Meandering Washington

R ~ Rainier

2012-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Dahkobeed. Takkobad. Tacobud. Tahoma. Dahkoobed

All of these names applied to the most impressive of landmarks in Washington state. There are many myths and legends attached to this mountain. Dahkoobed is a jealous wife, shooting fire at the junior wives of her husband. Mysterious lakes hidden inside the mountain are home to otherworld spirits.

These myth come from reality. In the summit crater of the 14411 ft volcano there is a lake along with 2 miles of ice caves. Summit climbers can sometimes smell sulpher in the air.

Currently the volcano is dormant but all around are well aware of the danger the massive store of ice and snow hold if the volcano should return to life. There is an estimated 35 sq miles of perminant ice and snow on the mountain. Historic mud flows have reached all the way to Puget Sound.

Mt Rainer is a training ground for many world climbers who use its technical slopes to train for climbs in the Himmalayas. For the average walker and hiker, its lower slopes are easily accessed. During the Summer, superb wildflower meadows attract large flocks of visitors.

For residents of Puget Sound country, a clear day means Rainier dominates the view.

Is it a nice day? Yes, The Mountain is out.

The Mountain is out. Everyone here knows what that means.

Q ~ Quilomene

2012-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Quilomene is another one of my lovely lonesome places. This large , isolated wildlife management area supports very dry habitat and it is here I find cactus and other near desert flora. Butterflies can be quite numerous as the area supports many species of mustard, which many butterflies are attracted to. The rough roads are a challenge to drive, so hiking is required to visit and view the habitat.

This unit is between Ellensburg and Vantage along the old Hwy 10. You can enter through the back door via the Colockum Wildlife area. There are extensive wind turbines in place along this road and it is also possible to drive into the Wild Horse Wind Farm and access the land during the Spring Summer ( very hot) and Fall . The wind turbines give a clue, it is rarely still here. The wind can be persistant and makes camera work a challenge.

Watch out for ticks. This is the only place I have ever picked one up.

P ~ Physaria alpestris , Washington Twinpod

2012-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Physaria alpestris Washington Twinpod

This is the plant that started it all. I met these bizarre pods on a hike at Red Top in 2009. I had no idea what they were. Hollow plastic-like, they rattled noisily when fingered. Someone suggested I post them to Flickr to see if they could be identified. Sure enough I had a hint within a few hours and using the on-line resources of the Herbarium at the University of Washington Burke Museum I was able to make an id. As a member of the mustard family they are one of dozens of confusing and challenging members of this family in the dry side of the Cascades and east slope uplands.

The flower of this plant is unexpected. Bright yellow blooms on long stems straggle along the rocky soils. The leaves are soft and slightly furry. The stems of the flowers can be so long that the pods, when they appear, are far removed from the leaves as if they were not associated with each other.

This plant made me appreciate that no one book can serve to easily aid my knowledge. I currently have three field guides for plants in this region and there are still gaps that must be filled by using the Herbariums on-line photo collection.

O ~ Oreamnos americanus, Mountain Goat

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Despite its name, the Mountain Goat is not a true goat but is a member of the sub-Family Caprinae along with the goats. In the Cascade Mountains of Washington, Mountain Goat are at the southern-most tip of their natural range. It is possible to find these animals within 30 miles of downtown Seattle near Mt Si and along the I-90 corridor. Mountain Goats were introduced to the Olympic Mountain area where they are currently causing quite a bit of ecologic damage to the rare flora of the park.

Goats eat common vegetation along with moss and lichen. They migrate vertically to follow the snow pack. Padded, cloven hooves allow the animals to navigate rock faces that can be nearly 60 degree slope. Main predators, aside from man, are Golden Eagles, which will hunt the young kids. It is common to find both Mountain Goat and Golden Eagles in the Yakima Canyon between Ellensburg and Yakima.

The shed wool the mountain goat was collected and used by native peoples for textiles.

N ~ Nisqually Delta

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Nisqually Delta

The Nisqually Delta is home to the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. It is here that I honed much of my bird watching skills. For over 100 years ago this delta was patch worked by dikes, drained and used for farming. The land was then bought and preserved as the Nisqually NWR. In 2001 a 6.9 magnitude earthquake damaged several of the dikes allowing the fresh water of the Nisqually River and the salt water of Puget Sound to enter into its former natural home. In 2009 the remaining dikes were removed and the precious estuary was on its way to being restored.

We now have a wonderful opportunity to study the recovery of vital saltwater estuary habitat. This mixing of fresh and salt water supports plants and animal life vital to the ecology of the region. It is here young salmon transition to the saltwater habitat. Visitors can observe the daily tidal changes from a new one mile long boardwalk that takes you well out into the intertidal area.

The Delta is ever changing and this new habitat supports scientific discovery as well as wonderful recreation opportunity.

http://nisquallydeltarestoration.org

Happy Valentines Day

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Way is in the heart ~ Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.

Western Tarnished Plant Bug , Lygus hesprus

M ~ Melospiza melodia , Song Sparrow

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melospiza melodia , Song Sparrow

The most common and widespread of the sparrows in the United States, Song Sparrows can be found and heard in most every open grassy or brushy habitat. They are very sociable and are regularly found in city back yards as well as isolated mountain forest edges and meadows. Here in Washington most of our birds are well marked and favor russet and white colors. Much of the streaking is over-washed with a bluish gray blush.

Song Sparrows are so common that they are often used to relate bird size when in the field. In discussion with another birder it would be common to say that a bird is bigger then or smaller than a Song Sparrow. Other birds that serve as a size standard are American Robin , chickadee and pigeon ( Rock Dove) and American Crow.

