Environmental Study Of Lechtenberg Park

[Turtle]

Here's a flower I saw in abundance. Ruler in inset upperright corner Unidentified.

 

 

 

Another abundant plant & flower. >>>

 

 

 

Here's some video of a group of birds in the grasses. I have no idea yet what they are either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MkxopFe7eM

 

[Turtle]

While I wait for another bird video to upload, I have some plants to add to the list I can identify. :hyper: There was Vine Maple, Oregon Grape, Alder, Snowberry, Blackberry, Oregon Bigleaf Maple, & Hawthorne. I think there's some Live Oak as well.

 

 

Ohh...here's the video. This a medium size bird with a long beak which made a rather deep call that led me to spot it. It is on its nest. Again, next time will take tripod! :eek:

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmouaHmnVqk

[Cedars]

Were you drinking before filming the birds or are you naturally unbalanced

 

Kidding aside, I know how hard it can be to get a good shot of a bird.

 

Are you looking for help in ID'ing the birds?

[Turtle]

The work progresses. I believe I have ID'ed the duck in this clip as a Ring-necked Duck -Aythya collaris I have some tape of him with a Female too!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMrSQrEaH0Q

 

All About Birds

[Turtle]

Here's the clip of the pair of Ring-necked ducks. My bird sources say the ring is difficult to spot in the field, but it is obvious in this footage. Ducky's got a girlfriend! :hyper: She may be the mother from the other clip so will have a closer look.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahGk0gula4c

 

Here's my updated map. Seems I went a weeee bit out o' the park boundary. ;) :eek: I have marked my points of entry & exit, my point of where the hell am I??, and 3 trees I stopped to measure. I presumed the first 2 were oak, but I measured them before I came across the Ash's budding leaves. #3 is Oak for sure, and I'll have a scan of a leaf from the ground presently. The oaks haven't budded yet.

 

 

Oak 1 >> 52 inches in circumference & ~ 17 inches in diameter

 

Oak 2 >> 85 inches in circumference & ~ 29 inches in diameter

 

Oak 3 >> 100 inches in circumference & ~ 32 inches in diameter

 

:hihi:

 

Lechtenberg Park map from Google Earth

 

(click image to open full-size view in new window)

 

[freeztar]

Here's a flower I saw in abundance. Ruler in inset upperright corner Unidentified.

 

Let me know if you need help ID'ing those plants. They're both old friends of mine.

 

Good data you have so far. I'm guessing you found the first flower around the "oops" point (or somewhere across that field)?

If you are having blisters over such a short distance, then something is not right with your footwear. What type of socks do you wear? What type of shoes?

If you get desperate and are proned to blisters no matter what footwear, then I recommend 'moleskin'. You can get it at REI. :hyper:

[Turtle]

Let me know if you need help ID'ing those plants. They're both old friends of mine. ;)

 

Good data you have so far. I'm guessing you found the first flower around the "oops" point (or somewhere across that field)?

 

If you are having blisters over such a short distance, then something is not right with your footwear. What type of socks do you wear? What type of shoes?

 

If you get desperate and are proned to blisters no matter what footwear, then I recommend 'moleskin'. You can get it at REI. ;)

 

:D I need more help than the world has to give. :Alien: By all means do not dally proffering identifications, particularly for the flowers. I found the first flowers 2 minutes after I left the road.

 

I do have poor footwear for this kind of thing; leather pull-on boots and I covered heavy hiking socks with cotton work socks. Moleskin and I are ol' buddies, but it wasn't in the budget. [ It's readily available at the druggists too...does REI charge an arm and a foot for it?] It makes a good prophylactic against blisters as well as atreatment. Add to that my reclusive nature and limited vigorous exercise, and you got a formula for blisters. Just the cost-of-doing-business and the blisters will heel () before the rest of me.

 

I'll keep trickling down photos, scans, and videos and please don't hesitate to ID any of it. (Especially if I mis-identify something. :) )

 

Here's a shot of a Douglas Fir - Pseudotsgua menziesii - not far from Oak#3 on the map. That's a 6 inch rule on my walking stick for scale.

 

 

PS I collected a water sample, but it could be a few weeks before I can get a test kit; is there a limit on how long it can stay in the bottle and still make for a good test?

[Turtle]

This flower is in the grass field just outside the forest boundary & near my entry.

