Journal 7: Saying Goodbye and Final Reflections

 Phenological Updates

I began my last trip to Ravenna Park on Friday, December 4th, at 3:30pm. The weather was sunny and it was about 45 degrees.

Broad scale observation site, week 1

Broad scale observation site, week 2

Broad scale observation site, week 3

Broad scale observation site, week 5

Broad scale observation site, week 6

Week 7: Changes in my broad scale observation site over the quarter.

    The most obvious change looking at the progression of these photos is the changing of the leaves of the red alder trees. They slowly turned yellow throughout the first few weeks then began to fall. I was also able to observe changes in other deciduous species, such as beaked hazelnut and vine maple. The beaked hazelnut trees I observed had their leaves turn yellow, and lose some, but they seemed to lose their leaves later than the alder or dogwood trees, and even by my last journal entry there was still leaves on those trees. Even some of the evergreen trees that I saw, such as western redcedar had some branches turn brown through the course of the quarter.

    I noticed less insect activity as the quarter went on. During the first few weeks there were many bugs flying around like flies and bees and water striders in the creek, but I didn't see any the last few weeks. I'm sure it has something to do with more rain and colder temperatures.

    I wasn't able to see any new species growing over the weeks I observed, but I saw several that died. There was a bracken fern that was turning brown at the beginning of the quarter, and by my last visit it had died and branches had been blown around the area it was growing. Most of the giant horsetail plants that were in my site had died by my last visit as well, they turned completely brown and the stems were drooping and falling off. I'm a little unsure as to why they died, as they are supposed to be tolerant to Seattle winter conditions.

Small scale observation site, week 1

Small scale observation site, week 2

Small scale observation site, week 3

Small scale observation site, week 5

Small scale observation site, week 6

Small scale observation site, week 7

    The changes in my small scale site are less apparent just from looking at the photos. The main thing you can see in the pictures is the leaves begin to break down over the course of the quarter, and there are more and more leaves on the ground.

There were many other changes I observed though. After it rained I would often find worms or slugs in the dirt beneath the leaves. When I visited my site after a particularly windy day, the only small mushroom that was growing on the log, a purple edge bonnet, was no longer there and I assume was blown off. Additionally some lichen on the end of the log was blown off. There were many small holes in the log I noticed on the last week that were not there at the beginning of the quarter, I assume they were from woodpeckers.

    

    On my final trip to my journal site, I wanted to continue to practice my bird identification skills. I enjoy the challenge of having to quickly identify an organism before it moves, I have to remain more alert and observant than if just identifying stationary plants.

Sketch of a ruby crowned kinglet.

    The first bird I was able to identify was a Ruby crowned kinglet. The most obvious features of this bird I noticed was the olive color on its body, and whiteish color on its belly. Additionally, it had a black and white wing stripe, and broken white ring around its black eyes. It was about 4 inches long. It was alone and scavenging for food on the ground under some small shrubs and trees, and flying short distances between the ground and low hanging branches, moving within a few square meter area.

Sketch of a golden crowned kinglet.

    In a different location, I identified a golden crowned kinglet. This one was pretty easy to identify from its bright yellow crown, with a black and white stripe on the sides. Additionally, it had a black stripe above the eye and an olive colored body, and white belly. It had a white wingstripe and olive and black wings. It was about four inches. I wasn't able to observe its behavior for very long before it flew away and I wasn't able to follow it.

    I wanted to include these two birds because when I identified them I was excited I was able to see both species of kinglets listed in Sibley on the same day, even though they are both pretty common. It also brought up some questions for me, since they were some of the only birds I was able to find. I wonder if its a trait of kinglets to be more active in the evening, and if so, what is the benefit of this?

    Additionally, I went back to the same location I had chosen to observe bird behavior last week, and despite staying there for around fifteen minutes I didn't see any birds. It's hard to identify a pattern of why this would be after only two weeks of observation, but it was early evening this week, compared to morning last week. Overall there seemed to be less bird activity, both what I could see and hear, this week compared to last, most likely due to the time of day.

Lemon balm growing on the side of the trail.

    I wanted to include this photo of lemon balm because I think it was a good demonstration to me of getting to know a place over time, even though it's not the most exciting thing I've seen this quarter. This species has been at my site every week and I was only able to notice and identify this week. No matter how much time you spend in a place in nature, I think there's always something new to be gained by returning, whether it be to see things you missed before or observe changes over time.

Honey mushroom growing stacked on the side of a dead log.

    Lastly, I wanted to include this photo of honey mushrooms, as I think it demonstrated another lesson I've learned this quarter, which is how important it is to keep a feeling of awe and wonder when being in nature. I got very excited when I saw these mushrooms, because they way they were stacked on the side of this fallen log was very interesting to me. Every time I see something like this, it makes me feel more connected to nature and my desire to be a good steward of the land I am on stronger.

Final Reflections

1. Walking through my observation site on the last week of the quarter, there were so many things I wish I had paid attention to in the first weeks to be able to see how it’s changed. Things like the colors of some plants leaves, different fungi growing in my site, and smaller species such as inverts. Comparing that to the first week, when I didn’t even know if I would be able to find 50 species for the iNaturalist assignment, I feel like my natural history skills have really grown. Phenologically, I was able to watch leaves change colors and fall, plants die and grow, insect activity change, and identify many plants I hadn’t previously paid attention to. Even though activity of animals and plants seemed to decrease as we head into winter, my site seemed to become more alive every week as I added to my observations. Every week I had a greater appreciation for my site and the complex relationships and histories that led to all of the species I was observing being able to exist there. 

2. I have always thought of the Puget Sound Region as a very natural place, so learning that Seattle is one of the most engineered cities in the US was very surprising to me. I now see how cities, and even forests and other natural landscapes have been altered by humans. Such as with the Montlake Cut drastically altering the wetlands around Lake Washington. I’ve also become more aware of how the landscape of Seattle has been shaped over tens of thousands of years, with glaciers forming the landscape of the Puget Sound Region. I was even able to see a glacial erratic in Ravenna Park, and had I not known the history of the area I wouldn’t have known how cool that was! I find now that when I am travelling new places, I wonder about the history of the region. For example, I was driving through Olympia a few weeks ago and began wondering where the Puget sound lobe extended to, and if the spot I was in would have been covered by a sheet of ice tens of thousands of years ago.

3. I think it means taking many different approaches and understanding there is important knowledge to be gained from nature through observation. At our journal sites we used several methods of observation, such as close observation of a small area, phenological changes over time, mindfulness, and many more. Every week taking a different approach allowed me to gain new insights about Ravenna Park adding to my understanding of its complex ecosystem. I think the value of repeated observation can be compared to our practice of memory sketching. Looking at the plant after your first sketch, you notice inconsistences or details missing. Repeated observation allows you a more nuanced and detailed understanding of a place.

    Close observation at a small scale and experiences in far flung places can both be valuable. Observations at one site over time allowed me to improve my natural history skills overall, so that when I visit new places, I know what things to look for and can see differences between places. Although I wasn’t able to do much far flung exploration, I was able to visit the UW arboretum and the forests by my house about 20 miles south of Seattle. Obviously, the UW arboretum is maintained by humans, but even in different sections of the arboretum, I was able to observe what kind of species grow together in the same ecosystem. Additionally, there are some marshy areas by my house and I was able to see the difference between what grows in a marsh and a forest.

4. I think one of the most important outcomes of this class for me is sparking a love of nature and natural history. I have always been interested in the outdoors but before this class my idea of being a naturalist required money, travel, and equipment. Now I know that anyone can be a naturalist and it can be practiced anywhere with no equipment. This new perspective has allowed to me feel a greater sense of appreciation and connection to nature and consider more how my actions impact the environment. I want my relationship with natural world to be mutually beneficial. I know I take a lot from mother nature, both in the form of resources and mental well being, so I would like to learn how to give back to mother nature. I feel more conscious of my environmental impact and a greater sense of responsibility knowing how much mother nature provides for me. 

    From week 1 to 10, my interest in practicing natural history outside of what is assigned for this class grew. As I would walk through campus I would try to quiz myself on what species I was seeing and if I couldn’t identify it I would use Seek. Additionally, I wanted to share the things I was learning about with the people around me who I love. I told my mom about the seek app and my Pojar and McKinnon guide, and one day we walked around our backyard identifying every species that we didn’t already know what it was. We did the same thing when we visited the Seattle Japanese Garden and went on walks in the woods around my house. The skills I have gained have made me more attuned to the world around me, and allowed me to connect more closely not only with nature, but with my loved ones as well.

5. My perspective at the beginning of the quarter was that humans are outside of nature and the only way we have the capacity to interact with nature is negative and harmful. Throughout the quarter, I realized my perceptions of nature only being what is untouched by humans is completely false. Humans have always altered the environment, whether it be through burning landscapes or harvesting food. While these things can be harmful to the environment when done without thinking about sustainability and taking in excess, when done responsibly and respectfully, humans and nature can exist in a mutually beneficial relationship. In the Kimmerer reading, one thing that resonated with me throughout all the chapters was the feeling of deep reverence and gratitude for nature. Such as in the story of Skywoman, where the woman danced as a thank you to the animals who died, and land grew beneath her feet. Or in the chapter about ceremonies, where she described how the first salmon bones are placed back in the water so its spirit may continue upstream, and as a sign of respect. This reading helped me realize that humans are not above nature, but we must take care of it and show respect for the things we take from nature.