L ~ Lushootseed

2012-02-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Lushootseed is the language / dialect of the Puget Sound region native peoples. There are a dwindling number of native speakers left and through the work of the late Vi Hilbert and now Zalmai Zahir and other, efforts are being made to expand the number of native speakers beyond the approximately 300 known today. Even within this languages narrow range, there is a distinct dialect, north to south.

Todays photos are part of a story in Lushootseed with its English translation.

Here Zalmai Zahir and Cassy George demonstrate different greeting phrases.

K ~ Kittitas

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Kittitas

Kittitas county , located on the east side of the Cascade slope is the heart of Washington state. Its ecology ranges from high mountain and conifer forests to sagebrush steppe and upland grasslands. In the heart of the county irrigation farming supports one of the best hay growing acreage in the United States.

To the north the county is dominated by the Stewart Range (Mt Stewart 9415 ft) and the geologically distinct Wenatchee Lobe. The plant life of this high altitude region is filled with diverse species found few other places in the world.

I have spent many hours exploring the county and I return to it over and over as I can drive 1 ½ hour from home and be in a place so high and quiet that the beat of my own heart is too noisy.

Quite a number of photos in this month’s project were taken in Kittitas. This photo is taken from Umtanum Road above Ellensberg. This high plateau is currently home to the L.T. Murray Wildlife Management Area . In the late 1800 and early 1900 this area was farmed and ranched for wheat.

J ~ Juniperus maritima, Seaside Juniper

2012-02-10T05:04:00.000-08:00

Juniperus maritima , Seaside Juniper

Washington Park in Anacortes is home to a large population of these very rare trees. They populate its south and west facing rocky slopes.

Juniper are famed for their longevity and the trees in the park are a wide range of ages. They form sturdy thick twisted trunks and branches so their size and shape do not always tell their age. The berry-like cones taste of gin, which comes from juniper berry .

These trees were once thought to be Rocky Mountain Juniper but in 2007 genetic analysis showed they were a distinct and true breeding species. Washington Park is one of the most unique ecology's in Washington State with rare Serpentine soils on the south face supporting these junipers as well as a wide array of Spring and Summer flowers not found in many other areas.

I ~ Invasion; bonus entry

2012-02-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

This year we are having a Snowy Owl Invasion. This excellent video from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology was filmed and photographed out on the Washington Coast.

I ~ Indian Pipe

2012-02-09T05:58:00.000-08:00

Monotropa uniflora

Indian Pipe is one of the oddest flowers of the woods. They are completely without chlorophyll and obtain nutrients by connecting to the roots of conifers using fungi. Conifer roots that are exposed on in a hillside are the best place to hunt for the pipes. Waxy white is the most common color but occasionally you find pink pipes . I have found the odd saprophytes and charming orchids of our region have been an exciting branch of plant study. Often a certain amount of sleuthing and just a touch of luck is required for a find.

H ~ Hyla regilla, Pacific Treefrog

2012-02-08T06:06:00.000-08:00

Only 1 ½ to 2 ¾ inches long, the Pacific Treefrog is a real charmer. They have bulbous toes which allows them to climb and hold on vertical surfaces. I have often found them in and on garden walls. They have a wide variety of colors and blotches which help them blend to their background. Often they will be quite vocal and even though you know they are right close by, they blend so easily they can be almost impossible to see until they jump. As soon as a few days of warmer weather start this month, they will be chirping and calling from every moist woodland, field and pond.

I have a profound soft spot for frogs. In all their shapes and sizes, I love discovering them. Frogs often are a symbol of transformation. The Japanese word for frog is "kaeru." It is the same word meaning "return." So travelers carry a small frog amulet with the intent of returning safely home.

G ~ Glacier

2012-02-07T04:53:00.000-08:00

Glacier

Much of Washington’s topography is due to the deformations made by glaciers of the Ice Age. These happened both directly and indirectly when a glacial dam burst in Montana several times over a millennium producing the Bretz Floods 13 - 15000 years ago.

Mt Rainier is home to 26 major glaciers. Nisqually, pictured here, is much diminished from 40 years ago when it was recorded advancing 29 inches in one day. I have been above this glacial valley and heard the booms and cracks of its movement. When the sound arises from a foggy misted landscape, you can believe in dragons.

F ~ Fern

2012-02-06T05:36:00.000-08:00

Fern

Ferns are a very large and ancient family of vascular plants, well represented in the environments around the state.

One of my favorite ferns is the Licorice fern, Polypodium glycyrrhiza. Licorice fern will grow on rocks and in the trunks and limbs of trees, usually Big-leaf Maple. Mosses usually share the surface and become the soils for the fern. The under-surface rhizome, from which the fruiting fronds arise do taste like licorice. They were used and chewed for their flavor and can be steamed, scorched or taken raw. Occasionally I will grab on and give it a chaw. It always produces a slight cough and tingle. The effect is heightened by our cold damp air. When my throat gets raw and irritated from being in the elements, Licorice Fern rhizome does the trick.

Ferns were widely used by native people for

Fern served as a multipurpose household item. Wrapping and covering food for storage and preparation, wiping fish and stuffing mats were just a few of the useful ways this bountiful plant was used. Children of the Makah played an endurance game with Sword Fern fronds. They would pluck a leaf and say the word "pila". The one who could pluck the most leaves on one breath was the winner.

E ~ Erratic

2012-02-05T05:37:00.001-08:00

Erratic

Erratics are large boulders that were transported on and in glaciers and left deposited by the melting retreat. Erratics were also floated during the Bretz Floods. It is possible to find boulders that originated in the region of Northern Montana left high and dry in the open fields of eastern Washington and the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Some of these boulders are massively large, almost house sized.

Visit Huge Floods to see and learn about the floods and the interesting landscape they left.

http://hugefloods.com/

D ~ Douglas Squirrel , Tamiasciurus douglasii

2012-02-04T06:18:00.000-08:00

Our little native squirrel most often found in the deep woods feasting on the seeds of fir and hemlock cones. They are a perfect example of selective camouflage. The upper side of their body blends in with the tone and color of the tree bark. The underside is a pretty golden rust color that resembles the color of the wood inside the broken trees and branches.

Douglas Squirrels gather mushrooms and hang them to dry in branches. When you find terrestrial mushrooms hanging up, you will often be warned off by the sassy scolding of its harvester.

C ~ Crow , Corvus brachyrhynchos

2012-02-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos common and familiar to almost everyone, the intelligent Crow is resourceful and always interesting to observe. Researchers at the University of Washington have done extensive work with Crows and some of their work is presented on the wonderful “NATURE” series on PBS.

You can view it on line here

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/a-murder-of-crows/introduction/5838/

This picture was taken at the Burke Museum on the UW Campus and the crow is sitting on a replica of a Tlingit ridicule pole “Wild Woman of the Woods” originally built circa 1912. More specifically it is sitting on a representation of money. From the Burke Collection information:

For three years, the original Dzunuk'wa figure glared down the beach at the owner's in-laws, who had not paid a marriage debt. Such "ridicule poles" were raised to shame someone who owed a debt to a chief. When the in-laws finally honored the debt, the pole was pivoted to face the water. Symbols of wealth--shield-shaped coppers--were then added to her head and hands

B ~ Banana Slug , Ariolimax columbianus

2012-02-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

Banana Slug

Ariolimax columbianus is our almost iconic slug of the wet forest in the Pacific Northwest. Bananas are the second largest terrestrial slug in the world. They feed on dead and decaying organic matter and serve an important role in the composting cycle of the forest. They are eaten by raccoon, snakes, ducks and geese.

The Mascot of the University of California at Santa Cruz, the approximate southern most limit of its common range.

Go Sluggies!

A ~ Ape Caves

2012-02-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

Ape Caves is the longest lava tube in continental United States. Unusual and unique as liquid basalt flows are rare in this region of stratovolcanoes.

The 13000+ foot long Ape Caves are named in honor of the Boy Scouts who originally explored the caves after their discovery in 1947. The Apes were an organization of foresters who sponsored the Scout Troops . Ape Caves is located at the southwest foot of Mt St Helens.

February A to Z Project , 2012

2012-01-31T18:40:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by Inger over at the blogspot blog, "Desert Canyon Living" to launch an A to Z project for February. I might make a detour here and there, but I will have a daily post and cover each letter of the alphabet.

February is the shortest month, but around here it feels forever, with dreary days that seem to drag on. The forecast ahead is for mild weather so perhaps there will be early signs of Spring.

Whoopee At The Beach

2012-01-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how quickly the week has flown. The moderate weather is a nice change from last weeks frigid cold, high winds and freezing rain.

Friday I was able to get into work and the forecast was good for the weekend. I had made plans early in January to join the Long Beach Cleanup on Saturday January 21. All week I worried that the roads would not allow getting to the beach. Here severe snows are often followed by rapid melt and flooding.

The Community of Long Beach was enjoying 50 degree weather while we at home were under snow. Just one of those mysterious oddities that makes life here an adventure. I made record time driving the ~250 miles in 4 1/2 hours. I took the long way, south to Kelso then over to the coast following the Columbia River. This highway was the only one for which I could find a reliable road report. I saw evidence of a bit of mud slide in the hills, but nothing held me back and I was at the beach, easily and safely

I stayed at the Adrift Hotel.

http://www.adrifthotel.com/

This older building is under renovation and the new owners are using a very spare, minimalist approach. Repurposed materials, basic comfort. The room was clean and the heating system worked very well. I could see the water from my room window.

In the lobby there was a riding string of bikes available at no charge for the guests. They were stout colorful 1 speed bikes, just my thing.

The wonderful boardwalk which runs along the beach starts right at the end of the parking lot.

I treated myself to dinner at El Compadre a local Mexican restaurant. I have eaten at their place near Kelso and they have a wonderful grilled Game Hen on the menu. Lightly spicy , dressed with lime, I love it.

Saturday morning dawned pretty and sunny overhead. But no one was fooled by the ominous clouds out at sea. Overnight winds were well in excess of 50 mph and there was more to follow. Beach Cleanup was rain or shine and I was happy and eager to get started.

I picked up a couple bags and a pair of grabbers and got some needed detail info on cleaning up. Unfortunately the needed info was that of dealing with potential tsunami debris from the Japan disaster. Small debris is already appearing and they do expect to find identifiable personal effects and potentially body parts, particularly sneakers with feet.

I consider finding both a very important task. If the families and friends of the victims can find peace in the return of personal belongings, I am proud to do my part.

The tide was somewhat high when we started and the shore was alive with swirling clouds of shorebirds. It was hard to apply myself to work I so wanted to watch their amazing flight.

Overall this beach is one of the clean ones. It is regularly visited by local residents who have their own route and section they oversee and keep picked up. But even with these regulars, we found plenty to gather today. I found a baffling variety and number of bottle caps; pop and milk. A very large number of shotgun shell casings. A major amount of line and small sections of fish net debris.

People spread out along the beach. I worked back and forth up to the dunes down to the water and back up to the dunes. I got to where I could look at the sand and vegetative contour above high tide and see where items might be buried. The grabbers made quick work of finding buried plastic bags and more rope and line. One good feature of boat lines is that they are often colored bright blue or yellow, easy to spot.

I found a large Styrofoam block with a bamboo pole lashed into it. Was this from Japan? It is hard to say for sure. It was easily 6 feet tall and the Styrofoam and bamboo were very worn and broken.

That is a bundle of fishing net with a large branch caught up in it. I placed it thus, along with a heavy bag of junk I had collected to try to anchor it in place awaiting the truck pick up. Winds were picking up and blowing everything about. I continued to work the area until the trunk came and then proceeded on. At this point the winds really became fierce and I had to turn my back to the water. It was everything I could to to keep standing. I observed the blowing sand and tried to capture how it was running in drifts towards the grassy dune area.

I picked about in this area investigating the rough areas in front of me. Many of them held bits of line or plastic that I struggled to get into my bag. After the winds passed I looked down the beach to see if anyone else was crazy enough to still be out here...

Yup still crazy.

The sun came out again, then went away and then it got windy; rinse and repeat. By noon I had walked down the beach to the next road entrance and back to my original spot. Even though I had picked up a lot on my way down beach, as had many others, I still found two more bag loads on the way back. I found one treasure beyond compare

I kid you not! No I didn't keep it.

I ducked back to my room for some lunch and coffee and by 2:00 the sun was out again. I revisited the beach with my last bag and filled it up while strolling and enjoying simply being out. The tide was dropping and it looked like the worse of the weather was past. Fill the bag and back for another warm-up with coffee.

As sunset approached I visited the beach one more time. Tonight there was Razor Clam digging permitted and with the dramatic sky I hoped to capture some nice pictures.

Long Beach is Kite Flying central. The World Kite Museum is here and once again, I wonder why I don't make a point of trying this. I have never flown a kite.

I walked down to the water edge. Salty foam drifted about. Some of it tumbled along the beach like pearls.

The clam diggers, with their clam tubes started to gather working the falling tide.

It was getting so cold. Razor Clams are worth the effort, but oh so cold and wet for the hunters. The sunset seemed to take forever, The wind was really brisk and I didn't bring my gloves.

I love the reflected sky in the wet sand of low tide.

Off to 42nd Street Cafe where I had a stunning Seafood Stew prepared with a Spanish sofrito.

http://42ndstcafe.com/

I am eager to get back and spend an extra day. Perhaps I will get to the Kite Museum once and for all and actually fly a kite. If the weather is good I can use a bike to ride the boardwalk and then the discovery trail, a 18 mile round trip.

Snow Day out and about.

2012-01-18T14:17:00.000-08:00

The snow has given way to what appears to be a bit of mist.

In south Puget Sound and Centrallia and Chehalis they had almost 1 1/2 feet of snow overnight. A stunning and unique record for sure.

Out on the coast the warm moisture has taken over and while they have 50+ degrees we are cozy in the low 30 upper 20's.

They say rain moves in tomorrow then it is slush and slosh all the way. The last time this happened (Christmas Day a few years ago) my car could not get out of my driveway through the soupy mire.

I went walkabout today just to get out of the house.

Slushmagedon Cancelled!!

2012-01-17T08:06:00.001-08:00

OH NOEZ!!!

PM Tuesday Update...Professor Mass is backing off on the dire prediction now that the low is moving closer and perhaps shifting south a bit

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2012/01/scaling-back.html

Snomagedon now perhaps becoming a Snowskirmish.

Take it as it comes.

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2012/01/wednesday-snow-storm.html

Farming For Wildlife in the Skagit Valley

2012-01-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

http://vimeo.com/31569313

My friend Gaye sent me this link to a wonderful video about farming for wildlife in the Skagit Flats.

I love the Skagit area and am thrilled with the success of this program.

The citizens of the Skagit Valley love their land, their farms and as they say

Pavement is Forever.

SNOW DAY!!!

2012-01-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

As forecast, right on the mark we have a snow day. Snow started falling lightly yesterday afternoon and started again sometime around 6 am. I have been feeling giddy for days as I see this as a great opportunity for photographs.

I also LOVE the sound snow makes when you walk through it, I love that squeaky, scrunchy sound!

I had to go into work today so I took a slow breakfast waiting for good daylight before heading out.

My terrarium, which I introduced you to before, is thriving. I have new fern fronds springing up and even some new mosses.

This morning my favorite Allogona townsendii , Oregon Forest snail, was making a show on some new fern. I put my camera inside the terrarium for a photo-op.

While looking in I also spotted a newcomer. A Crane Fly has hatched and was hanging from the ceiling of the tank.

These insects have massive legs. The nymphs live in soils and leaves. I have brought home leaves, soil and barks to build my tank and I can also assume a certain population of microbugs. I have one Potato Bug ( rolly polly / sow pug / pill bug) for sure and many tiny spiders. I have even spotted a few worms. I will support this Crane Fly as long as need be. The adults do not feed, only mate. Typically they might emerge in the early Spring, so this one may be out of luck unless a second one emerges.

Suitably tanked up on coffee I set out for work. I needed this photo for my daily Flickr "365 Days in Colour" picture. Color of the month is purple.

Weather here is like no other place. We have a Convergence Zone which sets up and weather on either side of the zone can swing wildly. Add to this hills and pockets and some pretty massive bodies of water...

You never know what you are going to get.

The freeway was free and clear until getting to the hill above the edge of the convergence zone. Coming down the hill on I-405 to Hwy 522 it was near whiteout and it certainly was not going to let up.

I tell you Pearly Mae, my wonderful Honda, made me proud. Front wheel drive, manual transmission, the only way to go in such weather.

I made it up the hills to work, no problems. Here there was at least 3 inches on the ground and being Sunday, the road in to the facility was nearly trackless.

Two hours later and the snow is slowing down I return home. I decided to stop at the pretty mitigation area in our business park. I know there will be opportunity for some pictures. Besides I love walking in the snow.

Scrunch scrung squeak squeak rumpf rumpf

This rustic rail fence was a recent addition and I certainly like how it takes us out of the industrial park and into another place.

Young Douglas Fir and Hemlock trees do well with our snow. Their limbs yield away and drop snow.

This Cottonwood dominates the meadow edge. In the Spring it is glorious and is sends off the sweetest scent.

This area was mitigated to support the run-off of the industrial park complex. The pond and marsh hosts quite a diverse population of birds year round. It is a great lunch-time walk destination on those days where work allows.

There is always something interesting here, like this dried up Queen Anne's Lace

The pond hosts ducks herons and a lot of Red-winged Blackbirds. I have seen Muskrat tottering across ice before. Today it is mostly mallards and blackbirds.

A Red-tailed Hawk sits in the Cottonwood, hopeful for a meal.

The bridge marks a turn around spot for me, The snow really started bucketing down and I have a 20 mile drive of unknown quality ahead.

It turned out to be fine, with the usual cautious people and crazy people. There was notably less snow at home but now it has been really coming down for a few hours.

But no worries, Professor Mass, my most trusted weather guru predicts SLUSHMAGEDON by Wednesday. http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/

Wherever you are, stay warm.

Merry New Year!

2012-01-02T08:05:00.000-08:00

It dawned with hazy clouds and a weak sun trying hard. The start of something new, a decent sunny day!

My first bird of the New Year was Canada Goose. There are large flocks who spend the night in the pumpkin fields just east of me. They migrate in and out of the field every day in large noisy flocks. Every once in a while I hear different sounds and have seen Trumpter Swan and Snow Geese fly over my place as well.

This morning I have time to kill. Because the sun was out I wanted to be someplace open so I visited Juanita Bay Park to enjoy the lakeside marshes.

I also have my new Monthly Scavenger Hunt list for January and my color of the month for my 365 Project; both on Flickr. I enjoy these projects as they really awaken my mind and eye to possibilities.

Juanita Bay, in sunlight is alive with color. Red rose hips are a backdrop for yellow willow.

brown reeds and mud always hold promise of fun birds. I had a good binocular view of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet with his crown up. I got my camera ready for him to come closer but he had a different opinion and skittered away.

But Trumpeter Swans used a little gravel bar where Forbes Creek enters the lake to preen.

Wood Ducks are almost guaranteed at the north beach. This fellow and his mate were eating huge tubers they grabbed from the bottom.

There are Ring-necked Ducks. Most people insist they should have been called Ring-billed for obvious reasons. It was not until I got home and viewed the photo in the computer that I saw that I captured the little brown ring that you can barely see in real time.

There were tons of people out. Whenever the sun made a strong appearance you almost felt it was balmy.

The long walk was particularly nice, set up on a nice north to south axis, you could bask the whole way.

Look at this bit of sweetness!

I met a couple and noted the gentleman's walking stick. This was Daniel Trythall and he is an artist specializing in hand carved sticks and canes. http://www.crowprints.com/index.htm

I covet

I made my way back to the Kirkland waterfront for a special event. The weak sunshine had brought folks out, but there would soon be more. Not quite " A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" but certainly called it to mind

I was there for one reason.

Get a coffee and listen to Stuart McLean

Waaaait a minute. What are those people outside the car window. Party hats and cheers?? Going over to the beach again

ELVIS!

MUSCLE MEN

POLAR BEARS!!!! A mad dash into 45 degree water. In order to do it right you must go all the way under. I keep my camera hand above the surface.

Their expression was priceless

You come prepared with warm refreshment.

Or perhaps something warm and fuzzy to hug

For me the chill sets in about 20 minutes after the fact. You actually feel quite warm when you first get out. I was actually colder after my shower as my body tried to make sense to all these changes of temperature.

Cheers to all for a great 2012! I hope you have many adventures and discoveries.

Sad News for Our Outdoor Community

2012-01-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

Not the entry I wanted to post for today,

I wanted to post about my fun day today, but will leave that for tomorrow. Arrived home to news that simply saddens my heart and spirit.

Mt Rainier National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson, a mother of two and married to another park ranger, was shot and killed this morning after setting up a roadblock to stop a fleeing suspect.

My thoughts to her family, friends and to all who love and serve our great outdoors.

Its Christmas Time in the City

2011-12-24T10:17:00.000-08:00

What a month. I feel like time slipped by so quickly. There have been a few events but overall simply hectic days at work and super low energy perhaps brought on by the unrelenting dark dreary days and eating and drinking things I really should not.

Girls Weekend with my sisters was a bit early this year. We went to hear the Seattle Mens Chorus and for a change of pace visited the Pike Place Market. I love the market, it is so visual. When we went it was chock full of people, which can be part of the fun, but hard to take photos when stuck in the milling herd. As usual we ended our evening out at Olivers, where I officially had my first vodka martini. I am a Scotch gal myself, so this was a leap. It promised good vodka and olives as a reward. My review;

I could be converted.

Best part of the downtown adventure was walking to and from everywhere (comfy shoes this year) and seeing the lights.

The following weekend I got up early to go view the Lunar Eclipse. I was sure I was going to have to climb or drive up someplace high to get above the unrelenting fog we had been having, but amazingly enough when I got up and out, the sky was clear and the moon was dazzling. I selected a park overlooking Lake Washington where I could sit in my car and enjoy the sight without being in the 20 something degree weather.

I don't have a camera that can do justice to night sky photography so I was very pleased to get at least one passable image. At the moment of totality, I mean smack on the moment, the marine clouds rolled over the moon and totally hid it.

The following day was the Jingle Bell Run in downtown Seattle. Typically my sisters and I are having girls weekend on the same weekend so I grabbed the chance this year to go down and take pictures before the race. This fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation draws a lot of participants and dressing up is the fun. Many teams have a theme and everyone wears little jingly bells.

I grabbed the opportunity to check out the windows at Fox's as I needed a "window display" for my monthly scavenger hunt on Flickr

Could not resist taking photos of the carousel

or the Bon star. Ignore the huge MACYS on the side of the building, It is forever to be called The Bon Marche or simply The Bon.

While everyone was at the race I grabbed the opportunity to visit the market while it was quiet.

Breakfast at Lowells. Yummy coffee, creaky wooden floors. I wish I had a better chance for a photo op.

then a wander through the market while the vendors get ready for a busy day.

A final pat good-by to Rachel the Pig then it was off to get started on making Christmas caramels

all 10 batches

I treated myself to two more holiday shows. Stuart McLean was at the Paramount on a Tuesday night and then I had a last minute chance for a Nutcracker ticket with some folks from work. I loved Stuarts show, it was, as usual, filled with his wonderful storytelling and lots of music. I think Sunday on the radio ( our local KUOW / NPR station), he promises the story "Dave Cooks the Turkey". Some stories never grow old. Check him out at http://www.cbc.ca/vinylcafe/home.php

The Maurice Sendak Nutcracker is my favorite of all the productions. It is as visual as can be and I spent a lot of time simply taking in the sets and costumes.

We did Toys for Tots at work. I was chairman for my building. Two truck-loads of toys and $1200 in donations. Amazing. I love going out and buying toys for this event.

Last weekend we had a Scotch Broom pull with the Nisqually Land Trust. Their new property on the city limits of Eatonville needs some attention. This historic property was that of the Van Eaton pioneer family and still holds a barn build by the teenage sons well over 100 years ago. Scotch Broom is highly invasive. With the wonderful root jacks, it can be pretty easy work. Here is a before and after, what a small group can do within a few hours. Notice the log on the left

So here we are. The final days. I ran into my sister while out scouting for the Crab Boil spices my brother recommended. I have crab for Christmas Eve, my sister has mussels. Look at that check list, two pages!

Christmas Day is Cioppino and I will bring the crab for that as well as making appetizers.

Dinner

Mr Cioppino, who has a pretty big attitude

Best wishes to all for a lovely Christmas.

At 60 MPH

2011-11-26T16:57:00.001-08:00

You never know what you will see along the way!!!

Keep movin', movin', movin',

though they're disapproving,

Keep them dawwgies rollin', Rawhide!

Don't try to understand them,

Just rope and throw and brand 'em,

Soon we'll be living high and wide!

My heart's calculating,

My true love will be waiting,

Be waiting at the end of my ride.

Move 'em on, hit 'em up, hit 'em up, move 'em on

Move 'em on, hit 'em up, Rawhide

Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in,

let 'em out, cut 'im out, Ride on in, Rawhide!

H'yah! H'yah!

Turkey Trot

2011-11-26T15:40:00.001-08:00

After a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, my mind turns to penance. A day of sloth and eating, punctuated by a visit to work left me wanting to get out. It was an amazing sunny day. I was hoping for a hike that would put me in a little bit of snow at the highest point. The snow level, however , had risen quite above 400 feet and unless I wanted to go further inland I knew I would not easily find snow.

They say there are old hikers, and bold hikers, but no old bold hikers. While this is not entirely true, I find myself erring on the side of caution when it comes to visiting areas I have not been before. I don't feel comfortable going to a place I have never been in the season of rain washouts and snow.

I settled for a familiar place, Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. This 25,000 acre park is set between Bellevue and Issaquah, and just 20 minutes from my home when there is no traffic. The trails are well marked and wind all over, It seems you are never far from a trail junction, so folks of all ages and abilities can have a walk in the woods within their comfort level.

I considered the map and chose a feature I had never seen before. It was clear across the park from my parking area so out and back should be a nice healthy burner of calories.

This area supported many mining interests and you can still find open pits and caves. These areas are well marked as toxic and have sturdy fences to keep you at a distance. There is something about the graphic skull and crossbones, plus the toxic lungs of the fellow on the right

I featured this park last February and like then, there is a simple pleasure in our typical mixed woodlands. I am participating in a Flickr group which requires posting a photo every day. Every month we get an assigned color and the photo of the day must feature the target color. This month is "rust". I though it would be a challenging color but being forced to see, I find rust all around.

Must be due to all the rain.

The trails here are covered in Bigleaf Maple leaves.

I selected the route northbound, away from my usual favored trails and paid a visit to the old Nike Anti-Aircraft site. You can read about it here.

http://www.issaquahhistory.org/sites/nikemissiles.htm

There is nothing much left here except the footprint of cement sidewalks. Now a cell tower makes use of the space.

I did find an old relic and when I saw it, had a chuckle as I realized how long it had been since I noticed such a thing. I guess it puts me within reach of "relic" status.

in the trees near the Nike site, the remains of an old telephone pole with the climbing rebar. Remember those? Small irony that it was near the cellphone / microwave tower.

I trucked along enjoying the quiet. Along the way I was reminded of dinner the night before...

Witches BUTTER ( oh the glory of all things cow butter cream cheese )

Tremella mesenterica actually a jelly fungus

And mushrooms of every shape and color.

The stump was my choice for my rust photo of the day.

These lichens caught my eye. I am not sure which ones they are but I think they are in the Cladonia / pixie cup group

Cutting down through Tibbetts Marsh I again remembered that I want to visit this place during the blooming season to see what treasure can be found in this woodland marsh. It was great hearing water running that was not that over topping the plugged gutter outside my window. Creeks cut through this park and oven the trail runs above or over their courses. Makes a pretty sound and one that simply relaxes and keeps you going along.

I finally reach my destination, the "Fantastic Erratic".

Humm you say, a rock

Such a rock; a boulder, a whopper. Many of the hill and mountainsides are littered with these foreign visitors.

Carried here floating or embedded in glaciers, deposited as they retreated. There are people on top of the erratic and a man walking past.

The Erratic is covered in ferns lichens and mosses. Soils have built up from the leaf litter. The ferns reminded me of green beans. OK off the food thoughts

It is easily 15 - 20 feet up to the top from this side. The bare base is colored with lichen.

And if you look closely you can see glacial etch lines where the stone was scoured as it was pushed along.

All though this park there are details to keep my eyes and mind busy. This massive old trunk was easily 75 - 100 feet tall. Filled with massive holes, I am sure it still serves as nesting perching and protection areas for birds and animals of all kinds.

These mushrooms were fresh and pliable. One cluster appeared to be growing from a neat woodpecker hole.

I love this bridge, a cut log and handrails over the tumbling Coal Creek.

Leaves everywhere

Coal Creek Falls are the best of the many waterfalls in this park. One could spend a solid day getting around to every one. As it was my time walking was 4 hours.

By the way, left over green bean casserole makes a great variation of Barbudos. I first had Barbudos in Costa Rica. It was simply grilled green beans mixed into beaten eggs and cooked flat like a pancake. Some recipes have you dipping the greenbeans then frying them in a cluster. No matter, I rewarmed some leftovers and topped them with the leftover egg white from the pecan pie I made.

No amount of walking is likely to atone for that pecan pie.

But oh, both walk and pie were mighty nice.

Ketchup ~ Final Mountain Hike

2011-11-10T16:02:00.001-08:00

Today, all the weather gurus tell us, is the last sunny, warm, get-out-and-enjoy-it day.

Then our long gray dreary season begins. November is often exciting with high winds and even a chance of lowland snows.

A month ago I hiked one last time at elevation. I knew that the season of snow at elevation was already here and I missed getting up to the Esmeralda Basin or back to the North Cascades. I decided to finally get to the Kendall Katwalk once and for all.

Previously I have been turned back by very high winds or snows that persisted into late July. This year the trail was closed much of the season due to downed trees. So many trees down and roads washed out that the Forest Service was having a hard time getting everything open in a timely fashion. The added restrictions against using gas powered equipment in the environment (why I am not sure) made for some delay.

But the way was now clear , the snows not predicted at this level for another week and the day...

Glorious Blue. Way up there is Mt Kendall looking down at me in a large avalanche area. All of the red is Blueberry and Huckleberry along with some Mountain Ash. I picked berries, an interesting mix of sweet, tart and some even had a bit of fermented taste. I made scones and they are tucked in the freezer to enjoy in the deep gloom of winter.

I roused plenty of Robins, Flickers and Varied Thrush gorging on these berries. Many of them could barely fly a straight line as these late berries often make the birds a bit drunk.

This is a great trail. Much of it switchbacks out of the Snoqualmie Pass ski area and you stay in the woods until you cross this open area. Back into the woods on the right, the next time you emerge from the woods you are way up and cross the foot of Mt Kendall in the rocky, stony meadows. It is here you might meet some Mountain Goat or Pika. Today there were a few Pika whistling but no large critters.

Gray Jays are always fun to encounter and I cannot resist giving into their cheeky nature.

You offer

they accept

The apple, we all aGREED, was very tasty.

I love getting on the trail early. I can stop and enjoy the peace and not feel that I am blocking the progress of others as I poke and snoop and listen.

Plus early dew makes everything prettier

In the silence of the upper woods I heard some small toots and stopped. I called, it called. It has been a fantastic year and these toots were not one but two Saw-whet Owls. I think I have heard and encountered more owls this year than many years combined. I only had a fleeting glimpse of one of the birds flying. They are only five inches long, shaped like a big pine cone.

I also found where dynamite was used to clear the downed trees. They were piled like pick-up-stix. I suspect it would have been very dangerous for someone to try to saw these apart. It is hard to appreciate how large these trunks are, some easily three feet across.

In the upper part of the trail, you pass through an area commonly called the Kendall Garden. Wildflowers love these open slopes and there were still a few Harebells and paintbrush blooming.

Red Mountain fills your eye as you make your way to the north side of Mt Kendall.

Today there was already a well trod layer of snow on the north slope of Kendall. Last year this slope had packed snow three feet deep at the end of July which turned me back. Nothing held me back this day.

The Kendall Katwalk was blasted out of solid granite and the legend of this path reads more exciting than the reality. They talk about how narrow it is, but really it isn't. There is a sign that requests people riding horses dismount and lead their horse across, once establishing that no one was on the walk. Most of the guidebooks advise you should not cross the Katwalk if there is ice or snow. This I certainly agree with.

Red Mountain framed by a granite window at the south entrance to the walk

Looking north on the walk

and looking back to the south from a vantage along the way. You can appreciate the slope down from the walk. Can you see the hiker in the red coat?

It was a glorious place for a sit down and lunch. No wind, perfect view. No bugs this late in the season. My mind was filled with thinking about my berry spot. I had sampled berries all along the way and felt the effort would be worth a slow trip down.

There were good berries here and sprinkly patches of snow. Further down in elevation the sun had warmed everything perfectly I no longer needed gloves and hat.

This was the perfect end of season hike. Now I must content myself with local hikes near sea level. The Issaquah Alps permit a bit of snowy season hiking without encountering dangerous footing. I hope my cold, which is now been with me 2 weeks is on its way to being gone and I can get back into the swing of things.

It is 5pm and the sun is officially down. I am not use to this part of our yearly cycle yet.

Ketchup ~ Shi Shi and a Day at the Beach

2011-10-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

At the end of September I grabbed a long weekend at Shi Shi Beach. I love my little Bullman Beach Inn Unit 5. So relaxing, so quiet. I woke up in the night wondering what all the road traffic was about, car after car going past. Then I realized it was the waves hitting the beach at low tide

woosh...woosh... woosh...

