year’s pace for the moment. Hard to say how long that will last, however.
Campsite at Starrigavan walk in campground
In the walk in campground, stepped off at the site where I had seen Sphagnum growing on gravel and took some pictures this time. People with very large dogs were coming our way, and it seemed sensible to give them space. At least one of the dogs seemed suspicious of us (heard it growling).
When I pointed out the tree where I had found the springtails, Rowan quickly found several more. At least a couple were yellow and black, though more were of the mostly dark variety. They were surprisingly difficult to capture. They didn’t seem to mind us peering closely at them, nor did they do much when I put my camera right up against the tree to take pictures. However, as soon as we had the container up and approaching one, it would spring off. Rowan had success when she slowly moved the container with it oriented in a way that maximized the chance it would spring into the container. If she moved slowly enough, she could get close enough that the springtail went into the container.
Since it didn’t look like we were successful capturing a black and yellow one (which is what I was most interested in), and we couldn’t find any more of those on the tree. We looked around on some other dead trees. We found a few more, again mostly the dark ones, though we didn’t spend as much time at it.
I did find a long-bodied springtail on one. It was much easier to catch, as it didn’t seem concerned about the approach of the container. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Starrigavan and Showers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast to mostly cloudy with rain showers, mixing with snow at times.
Went for a drive this afternoon after getting lunch and eating it at the Channel.
Only a few gulls at the channel. Couple of Pigeon Guillemots.
It looked like a small bit of herring spawn just off the rocks at the northwest end of the channel.
Green water at entrance to herring cove suggested herring were spawning (or had done so earlier in the day). Out to Starrigavan to see if herring were spawning somewhere along road system.
The gulls seemed to be finding something in the waters off Sandy Beach
Didn’t see any clear spawning activity, though a flock of gulls at the point by where surfers go at Sandy Beach was suggestive. Hit an especially heavy shower as I got out to Starrigavan, but it was short-lived.
I'm not 100% sure this is Pulvigera lyellii, and will try to revisit it in the future.
Checked out bryophytes on mountain ash trees there. Some different looking stuff, but I didn’t make any collections, as I’ve got plenty of those already waiting to be dealt with. These should be easy enough to get back to.
The moss is something in polytrichaceae (perhaps an Atrichum)
Polytrichaceae with red sporophytes stood out on rock ledges at start of Nelson Logging road.
Long-tailed Ducks have been spending most of their time at the north end of the channel
Checked north end of channel – Long-tailed Ducks were hanging out there (hadn’t seen any in the central part of the channel). Also a flock of ducks beyond the breakwater. Too far to be sure, but maybe scaups and/or scoters.
Looked at Prasiola collections from yesterday. Most of what I got was presumed P. borealis with fungal infection. Some of the smaller brighter green blades that were growing adjacent to the P. borealis were not obviously infected, and didn’t have the arrangement of cells that is used to differentiate P. borealis from P. meridionalis. I’m going to talk to some folks to see if anyone could do a small project investigating these. I’m curious if there are really two different species of algae. If so, I’ curious if the young/small apparently uninfected ones growing with the infected ones are genetically the same species as the infected ones (and whether they’re different than the ones growing a bit lower where fungal infection doesn’t seem to occur). I’m wondering if it might not be too difficult to monitor and sample throughout a good chunk of the growing season. Do some genetic work to see if there’s evidence of multiple species or not and see when fungal infection seems to start, and track how things change as a result.
I was a little surprised at how many Ameronothrus mites I ended up with in the collections.
Rotifers on a blade of Prasiola (a green algae)
I also found some rotifers in the young/small Prasiola I collected off the second rock growing adjacent to some P. borealis. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post April Showers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast for most of the day, with increasing winds and some rain late in the day.
The forecast had been for very windy with rain today, so I was a little surprised to wake up and see blue skies out my window. That didn’t last long, as by the time I got up a half an hour or so later, it was cloudy.
The updated forecast said rain was more likely this afternoon, so I decided to get out for a walk around Totem Park this morning.
First of season Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Shortly after leaving, I heard a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. It’s my first of the year.
I checked the visitor center walls for moths and found three different species, all ones I’ve seen previously this year. One of my intentions was to look for a Rock Sandpiper so I headed out to the river mouth.
It had been calm in the forest, but stepping out on the beach was a different story. A stiff breeze was blowing across from the southeast.
The tide was approaching low, so plenty of beach for shorebirds to be on. I didn’t hear any shorebirds, but figured I would walk out near the shoreline just in case.
I didn’t walk out on the spur between the river and the no longer active channel, but did scan with my binoculars. A flock of gulls was out at the end, but I didn’t spot anything that seemed unusual. Between the distance and chilly wind blowing in my face, conditions were not the best for viewing.
I continued around without seeing any shorebirds other than a couple oystercatchers (which had been out in front closer to the visitor center earlier.
A trio of Horned Grebes showed up close to shore. At first there was only one. It caught my attention because I could see it had started transitioning to summer plumage.
This Horned Grebe seemed to be very interested in checking out what was up above (a few gulls and eagles were circling overhead)
While I watched it kept looking up to the sky, so I looked up as well. I could see several gulls and an eagle soaring overhead. I’m guessing the grebe was just trying to make sure there weren’t going to be any predator surprise attacks from above. I was nearly off the beach when I happened to catch sight of a flock of shorebirds flying at the river mouth. I debated with myself briefly before heading back out crossing the old channel to the finger of beach closest to the river mouth.
At the very end I found a flock of 100 or so Surfbirds and Black Turnstones, but didn’t see any Rock Sandpipers in the mix.
Before heading home, I stopped at Sage Beach to check for Prasiola borealist again. This time, I went to the specific rock where I remembered finding it before.
Ameronothrus mites appear to be very common on the rocks
Before looking specifically at the Prasiola I spent a moment giving the rock a closer look.
I was a little surprised when I realized pretty much every small hole or depression in the rock was filled with tiny mites. I’ve previously observed these Ameronothrus mites, but only when I got home and found them in my photos. I hadn’t remembered to look for them specifically since that time. They’re very easy to overlook, because they are so small.
As first I was only seeing Prasiola meridionalis like I found a couple of days ago when I was looking. When I looked up a little higher, I noticed the much darker (due to fungal infection) Prasiola borealis. It seemed to prefer being about a foot higher than the bulk of the P. meridionalis. This put it up into the lichen zone.
The patches of dark green at the lower part are mosses. The smaller dark green bits higher up are Prasiola infected with a fungus
Once I had a clearly image of what I was looking for, I saw it growing on other nearby rocks. On one it was well up into the lichen zone. There was even some moss growing lower down than it.
The darker green is Prasiola infected with a fungus. The smaller brighter green is Prasiola that is not infected.
I’m curious about the relationship between the two Prasiola species and the fungus (in particular, I’m wondering if perhaps there’s only one species). I made particular note of dark and pale green (maybe uninfected blades) growing together. Processing photos from last week this evening, I finally reviewed the flock shots of the shorebirds, and it turns out there were two or three Rock Sandpipers in the mix. I thought I had seen one, but then lost sight of it. I wasn’t able to refind it, so wasn’t sure if I had been mistaken in suboptimal viewing conditions.
As a result of adding the Rock Sandpiper, I’m up to 82 species for the year, which is on pace with last year at this date. Of course there are several species I’ve already seen this year which I didn’t see until later in the year last year. Last year was exceptional numbers-wise, so while it would be nice to keep up or even surpass the totals, but I don’t really expect to.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spring Birds, Flowers, Seaweed, and Mite-y Rocks first appeared on Sitka Nature.
It looks like a cloudy day with a spot of sun in this telephoto shot. Compare to the previous wider angle view
Showers, both graupel and rain, with sunny breaks between. Temperatures mostly in the low 40s.
Road walking isn't my preference, but the views from Green Lake road and sparsity of vehicle traffic (due to limited access) make it a nicer road to walk than most
I walked a bit more than a mile out Green Lake road this afternoon. Fortunately (for my comfort), my timing avoided any significant precipitation, and I even experienced some sun.
The air felt cool, but I did enjoy the feeling of warmth during those moments of direct sun.
One of a few salmonberry flowers I saw blooming along Green Lake Road
I was motivated in part because I had previously seen pictures of salmonberries blooming along the road. I thought there might be more blooming. I did see some blooming, though most are not. Still, it seemed like at least as much as blooming in town, and maybe more. I think of Silver Bay as colder than town. I think for most of the winter it almost certainly is. For example, I saw snow in the roadside ditch in a couple of places. Snow melted off in town quite some time ago. However, it may be that around this time of year it gets warmer. It’s further from the sound, and the road has a nice southern exposure. Maybe it would be worth putting an ibutton or two out the road and seeing what they can tell me.
Walking along the road birds were mostly quiet. I did hear many bees buzzing about (though didn’t see many visiting flowers).
Along one section of road the ditch alongside was had water flowing along. I enjoyed hearing the changing combination of sounds as I came near and moved passed places the water was trickling over rocks into a pool below. Longer drops and bigger pools had a deeper sound.
I'm pretty sure this is Metzgeria temperata, maybe with M. conjugata as well
I stopped and investigated a wet rock outcrop with some liverworts growing on it. While doing this a couple folks on bicycles said hello as they rode by. Just after they passed, I looked back again and saw a mink running up the road in the opposite direction. If I’d had my larger camera on me, I would have tried to take a picture. However, I didn’t figure I had much chance of stepping over and getting my camera before the mink disappeared. As it was, I’m not sure the mink realized I was there. It didn’t look in my direction while I watched, at least (and was not moving as though it might be aware of or concerned with me as best I could tell).
I was not far from getting back to the gate when I heard a junco or two in the salmonberry thicket above me. I decided to try pishing and was a little surprised when I saw a flock of 5-10 juncos pop up in response. A couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets showed up as well, though they seemed more interested in foraging.
I made brief stops at Swan Lake (two swans are still around) and the channel.
It looked like herring might have been in the channel. I saw eagles going for things, and at least one that had caught a herring. The few dozen gulls were not taking any chances. Each time an eagle flew over with intent, they took off. Inevitably the eagle seemed to be going for fish. They took off several times during the 15 minutes or so that I watched.
Foam, perhaps from herring spawn in the area, forms a line just off the shore line
Spawning was reported out Halibut Point Road yesterday, so I drove out that way before heading home. The tide was up (I think herring might more often spawn on a lower tide), and I didn’t see any active spawning. I did see foam on the water that I think was probably from earlier spawning. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Walking Green Lake Road first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny, with clouds building later in the afternoon. Late in the evening it rained. Breezy with temperatures in the 40s.
Although I had a call this morning, the sunny weather compelled me to get out.
I planned to go down to the park and look for shorebirds. I wasn’t expecting anything new other than hoping to catch sight of a Rock Sandpiper or two mixed in with Surfbirds and Black Turnstones (some of have been reported over the past few days).
One of the first spring migrant robins, and the first I've seen since January when I happened to cross paths with an over wintering bird.
I walked through the SJ campus, and saw some robins on the lawn. Today seems to be the first significant influx, as best I can tell.
I was surprised to see the trees cut down and learned they were preparing to remove the old bunker oil and the semi-underground structure that has housed it for decades
I was surprised to see trees cut down that had been lining the old bunker oil storage. I learned the Fine Arts Camp got grant funding to take care of it, so that will presumably happen in the coming days/weeks. Those trees were a reasonably accessible and reliable spot for some mushrooms during late summer and fall, but it’s probably for the best that the old oil be taken care of.
Pacific Wren singing. Observed near one of the trails in Totem Park
In the neighborhood I walked through Song Sparrows were singing. In the forest it was Pacific Wrens.
I sat for the last half of my call on a gravel bar just up from the estuary meadow. I was in full sun and out of the breeze, so it felt nicely warm.
Rice root is one of the names for Fritillaria camschatcensis, aka Black Lily, aka Chocolate Lily. The rice-like bits of the bulb are edible. I put this one in the ground (it probably washed out in high water) after taking pictures.
After my call I walked through the backwater estuary meadow and noticed a rice root bulb with a new sprout growing out. After taking a picture I put it in the ground to give it a better chance. I’ve previously noticed bulbs on the surface in this location. I’m guessing they come out during high water, but I’m not sure how. Walking around the beach, I did not see any shorebirds. The tide was on its way up, but there was plenty of exposed beach, so I’m not sure why they weren’t there today.
Herring seiners were moving around in the bay and to the south. I wondered if they were looking for herring. It turned out an opening was called this afternoon, and it included Crescent Bay. I was recently reminded of some questions I have about Prasiola a small green seaweed that shows up in the winter and will be gone by summer.
After checking the walls of the visitor center for moths (I found a couple, both species I’ve seen already this year), I went to Sage Rock.
I looked around in a patch of the Prasiola and collected some to bring home and look at more closely. It all seemed to be P. meridionalis. I was hoping to find some P. borealis, but it would have helped to refresh my memory on my previous sighting. (I was thinking it had been later in the spring, but it was actually in February. I had also forgotten how much different it looked. If/when I end up investigating further, I’ll probably have more to say about these.
Coming back home along Etolin Street, I heard a Steller’s Jay calling in the neighborhood. It’s the first I’ve observed this year.
This afternoon I went back out with hopes of seeing the Purple Finch which was seen again this morning. I sat in the yard where it’s been visiting a feeder. After a half hour of waiting, it showed up. I was able to get a few documentary photos, so that was nice. The Purple Finch was my 80th bird species for the year. Somewhat surprisingly, I’m only two behind last year’s pace.
I was curious to see this Bald Eagle and Trumpeter swan sharing the shoreline not far from each other
I went to the lake. There was someone fishing from the peninsula, which seemed like a good explanation for why there were no ducks there. Instead they were in a couple of groups resting among the sedges along the shoreline. At least one Trumpeter Swan is still here. I was interested to see it and a Bald Eagle not far away on the lakeshore well up towards the upper end.
I got distracted on my way home when I saw a seiner out on Crescent Bay. I heard someone mention they were fishing herring, so I went down to the breakwater. There were plenty of boats on the bay, but no obviously large sets.
Bald Eagles kept swooping down to grab herring from the surface. They were not especially close, but I tried for photos anyway. While reviewing the sequence above, I was initially puzzled by what I thought might be a herring jumping out of the water after the eagle dropped down. Closer inspection revealed a different story.
Working on the Prasiola collection this evening, I found I had inadvertently collected two fly larvae as well. The larger reminded me of a cranefly, the smaller a midge. I’m not sure if I will be able to raise them to adults (or if I will even try). My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunny April Day Around the Neighborhood first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Windy and rainy through the first part of the day. Around mid afternoon it shifted to more of a showery regime, with brief sunny breaks between the mix of rain, snow, and graupel.
Seas at the buoy peaked at 20ft overnight and gradually diminished through the day.
I didn’t venture out until the rain had let up this afternoon.
I was not feeling too ambitious, so didn’t venture off the road.
Gulls were few in number at the channel.
A line of herring seiners were heading toward the channel of the the fishing finished for the day
When I stopped at Sea Mart to look out over the water, I happened to catch the edge of a shower. A line of herring seiners was motoring back towards town. I’m guessing they either had an opening that ended around midday, or a decision was made to not have an opening. A bright low rainbow greeted me at Starrigavan. It was not going to stick around long, so I took what I could get to document it.
A neutral density filter allowed me to take a long exposure of this waterfall even though it was in direct sun.
I recently got a neutral density filter, so I gave it a try on a small waterfall along Nelson Logging road. Its sole function is to reduce the amount of light coming in. One advantage is it allows for longer shutter species which can be used to blur moving water.
I am pretty sure this is a species of Plagiochila, but will try to confirm (and perhaps get it identified to species).
Before going home, I stopped at Castle Hill and made observations and collections of a lichen and a couple of liverworts that caught my eye.
At ultimate this evening the clouds broke up in the right direction to reveal a nice crescent moon. It was still out when I got home, so I tried for some photos. I was not feeling ambitious enough to go somewhere and look for an interesting composition in which I could include the moon. (Especially since there seemed to be a good chance it would disappear behind clouds again before long.) My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post April Sun, Showers, and Rainbows first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and breezy. Rain for a bit this afternoon. Even more brief sunny break this evening.
This morning was the FoodWeb cruise trip fundraiser for Sitka WhaleFest.
Partially obscured by crater rim, Mt. Edgecumbe is less distinctive when viewed from the northwest.
We went out Middle Channel towards Vitskari, over to Inner Point, then up to Kamenoi and off Brent’s Beach, before heading back by going inside Middle Island and through the channel. Waves were not small on the sound, but the boat was one of Allen Marine’s most stable, so it did not feel as bad as it looked like it should. Fortunately, the clouds were relatively bright and the rain held off, so we had reasonable viewing conditions throughout.
Between the lumpy conditions out on the sound and visiting with folks, I didn’t end up observing too much. Unlike past trips, I was only asked to speak on microphone at the beginning. After that, I and the other guest speakers were available for folks to speak to one on one.
I did see a White-winged Scoter flock as we were headed out past the runway.
There were 11 or so Gray Whales by Inner Point which we spent a half an hour or so watching (though I was mostly talking at the time rather than watching).
I did make sure to take a couple of pictures just so I had something.
Between the relatively early morning for me and the motion on the boat I was feeling pretty tired when I got home.
I relaxed for a bit before heading out.
At Swan Lake I saw two swans, the Wood Duck, and one American Wigeon. A nice flock of scaups were mostly together along the Lake Street side of the lake.
Lone Greater Scaup in the Channel
It amused me to when I saw one lone scaup at the channel. I wondered if it didn’t get the memo.
A Common Goldeneye was right near the ramp. Gull numbers seemed to be picking up again.
Large enough to hold a skiff with trailer on the wheelhouse, the F/V Ursa Major seemed unaffected by the blustery weather as it headed north
On a stop at Sandy Beach it was windy. It didn’t seem like there was much surf, despite the rough conditions. I wonder if the swell may have been coming from the wrong direction? Rain did finally come.
I accidentally locked my key in my car while in Sea Mart.
While waiting for Connor a bright spot opened up to south-southwest. Wind had calmed while I was in store as well (there were no more whitecaps).
The sun came out a bit later.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Blustery Gray Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
This moss seems quite happy growing out of a hole in the base of a pot on my railing. It is something in Bryaceae. I'll try to figure out what species, but I understand it's a challenging family.
Overcast and rain falling through midafternoon. A few small cloud breaks allowed sun to shine through before it became overcast again.
My only significant time outside was later this afternoon.
I saw reports on ebird of the Purple Finch still around. I thought it may have left after not seeing any reports for a week or two. That motivated me to go for a walk around the neighborhood.
I heard a Pine Siskin singing from a spruce tree adjacent to the yard with feeders where the finch had showed up repeatedly.
I also noted juncos singing.
While I was watching the feeders, I heard juncos alarming on the other side of a fence. The birds feeding in the yard didn’t respond right away, but did ultimately fly up to more protected vantage points. The alarms didn’t last for long. I wondered if a cat was passing through.
Red alder catkins are close to opening and releasing pollen along Swan Lake
It was quiet at the Swan Lake peninsula. Two swans are still around.
A Black-bellied Plover was reported along the runway, so I checked the airport. Apparently it’s been towards the southeast end of the runway, which is not really very viewable away from the runway.
Long-tailed Ducks were near the shore in the channel so I took a bunch of photos. The Northern Song was motoring through to the north. Some of the passengers also seemed to be taking pictures of the ducks. Herring activity has been north of town, so haven’t seen much of it other than boats coming and going.
The weather forecast for tomorrow isn’t great. Hopefully it won’t be too bad, and we’ll get to see some stuff on the WhaleFest Food Web fundraiser cruise.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post April Opens Overcast first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with occasional light rain. Overcast became thicker later in the day.
Two Bald Eagles perched together in a neighborhood spruce tree
I walked down to the park this morning with the idea that I might catch the tide on its way up from the 7am low, but with enough beach left for shorebirds. I turned out to be a bit late and the tide was higher than shorebirds prefer. I had a nice walk all the same.
I thought I might have heard a robin this morning before I got up, but did not see or hear any while I was out walking.
I did hear several Song Sparrows and a Pacific Wrens singing. The sparrows mostly in the neighborhoods and the wrens in the park. I noticed one Brown Creeper singing in the park as well.
I spotted a variable carpet moth (Anticlea vasiliata) resting on one of the walls of the visitor center at the park. It’s my first of the year.
Fern-leaf Goldthread (Coptis aspleniifolia) flowers just opening up
I looked for fern-leaf goldthread blooming yesterday, and did not see any. In the same area today I found one that was just getting opened up. It was almost certainly there, though even less developed yesterday. It would have been easy to miss.
Pink is showing on this salmonberry flower bud, so it will probably be blooming soon
I still haven’t seen a salmonberry blooming, but a couple today were close, as were the furthest along red huckleberries.
Pseudisothecium stoloniferum seems especially happy in this section of riparian forest
The draping Pseudisothecium stoloniferum along one section of trail near the river caught my eye (again) today. I feel like there are probably some nice photos that I’m not quite seeing (especially when there’s nice light like today). There are so many crossing branches and then various shrubs and other trees, I’m not sure I have yet found a composition that works as well as I might like. Along this same section, I made note of how eroded the far bank is. The organic surface layer has draped over the bank in places, still held together by tree roots.
The river has undercut the far bank. The organic surface layer, still held together by roots has fallen.
The bank rises 8-10 feet up from the river to the forested area above, and appears to be made up of river sediment. This suggests at some point in the past the channel was 8-10 feet higher than it is now. I wonder if the rock was deposited when (relative) sea level was higher. It also raises a question for me about the dynamics of deposition and erosion. I’ve tended to think of it largely as a one-way process. Rivers cut down. Channels may move and gravel bars get deposited, but the overall level can’t rise up without something from outside (a landslide or log jam) changing things. I’m not entirely sure this is correct, however. I had a taste of twisted stalk today when I found one coming up. I like to sample the greens each year, though I don’t usually eat too many of them.
Continuing my pattern of late, I seem to be able to make progress on one project a day. Today I didn’t make any progress on collections, iNaturalist observations, or my playing card project, but did publish several photojournal entries. I was approaching two weeks behind, and now am back to ‘only’ a week behind.
For some reason this morning my mind got caught up in the idea of getting 100+ people to 100+ species for Sitka in iNaturalist (currently there are 17 people with at least 100 species). Along the way, I thought it might be interesting to work on a guide a person’s first 100 species in Sitka and see if I can get 25 people to go through it as part of a celebration of me getting to 2500 total taxa for Sitka (which I will surpass when I do my next upload of observations).
I’m thinking this could take the form of an email a week with species to target, how to recognize them and pointers on where to find them. I could also turn it into an e-guide for visitors or people who want to go through things faster. However in that case, it might be better to organize things by easily accessible locations.
I need to get my playing cards project done before I devote too much time to this idea, however.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Mossy Green Riparian Forest first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Peak 2890 fading into the clouds behind Starrigavan Estuary
Overcast, rain in the afternoon and evening. Seemed to be calmer than forecast, though a bit of a breeze out of the southwest during the latter part of my time out. Temperatures in the low 40s.
I got a message about a possible golden-plover over at the airport this morning. It flew off before any photos could be taken. It’s pretty early, and I always wonder about young and/or non-breeding plumage Black-bellied Plover as a possibility, but either way I was interested in getting out to see if the bird might have ended up on a local beach.
The high tide was around midday. At 10ft it didn’t leave a lot of beach. It was still up fairly high when I headed out around 2pm, so I visited a few other places before going to Totem Park to check the shoreline.
I started by swinging by the airport just in case. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t see it there.
I made an unplanned stop at the turnaround when I saw decent numbers of gulls on the water. There were a few dozen, but I did not see any unusual looking ones in the mix.
My next stop was Starrigavan. I parked along the side of the road and walked out towards the bridge over G̱ájaa Héen/Starrigavan Creek. I have been keeping my eyes open for the first Northern Pintail of the year (most years at least one spends the winter, but apparently not this year). There was a nice flock of Barrow’s Goldeneyes on the bay side diving for food fairly close. The water was still up high enough that much of the estuary was flooded, but I did see a few Mallards and mergansers there. I finally got my state parks day use sticker recently, so felt comfortable parking at Halibut Point Rec and walking down there for the first time in months.
Sign post at Halibut Point Rec area
The forest has opened up a bit relative to my vague memories from my early years. Not really surprising to me given its age, but interesting to observe. Halibut Point Rec, walked around. A couple of Mallards at the mouth of Granite Creek. Woods opening up compared to my vague memories from many years ago.
I didn’t see any birds on the beach and just a couple Mallards at the mouth of Granite Creek.
Aulacomnium androgynum has a drumstick-like spur with gemmae which is distinctive.
I did check a couple of logs for bryophytes and found some Aulacomnium androgynum with the distinctive spikes bearing gemmae. This species fairly common on beach loggs, but easy to overlook and more difficult to recognize when those are not present. I stopped at the golf course and walked down to the pond and back. I wanted to see if there might be any robins or shorebirds, but didn’t see any. There was one person golfing, not what I expected given the marginal weather.
Driving back into town, the rain started.
I checked the weather radar before starting my walk at Totem Park. It looked like it might just be a band of rain. I decided to walk through the forest first and hope it had let up by the time I got out to the beach.
I checked for fern-leaf goldthread blooming and did not find any. I also checked Osmorhiza and didn’t see any of it blooming either.
A couple of Gadwall are still around with the Mallards, but I did not find a Northern Pintail.
Some of the hundreds of Surfbirds and Black Turntones that were foraging on the flats at Totem Park
The tide was well below its high by this time. I started hearing the shorebirds before I saw them. I did not see any plovers, but I did see hundreds of Surfbirds. Several hundred birds were in the flock, and the vast majority were Surfbirds. I saw a few Black Turnstones, and despite their smaller numbers, they were the ones I heard most as well.
Two Rock Sandpipers among a flock of Surfbirds
I looked for Rock Sandpipers and thought I saw one, but then wasn’t sure (viewing conditions weren’t great with drizzle and a breeze at my face). Unless I find one in a flock shot [Update: I did], I won’t report one. At least 5 Black Oystercatchers came in while I was there. The rain hadn’t let up, and with the breeze and temperatures in the low 40s, my hands got quite cold before I headed back.
For some reason this tardigrade photo reminds me somewhat of a style of Asian (maybe Chinese?) illustration that I've seen but know little or nothing about
I made it through some collections this evening. Among the mosses and liverworts that were the targets, I found a tardigrade, mite, and pseudoscorpion in the mix.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post You Are Here, Now first appeared on Sitka Nature.
I enjoy noticing subtle variations in clouds and light on Mt. Edgecumbe, especially this time of year when there is much snow on the cone.
Overcast with periods of rain. When I was out, winds seemed moderate. This was contrary to forecast, so I may have missed the bigger winds.
It was mid-afternoon before I made it out for a significant period of time.
I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go, and ended up driving to the zero gate (which I expect will remain closed for another month) on Harbor Mountain Road. I wasn’t feeling inspired to stop anywhere along there, however.
I took this photo to remind of a tree where I had taken pictures of liverworts but not made collections in case I needed to go back. This one of the walk-in camp sites at the campground
Since I was already this far out the road, I went on to Starrigavan. I decided to walk around the hike-in camping loop part of the campground. Paul Norwood had previously found Neckera menziesii there, which would be a new species for me. Walking up the gated service road I noticed juncos calling off to my right. I paused and looked up (I had apparently been looking down while walking). I noticed two juncos sitting in the grass along the edge in front of me. They seemed a bit concerned by me, and something (perhaps a shift on my part, I don’t remember) caused them to fly up to a nearby branch. I moved to the other side of the path and moseyed up past them without apparent further disturbance.
(probably) Blepharostoma trichophyllum growing on cedar
This was only the second or third time I’ve walked around this area. It’s somewhat surprisingly rich in different mosses and liverworts relative to other areas. I’m not entirely sure why. One particular surprise was seeing patches of Sphagnum growing on top of gravel. I even checked and good feel the hard surface below the patch.
The trail loop and several campsites have all been excavated a bit and backfilled with rock and gravel to make a sturdy base for traffic. However, the area this was put in strikes me as mostly low productivity old growth with ample shrubs. Without a path, it can be a bit of a pain to walk through this habitat, and I have not tended to spend much time in such places. Perhaps if I had, I would be less surprised with the diversity of bryophytes I was seeing.
I stopped to make a few photos and take a couple of collections.
I'm not sure if it will apply more generally, but this patch of Neckera menziesii is distinctly more saturated in color than N. douglasii. Both have distinctively wrinkled looking leaves
I did find the Neckera menziesii. Conveniently there was a bit of Neckera douglasii nearby for comparison. I noticed two small dark springtails on a dead tree with many holes from bark (or other) beetle galleries. They were darker than I remembered seeing before. The (slightly) smaller one’s back was almost completely black. I suspect they are the same species and either the smaller one is immature, or one of them is male and the other female.
On my way out, I had noticed a scene I thought might make a nice picture from the Harbor Point pullout. Since I didn’t expect to be long at Starrigavan, and I thought the weather would stay the same, I decided to take the photo on the way back. Coming back to my car, I noticed the clouds had lifted a bit and it seemed much brighter. Sure enough, things had changed that the scene no longer caught my eye. Lesson number [big number] that the pictures you rarely stick around for long.
The F/V Nicholas Michael heading back to town with Mt. Edgecumbe in the distance
I spent some time watching the water from Sandy Beach and then Sea Mart while on a call. At Sea Mart I spotted a Pigeon Guillemot, my first of the year.
Neckera douglasii strand on the left, and N. menziesii on the right. The different branching patterns and more saturated color of N. menziesii stand out to me.
This evening I finally finished up going through a collection I had started a few days ago but not gotten back to. I confirmed the Neckera species with a closer look at the leaves, but didn’t make it any further.
I noticed this rotifer crawling around on a liverwort I had collected.
In a liverwort collection, I noticed a rotifer doing its thing, including the apparently spinning parts which inspired its name. The video definitely captured it better than the photos.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Visiting Starrigavan Campground Residents first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast skies with rain developing later in the day. Temperatures in the 40s.
While on a call this morning I noticed White-cheeks the junco come to the porch feeder. I didn’t have my camear beside me, so was not able to document the occasion with a photo.
I didn’t make it out until later in the afternoon, fortunately before the rain started in earnest.
I decided to visit upper Cascade Creek. I can’t remember the last time I was there. Looking at photos, it may have been since 2019. This is much is longer than I would have guessed, and a good reminder how easy it is to let even easily accessible locations go too long without a visit.
I was feeling the soreness from running around at ultimate last night as I walked up the hill with my backpack. Fortunately, it’s a short one.
Radula multifida is a species of liverwort I've not previously observed
Just before the old dam, I noticed a very minor water course coming down a rock outcrop. I decided to check it out more closely. I saw an unfamiliar looking thallose liverwort growing in a recessed hollow. Reviewing the options this evening, I’m pretty sure it’s Riccardia multifida.
This was only the second time I've found Hookeria acutifolia so far (though I may be overlooking it)
Under a nearby overhang, I found what I think is Hookeria acutifolia, only the second time I’ve found this one. It seems to be much less common than Hookeria lucens.
Along the rock outcrops beside the dam, I found more of the large (for a leafy liverwort) purple liverwort that I’m pretty sure is the same as one I found along Blue Lake road. I found just a strand of it that time. This time it was a branched strand, so somewhat more to look at, but still not much. Despite looking closely, I could not find anymore there. Making my way up along the river above the dam, it occurred to me that without the dam this would all be part of a steep narrow gorge, much like the creek below the dam. Instead, there’s a reach of the stream that is a bit broader and easier to walk.
I looked a few places, and skipped a few others that would have required more wading than I was up to. I didn’t find too much that caught my attention until I was on my way back and noticed little black balls growing on some dead liverworts.
Perhaps a MIcarea lichen - more work will need to be done to get a species name to it.
I had the impression they were growing on rather than out of, so I wondered if they might be a lichen. I later noticed others growing in a similar manner, though in this case more on a algae/biofilm sort of stuff than bryophytes. Before going home, I stopped by the channel. There were only a few gulls around (so last evening’s increases were apparently short-lived). Long-tailed Ducks and scaups haven’t headed out yet.
This evening I listened to a Sitka natural history seminar series talk about recent work that’s been done to map and better understand the Queen Charlotte/Fairweather fault system that runs offshore of Sitka.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Cascade Creek Exploring first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and sunny with temperatures into the mid 40s. Calm to light breeze.
I made it out of the house shortly before 10am. Frost had melted off the car where the sun was on it, but still covered places in the shade.
I started up Indian River trail motivated in part because the ibuttons were due to be serviced.
The air was chilly starting out, but the sun felt warm.
Walking on the trail through the forest, I heard a few birds calling.
It was nice to catch the songs of a Brown Creeper and Golden-crowned Kinglets as well.
A Red-breasted Sapsucker drumming in the distance had apparently found a nicely resonant snag.
Patterns of ice on a forest puddle.
I saw ice in the puddles, especially where there was not as much canopy overhead.
The first Fern-leaf Goldthread (Coptis aspleniifolia) of the year for me
I was up past the second bridge when I found my first fern-leaved goldthread (Coptis aspleniifolia) flower of the year. I had stopped rearrange some gear and take a short break in the sun. I later saw it blooming several other places, though they were all further up the valley. I looked where I saw leaves along the trail lower down, but didn’t find any flowers.
I noticed a pocked of snow lingering in a protected hollow under a tree.
I was slightly surprised to see snow remaining in a hollow at the base of a tree.
The most snow remained in the transitional area between forest and muskeg. Open enough canopy for snow to accumulate, but enoug shade to keep it from melting as fast.
Much more remained in the transition area between forest and muskeg. The muskeg itself was snow free. I had previously noticed a block of quartz in the forest that I assumed someone had found near the river and put there as part of a fire ring. I was tempted to bring it home, but never did. The past several times I’ve been up the valley, I haven’t seen that chunk, so I suspect someone else did carry it out.
This appears to be a large block of quartz. In order to be so close to the surface, I think it must have ended up there long after the forest was established (perhaps in the last 100-150 years). The question in my mind is how?
Today I happened to see a bit of quartz showing through moss in roughly the same area. I stopped to invetiage and realized it was a larger chunk of quartz, much larger than I could hope to carry. I now think the piece I saw previously had come off this one. The size of this one begs the question of where it came from, and why it’s still pretty much on the surface. If it was deposited as the glaciers retreated and/or the river worked this part of the valley, it should have been much more covered by organic soil instead of a thin layer of moss. I don’t know of any process that would have lifted it up. Thinking about it now, I am curious to bring a little trowel and see if there is organic material underneath (assuming I can dig down far enough).
I pulled back some of the moss that had grown over a block of quartz (then replaced it when I was done)
It’s in the middle of the valley, far away from where it could have fallen from above and tumbled to rest. Another hypothesis I have is that it may have been left by folks who did some mining in the valley 100 or so years ago. I think their trail went along further to the east, and I’ve not noticed any sign of it right by the area where the quartz is, but it’s hard to say for sure.
The muskeg fringe ibutton was not working. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to replace it. I had spare ibuttons, but not the plastic thing they go in which I use to attach them to the string, nor a pair of pliers to remove the nonfunctioning one from its holder.
Moniliina cup with the blueberry it grew from.
I’m not sure how I spotted them, but I noticed Monilinia fruiting below some blueberry bushes. They seemed to be maturing despite the still frosty ground. With an assist from crusty snow and frozen ground surface, I managed to make it to the muskeg without getting my feet wet. That was not going to continue in the muskeg so I decided to take shoes off. It was definitely cold on the feet. However, if I can get my feet dry, it always feels kind of amazing to put on dry shoes after I’ve been walking barefoot through cold, wet conditions.
After taking care of the last ibutton, I went to edge of muskeg and relaxed in the sun.
While sitting, I noticed a small group of what I think were robins fly by. They moved quickly, and I never saw them well, but did hear a brief call. A bit later, a junco flew over my head in one direction, then went back the other way.
I listened to the sound Indian River in front of me with my face turned up towards the sun feeling its warmth. I could also hear water running behind me. feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, but also water running behind me.
I opted to go straight back into the forest instead of returning the way I had come.
I ended up near the little gravel bar where Connor had found nettles last year.
I poked around a bit to see if shoots might be coming up, but didn’t find any.
I'm curious which buttercup species this is. Perhaps Ranunculus occidentalis, which I mostly find along beaches. However, it may be that I've just not been upland in the right places early enough to notice it flowering.
I did see several buttercups (maybe R. occidentalis?), a cow parsnip plant, as well as some Osmorhiza and violet leaves up. I also noticed more fern-leaved goldthread blooming. I made my way back, stopping a few times to looking at liverworts or mosses.
Tipped up tree roots form a microhabitat that several different species take advantage of.
I revisited a pair of tall (maybe 15 feet to the top) rootwads that I’ve looked at before. I found some goblin gold moss (Schistostega pennata) where hollows had been created by soil falling out. I hoped to see some Plectania nannfeldtii, a fungus that fruits in spring, but didn’t find any.
Falls fork water temp
I continued my routine of measuring water temperatures in each fork.
The ground level temperature stabilized around 64F in direct sun. Much warmer than the 48F air temperature.
I got curious about ground surface temperature where it was in the sun. When I shaded the ground, the temperature dropped fairly quickly. Left in full sun, it seemed to stabilize around 64F. Once again I considered trying to snorkel for the afternoon low (at 4:30 today). It went down to -0.4ft, but I didn’t make it out.
We had a good turnout at ultimate this evening. I enjoyed tossing during warm ups as the sun set.
Today I made more progress on last year’s observations. I have about a dozen days with observations left. Three or four of them have many observations, but the rest only a few.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Sunny Sunday Saunter first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2022/20220327_KCAW_SITNAT_10_year_show.mp3Download Radio Show
The March 27th show was the 10th anniversary show (the first Sitka Nature show aired 25 March 2012). I invited regular guests Kitty LaBounty, Brooke Schafer, and Paul Norwood to record a conversation with me. We reflected on the past ten years of nature experiences and shows.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #259 – 10th Anniversary Show first appeared on Sitka Nature.
If I had more experience up high in the winter, I wonder if I could interpret the textures on snow I can see from below and be able to say something about snow conditions up there.
Sunny with frosty conditions this morning before warming to the mid 40s.
I heard a Song Sparrow and Dark-eyed Juncos singing outside my house this morning.
An early spring moth - these are difficult to get beyond genus.
I was a little surprised to see a moth at the light given cool overnight temps. Before heading out for a bit this afternoon, I stopped by the radio station to get my radio show ready for tomorrow.
Low tide happened at 3:20pm. We’re still in the transition between fall/winter pattern and spring/summer pattern of tides. Today’s predicted 0.5ft tide is part of the evening low cycle (lower in the fall/winter) which will see it’s lowest level in a few days.
With an atmospheric assist the water was down to around 0ft. I was considering going snorkeling ultimately didn’t. I was discouraged by the surge at Sandy Beach and Magic Island parking lot was full. Also, by the time I had finished my show and checked the water, it was nearly 3pm.
I did drive out to Silver Bay to look at snow covered mountains with blue sky behind them. There have not been many opportunities to do that so far this year.
Bald Eagle in a perch overlooking Silver Bay
While walking I heard a Bald Eagle calling and was reminded of a nest that’s uphill from the road. (I had previously noted it when there was a large buoy in it.) I wondered if the eagle was on/near the nest. When I got back where I could see, the eagle did not seem to be especially close to the nest. I’m not sure if it was associated with the nest or just coincidentally in the area. Back at home I sat outside on west side of the house. I don’t usually sit there because it’s closer to the road (and traffic noise). However, the shaded south step was not as compelling with the opportunity available to sit in full sun.