 

 

[Turtle]

Tall Oregon-grape - Berberis aquifolium - in bloom (aka Mahonia aquifolium)

 

Articles: >>> Oregon-grape

 

>>> http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?ID=739

 

[Turtle]

Oregon Ash - Fraxinus latifolia - leaves budding.

 

Article >> Oregon Ash

 

[Turtle]

Vine Maple - Acer circinatum

 

Article >> Vine Maple

 

http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?ID=1

 

[Turtle]

Unidentified flowers...

 

 

[Turtle]

The oaks I have now positively ID'ed as Quercas garryana, variously called Oregon White Oak, Garry Oak, or Brewer's Oak. I will update images with the ID. This species is endangered in areas of California if I recall.

 

Short video of a Garry Oak in Lechtenberg >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT-8aLrAJXQ

 

ID info for Garry Oak >> Quercus garryana Fact Sheet - VT Dendrology

 

Detailed information on Garry Oak environs >> Quercus garryana Dougl

 

Post Script: Preliminary dendrochronological analysis indicates Oak #3 is over 25o years old. Details to follow.

[Turtle]

Sword Fern - Polystichum munitum

 

Article >> WSU CAHE NW Native Plant Database

 

;) :phones:

 

[freeztar]

Here's a flower I saw in abundance. Ruler in inset upperright corner Unidentified.

 

Camas, or Camassia.

 

Another abundant plant & flower. >>>

 

Star-flowered false solomon seal.

 

:phones:

[Cedars]

I agree with your assessment on the duck being a Ring-necked duck. And the second video shows the two together (with the babies) so I would think that is a mated pair.

 

Yesterday I treked up to the Meadows for a birding adventure. There were alot of Ring-necks, but ours are not sitting yet. I counted at least 100 of them, almost all were paired up.

 

The bird in the tree looks to be a Black-crowned Night-Heron. The video makes it harder to determine, but the shape of the bird, its beak, and the telling white patch on the face are the clues I am using. Plus your description of its voice helps too. All herons speak loudly.

 

Night heron

 

All About Birds

 

The Sandpipers are a bit more difficult for me to ID, due to a lack of much experience with them. Based on the video, I have couple I can suggest for you to check out.

 

Lesser Yellowlegs:

 

Lesser Yellowlegs

 

Lesser Yellowlegs

 

Both of the above pages offer similar species accounts for comparison

 

Greater Yellowlegs:

 

All About Birds

 

Greater Yellowlegs

 

The water sample is probably not valid for a good test at this point. I think its around a 24 hour window, and the fresher the better. I will try to find out more on this later.

[Turtle]

Thank you very very much for the help Freezy & Cedars! I have been hours poring over references trying to pin some of these ID's down to no avail. Takk!:)

 

I agree with your assessment on the duck being a Ring-necked duck. And the second video shows the two together (with the babies) so I would think that is a mated pair.

 

I put up 3 duck clips and the one with the mom & ducklings it doesn't show the male, but since they were in the same area I think they were together. I find no sources that show what the ducklings look like. With your agreement I feel confident I got this one right.

 

The bird in the tree looks to be a Black-crowned Night-Heron. The video makes it harder to determine, but the shape of the bird, its beak, and the telling white patch on the face are the clues I am using. Plus your description of its voice helps too. All herons speak loudly.

 

All About Birds

This sounds right to me; will review my tape. A first for me!

 

The Sandpipers are a bit more difficult for me to ID, due to a lack of much experience with them. Based on the video, I have couple I can suggest for you to check out.

 

Lesser Yellowlegs:

 

Lesser Yellowlegs

 

Lesser Yellowlegs

 

Both of the above pages offer similar species accounts for comparison

 

Greater Yellowlegs:

 

All About Birds

 

Greater Yellowlegs

 

Woot woot! Another first for me! Definately going with the Greater Yellowlegs because of the length of the bill and this clue: Greater Yellowlegs

...An important field mark of the bird in flight is its white tail, which is barred at the end....

BirdWeb - Bird Details

 

I definately saw the bar. :)

 

The water sample is probably not valid for a good test at this point. I think its around a 24 hour window, and the fresher the better. I will try to find out more on this later.

 

Acknowledged.

 

Camas & Star-flowered false solomon seal

 

Excellent! Takk! I have been hearing about Camas as an Native American food for years and never learned to ID it. I won't ever be in doubt again. Sounds like quite a lot of work if one wants to try eating Camas >>>

 

http://www.uoregon.edu/~jmyers1/jmyerspages/camasflower.htm

Paghat's Garden: Camassia quamash

 

:cup: :eek: