4.9.12 Elm Street, Raymond, WA

Date: 4.9.12

Location: A wooded area at the end of Elm Street in Raymond, WA.
Time: 12:00
Weather: The day was veiled by a thin layer of brightly illuminated clouds. The air was warm, about 70 degrees with brief slight cooler breezes. The days previous were cloudy, but much cooler probably in the mid 50-60 degrees.

Observations and things taught/learned:
Most of the forest is comprised of young Red Alders (Alnus rubra) about 10” or less in diameter. They are spaced about 2-15’ from each other. A few Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata) are mixed in with these alders. The area has clearly been clear-cut and the first things to grow (or were planted) were the alders. The understory consists of common lawn grasses, False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum), Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), young European Holly (Ilex aquifolium), thickly layered Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus), Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), and what I believe to be False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum). There was a couple of another unknown bush/trees that I have not yet identified [posted on iNaturalist]. I heard the buzzing of bees. One, a Bumblebee (disambiguation), flew towards me and circled me about 5 times and then flew away again. They are appropriately named “bumblebee” because they seem to “bumble” along as they fly, wavering up and down in irregular patterns. Two Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus) jumped out of the brush and into the clearing of the pathway about 20 feet away from where I was standing. The deer of this area are surprisingly unafraid of people. I have had previous experience in this particular neighborhood and surrounding woods and neighborhoods. They are used to seeing humans and thus have become less cautious than they should be (though in this particular instance I wasn’t going to complain). They jumped away again in great, leaping bounds in which all of their feet were off the ground. A few minutes later I heard the harsh braying of a deer and then saw a head pop up in the distance as a deer (I think one of the ones I saw earlier) leap over the brush (I think it was another deer calling to the one that I saw leaping). While walking back, alongside the road I saw many Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flowering and Hairy Cat's-Ear (Hypochaeris radicata), which was not yet flowering.

Other:
-Why do bumblebees (and other bees/hornets) circle people?
-When and why do deer choose to use their bray-noise/thing?

Species List:
-False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum)
-European Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
-Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
-Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)
-False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum)
-Bumblebee (disambiguation)
-Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
-Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
-Hairy Cat's-Ear (Hypochaeris radicata),

Previously Listed Species Present:
-Red Alders (Alnus rubra)
-Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata)
-Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

Publicado el abril 12, 2012 06:43 MAÑANA por chimeravo