While sitting I noticed the clumpiness of raspberries. If I had been asked, I think I would have described the canes as more uniformly distributed. I realized today there seem to be descrete plants which send up a cane or two each year. They also send out runners, but those will come up some distance away (and presumably start a new plant).
After sitting I pruned away old raspberry canes and did a little pruning of fruit trees.
I headed back out to Silver Bay as the sun was dropping low. This time I noticed some tracks in the snow extending a bit above treeline on Bear Mountain. I suspect a snowboarder or skier was checking things about but didn’t find conditions suitable for making a big run, and settled for a small run instead.
I believe these tracks were made by a snow boarder or skier.
It appears to me the person first hiked up the the side of the bowl (which I've gone up in summer). Then turned around and retraced footsteps.
After coming back down a bit, they crossed the bowl and made one short-ish run down and back to where they started.
I stopped at Whale Park and walked down to the shore. I saw the sun disappearing behind Mount Edgecumbe, but the view was only partial. I saw a bumblebee flying around in the forest on my way down to the shore. It was my first of the year (though I’ve seen photos from other people who have seen them previously).
I continued working on photos/observations from last year this morning and more this evening. I am now over 5000 observations from 2021. I probably have 150-200 or so left to add. I will be glad to finish up before things really start picking up this year. I would like to do the same with all the collection I already have, but I didn’t make any progress on them today, and that seems less likely.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Silver Bay Sights first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly to partly cloudy today. Highs in the mid 40s.
Last night’s gusty winds were over by the time I was up this morning. Overnight at the buoy seas reached over 19 feet.
With calls this morning, I did not get out until after lunch.
The beginning of my outing corresponded with a break in the clouds. I enjoyed a few minutes feeling warm sun as I walked along DeGroff Street. A breeze was blowing up Swan Lake, and clouds began to obscure the sun again.
I hoped to find the wigeons at the peninsula, but saw only Mallards and the Wood Duck on land. Scaups, Buffleheads, more Mallards, and at least one swan were on the lake in various locations.
There were plenty of midges around, and it looked like ducks might have been going after them again at the upper part of the lake.
With no wigeons and the chilly wind, I decided not to stick around long.
The remainder of my time I spent looking at epiphytes on trees in the Baranof Street Cemetery.
The pale yellow-green may be a Radula, the darker brown a Frullania -
I got pictures of a few species I recognized, and made collections of a couple liverworts I didn’t. I noticed a patch of fern-leaf goldthread (Coptis aspleniifolia) along connector from the cemetery to the cross trail section. I briefly considered looking more closely to see if any flowers were up, but decided it was too early. After seeing an observation of flowers from southern Baranof Island show up on iNaturalist, I wished I had looked a little closer. I suspect they’re not out yet, but they might be.
I suspect bear hair, caught in the railing but will try to confirm
I noticed a tuft of hair caught in the railing to the boardwalk as I was heading out. Hairs were long and brown and about three feet or so off the ground. Although I think there are good reasons to believe it’s bear hair (including the height above the ground eliminating many dogs and any other smaller mammals, length of hair eliminating deer, and the way it was caught would have required the animal to be leaning against the rail as it walked by which seems much more likely for bear than dog), I would like to confirm that. The only other plausible option would be a large dog. I suspect it’s relatively fresh, as it still seemed relatively fluffy. I think had it been exposed to much rain, it would have become matted down (assuming no one noticed it and pulled it out like I did). Shortly after I returned home but was still sitting outside, the clouds thickened further and some graupel began to fall. It was never more than a few bits, however.
Alaska Airlines jet on final approach to land
More rain came later. On a trip to Sea Mart, I appreciated the sight of an Alaska Airlines jet on approach in front of showers over Sitka Sound. I didn’t make any additional progress on collections today. I rarely seem to manage to do work on too many different things in a day. Today’s focus was catching up on photojournal posts up through last weekend.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spring Flowers and Showers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Microscopic details of a deep purple liverwort (as yet unidentified)
Overcast and breezy. Temperatures into the upper 40s. Winds picked up later this evening, but not much rain today.
I had a meeting this morning downtown that last until around noon.
Mergansers were as numerous as the gulls today
After finishing, I checked the Eagle Way and the channel. I saw very few gulls. Herring boats seemed to be absent from the harbors, so I wondered if fishing had started (drawing both the boats and the gulls).
I drove out the road and it looked like boats were in the same area as yesterday. I couldn’t tell if they were fishing. This evening’s paper said by press time they were still waiting on a decision whether to fish. When I went out this evening it was quiet at the lake.
I saw activity at the work float where a boat was cleaning net. I’m guessing the eagles and gulls were getting herring that had been stuck and were tossed out of the net.
One of several groups of crows I watched fly down the channel (I suspect heading to their roosting site).
Crows flying down channel towards the bridge. I’m not sure where they were coming from (maybe Eliason Harbor?), but I’m guessing they were flying to their evening roost.
A small piece of thallose liverwort. I took some photos, though I don\'t have high hopes of getting an identification. I did enjoy looking at it.
I made it through part of one collection after games at the Beak. I dug into the weather records a bit more after it hit 50F a couple evenings ago.
Last year was tied for the latest first 50 degree ever. The first day it reached temperature was April 16th when 50F was the high. This year’s 50F on March 21st was 17th latest day on record.
Last year also had the fewest days between the first 50F and last 50F day of the year (April 16-Nov 5th, 202 days). On the other end, 2001 it got to 50F on January 2nd, and again on December 31st.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Colorful Liverworts on a Gray Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clouds lifting off Verstovia
Showery conditions with much less wind than yesterday. Sunshine happened between some breaks in the showers, but overall it was mostly cloudy.
I spent part of the morning at the radio station to record a conversation for my next show. Friday marks 10 years since my first Sitka Nature show, so I’m counting Sunday’s as the 10th anniversary show.
After eating lunch at the Beak, I drove around a bit. The weather was mostly in shower mode, so I didn’t feel inspired to stay out long.
Herring Boats presumably out checking for the readiness of herring for harvest
It looked like herring boats were out from Middle Island area over towards Hayward Strait. Saw later they had been out more this morning. I only saw a few.
I can recognize this swan by the healing injury at the top base of its bill. It previously had leeches in each eye, but those seem to have gone.
The Trumpeter Swan at the lake with forehead injury is still there (along with another one). The leeches that had been on its eyes seem to be gone, as it’s eyes look normal again.
I went back out for a bit early this evening. I noticed nice light on some of the boats at anchor in the channel. I think I might have missed a better location/light combination by a a brief time/distance.
Some of the few gulls still hanging around the channel - presumably they've gone elsewhere for now. Some may have continued north, but I suspect many may be going to where herring are available.
Gull numbers were down significantly in the channel. At Swan Lake the past couple of days I’ve noticed more ducks spread out at upper end of lake. Today it looked like they may have been swimming around after midges on the surface. Perhaps the hatch was larger at that part of the lake?
A non-descript blob houses many strands of green bead-like cells
This evening spent 2-3 hours working through a single collection from last weekend. I had chosen it because I thought it would be a relatively fast/easy one. I ended up taking pictures of 7 different organisms. There were two others I wanted to photograph, but I lost them (a small snail shell and a mite).
The details revealed by microscope can be quite striking
I’ll have at least one new species out of the collection. I suspect some of the others would be new as well, though I don’t know if it will be possible to get them to species (or anywhere close). My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Evening Light at the Channel first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with heavy rain and hail (or graupel) at times. Brief sun breaks between showers. Gusty winds.
It felt unexpectedly warm when I stepped out last evening. I checked and saw the official temp up had reached 50F and it occurred to me that it had been quite a while since I remember it feeling so warm.
It turns out the last time we had 50F was back last November on the 6th. The 135 day streak was one day short of top 5 all time. (The longest run at the airport was 162 days from early November 1950 through mid-April 1951.) The last time there was a longer streak was in 1972-1973. On the other hand, last year there was a 130 day streak from early December through mid-April (currently the 8th longest run all time).
Created with xmACIS 2Most winters we do see a push of warm air from the south at least once during the December to February period. This year, the high temperature in January was 49F, so it was close. Just not quite to 50F. I also checked days without reaching 51F, and we’re currently tied for 11th all time at 139 days. Given the forecast, it seems likely this streak will make into the top ten, and possibly top 5. The all time record of 178 days (1950-1951) seems well out of reach, as it would require no 51F degree temperatures before April 30th.
Today’s temperatures were cooler, though still warmer than forecast at 46F.
Collected March 19th along Blue Lake Road
I spent much of the day working through collections. I revisited the ones I worked on yesterday. I probably spent more time than it was worth extracting the Fissidens from the dirt. If the collection ever goes anywhere and someone else looks at it, it should be much easier, though.
I'm pretty sure this is Diplophyllum albicans, a common liverwort in this area. Distinguished in part by the long cells in the central part of the laf. Collected March 19th along Blue Lake Road
I made it through two additional collections today, though one of them was a bit of a grab bag of liverworts growing together. That took a bit to sort out. Originally I thought I found three different things. After working through them, I realized two of them were both Diplophyllum albicans. As I learn to recognize things more readily, I will spend much less time on familiar species (unless it’s a particular nice looking example for photos). That should make it easier to process collections more quickly, but it could be a slow journey.
One of the rainbows I spotted out my north facing window while working through collections.
I did have a window to look out while I was working, and saw several rainbows as the sun mixed with showers. I did finally make it out for a bit this evening. The wind was still blowing on the water, with white caps in Crescent Bay.
Had there been more daylight, I probably would have spent more than just a few moments at Sandy Beach trying to take pictures of the waves coming in. I could also see big crashes on the rocks further out, but didn’t try to get pictures. The buoy was up to nearly 27ft this evening.
Gull numbers were down in the channel when I checked this evening compared to what I've been seeing recently
The channel was quieter than it’s been the past few days. Connor said there were many gulls at the park this morning (when the tide was out). There were hundreds scattered around in or near the channel, but well down from the thousand+ I’ve been seeing. Herring fishery went on two hour notice this morning.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Rainbow Views Working on Collections first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Recently added whimsy along Herring Cove Trail
Overcast and breezy, occasional light rain mixing with snow in places.
Today’s main outing was a hike up Herring Cove and around Beaver Lake loop.
Pleurozia purpurea is a fairly distinctive mostly purple liverwort which is common found in boggy conditions in this area. It was not the one I was seeking on this particular day, but I was happy to find this nice patch.
I had been told of a liverwort species found along the trail which I was motivated to look for. Kitty joined me and we started up just after 11am.
It was windy and light snow fell, though we were mostly protected from that in the forest.
I can’t remember the last time I went up the trail, but it was certainly no more recently than last fall.
Friendly greetings in the cut ends where a fallen tree was cleared away from the trail this einter
In the time since, it was clear at least a couple of trails had fallen across the trail and been cut back. I don’t know if it was a local trail enthusiast, or someone working for the Forest Service or Sitka trail works. In any case, they added some whimsy to the cut ends. As usual, I documented it to join my collection of trail whimsy photos.
Looking across Beaver Lake towards the upper end
Wind was blowing snow drifts across the lake, but we walked the loop anyway. It turned out to not be as windy as I would have guessed through the muskeg portion. It was still enough along with chilly temperatures and snow on the ground and in the air to discourage me from looking too hard for the liverwort I was after.
Ice is beginning to retreat from the upper shoreline of Beaver Lake
It’s easy to forget that winter takes longer to transition at Beaver Lake. Only a little bit of open water present at the upper end, otherwise it remained iced over. In some places where more had accumulated early in the winter, there was still a decent amount of snow remaining.
Malacodea pulchraria is a species that overwinters as a pupa and emerges early in the spring.
I did notice a moth fluttering under a long and was able to get some photos. Malacodea pulchraria is an early spring flyer. I’ve more typically found them in April, but on a couple of previous occasions seen them at the end of March (even in 2012, which was a cold year).
Ravens working the lawn, likely for cranefly larvae. I suspect the owl was put up in hopes of dissuading their efforts.
Back in town, I was amused to see ravens going at the lawn in front of the Pioneer Home. Someone had set up a cone with a fake owl on a stick. I’m assuming the groundskeeper was trying to discourage the ravens from ripping up the lawn. It’s the time of year when they go for cranefly larvae. My impression is they tend to focus on yards that are more mossy. They also don’t seem to hit the same yards every year. I wonder if abundance varies from lawn to lawn and year to year.
Not long after getting back home. One of my neighbors from around the corner came and knocked on my door, excited about a big bird she had seen in the trees up the street. It turned out to be an adult Northern Goshawk. It flew up to a higher perch, then moved on shortly after we got there to look at it. I was happy to get to see it. They are around, but not infrequently seen (at least by me). We had a good turnout (12) at ultimate this evening. The gusty wind made things a little challenging at times, however.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Herring Cove to Beaver Lake first appeared on Sitka Nature.
As yet unidentified purple liverwort
Mostly cloudy with occasional breaks allowing sun to shine through. Scattered rain showers, sometimes mixing with snow.
Temperatures cooled from the low 40s into the upper 30s.
After two late nights in a row (though mercifully I was not awake nearly as late last night), I got off to a slow start today.
A lone Great Blue Heron hanging with the gulls on a building roof along the channel
After lunch I stopped by the channel and scanned the gulls, though I did not spend much time at it. I did visit with Bill F. for a bit. He told me about a leucistic junco from back in the day. He had recently found photos of it. At the time they initially wondered if it might be a McKay’s Bunting.
My main outing today was a walk up Blue Lake Road. Many sections of the road have rock outcrops rising on the uphill side. I’ve previously spent time looking for bryophytes on them, and I’m sure I have a long way to go before exhausting what there is to find there.
I had a particular outcrop near a stream/falls in mind today. I spent nearly two hours scrambling around, looking, taking pictures, and making collections.
I'm not sure what species of moss this is. I think the black spots may be small fungi
After 1500+ photos (they add up quickly doing focus stack sets 29 photos at a time) and a dozen collections (which will no doubt turn into more observations), I figured I’d had enough for one visit. I spent much of the evening just processing the photos (mostly doing the focus stacking) and I’m still not done. Working through the collections and the additional photos I take will no doubt add up to several more hours. Fortunately, it isn’t generally time I find unpleasant, but it can become a bit consuming.
Some of the scrambling I did ended up being sketchier than I prefer. Some large rocks were unexpectedly loose, and slid down a bit. It’s pretty clear things are weathering and eroding somewhat quickly (relative to other spots) at this particular location.
Myurella sibirica, a new moss species for me
Although I was looking more for liverworts, I mostly found mosses. At least a couple will be new species for me (assuming I can get names for them).
Fissidens bryoides, a new moss species for me
One looks like a smaller than I’m used to seeing Fissidens. There were plenty of sporophytes (which I also don’t know that I’ve ever seen on Fissidens I’ve observed before. Based on some initially looking around, I am wondering about F. bryoides.
This moss was so small, I was not sure if there was anything other than sporophytes
Another one I noticed was very small. In some cases, even with magnifiers it almost looked like sporophytes were coming straight out of the rock, with no accompanying moss plant. I’m sure there is more to be discovered on this particular outcrop, and much more along Blue Lake road more generally. Some parts of this outcrop I would be much more comfortable investigating on rappel from above. I’m sure that’s true for other places along the road as well (assuming the top of the outcrop is even accessible). In other cases, perhaps a steady ladder would be sufficient.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Bryophytes along Blue Lake Road first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly to partly cloudy skies and some sun through midday becoming cloudy and rainy this afternoon. Breezy with temperatures in the 40s.
I laid awake in bed last night for much longer than usual without being able to fall asleep. I was glad to get a message cancelling my 8am call. The extra hour or so of sleep helped.
I had calls the remainder of the morning.
Rowan wanted to go out to get lunch. After stopping at the Backdoor we ate at the channel. The sun was shining and we had plenty of gulls to look at (though others were already parked on the ramp, so we didn’t have the best location for viewing them).
Adult male Barrow's Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye swam together briefly allowing for a direct comparison of their differences.
The tide was up. If I had my camera ready and some warning, I could have got nice(r) shots of goldeneyes that came swimming close by. As it was, I got some a few minutes later. I was appreciative that a male Barrow’s Goldeneye and a male Common Goldeneye swam nearby so I could get a picture that made it easy to compare differences. Dropped Connor and Rowan off and found a place to park and watch. I moved a couple times over the next couple of hours while I talked to my mom after calling to wish her happy birthday.
The dark mantle helps this Slaty-backed Gull stand out against the crowd
I spotted the Slaty-backed Gull on the roof of North Pacific Seafoods. It was perched near the edge so I could see it across the channel. While parked under the bridge, I noticed a Common Loon pretty close to back in breeding plumage.
Swan Lake hosted many more scaups today. While I was there, I only saw wigeons on peninsula. I was tempted to get out for photos, but felt quite tired so thought I might come back later after I had a nap.
While on the call this afternoon, blue sky disappeared and clouds thickened. Rain started shortly after I got back home.
Took a short nap. When I woke up, I decided to stay in due to continuing rain.
I realized I have been working off the wrong template for the card deck box. Today I got the correct one and spent good chunk of evening working on it. Time got away from me and I was up later than I expected.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Views from the Island first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with occasional showers. Later in the day breaks between showers including a bit of sun shining through. Winds calmer than yesterday, and temperatures in the 40s.
Today was daylight length was 11 hours 59 minutes (as close to 12 and 12 equilux as we’re getting). It’s the last day with more darkness than light until next fall.
A faint rainbow graces the evening view accross Crescent Bay
With an assist from daylight saving time change, it was still light when I was out after 6pm today.
Flock of gulls resting on the ramp
The channel was not quite as busy as yesterday when I stopped by early this afternoon. I still had many hundreds of gulls to look through. I did not stay as long today, and did not see any I was confident were more unusual species on my first visit (but did document a couple that raised questions for me). I saw one California Gull on a second visit, just before a coast guard helicopter flyover flushed most of the gulls off the ramp.
A nice rainbow broke out across the channel after a rain shower had moved over. I spent time at Swan Lake hoping to get photos of the possible Eurasian Wigeon. She was feeding on the grass with an American Wigeon while I watched.
I was not ready and missed an opportunity for a better show of this wigeon in flight
If I had realized soon enough that a couple with a stroller were crossing the street to visit the lake, I might have had success. Instead, I was moments late, and just got a blurry shot of the wigeon from the wrong angle and half out of frame.
Midges have started swarming over Swan Lake
Midges are out and swarming at the lake.
The Eurasian Wigeon was opportunistically picking up midges as she paddled around the lake
I noticed ducks were eating them opportunistically as they happened to swim by one near the surface. They did not seem to be working too hard to go for them specifically.
Greater Scaup at the edge of Swan Lake
A few scaups have shown up on the lake. There are still quite a few in the channel. I suspect the lake scaups have moved from the channel, but it’s possible they have come from elsewhere. Ravens were doing their aerial acrobatics/flight dancing up over Gavan Hill and tried to get some video of it. A good (tall) tripod would have been helpful.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Equilux Rainbows first appeared on Sitka Nature.
This Glaucous-winged Gull had much more intensely colored bill than others
Overcast with rain (primarily in the afternoon). Winds out of the southeast.
Continuing the pattern of the past couple of days, my time outside coincided with the rain.
I spent a bit more than an hour early in the afternoon watching the many gulls at the channel.
Some of the many gulls at the channel
I’m guessing there were comfortably over 1000 gulls in the channel, with hundreds more taking a break on the shore or various structures. All together, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were 2500 or more. Largest numbers were Glaucous-winged Gulls and Cook Inlet Gulls. There were also plenty of Thayer’s Gulls and Short-billed Gulls. I saw quite a few that seemed good for Herring Gulls, and at least two California Gulls. On a later visit I saw a first year Glaucous Gull or two.
It rained while I was there, so I found it especially handy to have car as blind.
The wind made it easier for taking pictures of birds in flight and I spent some of my time doing that. I was set up so as they were flying more slowly against the wind I could track them with my camera. Often they were slowing down even more as they came in to land.
Black on wingtips dark and fairly extensive. A black dot along with the red gonys, dark eyes and deep red ring around them all point to California Gull. Also a bit smaller than the Glaucous-winged Gulls, Herring Gulls and hybrids that were around.
While taking pictures of a California Gull, I tried to see the telephoto view through my camera (with my right eye) and the bare (left) eye view at the same time. I could manage it as long as I didn’t focus my attention too much on one or the other. I had the impression of overlapping images, sometimes verging on a picture-in-picture sort of view.
F/V Sequel causing the gulls to fly as it motors down the channel
The gulls were a bit flighty. When crows decided to take off, so did many of the gulls, but most just flew a circle and returned to the ramp. The tide was high. I’m not sure, but it seems plausible this makes them more likely to stick around the channel rather then go to the park flats. On the other hand, some years they make heavy use of buildings with large roofs around the downtown area.
I sat for 15 minutes when I got home. Rain was letting up while I did.
Things were quiet bird-wise. I closed my eyes and tried to attend to sounds and smells simultaneously for a bit.
I also tried to feel the expanded sense of place I was working on the other day. For whatever reason, I didn’t feel it in the same way today.
I went out again briefly this evening. Things had quieted down a bit at the channel, though there were still plenty of gulls.
This evening I worked on designing a box for a card deck featuring a picture of old growth forest.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Gray Day Gulls first appeared on Sitka Nature.
As yet unidentified moss in the Orthotrichaceae family
Cloudy with occasional rain and some wind out of the southwest (at least when I was out).
I did not make it out until after lunch.
Early in the afternoon I noticed a banded junco out in the yard. It stuck around long enough for me to get my binoculars and camera. It’s band combination was white over orange on left and aluminum. I don’t remember seeing it previously, but it was banded in 2018 at my house. The other one has aluminum over yellow on left and black over orange on right. I think it was banded in 2019. I checked the channel before moving a friend’s car to the airport in advance of their return from a trip.
Cook Inlet Gull among the gulls on the ramp in front of UAS
The channel was quieter than yesterday, but a decent flock of gulls was hanging out on the ramp. I did not spot any that looked unusual, however. Walking back along old airport road, I noticed a couple places it looked like had seen recent (or repeated) foot traffic.
In one case, I suspect it led to a camp where folks are staying.
I’m not sure about the other cases, but I wonder if it’s a result of some surveying work. I saw surveyors by the channel yesterday, so it may be they have a project going on in the area.
The first fully blooming early blueberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium) flowers I've seen this year
I saw a few early blueberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium) flowers fully out along old airport road and in Totem Park. I saw some starting to come out along Thimbleberry Lake trail Sunday, but these were the first open ones I’ve seen this year. By the time I made it back the ramp had cleared of gulls (presumably scared off by a dog, eagle, or just someone walking or driving too close).
Driving across the bridge, I saw the flats at Totem Park had many gulls out there. That settled my indecision about whether to go next.
As I arrived out on the flats, I could see the dark gray of a heavy drizzle heading my way.
Fortunately it did not last too long. Propelled by a reasonable breeze it did soak one half of me while my other side remained dry.
Slaty-backed Gull at Totem Park
Among the 1000+ gulls, I did spot the much darker mantled Slaty-backed Gull. I took my time making my way a bit closer to get better photos.
A couple of different times it took off. Once by itself, moving a short distance down the beach. The second time many gulls took off, and I lost sight of it. However, it ended up circling around and landing back near the same location with many that had taken off. I made some good progress processing the microscope photos I took yesterday and even posted a handful of observations. Still lots of recent collection work to do, however (to say nothing of older collections).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Banded Juncos and First Flowers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
A leaf from a moss in the family Bryaceae. From collection made Feb 16th along Herring Cove trail.
Cloudy with period of rain. Wind out of the Southeast.
Although it rained overnight, this morning the rain held off until afternoon.
I had a call this morning that kept me in (despite a message about the Purple Finch returning to the Monastery Street feeder).
By the time I was able to get out after lunch, it had started raining. It wasn’t just a light rain, but a good shower.
I drove over to check the channel. I saw many gulls, but a large majority were down by ANB Harbor. I was not very keen on walking out on the harbor with the rain showing no signs of letting up. In the end, the pull of a desire to check if there might be anything unusual in the mix convinced me to do it. There were easily hundreds, and probably over a thousand gulls working the waters from near North Pacific Seafoods and following the current along the outer part of ANB Harbor.
I scanned them all a couple of times, but none stood out to me. Had it been less windy or rainy, I would have stayed longer.
A couple of Mallards braved the gull hordes to get in on the action in the channel
At least four Mallards were in the midst of the thickest part of the gulls. They appeared to be picking at the bits of fish waste that had attracted the gulls. Upon my return home I walked around the east side of my house to get to my normal sitting place on the south step.
As much time as I spend outside, very little of it has been spent in my yard. It’s interesting to realize there are many places around town where I’ve spent more time than I have in my yard, especially that on the east side of my house. I’m thinking it would be good to make more of an effort to spend time in the yard, but time will tell.
I spent 10 minutes sitting on the step. I could judge the wind a bit by how the ravens were flying in one direction compared to the other. Into the wind, their flight was slower and more labored. There was not any steady wind where I was sitting, however.
A pair of chickadees moved through the alders and spruce on the south lot boundary. They did not visit the sunflower seeds in the feeder.
While sitting I tried to feel an expanded sense of space. I’m not really sure how to describe it, but somehow having a sense of the greater space beyond just my immediate and nearby surroundings.
The rain let up and stopped as I came back in to get some things done.
As I prepared to head back out shortly after 5pm for a walk around neighborhood the rain started up. Fortunately it didn’t last as long this time.
I was motivated in part by the hope of finding the Purple Finch. I had not luck in that regard.
When I checked the yard where the finch had been seen, I noticed a heron in a tree beyond the yard. It turned out to be two herons, which I only saw after the one in front stopped stretching.
I walked over to Highland Street to try for a better look, but two other people and at least three dogs barking on the street made the herons nervous enough that one took off just as Igot to where I could see them enough to try for a picture.
Wigeons resting on Swan Lake. The two on the right are American Wigeons and I suspect the one on the left is a Eurasian Wigeon
I spent a little time watching the wigeons at Swan Lake. I’m still working to confirm female Eurasian Wigeon. I’m pretty sure about it’s ID, but apparently the best character to document is whether the underwing coverts are gray and don’t contrast with the rest of the underwing.
Closeup of Plagiomnium cuspidatum leaf margin. From collection made Feb 16th along Herring Cove trail.
I spent at least a couple of hours working on collections this evening. This means pulling them out and taking various pictures through dissecting and compound microscopes. It can be time consuming. This is especially true for me at this stage. I think as I get to recognize more of the organisms I’m looking at, I’ll need to take fewer photos, and probably in many cases won’t need to use the microscope at all.
Depending on how the light is set on the microscope, what shows up varies. This is a focus stack of 9 images taken of a small mite found in moss collection made Feb 16th along Herring Cove trail.
In the hours I spent, I made it through three collections. However, that ended up being something like 8 different observations. I tend to poke around instead of just going for what the collection was made for. I document the things I find. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post March Birds, Blooms, and Microscopic Zooms first appeared on Sitka Nature.
I think this is Bazannia tricrenata, a liverwort. However, I've not yet confirmed the ID.
Overcast and breezy in places. Temperatures in the 40s.
With an assist from the time change, I got off to a slow start today.
I headed out this afternoon and took a look at the channel. The tide was up and there were more gulls than yesterday. I did not see any unusual looking ones during the few minutes I watched.
After stopping for food and checking the channel again, I had the thought to go to Thimbleberry Lake. I was curious if any birds were on the lake, and also have been meaning to get back and look at some mosses/liverworts along the trail.
I was a little surprised to see only one car at the trailhead, though another arrived just after I did.
The folks who were arriving had dogs, so I decided to wait and let them go on ahead. I figured the head start and me taking a bit longer by going up the old trail would minimize the chances of friendly dogs causing some inconvenience for me taking pictures.
As it turned out, I hadn’t gone too far up the section of old trail when I had the impulse to head off to the right and up the hill.
Dicranum mosses are abundant around Sitka. There are several species known to occur, but I still have not worked on figuring out how to distinguish them.
I spent the better part of an hour and a half wandering around and documenting various mosses and liverworts. The forest at the beginning of Thimbleberry Lake trail is second growth. This extends a bit up the hill where I wandered. It’s getting to be older second growth at this point. There’s enough light for plenty of mosses and some understory shrubs. However, there was also plenty of rotting small to medium diameter wood on and just above the ground. It’s not so convenient for walking at times.
There was one place it looked like might have served as a campsite in the past. At the very least there had been a fire (with several old beer cans there). A nail in a tree suggested a tarp might have been set up.
At some point I would like to explore further up, and maybe traverse the hill/ridge between Thimbleberry Lake and Silver Bay. Today was not that day, however.
Instead I went over towards the creek. The hill drops steeply, and I was on my way down when I noticed a rock outcrop. I photographed and collected a couple of liverworts and a moss. I think the moss might be Bartramiopsis lescurii and one of the liverworts Bazzania tricrenata. I managed to get across the stream without wading by using a rotten log.
After bushwhacking up to the trail, I went up to the lake. I had not noticed much wind during my time off trail, but it was really blowing at the lake.
Early blueberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium nearly blooming
Blueberry flowers were just coming out but not quite open along the creek and the trail. I suspect there are probably some with flowers open somewhere, though I’ve not seen any yet. I took quick photos of a couple of epiphytic bryophytes I would like to return to along the trail. I figured the dozen or so collections I made today were plenty.
Back home I spent ten minutes sitting on the south step. I practice (multi) sensory awareness. It was interesting to try and focus on something in particular while maintaining conscious awareness of my full visual field. I found it possible to do, but easy to lose the conscious awareness of peripheral vision. As the wind swirled a bit, at times I could smell the wood my neighbors have in their driveway to split and also the smoke from a chimney along Biorka Street.
The mountains still have plenty of snow, but not nearly as much as last year
I made one last stop at the channel in the fading light before heading to ultimate. I saw fewer gulls than earlier. I also realized I hadn’t seen any Long-tailed Ducks. They seem to largely abandon the central channel when gull numbers really pick up. Gusty winds at the field made throwing a little more challenging at ultimate this evening.
A Purple Finch was reported in a nearby neighborhood. I’ll try to keep an eye out for it in the coming days.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Finding Forest Mosses and Liverworts first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2022/20220313_KCAW_SITNAT_Zach_Laperriere.mp3Download Radio Show
The February 13th show featured a conversation with Zach LaPerriere. We talked about birds he’s gotten to know in his yard over the years. We also talked about lessons learned from doing things the slow or hard way and how that can help develop expertise and support building connection.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #258 – Zach LaPerriere first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with rain, mostly in the morning.
At various times this morning I saw blue sky out the window and heard rain falling on the roof.
A larger gap between showers persisted through much of the afternoon, with a fair bit of sun able to shine through.
After lunch I checked out the channel. Gull numbers were down, so I’m guessing there had not been much processing activity today.
I prepared my radio show for tomorrow before heading over to Totem Park. I had seen flocks of gulls on the flats when I drove across the bridge. I hoped to find the Slaty-backed Gull again, which was part of my motivation for going there.
Gloiopeltis furcata a fairly common, but often overlooked species of the high intertidal.
Before making it to the gulls, my attention was drawn by some seaweed near the upper part of the beach.
Rockweed (Fucus distichus)
I had previously noticed a different looking seaweed growing in the Fucus zone. Today I noticed what I think is the same thing. However, I also noticed a clump that seemed to include parts that looked very much like popweed (Fucus distichus). Now I’m wondering if it’s different forms or stages of the same species.
The black dots are part of a lichen Collemopsidium which grows on barnacles. It's my understanding the lichen causes the pitting in the shell as well.
While I was down looking, I took pictures of a barnacles, including some which have a lichen growing on them. I knew I had documented the lichen previously, but could not remember the name. I used iNaturalist to help remember, and was a little surprised to see that I had 10 observations of it. All but one of those were over two days in March 2020 when I first went looking for it. I hadn’t made any further observations since then. On my way out to the gulls, a Great Blue Heron flew by. I didn’t have my camera ready fast enough for the best photos, but did manage a couple as it was landing.
Bear Mountain reflected in a large tidepool on the flats at Totem Park
I saw a couple of folks making their way along the beach and realized they would almost certainly cause the heron to take off again. This time I was ready.
The lighting wasn’t the best, but I think at least some of the photos I got are probably improvements over my previous best heron in flight shots. A bit later the heron repositioned again to a place where I had the sun at my back. I spent about half an hour watching it and taking pictures.
At first I thought the heron had only caught seaweed. As I watched, I saw there was a small fish (probably prickleback) as well.
During the time I watched, it caught several small fish. Once I saw it come up with a piece of seaweed. Although it seems unlikely, the thought crossed my mind that it had made a mistake. It turned out to have a fish with the seaweed, and was able to drop the seaweed and still get the fish. Herons can move impressively slow. This one picked its feet up almost entirely out of the water. Very slowly moving its foot forward, it seemed nearly motionless. The balance they have is impressive.
I did make it to the gulls before spending half an hour watching the heron. I scanned over them without spotting anything that looked unusual.
They had seemed unconcerned with me, so I was a little surprised when they all took off when I was looking away (so I didn’t see if the ones nearest me took off first). Although I looked back behind me to check, I didn’t see the Bald Eagle at first. It’s powerful wing beats soon brought it out over the water, where the flock of flying gulls parted to make way. The eagle was not interested in the gulls. It must have seen something in the water which prompted it to fly out, but it aborted a swoop down well before reaching the surface.
I considered heading home, but decided to check out the larger flock of gulls near the mouth of Indian River.
First shoots of fireweed are coming up
I noticed some new growth of herbaceous plants just above the beach. A few shoots of fireweed were a couple of inches tall. Cow parsnip was also out.
These male Northern Shovelers are earlier than I would expect migrants. I suspect they wintered in the area.
The female Wood Duck was on the beach near the water with some Mallards. Two Northern Shovelers were not something I expected to see. Shovelers tend to be on the later side for waterfowl migrants, so I suspect these overwintered in the area and have just moved from a location not far away.
One of two Trumpeter Swans that have been spending most of their time at Swan Lake.
I had seen a lone Trumpeter Swan fly out to the edge of the beach. I suspect it had been spooked out of the estuary by the noise of a boat that came near the river mouth. It turned out to be the one with the forehead wound. I didn’t get the best look, but saw it still appeared to have the bulging nictitating membrane. I heard back from Victoria (the vet I asked) and learned that it’s caused by leaches. With that information, I was able to find more information on the internet. I learned the leeches get under the membrane and that keeps the birds from being able to scratch them off. Apparently in some places for some species, leeches can be quite a problem, especially for young birds. In addition to the eyes, they can also get into the duck equivalent of nostrils. Although I was glad to have the mystery of the bulging eyes solved, I did find it unsettling to consider (especially when I saw one description of pulling leeches out of the eyes of people).
I did not find the Slaty-backed Gull in with the gulls at the river mouth.
The birds seemed not very wary of me today. The heron was much more tolerant than I’ve come to expect. The gulls and ducks also did not seem very concerned. In the case of the ducks, I imagine it’s probably because they’re used to people from their time at Swan Lake.
I’ve noticed the apparent my zone of disturbance seems to vary. I’m not sure how much of that’s me and how I’m showing up, and how much of it’s difference in the size of the bird’s comfort zone. At times (especially with herons) it seems like a glance from across the beach causes them to take off. Other times they pay little mind.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Late Afternoon at Totem Park first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Portrait of a Northwestern/American Crow
Despite temperatures officially near 40, snow fell this morning. None accumulated on the ground, however. Later in the day it was all rain at sea level.
Pine siskins can be quite aggressive with each other.
A flock of siskins visited my porch feeder this morning. I was on a call, but took a few photos from where I sat. I have not seen any in several days, at least. These were behaving aggressively towards each other, more than I remember seeing earlier in the year. Rowan and I went downtown for lunch. While there, I asked the bookstore about stocking playing cards I’m considering printing featuring a Sitka nature photo on the back. The response was more positive than I had even hoped, which felt encouraging.
After parting ways with Rowan, I spent some time at the channel.
First year Glaucous Gull distinguished by its pale plumage and bill with pink base and black tip.
Gull numbers seem to be slowly increasing. I didn’t try to count, but estimated several hundred were around. I didn’t spot any dark-mantled gulls, but did get pictures of a first year Glaucous Gull that came in to the ramp. Upon my return home, I walked around to the south step. I noticed juncos feeding by the brush pile. They melted back into it as they do. After I had been sitting for a couple of minutes, they returned to their activities.
This Dark-eyed Junco was going for the bits of nut that were left in walnut shells we put out on a path.
Over the holidays my dad had cracked many walnuts. I finally had Connor put the shells out along a path in the yard. I noticed juncos working at the shells and realized some of them still had bits of nut left in them. A couple of birds almost seemed to prefer these over the sunflower seeds in the feeder.
This junco's distinctive white cheeks make it easily recognizable. I first noticed it in the yard last December.
I briefly saw the banded junco (same one as earlier in the week). I also saw the white-cheeked junco for the first time since December (I think – though I haven’t spent much time watching the feeder in the yard in the months since). I enjoyed seeing a bird I could recognize. While I was standing up to try and get better pictures of the white-cheeked junco, I noticed a bird gliding in from the south. I just caught a brief glimpse of it before it disappeared behind the fence. I wondered if it might be a hawk.
Moments later, I saw the bird fly across my yard heading north. I saw enough to confirm it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
I was a little surprised at how quickly the juncos went back to feeding. Sometimes, things remain quiet for several minutes, or even longer, after a hawk passes through. In this case, the predator seemed a little casual about things. Perhaps just looking to see if there was an easy meal, but not really serious about going after anything. In any case, the juncos were back out feeding within what seemed like only a couple of minutes after the hawk passed through.
The much darker gray mantle of the Slaty-back Gull helps it stand out from our regularly occuring gulls.
I got a message from DK about a Slaty-backed Gull at the mouth of Indian River this evening. I didn’t have too much daylight left, but went out to Arrowhead Trailer park to see if I could pick it out from there. I did see it flap its wings at one point, but mostly it was obscured by other gulls. I moved over to Eagle Way side, and had a better angle from there. Still distant, but even though the pictures are poor, I think they’re sufficient for ID purposes. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Rainy Day Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Gulls have started to show up in the channel
Overcast and rainy.
After recording a conversation for my next radio show this morning, I stopped by the channel. Fishing boats were offloading, and a few more gulls were in the channel. However, there were not nearly as many as I would expect to see when things are really going.
I decided to come back later in the afternoon in case they started processing some of the off load.
When I returned around 4pm, things seemed similar. I did scan the gulls again, and only saw the regular species.
I spent several hours observing from the top of the wheelhouse during a recent geotechnical project which used this vessel as a platform for the drilling equipment.
Checking the upper end of the channel, I noticed the Lite Weight was anchored up in the channel. It’s the landing craft which was used as a platform for the drilling operations. My observing time last week was spent on the top of the wheelhouse.
I think this moss may be a Claopodium but will need to confirm
I stopped by another Seward Avenue rock outcrop. One moss I found under a slight overhang looked somewhat familiar. I think it’s probably a Claopodium, a species I’ve only found once before (though it’s probably not particularly unusual). My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Waiting for Gulls first appeared on Sitka Nature.
This Maroon Hermit (Pagurus hempilli) has adopted a blue ringed topsnail shell.
