Date: 4/25/2020
Location: Seahurst Park, Burien
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 52 degrees F
Time: 2:11pm
Today was absolutely stunning. While it isn't quite warm, there are blue skies and the vegetation seems to be very happy. The vegetation seems to be a lot more green and vibrant today than last week. The soil is moister and I see lots more creatures! I notice many slugs insects such as spiders and gnats. I am able to identify multiple plant species that I was unsure of last week. I feel such pride and confidence knowing I am slowly identifying more and more species. For one, I now know my site has many sword ferns (Polystichum munitum). I try to find other ferns, such as Lady fern, Bracken fern and Licorice fern, but there only seems to be sword ferns. They are super easy to identify with there dark leaves, once-pinnate leaves and the sword handle butt at the base of the leaves. I learn that the maple over my head is, in fact, a Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), with its bright green, opposite, 5 lobed leaves. Besides its obvious leaves, its abundance of moss on the bark gave it away as a bigleaf maple. Last week I identified Oregon Grapes, but this week I know this particular Oregon grape is a dull Oregon grapes (Mahonia nervosa) with its 9-19 leathery leaflets with shiny surfaces. More yellow flowers have blossomed since last week, but many are still tightly wound up in balls. I know its not tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) because it has more than 5-9 leaflets and has more than just one central vein. Just like last week, I hear the same bird calls - I can't wait until we start identifying birds based on their calls! The river is flowing at the same speed and force as last week but it smelled a lot fresher than last week. Last week my site smelled somewhat sewer-like, whereas today I just smell the fresh dewy air.
I had a hard time finding lichen/fungi at first, but when I really got close to the ground and ventured around a bit, I found many! Although it's not a lichen, I found an abundance of Golden Short-Capsuled Moss (Brachythecium frigidum). It hugs the big maple trees bark at my site, and I see lots of it lying on the ground attached to twigs. It is soft to the touch, almost like a sponge. It is yellowish-green, with sharply pointed leaves and toothed upper edges. Its sharp ends are a bit intimidating but it is surprisingly smooth. This moss reminds me of the leaves on Juniperus scorpulorum. On the maple tree, this moss grows in large mats and has many spreading branches. As I look to the ground, I see lots of Beard Lichen (Usnea). I'm not completely sure its species, but it is pale green and had lots of veins. It has a central cord, which makes me think it might be a Usnea wirthii. Looking some more I came across Hooded Tube Lichen (Hypogymnia physodes). This lichen isn't as abundant as some of the other species; I only saw a few specimens. It has an appressed leaf and narrow lobes. It is hollow, like the Forking bone, but as I dissect it, I notice it bears tiny soredia on the insides of the lobes. The upper surface is pale greenish and the lower surface is blackish. I found this lichen lying on the ground, but I can't find any more or its source. Next to the Hooded Tube Lichen, I see a Forking Bone Lichen (Hypogymnia inactiva). It looks somewhat similar to the Hooded Tube Lichen, but it has much narrower lobes, and there were no soredia. It was also hollow and the upper surface is pale yellowish/green and the lower surface is blackish (similar to Hooded Tube Lichen). I spot this lichen by the roots of the maple tree, but I don't see much of it. The tree provides the lichen shade and moisture from the river. Looking to my left, I see a soggy branch lying on the ground with two types of lichen on it: Ragbag (Platismatia glauca) and Blood-spattered Beard Lichen, (Usnea wirthii). The Ragbag has broad, pale green lobes. The margins are frilly and are bearing soredia. While the upper side is green, the lower surface is shiny white. This species usually lives on trees, but I spot it on a twig, shaded under the maple tree, which is close to the river. The Blood-spattered Beard Lichen, (Usnea wirthii) has pale, yellowish-green leaves and a clear central cord. I search and search for a fungus at my site, but I am unsuccessful. I walked a few meters away, however, and am able to find a Mica Cap (Coprinellus micaeus), rooted under a fallen log. It has a brown, inky cap with salt like granules covering it. Looking at its underside, the gills are light brown and are crowded. The stem is white and smooth, about 3 cm thick. If I were to guess, I would say I didn't find any fungi at my original site because there aren't many fallen logs and shaded areas for the fungi to thrive. But where I found the fungi, there were many fallen logs for the fungi to root into.