Mostly sunny through mid-afternoon, becoming overcast.
Temperatures got below freezing overnight, but into the 40s today.
I got off to a slow start this morning. I stepped outside for the first time a little after 11am. The accessible roof was in full sun, and I decided to relax there and feel the warmth.
Connor had mentioned the tide was lower than predicted, and the low was at 11:30am. I debated in my mind for a few minutes about whether to keep enjoying the warmth, or get my stuff together and go for a snorkel.
I ultimately decided to take advantage of the weather and the early season clear waters.
It’s been at least a couple of years since I last tried snorkeling, so it took me a little while to get all my stuff together. (Mostly because I didn’t immediately remember where it all was.)
Connor and Rowan ended up coming along, though just to be on the beach.
I intended to go to Sandy Beach. Even though the waves were not big, plenty of surge dissuaded me from that option. Instead I continued out to Little Magic Island. There was still surge there, but not as much, and decided to go for it.
I started in the little cove then snorkeled out ot the smaller rocks beyond the nearer prominent rocky point. I've explored all of this area (at least that gets exposed) at negative tides, but it is a different experience seeing it in the water.
Getting into the water felt a bit awkward. It just didn’t feel right to flop forward and put my face in the water. I found it easier to go in on my back and then roll over. I’ve been finishing my showers with cold water for years now. I also routinely wade in cold water without boots (sometimes barefoot, but most often with water shoes). I think this contributed to me quickly adapting to the water where my feet were exposed. It leaked into my suit slowly enough that mostly I didn’t find that shocking either.
Although it didn’t feel like the water was especially cold, I could tell I was getting colder. It’s sort of hard to explain. I think maybe it was due to the neoprene preventing much heat transfer through my skin? I don’t know really know.
Red seaweed among green surf grass (or possibly eelgrass) made a nice contrast
Without a weight belt, I was stuck at the surface. When I was in shallow water, things became much more three dimensional. In deeper water, everything was well out of reach, and the experience was a bit more flat. Had I been able to go below the surface, I wonder if the three dimensional experience would have been expanded.
As yet unidentified sculpin. If I had remembered my net at first, I would have tried to catch this one to get better photos for ID.
I found some rocks that I started exploring. I noticed a sculpin that I tried to get pictures of. The surge was enough to keep me moving back and forth. I struggled to stay in place, trying to hook a hand or leg on a rock. With so much buoyancy, the force of incoming water lifting and pushing was more than I could overcome. After trying for photos of the fish, I remembered I had brought a little aquarium net but left it on the shore. I went back to have Connor get it for me.
I thought it would be a simple matter to return to where the fish had been (hoping that it would still be there). As it turned out, I underestimated the difficulty of orienting while in the water.
I’m sure if I were to spend more snorkeling this place it would become much easier. However, my mind is not used to mapping out space at this scale, and things look different under the water compared to at the surface.
I did not refind the location of the fish (or if I did, I didn’t recognize the spot).
This was one of two photos out of the many I took of this nudibranch which turned out halfway decent.
Despite the constant push and pull of the water, I did manage a few photos. I wonder if having less buoyancy would make it easier to stay still (perhaps just by dropping below the surface briefly). If I keep at this, it would probably also help to have a separate light. I also so things I couldn’t photograph. A nice heart crab was perched on a vertical rock face, but too deep for me to get to. For some other things I gave up trying to hold still enough to get the picture. (Plus my camera was working differently than I expected – I need to spend a little time understanding the settings a bit better for underwater use.)
Getting out was a bit awkward. My feet didn’t feel uncomfortable, but I think were basically numb (just not painfully so like sometimes happens with cold extremities). I didn’t want to accidentally cut my feet up on barnacles, so I kept the fins on. Of course that made for awkward walking, especially with feet that weren’t giving my mind anything but the coarsest tactile information.
I had poor dexterity with my hands, but did finally manage to get my shoes on.
Connor and Rowan had each found a couple of things on the beach during the 20 minutes or so I was in the water.
Rowan found this Ribbon Snailfish (Liparis cyclopus) under a rock
I got some pictures of those, and we prepared to leave. Once I was out, it took some time to feel fully warm. I wonder if the best option might be some sort of exercise to generate heat?
One other thing that happened was on my way back to my exit point, I ended up going through sandy shallows where I got sloshed around even more. The sand was churning up, so I could not see much, and going through this section left me feeling not unlike when I’ve been on a boat in waters that are not calm for an extended period of time.
For me this means feeling a little off, not quite a headache, but not good either. The smell of neoprene already bothers my head, and the combination of both was worse than either separately. (Even though I took a shower when I got home, I could still smell the scent of neoprene on my skin. I think this contributed to a longer than it might have been otherwise recovery from the motion-induced disturbance.)
I am considering trying snorkeling without a wetsuit. I suspect I could build a capacity for it. Craig Foster (whose experience was featured in the documentary My Octopus Teacher) was swimming without a wetsuit in waters off South Africa that are similar temperatures to ours. I have a mutual friend, and heard a bit more about Craig’s adaptation to the cold. He apparently got to the point where air temperatures much over 60F seemed hot to him. That shouldn’t too much of a problem for me here.
I checked the channel this afternoon, but didn’t see too many gulls yet.
One swan is still at Swan Lake.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Snorkeling at Little Magic Island first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly sunny with temperatures reaching the mid-40s and a light breeze out of the west.
Temperatures overnight did drop below freezing, but things had warmed up significantly by midday when I went out to spend some time in the yard.
What drew me out just before lunch were the juncos in the yard. When I’ve been out the past few days, I haven’t managed to overlap much with the juncos visiting the feeder. Today I saw one which had been banded as part of our banding project. By the time I had retrieved my camera, it had disappeared and didn’t come back before I went in for lunch.
This junco was banded as part of a multi-year winter bird banding project. I haven't checked when it was banded, but the most recent banding took place in 2019.
Juncos were still around after lunch and I spent a bit longer watching them. I saw the (a?) banded junco and was able to get pictures. I think it was probably the same one, but I’m not positive about that. At least one junco started singing. It was less steady than I normally hear. I am guessing it’s a male that hatched last year and is learning to use his voice. However, I wonder if older males are rusty early on and practice their song a bit before going to stake out territory.
The (a?) Song Sparrow in the yard also sang while I was out. It did not seem to be singing in a way that was territorial. Usually they’re out on a prominent perch and sing repeatedly. This one just sang a couple times from a protected perch.
A few gulls gathered in the channel. More are likely to be there later in the week as processors take delivery and begin processing black cod.
Gull numbers were up a bit in the channel. I suspect the first boats are just starting to return with their catch, so I expect there will be more birds there in the coming days.
I have not yet confirmed fully as of posting, but believe this is Oligotrichum parallelum
I spent a bit of time at the end of Seward Avenue checking out mosses and liverworts on a rock outcrop. I recognized a couple, including some Oligotrichum parallelum, a species I just found for the first time recently. This is assuming I identified it correctly the first time, and I’m correct that today’s was the same. I collected a bit to verify more carefully. Before going home, I sat on the rocks of the shorter breakwater by the Centennial Building. I picked that location for its sun exposure (enhanced by reflections of the glassy water). It’s far enough away from the main road, that traffic noise sounds distant. On the other hand, the boats are a bit louder. Only a went by while I was there. The relatively calm water meant only small waves lapped against the rocks. It sounded tinkly and a maybe even a bit musical.
This evening I made progress catching up publishing my most recent photojournal posts, including everything up through yesterday. I also finished uploading observations from a couple of the remaining days from last year. I only have a handful left to be done with the first half of the year.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Practicing for Spring Songs first appeared on Sitka Nature.
The lone remaining Trumpeter Swan at Swan Lake (and perhaps in town?)
Yesterday evening’s clearing was apparently short-lived. Today was thin overcast with temperatures into the 40s.
I spent some time at Swan Lake this afternoon.
Only one swan remained (there were 8 or 9 still there yesterday) and it sounded lie none were out at Starrigavan.
I've previously seen waterfowl with this sort of bug-eyed look. My best guess is they are shedding their nictitating membrane, but I've not been able to confirm that one way or the other.
The remaining swan is one I noticed previously with a bit of a gash on its forehead. Today it had bubble-like bits over its eyes like I’ve seen on waterfowl previously. I have wondered if they shed their nictitating membrane from time to time. I haven’t been able to learn if that’s correct via internet searching. Today I emailed a couple of photos to a local vet to see if she might be able to inform me on the subject.
This Thayer's Gull seemed unconcerned with my presence (though later another gull acted aggressively towards for no reason I could see)
As I stood on the peninsula, I noticed the Mallards seemed to keep a buffer of space between themselves and me. The gulls were more scattered, so it was not as clear, but at least a couple of them had a smaller personal space. As I periodically took steps over the course of several minutes, the Mallards would move a bit each time I did. The couple of gulls did not, and ended up in the circle around me that was free of Mallards.
A (presumed) Eurasian Wigeon on the left with American Wigeon on the right.
The wigeons that were there had a larger buffer than the Mallards. They were well away from me, and any time I took a step, they edged closer to the water. They seemed mostly interested in eating, so would ease back to where the grass was better if I didn’t move again for a bit. Upon returning home, I sat on the south step for about 10 minutes and practice tuning into my senses. It’s easy to drift into thinking, but I try to keep returning my attention to my senses. I was interested in how the steady sound coming from the dryer vent kept would come in and out of my awareness. We’re much more tuned to changes than steady stimuli, and I think this was an example of that.
I usually look at the AIS vessel tracking site each morning. Over the winter season there are typically few boats that show up. Today there were several out off shore of Baranof and Chichagof Islands. No doubt mostly they were vessels out setting their gear for black cod. On one of this morning’s buoy photos taken close to sunrise, a bright light showed up in the distance. I suspect it was a fishing boat.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Swan Lake Waterfowl first appeared on Sitka Nature.
I think this is an ascomycete, but as yet don't have a name for it. It's growing from spruce bark.
Heavy rain overnight diminished to overcast skies with clearing after sunset.
Calm winds with temperatures in the 40s dropping to the 30s under clear skies later in the evening.
I spent a good chunk of the day working to make sure my websites were running properly. There were a couple of things I needed to fix, and a couple of mystery issues, but by this evening everything seemed squared away.
I went for a drive early this afternoon to check out a couple of places and make a stop at the grocery store.
Gulls on the roof of one of the seafood processing plants
KJ reported a Slaty-backed Gull near Middle Island yesterday, so I wanted to check gulls around town in case it sticks around. There were a few gulls at the channel, and others on the roof of the seafood processor. I didn’t find the Slaty-backed Gull among them. The tide was up fairly high at Starrigavan and I didn’t see many gulls there, so I didn’t stop to take a closer look.
With any luck the Slaty-backed Gull will stick around for a couple more days and show up in the concentrations of gulls that will be here once black cod processing begins later in the week.
I spent some time sitting and then poking around in the yard after returning home.
My practice of sensory awareness and integration went okay. It’s easy to want to tune out a bit because of the traffic noise. I’ll either need to work through that, do it early in the morning, or go somewhere else for the sense practicing.
I did hear a couple ravens and crows during the 10 minutes. The most prominent smell was wood smoke coming from the west. I suspect my neighbor’s across the street, but I didn’t actually see smoke coming from their chimney.
One of the reasons I tend not to spend much time in my yard is I end up seeing things I would rather were different. That ends up feeling like stuff I should do, and I don’t really want to do those things.
I'm not entirely sure, but I think this is Othotrichum consimile because it has hairy calyptra that appear to cover the entire capsule. (the hairy orange-brown pointy bits that stick out a bit from the clump.)
Today I poked around a bit anyway. I did see a few things that should probably be taken care, but mostly tried to look for various neighbors as I might in other locations. I made note of a couple mosses on one of my trees.
I suspect this tunnel was made by a rat attracted to the bird feeder
I also found a hole/tunnel going into the dirt near the bird feeder. I suspect it was made by the rat I saw earlier in the winter. I didn’t try to determine if it’s been used recently.
Common Shiny Woodlouse (Oniscus asellus), an introduced but common species around my yard. (I'm not sure how far they make it into undeveloped areas, if at all.)
I turned over a planter thing that’s been sitting on gravel by the house for months (and maybe more than a year). It was apparently shelter (presumably from winter) for several slugs, a couple of weevils, and a couple of sow bugs. I wouldn’t think it was thick enough to have kept them from freezing during the really cold weather in December and early January, but maybe they burrowed down into the rocks. Or perhaps they can tolerate a bit of freezing.
New growth on raspberriy plants in my yard. Hopefully there won't be a hard freeze in the coming weeks.
Along those lines, it’s supposed to get down a bit below freezing the next couple of days. Some of my raspberries, the honeysuckle, and the earlier honeyberry bushes have young leaves out of the buds. Hopefully it’s not so cold to kill them back. Ultimate this evening had a good turnout for our first time at our new 7pm start time. The group of folks who showed up was easily the most experienced on average that I’ve played with for a long time. It made for a different style of game. Frost began to form on the field while we were playing, and my windows had iced up by the time we were done.
Until I looked at these under magnification, I didn't realize they were each in little pairs
Later this evening I did some microscope work on a couple of fungi I collected over the weekend. I’m not sure what either are, but hopefully will be able to get some help putting a name on them. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Yard Notes and Fungus Photos first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with drizzle this morning changing to occasional rain this afternoon. Generally calm. (I didn’t really find it dreary, but liked the alliteration, so went with that for the post title.)
I had a four hour shift from late morning to mid afternoon. It was my last for this project, as they were about done with drilling when my shift ended.
Unlike prior days, the boat and drilling were closer to the middle of the channel. It was an area the Long-tailed Ducks spent a fair amount of time when we were closer to shore.
Today the ducks flew up and down the channel periodically, but they would go beyond the breakwater. I’m not sure where they ended up, as I lost sight of the ones I watched more closely before they landed.
This Thayer's Gull spent some time near the vessel I was watching from.
A handful of gulls did hang out near the boat for much of the time I was there. Gull action will pick up in the channel significantly next week with the opening of long-line season this weekend. I’m not sure when the processors will begin processing fish, but I suspect by midweek. I spent the evening working on making sure my websites were functional. I migrated to a new hosting plan (with the same host). It’s better in pretty much all respects (cheaper and more capacity) from the legacy one I have been on for many years. The downside is making sure things are working with a different server configuration. It’s taken some back and forth with support to figure out what’s going on, but I’m optimistic things will be working well within the next couple of days.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Dreary Drizzle first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and frosty this morning. Increasing clouds this afternoon and becoming overcast this evening. Calm winds.
Although today’s highs were similar to yesterdays, I did not notice the same chill in the air. I attribute this in part to brighter sun and less wind.
I spent the morning on calls.
Temperatures were cool enough overnight for ice to form
I headed out for a shift of observation shortly after noon. Despite the midday time, there was still bit of ice on the water in a bucket in my yard.
A sailboat traveling under power out western channel towards the sound
A thin high layer of clouds did not do too much to dim the sun, but it did mask the blue a bit.
Drilling activity created a sediment plume in the water around the vessel
Not long after I arrived, a sea lion came over to check us out. I didn’t have my camera out yet, or I would have tried to get pictures of it swimming below the water not far off the boat. Its approach caused a pause in the work, but it did not stick around, so the pause was short.
Graywacke samples pulled up as part of the geotechnical work
Cores were coming out in much more solid sections today. I did not get a chance to talk to the geologist, or I might have asked him about it. My brother and I had agreed to have a go at a week of daily thirty minute ‘story of the day’ calls starting today. My intention had been to do a sit spot with sensory awareness/expansion practice in my yard. I originally thought I would have time to do this between my calls and my observing time. However, the last call ran late and my observing time got pushed earlier, so that didn’t work out.
When the drilling ended earlier than expected, I ended up with more time than I expected and decided to drive out to Pioneer Park and do at least a short sit there.
I found a place to sit facing the water on rocks at the upper part of the shoreline. I set a timer for 6 minutes and started by trying to pay attention to my full field of vision (wide-angle/peripheral vision) as well as the sounds all around me. I also tried to be aware of the feeling on my skin and in my body plus any smells that I might notice. I’ve not done a lot of practice integrating senses into simultaneous awareness, so it was a bit of a mixed back.
One thing I noticed was the sound of waves as they hit the beach. Their angle of approach meant a given wave would come to shore off to my left, and move up the shoreline to my right. I could see in my visual field as the waves splashed on the rocks, and hear it simultaneously. At one point, a particularly loud vehicle was headed in to town. Its low rumble moved in opposition to the sounds of the waves.
Before the end, I directed more attention to trying to smell something. There was a very light breeze coming more or less from the direction of Sea Mart. I wondered if I might be able to smell fried chicken (as I often do at the parking lot there). That didn’t happen, but I did ultimately smell something that reminded me of wet organic matter. I’m not sure if it might have been a wet, mossy log, or perhaps the swampy area at a seep that was not far upwind of me on the beach.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Mostly Sunny Day – Afternoon Observing first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Male and female American Wigeon pair
Overcast this with partial clearing this afternoon.
Although temperatures hit the low 40s, it felt chilly. However, even through a thin bit of clouds, the sun pushed a bit of warmth which I could feel despite the chill in the air.
Before I got up, I could hear a Song Sparrow singing in my yard. It did not sing long, and it did not sound like a fully song. I had the impression it was getting warmed up, or perhaps a young bird finding his voice?
Trumpeter Swan at Swan Lake
On a stop by Swan Lake, I saw only nine Trumpeter Swans. I checked Starrigavan and did not see any there. I noticed one reported from Totem Park. It’s possible others were there as well. Or perhaps they moved to Thimbleberry Lake. While these are possibilities, I suspect they’ve begun heading north. Connor told me he saw the Black-billed Magpie yesterday by Jarvis Street. I am not aware of any other recent reports and had begun to wonder if it might have moved on.
I worked a bit more on making iNaturalist observations with photos from last year. I would like to get those wrapped up soon, as spring is on its way.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Spring Approaches, Swans Depart? first appeared on Sitka Nature.
This red anemone (Urticina sp) seemed unfamiliar to me, though I do not know what species it might be.
Mostly cloudy and scattered rain into the afternoon. Partial clearing later in the afternoon. The stars were shining brightly to the south and west when I was at the beach this evening.
This Tortricid showed up at the porch light. Presumably it's a species that overwinters as an adult.
I found the first moth at my porch light this year when I stepped outside this morning. There were actually two. I think one of them was the moth Rowan found inside late last week and I released. I had a four hour observing shift starting at 10:30am.
I was already on my way (with little time to spare) when I realized I had left my second raincoat at home. It probably would have helped a little. Rain fell for much of the first half of my time. However, the bigger issue for my comfort was a chilly north wind.
This gull did not mind the activity of the drill machinery it was perched on, but took off moments after I pointed my camera lens at it.
I did not see any mammals during my watch, nor any unexpected birds. A couple different gulls checked us out. One Herring Gull (or on that side of the Cook Inlet Gull spectrum) spent a bit of time near the boat. Later, a Glaucous-winged Gull perched on top of the drill rig. It seemed unperturbed by the clanging of the machinery. When I pulled my camera out and started taking pictures, it took off. The remainder of the afternoon I spent chatting with my brother.
Connor found this Greenmark Hermit (Pagurus caurinus), a new species for me
This evening I joined Connor down at Sandy Beach. He found at least a couple of new species for me. I may have picked up a couple of others as well, though ones I’m not likely to get species names on any time soon.
Deep Blad Shrimp (Spirontocaris prionota) in a tidepool near Sandy Beach
We poked around in the rocks north of the sandy area. Our efforts were assisted by atmospheric pressure making the tide drop to -2.5 ft, more than a foot below predicted.
Two-spotted keyhole limpet (Fissurellidea bimaculata) found in the rocks at the north end of Sandy Beach area.
Highlights included my two spotted keyhole limpet and greenmark hermit crab, both found by Connor. Also a striking red sea anemone which I noticed. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Evening Low Tide at Sandy Beach first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Some of the 100+ Long-tailed Ducks wintering in the channel
Cloudy with occasional rain. Calm winds this morning, with a light north wind this afternoon.
Yesterday’s .02 inches of rain brought February’s total to 15.17 inches, not quite matching 1964’s 15.56 inches. Although January’s 12.58 inch total did not make the top 10 (just missing at number 11), the 27.75 inches in the first two months of the year does appear to be the most recorded, narrowly edging out 1985’s 27.6 inches (12.69+14.91).
Due to calls, I was scheduled to do observing for an hour this morning, then come back for four hours in the afternoon. (Contrary to plans, I was late to both calls, in part because of trying to work around the calls.)
Conditions were very still this morning during my time. I didn’t have my camera out, but would have liked to take a picture of a Pelagic Cormorant with white patches already developed as it flew over the mirror smooth water.
Rainbow in front of Gavan Hill
When I returned this afternoon, the wind had picked up. While I watched, I could see light showers in the area. For the better part of an hour, one of them fell on us. As it turned out, they were done with the in water work on the drill hole they were working on before I was scheduled to be done. They would no drill anymore, however before they could drop me off, they needed to move the boat to its new location. This ended up taking a couple hours, so I was there an hour and a half longer than planned.
I did get an opportunity to chat with the folks working on the project, which I found interesting.
I was told the rock coming up in the core they were drilling was particularly fractured. Core pieces were put into boxes for storage and transportation.
They drilled pretty deep into the bedrock because of how fractured they found it. I could see some of the cores they had pulled out. According to the main geologist, it’s all graywacke (as I had guessed). It turns out he has spent time in various places around Southeast Alaska, including Red Bluff Bay an the ultramafic area at Patterson Bay (which I’ve not been to, but would like to visit).
This Sea Lion came close enough to cause a brief pause in operations.
I did get to log a couple of mammal sightings today. A sea lion popped up briefly not too far from the boat, and as things were wrapping up, a seal came up in the same area. Well outside the project area, Harbor Porpoise were hanging out between the breakwater, Kasiana Islands, and Battery Island this morning. Presumably there was food there for them, as I don’t usually see them staying in one area. (Someone on Sitka Chatters reported seeing them around Sandy Beach, I’m guessing part of the same group.)
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Channel Watch first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Verstovia over the Harbor
Mostly cloudy. Temperatures in the low 40s.
I spent the morning at home. Looking out the north windows, I could see some blue sky through broken clouds. To the south, it looked like sun was shining in places.
I did not get out until after lunch. By this time clouds had increased, but it did not look like any rain was in the offing. This February will end up with the second highest total rainfall. After the remarkably wet first half of the month, it’s been much drier over the past week or two.
Looking back across the channel from the northwest end
Today was my first day of doing some mammal observing for a geotechnical drilling project. They are surveying the area in preparation for constructing a new float plane dock at the northwest end of the channel.
My view to the west while observing for marine mammals
Heading out, I dressed warmly, but given the calm winds, relatively warm temperatures, and dry conditions, I did not over do it. When I arrived at the harbor, I noticed dark clouds out to the northwest that were clearly dropping rain. Fortunately the shower did not travel towards the channel, and my 3 hours there were dry. I did not spot any mammals during my time on watch. It’s only a 50 meter zone where they would need to stop drilling, but I’ve been instructed to record any mammals I see in the general area.
I did keep track of the birds. Nothing unusual (I’ll cross my finger that a Western Grebe might show up during my time out.) I did see a flock of White-winged Scoters out beyond the breakwater.
The observing location is at the top of the wheelhouse of the 75ft landing craft which is serving as the drilling platform. It’s right near the exhaust pipes. Part of the time I could smell the exhaust and it was starting to bother my head. Fortunately the very light breeze shifted, I found a spot that wasn’t getting the smell, or maybe I just adapted. Whatever the case, I wasn’t noticing it after a while.
The colors of this purple olive snail (Callianax biplicata) shell stood out to me
After my shift I stopped home briefly and found out Connor had gone to Sandy Beach for low tide. It was just past the time of low, but I headed out for a bit anyway. Connor hadn’t found too much of particular interest. I poked around for a bit (somewhat limited because I had neglected to bring my close focusing lenses which help me see) before heading back home.
Oligotrichum parallelum leaves
I continued working to catch up on publishing recent photojournals and spent more time working on microscope photos of a moss I collected yesterday (which I now believe is Oligotrichum parallelum). My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Channel and Beach Observations first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Reviewing this photo at home, I began to doubt my initial impression of Polytrichaceae. This reminded me of Plagoimnium. It took additional microscope investigations to work through to an identification of Oligotrichum parallelum
Overcast with occasional rain. Breezy at some locations, and temperatures in the 40s.
With only .05 inches of precipitation at the airport today, it’s likely the total for February will fall short of the record.
Unlike the past couple of days, it did rain in town. On a drive out to Starrigavan late this morning, it was raining pretty hard. However, rainfall in the central areas was light.
Snow persists on the trail to Heart Lake
Kitty and I walked up to Heart Lake around midday. The lake is still mostly covered in ice, there is also snow on the trail where it is out in the open. The juxtaposition caused me to wonder how large a lake needs to be for there to be lake effect snow.
Maybe Diplophyllum growing on rock outcrop along Heart Lake Trail
I photographed and collected a few bryophytes off a rock outcrop. Some of them looked like Diplophyllum to me. I noticed significantly different sizes, but am not sure if they are all the same species, just in different microhabitats that support different sized plants. After lunch at the Beak we went back to Starrigavan. The rain had let up, and we walked around the Estuary Life trail loop.
The gravel showing caught my eye from a distance. That hole appears to me to be the oldest
I notcied a place that looked dug up in the estuary, so walked over to check it out. There had been digging somewhat recently. I think at a couple of different times. I saw dog a couple of dog tracks, but I think they were made well after the digging took place. My best guess is a bear did a little digging for roots, but it could have been a dog out there digging. We had a good turnout at ultimate this evening, playing 6 on 6. There was enough wind to make throws a little less predictable, but the rain held off.
First fly of the year at the porch light. A caddisfly was there as well, but left in the moments it took for me to get my camera.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Late February Gray Day Outings first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2022/20220227_KCAW_SITNAT_Courtney_Hart.mp3Download Radio Show
The February 27th show featured a conversation with Courtney Hart. Courtney is a PhD student with the University of Alaska School of Fisheries studying harmful algal blooms in relationship with shellfish (particularly geoduck) fisheries in Southeast Alaska. She was in Sitka for the month of February as part of the Scientist in Residence Fellowship program at the Sitka Sound Science Center. We spoke about her research, exploring the marine environment, and more.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #257 – Courtney Hart first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Neckera douglasii growing on a rock outcrop
Overcast and breezy. Temperatures into the upper 40s.
Just a bit of rain fell in town. Once again the forecast rain appeared to remain offshore. Winds are also greater out there, with the buoy reporting seas over 21 feet just before noon today.
The forecast still calls for rain tonight and tomorrow. If it doesn’t turn out like the past couple of days, there’s a chance we could still see this February break the all time record for February rainfall at the airport.
After Monday it’s now forecast to cool off and snow before it clears up later in the week. Earlier the forecast clearing had temperatures in the low 40s, but the latest forecast is calling for lows in the low 20s and highs in the low 30s.
As yet unidentified moss
I stopped by revisit the mosses and liverworts on rocks behind UAS before going to get my radio show ready.
Porella with developing sporophyte
I documented three additional moss species, and noticed the sporophytes beginning to pop out on the Porella. I collected dead Porella that I think might have fungi on it, but that will require some microscope work to figure out. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post More Mosses first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and breezy. The forecast rain mostly didn’t show up in town. Radar imagery showed it was falling offshore. We did see a bit of rain later this evening.
I had a brief meeting about upcoming observing work which will happen in the channel.
Before the meeting I went by the airport and saw the Northern Shrike along the fence line. I took a few pictures in the brief time I had.
I think this Northern Shrike was finding insects (possibly caterpillars?) on the ground. It definitely wasn't going after birds in its frequent forays to the ground from the fence.
Returning after my meeting, the shrike was still present. I followed it around a bit. While I watched, it mostly flew from place to place on the fence. Periodically it dropped down to the ground, but I was not able to see what it might have picked up. I’m guessing insects. Northern Shrike pumping its tail
Another behavior I noticed today is how much it seems to pump its tail. At times it may have been done in part to help keep balance in the wind, but I think it was more than just that.
The white patches stood out to me as the Northern Shrike came into land.
I’m always hoping for better pictures, but today flashes of white on its wings, back, and tail as it was landing caught my attention. The high contrast pattern was striking, and I wanted to get pictures showing it. It was not easy, as the bird mostly kept its distance from me. It also moved quickly, so even at a distance it was difficult to keep in frame.
I did manage one distant shot showing the pattern.
Gulls gathered, presumably for food, but I could not determine what they were finding
Coming back across the bridge, I saw a flock of gulls in the little cove on the town side. Stopping to take a look, I mostly noticed Short-billed Gulls. There were also a few Common Mergansers and some other gulls as well.
Some gulls ventured up on the beach and seemed to be finding food there as well.
It appeared they were finding something to eat. They picked at the water repeatedly, and some came up on shore and picked at stuff as well. Whatever they were getting seemed small, since I never did see anything in their bills. I went down to the peach and poked around briefly, but did not see anything that looked like it might be food.
Wigeons, including the Eurasian Wigeon were feeding on the peninsula at Swan Lake. I didn’t spot the Wood Duck, but suspect she was there somewhere. I didn’t count carefully, but it appeared there were 20 swans (up from the 18 I’ve counted the past couple of days).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Northern Shrike and Gull Gathering first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Looking out from the entrance to Crescent Harbor. Peak 5390 is the only one remaining in direct sunlight
A continuing marine layer made for cloudy conditions through the morning. Around midday it broke up over town and we had a fair bit of sun before it reformed. Temperatures reached the low 40s.
After recording a conversation for my radio show, I headed out the road to visit Starrigavan.
The tide was out a fair bit, but rising.
I walked out on the flats to get a better look at the several hundred gulls on the shoreline.
First year Glaucous Gull at Starrigavan
Among them I spotted a first year Glaucous Gull. I’ve only seen a couple of Glaucous Gulls here that were not first year birds. Several of the young birds usually show up each year.
Focus was off, but a not yet adult gull stands out as being a bit darker than the others. Potentially an Olympic Gull?
I also saw a gull that seemed to have a slightly darker gray mantle than others. I am not sure if I got pictures sufficient to tell whether it was more the angle of the bird, or perhaps an Olympic Gull (or some other darker mantled option).
First moth of the year, found by Rowan along SMC road shortly before Allen Marine
This evening Rowan brought me a moth she had captured on her paper route. It’s the first adult flying of the year. I think Agonopterix rosaciliella overwinters as an adult, and flies from time to time if it gets warm enough. Rowan caught another moth in the house as she was headed back downstairs from giving me the first one.
Current best guess is eggs of some sort. Found under bark along Kramer Avenue.
I finally got around to getting a closer look at the bright orange stuff I found last week. It looks like a cluster of eggs. I’m guessing an insect of some sort, but I have no idea what. I am contemplating seeing if I can keep some and see what hatches out.
From Diplophyllum collection made at Herring Cove 16 February 2022. Extracted by P. Norwood
I shared a liverwort collection with Paul N. I hadn’t had a chance to do anything more than scan it quickly for the bryophilus fungi I thought might be there. Paul was able to find and extract one, which I took a couple of photos of before I needed to head out.
Microscopic view of a section of Pseudoplectania nigrella
I also revisited the black cup fungus section I did yesterday and took additional photos of it through the compound microscope. I think they’re cool looking, but I have some work to do to get to the point where I know what I’m looking at enough to more effectively document what’s needed for identification purposes. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Micro Views and First Moth first appeared on Sitka Nature.
One of the mosses in Polytrichaceae, as yet unidentified
Rain overnight with fog breaking up this morning to sunny skies for the first part of the afternoon. A marine reformed a bit higher than this morning’s fog, but no less effective at blocking the sun.
Last night’s .3 inches or so was enough to take February’s total over 15 inches and into second place all time. After a dry midweek, the weekend is forecast to have more rain. We’ll need a bit less than half an inch by end of the day on Monday to pass 1964’s 15.56 inches. That year was a leap year, and had .28 inches on the 29th. On the other hand, it also had only three days all month with less than .1 inches reported. This month has already seen 7 days with less than .1 inches.
A pair of ravens were making interesting calls together on the neighbor’s roof this morning. I could see them through the blinds in my room. I wonder if it was something about courtship. The calls each one made seemed similar (to my ears) but different from each other. I could see one was also making some sort of display where it spread its tail feathers. This continued for a few minutes before they departed.
Cross Mountain rising above Silver Bay
I went for a drive this afternoon. I drove further than usual, as my car had accumulated a lot of internal moisture (as things do around here). With the afternoon sunny, dry, and on the warm side, it seemed like a good opportunity to air it out, and hopefully reduce the amount of condensation (and subsequent possibility of mold). Silver Bay was calm, with nice views of the snow covered mountains. I spotted a handful of murres out in the bay.
Although no snow accumulated in the central part of town, a couple of inches must have fallen overnight at Herring Cove
I was somewhat surprised to run into snow on the road to Silver Bay, with more yet out towards Herring Cove. Snow level on the mountains didn’t seem especially low, but it was clear there had been accumulation out that way. Given the amount of snow on the Silver Bay end, I thought there might also be some at Starrigavan. There was none apparent. I’m curious if it was warmer and all fell as rain, or if it just didn’t have as much precipitation during the rain last night.
Bright red sporophytes are developing from this as yet unidentified moss (in the Polytrichaceae family, most likely)
At Starrigavan near the end of the road, I noticed the patchwork of bryophytes on the bank rising from the roadside parking area. I photographed and collect a few. I may need to cut back on my collecting a bit. It’s relatively fast/easy to pick things up in the field, even if I get photos at the time. What isn’t so fast is pulling apart the collections and getting photos of various views using a couple different microscopes.
Scapania strand that came along with a fungus I collected
This evening in a couple hours I managed to work through a couple fungi I collected over the past few days, and one liverwort strand I noticed which had come along with a fungus collection. We had a good turnout at ultimate this evening, enough to play seven on seven. Temperatures were cool, but with the marine layer overhead, no frost formed.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Broken Clouds and Bryophytes first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Lepidozia growing on long stranded drift log at Pioneer Park
Mostly cloudy becoming overcast which seemed to thicken through the day. Temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. It remained dry until late this evening when light rain started to fall.
I didn’t make it out until after lunch.
Chilly gray conditions with some wind were not especially inspiring, and I have various tasks piling up, so I kept my outing on the short side.
This cut end of a long stranded beach log is apparently well suited for liverwort growth
I stopped by Pioneer Park and visited a log I’ve previously looked at. I was particularly interested in refind Blepharostoma trichophyllum, a medium-small, fuzzy liverwort.
Blepharostoma trichophyllum (probably), a liverwort
I am pretty sure I found it and at least a couple of other species I took pictures of. I made collections of the four things that particularly caught my eye and will hopefully get to know them a little better and perhaps get names on them.
While peering at the log, a few flakelets of snow landed around me.
Swan Lake was over half covered in ice today.
Last night northern lights apparently made a nice showing as early as between 9:30 and 10:30. I had checked the forecast/activity levels Sunday evening, but did not think to do so last night. I didn’t notice any green in the sky when I was out with the owl. I’m not sure if I just didn’t have a view in the correct direction (likely true while I was in the woods), or if I just failed to pay enough attention.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Pioneer Park Liverworts first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Pseudoplectania nigrella growing at a location where I first noticed them in 2003
Clear and chilly. Temperatures into the 20s overnight, rising to lower 30s today.
Winds varied from calm to gusty. As it turned out, I timed the strongest winds out of the southeast on a walk down to the park late this morning.
Although temperatures hovered near freezing, I correctly figured the sun would feel warm, and skipped bringing gloves. Conditions were calm at my house. According to the weather record near the time I was leaving, it was calm at the airport as well.
Ice formed overnight in parts of Crescent Harbor
By the time I got down to the harbor a bit later, I noticed a bit of a breeze. Ice had formed in parts of the harbor. Between some fingers there was a continuous layer of ice, and others seemed to have little or no ice.
View of Mt. Edgecumbe from Totem Park
Out at the end of the park, it was blowing pretty good out of Silver Bay (the airport registered SE 14 mph at this time). Even with hands in my pockets, they got quite cold. Winds shifted to the northwest this afternoon, but only around 5-8mph.
White-crowned Sparrow hiding out in a spruce tree. The first I saw this year.
I picked up several species for the GBBC, including my first White-crowned Sparrow of the year. I noticed it peaking out of a spruce tree on Etolin Street. I did not see Black Turnstones or Surfbirds, which I hoped to find on the beach at the park. I’ve noticed their absence this winter during chilly weather. I can’t remember if that’s been the case in other years as well.
Tide Levels screen capture from NOAA site
The tide down 1.86ft relative to predicted. Had this happened during a low predicted tide, it could have easily made the lowest tide of the year.
Song Sparrow (holding a seed, perhaps) below the viewing shelter at Starrigavan.
Rowan joined me for a trip out to Starrigavan. We did not see any shorebirds there either. People were on the beach with dog where they often hang out, so I didn’t look too hard. We did see a kingfisher. I made brief stops by the airport and channel. The airport lagoon is mostly filled with ice. (I had earlier noted that Crescent harbor had ice between some fingers, but not others, though I’m not sure why.)
I dropped Rowan off and headed to Thimbleberry Lake. I added another one to the pile of lessons that it’s best to get pictures when you see them. It’s often not the same (nor better) when you return.
In particular the ice had changed. The lake was still open around the edge, but the longer crystals that caught my attention yesterday were gone. I am curious if they melted, though that seems unlikely since there was much more ice around today compared to yesterday. Perhaps the solid ice formed out further and surrounded them, but new long crystal growth was supressed for some reason (maybe wind?). The other motivation for going was some liverworts I didn’t stop for yesterday. Today they were covered in ice, so I’ll have to wait for another time.
Trumpeter Swan on Thimbleberry Lake
The five Trumpeter Swans had moved to the lower end of lake and were feeding in the shallows near the shore.
Looking towards Lucky Chance area from below O'Connell Bridge
Around 5pm there were enough clouds to the west that I had no real hope of seeing a green flash. I went out for sunset anyway. I wanted to see where sun was setting, as we’re getting to the time of year when green flash season is over until fall. From what I could tell, the sun set behind Mahknati Island from the perspective of the bridge. It’s maybe a week before it’s setting behind Kruzof. https://sitkanature.s3.amazonaws.com/audio/20220221_GHOW_TotemPark.mp3
Later this evening Connor messaged about a Great Horned Owl calling. From what he told me, it seemed consistent enough to take a chance. I went and was able to get recordings. I tried to get a look at it, but I think it was higher up in the canopy and obscured by lower branches.
As I moved around trying to locate it, I kept having the experience of hearing it in a certain direction. When I moved over to where it sounded like, it then sounded like it was where I had been. I think this happens when it’s almost directly overhead, and possibly influenced by it facing different ways when it calls.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Chilly Sunshine first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Common Murres in Silver Bay
Partly cloudy with some fog this morning. Temperatures cooled enough for frost to form.
Precipitation overnight ended before midnight, with none falling at the airport today. It’s the first day in over three weeks without measurable precipitation at the airport.
When I stepped outside around 10am this morning I heard a Pacific Wren singing off to the north. It’s the first bird song I’ve heard this year. I’m sure it was inspired in part by the sunlight. I wouldn’t be surprised if other birds were singing in the neighborhood, especially earlier in the morning.
Fog was mostly light at my house, but I could see it was more dense and moving around.
I had plans to go for a boat ride with Kitty to look for birds. Fortunately the fog had mostly burned off by the time we were ready to head out shortly before 11am.
Winds were calm, but a bit of a swell was coming in from Eastern Channel.
Although the sun felt warm in calm conditions, the air was cold enough that it quickly chilled any exposed skin while underway.
Medvejie Valley and surrounding mountains rise dramatically behind Bear Cove and Medvejie Hatchery
We went up Silver Bay about two thirds of the way. I thought the mix of birds was decent, but widely scattered.
Part of a group of Red-necked Grebes in Silver Bay
Most unexpected was a group of more than a dozen Red-necked Grebes. I don’t remember seeing so many in a relatively tight group before.
Looking south from near the airport
Back in town, we drove out the road before walking along old airport road. It looked like many of the scaups which have been in the channel.
After stopping for lunch, we walked up Thimbleberry Lake trail.
Perhaps I should have expected Thimbleberry Lake to still be mostly covered in ice. (I later saw on satellite imagery from today Heart Lake and Beaver Lake remain completely ice covered.)
Ice and Trumpeter Swans on Thimbleberry Lake
At the far upper end five swans were present.
Along the margins I was intrigued by some long crystals growing from the old ice into the open water. I think they formed overnight. In hindsight, I kind of wish I had taken a little more time trying to photograph them.
Ulota megalospora (probably) found growing on elderberry
I noticed some smaller than usual moss in Orthotrichaceae on a trailside elderberry. I’m still on a search for Orthotrichum pulchellum, a species that’s in the area but I’ve not yet (knowingly) observed. Given the nice weather I expected a few more people to be ultimate, but perhaps they were worn out after a day of activities in the sun.
I heard from folks there that whales had been near the airport within the past couple of days and in Eastern Channel today (I think later than I had been by there on the boat).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Morning Fog and Silver Bay Sun first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Rainbow over the water off Harbor Point
Yesterday’s rain transitions to more convective showers today. Temperatures fell and the snow level dropped accordingly to 1000 feet or less. Between showers I had a couple of good looks at sun and blue sky this afternoon.
I spent my outside time birding for the great backyard bird count.
This included stops at Sawmill Cove, Swan Lake, and Starrigavan (the alliteration was unplanned).
Snow is down to a few hundred feet above sea level
I headed out between showers and started by going to Sawmill Cove.
Common Merganser in Sawmill Cove
Given the 15 minute requirement for the bird count, I stayed longer than I would have otherwise been inclined. The usual suspects were present, but nothing especially close to the dock. At Swan Lake I counted 18 Trumpeter Swans and estimated over 150 Mallards. Most of the latter flew off while I was watching. I suspect the Wood Duck went with them before I had a chance to see her. I know the three or four American Wigeons and female Eurasian Wigeon did, as I saw them take off.
I’m not sure what caused the ducks to fly off. A paddle boarder was slowly going around the lake. However, they took off when the paddle boarder was still on the far side. The ducks on that side and towards the upper end took off as they presumably became uncomfortable with the approach of a person paddling along.
Bridge over G̱ájaa Héen/Starrigavan Creek
At Starrigavan things were quiet. A lone Mallard and Gadwall were the only dabbling ducks I spotted. It may be that some of the swans which spent much of the winter in/around the estuary have started north, but I think the bulk of them are at Swan Lake. I have not checked Totem Park lately, so I don’t know if there are additional swans there. It’s also possible they’ve gone to other area lakes which are now open. I was amused to see a raven land on a car that had turned around and was pulling off to park on the side of the road.
Raven with deer leg
As the car parked, several other ravens flew up. A total of 21 came in when some food was left at the side of the road. The car drove off, and the ravens gathered to eat. I’m assuming this car has come often enough before that the ravens were already familiar with it, and expecting food. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a raven land on a moving car before, though.
This evening I spent time working on a page about identifying cormorants. It’s intended to be a start to a series of pages (and perhaps eventually something in book form) making up a guide to the birds of Sitka.
I also worked on tweaking a new version of the gallery software I use for this site. It has some quirks and a couple of things I might prefer to be a little different, but overall I think it’s better than what I’ve been using.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post GBBC Birding first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy overcast view over the ewater
Rain this morning and into the afternoon. Tapering off by mid afternoon, with occasional rain into the evening.
Today’s total will top out over an inch, bringing the monthly total to over 14 inches. Probably not quite enough to surpass the second all time February total of 14.91 inches (1985). We still have a pretty good chance of surpassing the all time high of 15.56 inches (1964) before month’s end.
The forecast is for dry weather Sunday and Monday. If this holds up, it will end the consecutive days of rain streak at 24 or 25 (depending on whether there’s bit of rain after midnight on Saturday->Sunday).
A group of ravens had been clustered atop a car. Of course they scattered when I got my camera out. They were interested in whatever this raven has. Presumably food, I couldn't figure out what it is.
I spent some time birding from the car for the great backyard bird count today. I counted from the kelp patch turnaround, Sea Mart, and the channel.
I briefly stopped by Swan Lake, but the swans and ducks came walking out into the road. Apparently no one had stopped by with food recently, and they were hoping I would have some. I decided not to stick around, as they often will sit and wait in the road blocking traffic, even when I would guess it’s clear I’m not getting out to give them anything.
Neckera douglasii growing on rock being UAS building
Poking around on the rocks behind UAS, I found some Neckera douglasii. It’s not a species I’ve seen too often, so that was interesting. I also twisted apart a few spruce cones to see if I might find any larvae or beetles. No luck. I worked on publishing photojournals and radio shows this evening for the first time since early December. I have been writing daily, but fell out of the habit of publishing over the holidays.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Gray Day Birding and Bryophytes first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Self-portrat in a swan's eye
Fog with some drizzle this morning. Later in the day, higher clouds and breezy.
Yesterday’s 2.16 inches more than doubled the prior record for the day of 0.93 inches set in 1988. It also the February total up to 13.25 inches. That is just shy of the 2020 February total of 13.38 inches and good for fourth place all time.
I spent some time out this afternoon with a stop at Swan Lake and a second along Kramer Avenue.
A Eurasian Wigeon with two American Wigeons on Swan Lake
The Eurasian Wigeon was back at the lake along with three American Wigeons. The Wood Duck remains as well.
Just a bit of ice remains on Swan Lake. It's all that remains from the ice that began forming last year.
Just a skiff of ice remains off the radio station. It seems likely it will melt off within the next day or so.
I think this is Douinia ovata, small but striking in form
I picked up some bryophytes at Kramer Avenue in a scrubby forest in transition to muskeg area just off the road.
Mystery orange goo - I wondered about slime mold, though it seems the wrong season. [Update: When I got a clearer look later, it appears to be an egg mass of some sort.]
Among the things I noticed were bright orange something, perhaps I’ll be able to say more after looking in a microscope. Much of the remainder of the day I spent cleaning up a bit more, then working with microscopes and collections. Looking through collections and getting photographs is kind of a slow process.
I don’t currently have a setup where I can have multiple microscopes going at once. This means I need to do initial looking in a dissecting scope. When I get strands/leaves to look at under the compound scope I have swap them out. Each swap doesn’t that much time, but it does add up.
Since I tend to be fussy about wanting good photos, it’s also going to be a challenge to deal with dust and debris of various sorts. I think I’ll mostly just decide to live with less aesthetically satisfying photos, and maybe every so often try to get something better.
I’ll need to get more organized and faster or limit my collecting quite a bit if I hope to have much success with this.
One end of the animal - it almost looks like green bits in some of the cells. Perhaps it was eating plant matter?
One thing I noticed while poking through the collections was a white or transluscent worm-like thing. It was dead, and in rough condition beyond that, but I did take some pictures of it with the compound scope. I doubt I will ever get a species name for it, but am hopeful to learn what group it’s in. Perhaps a large nematode? My iNaturalist Observations for Today
The post Birds, Bryophytes, and Mysteries first appeared on Sitka Nature.
I had a surprisingly good year for birds in 2021.
Inspired in part by a desire to maintain daily streaks on e-bird and iNaturalist and new equipment I got at the beginning of the year, I got out each day of the year. I took more photos than in 2021 than any prior year and made nearly 1600 bird observations on iNaturalist (each observation has at least one photo).
I finished the year with 179 species (e-bird) in the Sitka area with photos of 177 species and four hybrids (I missed photos of Red Crossbills and White-winged Crossbills). This easily eclipsed my previous best year (161 in 2012).
My Top 12 Favorite Bird Photos of 2021
I had a more difficult time than last year narrowing things down to a reasonable number of favorites (given the 45 honorable mentions photos, arguably I didn’t manage it!).
I gradually pared down the 300+ images I selected in an initial pass. After separating some out into honorable mention categories, I finally settled on twelve to include here as my favorites of the year.
Photos are sorted by date. Click on any thumbnail to enlarge.
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Honorable Mention – New this Year
One of these years I won’t see a new bird species.
This was not that year.
With a late July trip offshore and some rare birds in town, I boosted my species list by eight.
There was one first record for Sitka, two species were reported for only the second time, and a third made only its third appearance. In addition to new species, I filled out my photo list with Leach’s Storm-Petrel. I’ve now photographed all 234 species I’ve observed in Alaska (231 of those around Sitka).
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Eurasian Green-winged Teal – It won’t count as a new species for my checklist, but it was nice to see one of these for the first time at Swan Lake in April.
Yellow-headed Blackbird – A call from J. Cedarleaf about an unusual bird at the airport on June 30th turned out to be a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Only the second record for Sitka.
Northern Fulmar – Several stopped by and followed our boat on a July 31st birding trip to the continental shelf off Sitka Sound. A common pelagic species that just requires an opportunity to get out that far.
Pomarine Jaeger – I was in the bow of the boat on our offshore birding trip when I heard Connor call from the stern about a jaeger in the distance. I took pictures of the far off bird, and was somewhat surprised to find it was identifiable. Thanks to long glass and high resolution digital sensors. Without those, this would have remained a mystery bird for me. Probably an uncommon migrant offshore. It was nice to get even this distant look.
Black-footed Albatross – I had fun taking pictures of the many Black-footed Albatross that we observed on the July 31st pelagic trip. I had a hard time picking one photo for this post, but there are many more on my photojournal trip report. Also a common pelagic species that is not hard to find if you can get out where they are.
Lesser Black-backed Gull – August 11th Dave Sonneborn was in town for part of the day and we went birding. With well over 400 species in the state, he’s no stranger to finding rare birds. In this case, we were checking the gulls in the channel when a dark-mantled gull swam to the shore right in front of us. My first thought was Slaty-backed Gull, but then I noticed it had yellow legs. Dave informed me that meant Lesser Black-backed Gull. A first for Sitka. Read more about the sighting in my photojournal.
Gray Catbird – Brian D. and his family are new to birding (inspired by watching The Big Year). He reported a robin-sized gray bird making cat-like calls by his house as dark was falling on September 6th. I was out at first light the next morning and managed poor photos before getting much better looks later in the morning. It spent only one or two more days at this location before moving to Karen J. where it was joined by a second Gray Catbird and stayed for another couple of weeks. The third and fourth records for Sitka.
Ruff – Andrew T. messaged me about an unusual looking large shorebird out on the flats at Totem Park. It turned out to be a tired Ruff, the second record for Sitka. (David K. saw the first back in May 1990 and this one.) It continued into the next day before departing.
Short-tailed Shearwater – Although I added this species to my list this year, in looking into shearwater ID, I am pretty sure I had previously seen and photographed some back in 2019. I had just incorrectly assumed they were Sooty Shearwaters.
Leach’s Storm-Petrel – A big blow overnight October 1-2 made for some nice birding on the October 2nd. I had previously seen this species flying at night, but no photos. I saw several near the shore that morning. Although the Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels continued to show on the waterfront for many more days, but I didn’t see any more Leach’s Storm-Petrels after late morning. Read more about the post-storm birding in my photojournal.
Honorable Mention – Unusual Sightings Although these are reasonably nice photos of unusual birds for Sitka (and generally represent improvements on previous pictures), they did not quite make the cut for my favorites of the year.
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- Thick-billed Murres are not so unusual out at St. Lazaria. This is on the list because the picture was taken while sitting in my car at the dock in Silver Bay.
- Brambling made 2020’s list, and the same bird stayed through into March to make the 2021 unusual species highlights as well.
- Fox Sparrow (red form), only the second or third one I’ve seen here. Our typical birds are much darker brown.
- Townsend’s Solitaire, the second one I’ve ever seen. After first being reported some blocks away, this one spent a couple weeks in my yard eating seaberries.
- One of a couple Mountain Bluebirds in Sitka in spring 2021. This was the first bright blue male I’ve seen. As best I can tell, there are still only around 10 reports from Sitka.
- Sabine’s Gulls are probably fairly common in the outer part of Sitka Sound and beyond. This is only the second time I’ve seen one from shore. It spent a few days in the channel, and cooperated for some nice shots.
- A Mallard X Northern Pintail hybrid showed up on Swan Lake for an afternoon. Only the second one I’ve seen
- Always drawing attention from birds and birders alike, a Snowy Owl was content to remain perched under a tree while crows and ravens periodically mobbed from above and several Sitkans observed from nearby.
Honorable Mention – Birds in Action
Subtitle: Feathers, Fur, Food, Fight, and Flight. A set of photos of birds doing things birds do.
With new equipment and advanced autofocus providing a big assist this year, I ended up with many more photos of birds in action than I have in the past. Maybe with more time and experience, I’ll become more discriminating in choosing favorites, but I had trouble narrowing things down further this year, which prompted this new honorable mention category.
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Honorable Mention – Portraits
I appreciated the opportunity to take portrait-like photos of several more birds this year.
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Honorable Mention – Birds in Place
Photos which are less about the bird, and more about the bird in an environment.
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The post Bird Photography Highlights of 2021 first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and calm. Temperatures peaked near freezing, with overnight lows in the mid 20s or so.
I got a report of Short-eared Owls at the airport just before sitting down for lunch.
After a hurried lunch, I headed out and was able to see and get photos of a Short-eared Owl (#178) flying over the grassy area between the runway and fence. It mostly stayed down towards the lagoon. I could see it, but not especially well. I waited hoping it might fly back up towards the old long term parking.
Before long, some ravens took notice of it and began harassing it a bit. It flew higher and higher and out towards the sound. Eventually the ravens gave up, and last I saw it, it was flying high towards Kruzof. I spent a little more time looking around on Japonski Island, then made another pass by the airport in case the second one might be around. I thought I might have seen it by the lagoon as I was driving down the road. It was not a good enough look to be sure, and I did not see whatever it was again.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Short-eared Owl first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Clear and cold. Temperatures dropped well into the 20s overnight. Maybe not as cold as the 20F that was forecast earlier, but the coldest we’ve yet seen this season.
Both Connor and Rowan separately mentioned to me the wind must have blown last night. Although conditions were calm this morning, several areas showed evidence in the form of wind-sculpted snow drifts. I made it out for a bit this afternoon.
I went by the industrial park. I did not drive down on the dock, and only looked briefly, but did not see many birds on the water.
I did see some sculpted snow drifts which caught my eye. I like the abstract forms they take on. With skies appearing pretty clear to the horizon, I thought there might be a chance for seeing a green flash.
Walking up the bridge, I heard then got a brief look at a handful of Bohemian Waxwings. I also thought I saw a few not far past Kashevarof Street while driving when driving earlier, but couldn’t easily stop to confirm.
As the sun set, it was partially obscured by a bank of clouds near the horizon. A gap below did allow me to see the last of the sun, but I did not see any hint of green. This may have been due in part to a higher thin layer of clouds.
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Looking at satellite imagery from the time of sunset, both clouds were well offshore. I think the higher layer was over 200 miles out, and the lower cloud bank somewhere between 80-130 miles distant (much further than I would have guessed, which also means they must have been much higher up than I thought).
I enjoyed seeing the pastel pink light over and on snow covered mountains after the sun had disappeared. It reminded me of some hand painted old black and white photographs. I don’t remember having that impression before.
I’ve been reading about comet Leonard, and saw it was theoretically possible to see for a bit after sunset. I decided to watch from Pioneer Park and spent over an hour watching the sky darken and stars slowly appear.
Venus followed by Jupiter a few minutes later were the first points of light I saw. It seemed quite sometime before I first noticed a star.
I never saw anything that looked like a comet to me. However, reviewing my photos, I did capture a fuzzy point which I believe is the comet. I had seen it through binoculars while I was out, but could not resolve it well enough to distinguish it from a faint star. It was close enough to the sun that the sky was still relatively pale around it, even an hour after sunset.
I was a little surprised at how many more stars showed up in my later pictures than I could actually see while I was there. Modern sensors are much more sensitive (to somethings at least) than my eyes. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Sculpted Snow and Comet Quest first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Snow this morning, overcast through much of the day. Partial clearing this evening. Calm when I first went out, but the wind picked up a bit.
I noticed some gusty winds later this evening.
The channel was quiet in front of UAS. Few birds were near the shore. I did count over 160 Long-tailed Ducks down towards North Pacific Seafoods.
What gulls were around were loosely gathered down that way as well.
Near the emergency room entrance to SEARHC, I noticed a flock of Pine Siskins flying over. I saw one larger bird in the mix. At first I wondered if it was a larger finch. I kept my eye on it when it separated from the flock and flew towards a cluster of spruce trees. When I got a better look, I saw it was a Northern Shrike. Presumably it’s the same one that has been around through the fall and early winter. On a walk around Japonski Island with Kitty, we did find two Brown Creepers, but overall things were fairly quiet bird-wise. Calm winds when we started picked up by the end, and it felt pretty chilly to me.
Two Ring-necked Ducks and some Mallards were still in the small opening at the inflow to Swan Lake. It looked like the coot might have been there as well. It kind of looked dead, but then I thought maybe it was just sleeping. [*Update – I went back the next day and it was in the same place frozen in
the ice, so it was dead*]
This afternoon the clouds broke at an opportune time for a nice sunset. I didn’t really have a chance to get to an optimal location to document it. I did take pictures from Sea Mart parking lot while I was there. Just four of us showed up at ultimate this evening. We played box again. Occasional wind gusts made things a little trickier.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Sunday Birds and Sunset first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy with occasional snow showers (though not many during daylight hours). At least a couple of inches of snow accumulated overnight.
A pair of ravens on a neighbor’s roof behaved in a curious way. One was laying down in the snow not moving at all (almost like it was playing dead). The other was poking at it a bit. They both stood up at attention when I opened the door to take a picture, so I was not able to document it.
I had better looks at the white-cheeked junco in the yard today. Also a banded junco.
One of the bands was covered in snow, so I’m not sure if I can narrow it down to a single bird. The channel seemed quieter than it has been. Plenty of ducks were hanging out along the shoreline, and a few gulls as well. However, out in the middle of the channel there was not much.
Crows seemed to be eating snow and treating it almost like a dust bath while I was sitting and watching. I recorded some video of them (though my videography skills could use some work).
Around mid-afternoon, clouds were arranged in such a way that the low angle sun lit up the mountains. Not all the mountains at once, but a slowly moving patch of sunlight crossed the mountain faces starting out at Lucky Chance and Cross Mountain and ending up at the Sisters.
I noticed a couple of folks up on Picnic Rock around the time the sun was shining there. I imagine they had a nice view (and suspect at least part of their return hike was in the dark). Coming back along Harbor Drive I noticed a hummingbird flying near the Franklin Building. It hovered for a moment before flying towards St. Michaels, and I lost sight of it. I’m guessing it was an Anna’s Hummingbird, but I can’t say for sure.
I’ve been putting in some time to get through my observations from this year. As of what I added today, I have passed 4000 observations for the year, and 28,000 (verifiable) observations overall. There’s an outside chance I’ll end up surpassing 5000 observations for the year, but the 30,000 total observations milestone will have to wait for 2022.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Mountain Snow Illuminated first appeared on Sitka Nature.
If there was heavy rain overnight as forecast, it didn’t melt too much. Occasional snow showers during the day, with a bit of a breeze.
I saw a junco with white cheek patches (and I think it has some other white) in the yard. I had first noticed it yesterday (but I haven’t been consistently before that).
I checked the channel, and saw the usual suspects. However none of the less typical species.
I got a look (in poor light) at the Eurasian Wigeon Connor found yesterday. He mentioned seeing a good number of Gadwall at the park today, but hadn’t seen the wigeon. I saw it over by Eagle Way with a couple of other wigeons. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Waterfront on a Gray Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Temperatures in the 30s, and a mix of snow and rain falling. Brief breaks between showers let through a little bit of sun.
On my outing today, I checked out Sawmill Cove. The roads had mostly been cleared, but the dock still had a fair bit of snow so I decided not to go sit and watch the water. It did not appear to be as active as my last visit, from what I did see.
The American Coot and Wood Duck were back at Swan Lake. The Wood Duck was seen down at the park, and I think it’s moving back and forth with the Mallards. I’m not sure if I just missed the coot last time, or if it went somewhere else for a bit as well.
Watching the birds at the feeder today, I noticed a banded Dark-eyed Junco. I didn’t get the full band color combination. I did see an orange band, which means it was was one of the more recent ones banded.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Continuing Cool with Snow first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Occasional showers and temperatures in the 30s. Precipitation fell as a mix of rain and snow. Although there was minimal accumulation in the central part of town, out at Starrigavan I noticed more slushy snow on the road.
I went for a drive early this afternoon to look around.
A small area of open water at the inflow to Swan Lake hosted two Ring-necked Ducks today, but I did not see the lone American Coot which remained there last time I looked. Only five us showed up for ultimate tonight, so we took advantage of the snow shoveling done by soccer folks earlier in the week and played box on the small open area.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Wintering Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Temperatures climbed into the 40s today. It had rained overnight. Despite the warmer temperatures, what precipitation fell during daylight hours included a fair amount of snow. This evening graupel and snow showers moved over with some rain mixed in at times. There was little accumulation by the time I called it good for the day.
I spent a little time out looking around this afternoon between taking care of a couple of errands.
The sun did peak through between showers. I drove by Swan Lake and saw a layer of water over the ice. Given the weather of late, it could be one of those years that even if/when it gets cold enough for ice to get thick, the surface will be rough from the snow/slush cycle preceding the colder temperatures.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post December Snow Showers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly cloudy throughout the day. Calm winds and little or no precipitation. Temperatures warmed to the mid 30s.
A colorful sunrise drew me out first thing (for me) this morning.
I suspect I missed the most intense color. However, I was able to see a less intense pink across much of the sky.
Clouds were situated so I never actually saw the sun. Before it topped the mountains to the southeast, it disappeared behind clouds.
Some of the mountain peaks and points further north did have a direct line of visibility far enough to extend beyond the clouds. I first walked to Crescent Harbor, then over to O’Connell Bridge before cutting through downtown to stop by Swan Lake.
Downtown I paused to record a raven calling from the top of a light post. It reminded me a bit of the calls I heard the other day, though the context was different. I also think these calls were louder. At Swan Lake only a small opening at the inflow remained. Three or four mallards, a Northern Pintail, one Ring-necked Duck, and one American Coot were holding out.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Colorful Winter Sunrise first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast with minimal wind away from the water. Temperatures in the mid-30s. Occasional light snow. I was over at the channel this morning and surprised to see a couple of folks stand up paddle boarding down the channel during a snow flurry.
While there I noticed a dense group of mostly gulls really going at something.
When I first got glimpses of something pale they appeared to be attracting, I wondered if something had happened to an adult gull, and they were pecking at it to eat. That would have been a surprise. As I watched, I realized it was almost certainly a deer hide floating on the surface with the inner part facing up.
Once the hide had drifted close to shore, ravens joined in as well.
I walked down through Crescent Harbor an around the park this afternoon. It’s been a month or more since I last walked through the park. When they got serious about closing the trails I stopped going (even though I could have walked out on the beach). The tide was high, so not much exposed beach. Predicted to be 12.8ft, it was a little more than a foot below that. Had there been any sort of atmospheric lift to the tides this weekend, I suspect they could easily have been the highest of the year. Tonight’s low bottomed out at -3.7 ft, so didn’t quite match yesterday’s -3.8.
We played ultimate this evening in the snow. Running was more strenuous than usual, but it was fun. I think everyone but me had at least one layout (dive) going for a catch (some had several). It’s a lot less physically punishing to land in the soft snow than on the turf (plus it’s more slippery).
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Snowy December Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
https://weblog-media.s3.amazonaws.com/raven/2021/20211205_KCAW_SITNAT_Leslie_Harris_encore.mp3Download Radio Show
The December 5th show featured a conversation originally recorded and aired in Fall 2019. I spoke with Leslie Harris, a polychaete specialist based at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Leslie has an infectious enthusiasm for all things polychaete, and we spoke about their diversity of life history and form, some of the challenges around really understanding the distribution and diversity of species in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and her interest in finding collaborators to work with in Southeast Alaska.
Related Links:
The DISCO project (spoken about by Leslie during the conversation)
Unusual Marine Life of Alaska (Facebook group)
iNaturalist
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
The post Sitka Nature Show #251 – Leslie Harris (encore) first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Mostly clear through the first half of the day, then clouds and a few light snow showers later.
I braved the roads to check Starrigavan at high tide. Today’s high was predicted to be 12.8 ft. This is about what it got to last month with some atmospheric assist.
Things were working in the other direction today, and the high topped out at 11.9ft. Low tide this evening ended up -3.8 ft. It could end up being the lowest tide of the year (would need to check the data). I wasn’t ambitious enough to head out in the dark and cold.
Connor was able to get out on a boat with friends for a hunting trip. Checking beaches south of town as far as Crawfish Inlet, they saw 14 deer. He said it looked like lots of folks got deer today based on what he saw at the docks.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Snowy Starrigavan High Tide first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Chilly and cool, partly to mostly cloudy.
Snow continued to accumulate overnight, with 8 inches on my deck rail this morning. Connor later told me he measured 11 inches on his work table in the yard. Much of the morning had blue skies over the house, though the sun was too low to be showing above the clouds to the south.
Clouds moved over a bit from the south, but it never became fully overcast. Skies cleared again later in the evening, and temperatures dropped into the mid 20s.
I was on calls until early afternoon. My outside time was limited to a walk down to Crescent Harbor after lunch.
A couple of robins on Etolin Street were going after remaining mountain ash berries.
In the harbor I saw the Pacific Loon that has been slow to transition. I got closer looks and better photos. Reviewing the photos, I saw it appears to have some lesions or something at the base of its bill and behind its eye.
Near the boat pullout, a raven’s calls and associated movement aroused my curiosity. It seemed to have something it considered food. I saw it pick it up a couple of times (and I think eventually eat it). However, it did not seem to be in a hurry to consume it.
Each time it made the call, it would lift its wings and hold them up briefly. Each round was finished by a clack of the bill. There were certainly ravens in the general area. However, I did not notice any in the immediate vicinity.
Near the intersection of Park Street and Biorka Street, I noticed the largest flock of Pine Siskin’s I’ve seen in some time. I took some photos in case I might be able to pick out a redpoll or two in the mix. I did not find any, however. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Birding Walk to Crescent Harbor first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Snow showers and calmer winds with temperatures near freezing through the day. Overnight the snow began accumulating, and continued through the day. Several inches covered the ground by this evening.
It seemed unusually quiet when I woke up this morning. Living right on a main road in Sitka, I’m used to hearing traffic noise during the day. I forget how much snow muffles the sound of vehicles driving by. (It probably also reduces the amount of traffic.)
I decided not to brave the roads in a vehicle and went for a walk instead. The wisdom of this choice was confirmed when I saw a truck sliding through the roundabout, unable to continuing making the turn on the packed snow turned to ice.
Later I saw a small pickup try to turn right on to Marine Street. The wheels were turned, but the vehicle continued moving forward.
At Swan Lake, only a bit of open water remained. A couple of coots and seven Ring-necked Ducks were among the birds utilizing it. Shortly before I made it to Eliason Harbor, the brief break in the clouds between showers had closed.
I did not see much from the harbor on my walk out to the southern outer float. By the time I had walked down much of Katlian Street, only a bit of snow continued to fall, and I could see another break in the clouds.
I went up on the bridge to check out the view to the south, where sunlight shown through a bit.
I could see some big waves crashing out that way. I didn’t notice them so much when I looked at Vitskari and Kulichikof. Maybe I just didn’t watch those for long enough.
In the far distance, I spotted a fishing boat making its way through the waves. From my perspective, it looked uncomfortably close to the breakers on rocks, but I’m sure they had plenty of distance. Snow showers continued into the late evening.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Wintry Walk around Town first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Overcast and windy through middle part of the day. Occasional rain showers changing to snow later in the day. No significant accumulation by later this evening, but forecast continues to call for at least a couple inches by tomorrow. I spent an hour out at the industrial park dock this morning.
Despite the blustery weather, there were good numbers of birds. The 70+ Pacific Loons were the most I’ve seen at one time along the road system.
These were joined by at least three Red-throated Loons, Red-necked Grebes, Marbled Murrelets, goldeneyes, and gulls.
Winds picked up significantly while I watched. I was intrigued by patterns on the water. The same wind operated at different scales making ripples and waves. On a stop by the channel before heading home I saw a Glaucous Gull.
A California Gull at Swan Lake is on the late side of things. After lunch Connor reported seeing a Yellow-billed Loon in the channel.
With a break in the clouds and the possibility of seeing the loon, I went back out.
The sun was shining through a bit, but it didn’t last too long. I ended up chatting with visiting birder from Anchorage (in town to do some environmental survey work) until it started getting dark.
He was interested in the gulls, so we discussed various ones that were out there. As a result, I spent more time looking at some of the ones I might have otherwise not given much attention. My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Blustery Birding first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Heavy overcast and calm around town. Despite temperatures in the upper 30s to 40F, heavier showers included a mix of snow.
Roads were in reasonable condition today, especially compared with Sunday night. However, overall snow seemed slow to melt.
The dim gray light and snain/slush falling from the sky early this afternoon were not especially inspiring. I did get out for a bit of a look around, though. The midday tide is on the low side this week. Birds were still close to shore in places along the channel. It was just that the water line was further from me.
I noticed some Buffleheads behaving in a manner that suggested courtship and/or male aggression to me (though maybe that was on Sunday). It seems early for that to me. I looked it up, and apparently timing of pair formation is not well known, but in South Carolina courtship activity was reportedly observed throughout the winter.
No crows at the kelp patch pullout today, but there were some juncos and a Song Sparrow which I spent a few minutes watching. The forecast is calling for the pattern of snow/rain indecision to continue through the weekend. I’m curious how much snow has accumulated at higher elevations. A week or two ago I saw a report of three feet on Verstovia. The Harbor Mountain sensor page was not showing data until recently, but the snow depth sensor readings are showing 4.5m (with occasional dips down as low as 2m). I’ll assume that is not accurate.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Slushy Gray Day first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Winds out of the south or southeast, and warmer temperatures as the day went on. What little precipitation fell during daylight hours was snow, but it shifted to a light rain later.
Higher temperatures were not sufficient to keep the wind from feeling biting on my walk this morning. I decided to check out Crescent Harbor, where I had noticed Red-necked Grebes yesterday. I had been sent pictures of an odd looking Pacific Loon seen yesterday as well.
When you hit it right, the harbors can be a good place to get nice views of some water birds. They don’t always stay in the harbor, but when they are there, they will come up much closer to the floats than they tend to along shorelines.
Today I had nice looks at three Red-necked Grebes and decent looks at a couple different Pacific Loons.
One of the loons was the I had seen pictures of. It appears to be retaining some of its summer plumage. Primary feathers on one wing seem very degraded. So much so, I am not sure it can fly.
This afternoon around the time of sunset, I noticed a pink color cast outside. I didn’t have much time to get out, but did take a moment to step outside. Towards the west, it was more typically gray. I’m guessing there was a break in an upper layer of clouds that allowed the setting sun to turn some of that upper layer pink. This was diffused through the lower clouds, making the strange light we experienced at ground level. (That’s my theory, at least.) My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Crescent Harbor Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Snow showers continuing with temperatures right near freezing, so more accumulation. West wind was chilly.
I checked the channel and saw a Red-throated Loon and Pacific Loon not too far from each other. As I watched, the Pacific Loon swam towards the coast guard dock, and the Red-throated Loon followed a bit behind. I decided to try and get pictures of them together.
They did briefly end up close enough for a couple photos. It was a short-lived pairing, as they both dove when a float plane landed a bit further out in the channel.
I watched the plane as it came in from the direction of the bridge. It seemed to be coming in steep and perhaps fighting the crosswind a bit, but it may be the approach was typical. I’ve not really ever watched an approach and water landing from this angle before. The wind was brisk out of the west. In order to avoid the chill, I dropped down a shore-side bank while trying to get pictures of the loons. Although I noticed mostly associated with snow showers, it may have been more steady a little higher up.
Not long after I arrived at the kelp patch pull out a flock of crows arrived. They seemed hesitant to drop down to the ground, but eventually did and started eating the bird seed I had spread not long before. I don’t think they have associated me/my car with food. I’m guessing the one crow I saw previously informed its flock mates and they may be visiting more frequently. I missed documenting some nice light on Verstovia between snow showers. It only lasted a few minutes and was gone by the time I got to where I hoped to take photos.
Ultimate this evening was interesting with the 3-4 inches of snow on the field. Running fast and cutting hard is not a significant part of my game, so perhaps the snow evened things up a bit for me relative to the other quicker folks.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Chilly West Wind and Loons first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Warmer (into upper 30s) and less windy today, but precipitation still fell mostly as snow.
This afternoon I walked a loop to Indian River and along the cross trail back to Baranof Street.
I felt motivated in part by a desire to document coho salmon for the year. Connor said he saw a couple in holes up Indian River trail while he was up there today. I was able to see three or four swimming in the deeper part of the river just before where the flume splits off.
Light was poor, and they were deep in the swirly water, so the photos were not good. It do count them as documented, however.
I saw two Hooded Mergansers in Kalkae Pond. I consider it likely these are the same two Connor saw at Swan Lake earlier in the week.
They retreated to a covered edge of the pond when I stopped, so I couldn’t observe what they had been doing. However, when I first saw them, one was in the middle of the iced slush surface and then dove back down. I noticed several holes in the icy surface, which I suspect were made by one of the mergansers surfacing.
Along the cross trail proper, I did not notice any birds. In open areas along the trail I saw as much as two or three inches of snow. In forested areas, much less now made it to the ground. Under denser canopies, the ground was bare.
I crossed paths with at least nine other people while I was out, and saw tracks of many others. These included someone on a bicycle and another on cross countrie skis.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Snowy Cross Trail Loop first appeared on Sitka Nature.
The snow showers and associated winds out of the west that developed last night continued through today. The sun peaked through a couple of times between showers. Despite regularly falling snow, it never got deeper than two or three inches. Above freezing temperatures made for heavy, wet snow that compacted under its own weight and melted a bit as well. Thanksgiving’s 1.72 inches of precipitation was below the 2.13 inch record recorded in 1993. However, it did bring monthly totals closer to average. Month to date is 7.56″ only .77 inches behind the normal 8.33 inches.
I went for a drive before lunch. I hadn’t intended to go as far as Starrigavan. With snow on the road and oncoming traffic at a couple of places I would have otherwise made a left turn, I ended up going all the way. I saw 15 Trumpeter Swans at Starrigavan, but none at Swan Lake.
Swan Lake was partially iced due to snow/slush consolidating. It was not quite enough to support the weight of birds. However, it was sufficiently solid they had to move through it like an icebreaker. (Mostly they didn’t seem inclined to move through it). With daylight short, it’s the season of catching up on various things that have piled up over the past few months. Today I managed to get my inbox down under 15 (it had peaked at a bit over 200 recently). I also made it through most of the January-March days with photos remaining to be uploaded to iNaturalist.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Snow Showers first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Rain fell with varying intensity throughout daylight hours. Temperatures dropped enough later in the day for wet snow to prevail, and by late this evening an inch or so had accumulated.
I think yesterday’s warmer temperatures resulted in more insect activity at the porch light than I’ve been seeing many days. Last night several winter craneflies were flying around. This morning two winter moths (Operophtera occidentalis) and a fly were on the wall near the light. I did not feel inspired to spend too much time outside, but did make brief stops by Swan Lake, Moller Park, and the Channel.
A Double-crested Cormorant perched on the pier at the lake was the first I’ve seen there this year. I did not see the Hooded Mergansers Connor saw yesterday. It also seems the Redhead has moved on. It’s been several days since I’ve seen it (or any reports of it).
The channel had much less gull activity than I’ve seen recently. Perhaps the processors were closed for Thanksgiving. I didn’t spend long looking for the shrike. It was very quiet bird-wise overall the few minutes I was walked around.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Thanksgiving Rain becoming Snow first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Warmer and breezy early, but other than some occasional drizzle, the rain mostly held off until later in the evening.
I checked out Thompson harbor. Daylight was dim, but I did see Horned Grebe, mergansers, and had a brief look at a loon of uncertain species. I saw only one Glaucous Gull at the channel today.
I have been interested in the variation on male Common Mergansers. Later in the year, they seem to be pretty consistently creamy/white, but this fall I’ve been noticing many of them have a color cast right now. I’m assuming the color fades as the feathers wear through the winter.
One in particular really stood out to me today. The cast was rosier rather than the more yellow of others.
I appreciated some subtle but interesting light on a few snowy peaks as the sun was setting. Connor mentioned he found the shrike by Moller field today. He said it was hanging down in the bushes.
Nice turnout at ultimate this evening. We played for the better part of two hours, with some drizzle during the latter part.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Harbor Birds and Snowy Peaks first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Despite temperatures above freezing, precipitation remained snow through the day. When I was out this afternoon, no more than a couple of inches of wet snow had accumulated. Winds were calm. For a second day I spent time watching birds at the channel.
The two Glaucous Gulls I saw yesterday were still around. It was interesting to find each near where I saw it previously.
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I enjoyed watching an immature gull try to perch on a drifting log that kept rolling over. After a few moments it gave up and swam towards shore.
After seeing my first Red-throated Loons this year last week, I saw two more today. One in the channel, and the other at Sawmill Cove. The dock at the industrial park was not in use, so I parked and watched the water.
The bay seemed quiet, so I did not expect much.
Over a half an hour or so, I ended up seeing three species of loon, a couple of murres, and a Marbled Murrelet not far off the dock. Further out were some goldeneyes, mergansers, and gulls.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Snowy Day; Winter Water Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.
Cloudy with little rain during daylight hours. Mixed snow and rain later in the day. Winds calm. I spent some time with the birds at the channel today.
A high tide made for a narrow shoreline, and quite a few birds were near the shore.
Among them was a Red-necked Grebe and Horned Grebe near the work float. They did not quite move close enough together for the best comparison shot, but I was able to get them both in the same frame.
I watched the Red-necked Grebe tilt its head too look into the sky a couple of times. I didn’t think to try and crane my head out the window of my car (which serves as a pretty good blind) to see if an eagle or something was up there.
A feral rose is growing along the road to the work float parking. I don’t remember noticing it previously, but the red rosehip stood out to me today.
I had a visit from the crow with a damaged bill (and some friends) while I watched from the ramp.
I saw two first cycle Glaucous Gulls. Both were among the paler I’ve ever seen this early. One had pale eyes, maybe only the second time I’ve seen this. A pale shorebird flew by, but I only had a brief look. I think it was a Sanderling, probably the same one reported in the area last week.
At the kelp patch pull out, a crow was eating some of the bird food. I am interested to see if it brings friends.
While watching from Sea Mart for a few minutes a land otter popped up briefly among the kelp.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
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The post Channel Birds first appeared on Sitka Nature.