Today was absolutely stunning. While it isn't quite warm, there are blue skies and the vegetation seems to be very happy. The vegetation seems to be a lot more green and vibrant today than last week. The soil is moister and I see lots more creatures! I notice many slugs insects such as spiders and gnats. I am able to identify multiple plant species that I was unsure of last week. I feel such pride and confidence knowing I am slowly identifying more and more species. For one, I now know my site has many sword ferns (Polystichum munitum). I try to find other ferns, such as Lady fern, Bracken fern and Licorice fern, but there only seems to be sword ferns. They are super easy to identify with there dark leaves, once-pinnate leaves and the sword handle butt at the base of the leaves. I learn that the maple over my head is, in fact, a Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), with its bright green, opposite, 5 lobed leaves. Besides its obvious leaves, its abundance of moss on the bark gave it away as a bigleaf maple. Last week I identified Oregon Grapes, but this week I know this particular Oregon grape is a dull Oregon grapes (Mahonia nervosa) with its 9-19 leathery leaflets with shiny surfaces. More yellow flowers have blossomed since last week, but many are still tightly wound up in balls. I know its not tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) because it has more than 5-9 leaflets and has more than just one central vein. Just like last week, I hear the same bird calls - I can't wait until we start identifying birds based on their calls! The river is flowing at the same speed and force as last week but it smelled a lot fresher than last week. Last week my site smelled somewhat sewer-like, whereas today I just smell the fresh dewy air.
I had a hard time finding lichen/fungi at first, but when I really got close to the ground and ventured around a bit, I found many! Although it's not a lichen, I found an abundance of Golden Short-Capsuled Moss (Brachythecium frigidum). It hugs the big maple trees bark at my site, and I see lots of it lying on the ground attached to twigs. It is soft to the touch, almost like a sponge. It is yellowish-green, with sharply pointed leaves and toothed upper edges. Its sharp ends are a bit intimidating but it is surprisingly smooth. This moss reminds me of the leaves on Juniperus scorpulorum. On the maple tree, this moss grows in large mats and has many spreading branches. As I look to the ground, I see lots of Beard Lichen (Usnea). I'm not completely sure its species, but it is pale green and had lots of veins. It has a central cord, which makes me think it might be a Usnea wirthii. Looking some more I came across Hooded Tube Lichen (Hypogymnia physodes). This lichen isn't as abundant as some of the other species; I only saw a few specimens. It has an appressed leaf and narrow lobes. It is hollow, like the Forking bone, but as I dissect it, I notice it bears tiny soredia on the insides of the lobes. The upper surface is pale greenish and the lower surface is blackish. I found this lichen lying on the ground, but I can't find any more or its source. Next to the Hooded Tube Lichen, I see a Forking Bone Lichen (Hypogymnia inactiva). It looks somewhat similar to the Hooded Tube Lichen, but it has much narrower lobes, and there were no soredia. It was also hollow and the upper surface is pale yellowish/green and the lower surface is blackish (similar to Hooded Tube Lichen). I spot this lichen by the roots of the maple tree, but I don't see much of it. The tree provides the lichen shade and moisture from the river. Looking to my left, I see a soggy branch lying on the ground with two types of lichen on it: Ragbag (Platismatia glauca) and Blood-spattered Beard Lichen, (Usnea wirthii). The Ragbag has broad, pale green lobes. The margins are frilly and are bearing soredia. While the upper side is green, the lower surface is shiny white. This species usually lives on trees, but I spot it on a twig, shaded under the maple tree, which is close to the river. The Blood-spattered Beard Lichen, (Usnea wirthii) has pale, yellowish-green leaves and a clear central cord. I search and search for a fungus at my site, but I am unsuccessful. I walked a few meters away, however, and am able to find a Mica Cap (Coprinellus micaeus), rooted under a fallen log. It has a brown, inky cap with salt like granules covering it. Looking at its underside, the gills are light brown and are crowded. The stem is white and smooth, about 3 cm thick. If I were to guess, I would say I didn't find any fungi at my original site because there aren't many fallen logs and shaded areas for the fungi to thrive. But where I found the fungi, there were many fallen logs for the fungi to root into.
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