The Saturday was forecast for fair skies, even on the coast, so I knew it was the perfect day for a beach hike. Shi Shi is the only choice and I was determined to finally get down to Point of the Arches. Last November I was turned back by high water in one of the creek crossings. Wet feet and all that...

I am an early bird by nature, so it was great to be first of the day hikers on the beach. I could see several camps further down the beach. I cannot imagine camping here on the coast except in the fairest of months. We have a rain forest just east from here.

Notable today were the piles and piles of molted crab shells on the beach. I did not notice the huge numbers last I was here and figure this is a seasonal event. Certainly speaks to the healthy Dungeness crab population offshore.

These Whimbrels have plenty of food opportunity here.

Point of the Arches is only about 2 1/2 miles down the beach, and the time flew quickly. All of the creek crossings were trouble free.

When I reached the Arches, it was time for a sit and an early lunch.

By the time I finished other hikers started trickling in. It was nice to chat with folks about what they had seen. One group had camped north of the beach access and said they saw a Sea Otter the night before. I have never seen one in the wild and that would be a treat.

It was here we had to turn back. The beach to the south of the Arches is not passable except under the lower tides. People who through hike must time their journey with the tides. There are programs for this area of the coast that will tell you when to break camp in order to time your passage to the different beaches safely. Something about those distant rocks makes me want to get there next time. Sort of "the bear went over the mountain" effect.

Returning up the beach I chatted with the gentleman who had the camp with the fire you see in the picture under the Whimbrels. He was waiting for some through hikers and said they would not arrive off the south beach until 6pm. He had a pretty nice set-up with the right amount of driftwood and several tarp and tent arrangements to protect from the weather. Other campers were not that smart and found they had to hike inland a bit to find dry wood for fires.

As I was walking back I took note of the beach art that campers had made around their spots. Wood and kelp made for some eye catching arrangements.

Egg in a nest

Kelp Drapery

Fierce Beach Monster

I found this molt of a Kelp Crab

I love this place. I noticed that the beach did not yield near as many fine shells and rocks as they did last time. Not sure if it is season or if it is just that there are more people passing and tucking treasures away.

Sunday the bad weather was rolling through. The TV said for the inland, high winds were predicted. I was hopeful but for Neah Bay, it was bands of weather but nothing fierce and stormy.

It looked promising at first light

but just turns to gray mist

After this mist passed, I did a stroll on the beach in high tide. Lots of kelp, piles of it. Not a lot of treasure.

After lunch another band of weather passed and then the sun really came out. Just in time for low tide and another stroll. The gulls were taking advantage of the lower water and the kelp piles to look for goodies.

I caught sight of a Semipalmated Plover

This wonderful boat is obviously constructed with scraps of wood found on the beach. It has some old water bottles added for a bit of flotation assist.

I only found a handful or shells. I arranged them to show off their spirals.

At the Inn, people leave beach treasure they find. It was here I found that bit of wood that looks like a whale. I always love looking at the treasure.

By late afternoon it was as clear as it was going to get. I was sorry to not have a terrific storm to enjoy. Inland the winds were coming down the east side of Vancouver Island into Puget Sound, totally missing us.

Resident cat joined me in watching the sun go down.

Good Night.

Ketchup ~ North Cascades

2011-10-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

I am finally able to return to posting. I had major computer issues and it took some time to get back the ability to post photos. No photos , no blog as far as I am concerned.

You don't want to simply read my thoughts, do you???

I finally got the Interwebz talking to my computer and a momentary pang of figuring out why my computer would not talk to my camera.

So here are some quick catch up posts, I will let the pictures do the talking.

At the end of August I spent a long weekend in the North Cascades. I wanted to hike and since the distance is too far to drive for a day hike, I maximized my time by spending the weekend in Marblemount and having two hikes. I spent Sunday night and went directly to work Monday morning, perfectly refreshed.

and filled with Cinnamon Rolls. You cannot stay in Marblemount and not have Cinnamon Rolls at The Eatery.

I had a wide choice of hikes and selected what my guide book calls the best hike in the state.

Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm

Sahale means High up or High heavenly ground. It certainly is that and I will say, yes this was simply a stunning and beautiful hike.

It is hard to tear yourself away from the trail head parking lot.

During the climb up to Cascade Pass I heard at least 2 avalanches.

Don't worry we were on the opposite side of the valley.

The climb is filed with switchbacks which makes the way easy. Lots of peek-a-boo views of the dramatic mountains across the way.

Once you get to Cascade Pass and take a little break you look up and convince yourself getting up to Sahale is so worth it. Half way up looking back to the beautiful mountains across the valley.

and then looking down at the pass. Look at the people.

Not the man in the red shirt, the little ants in that square of dirt by the little patch of snow. Yes those people.
This slope was loaded with flowers.

Once you reached the top you looked UP as saw more people. A little string of ants heading up to the summit.

and looking down from the arm, pretty little Lake Doubtful.

I spent some time watching this Golden-mantle Ground Squirrel gathering grasses and storing them in its burrow. This will supply plenty of hay for the winter.

It was a perfect lunch spot.

A panorama of the lake down to the Stehekin Valley. This is the way to get over to eastern Washington, several days hike.

A graphic at the trail head shows that they have found evidence of 8000 year old cooking pits at Cascade Pass. This area was the through route for eastern Washington. Aging is aided by knowing the chemical make-up of the different volcanic eruptions.

On Sunday I hiked what my guide book says is one of the best hikes in the world. Have to say, the authors affection for this place stems from his early mentor and introduction to the hiking sport. I have to say while this was a nice and quiet hike, it was certainly filled with drawbacks. For me not THE BEST hike in the world. I know I had taken mine the day before.

The hike to Hidden Lake started in the woods but soon I was hiking up the side of valley, filled with wildflowers and a late snowfield. There were also bugs galore. I was at an advantage here as it was pretty early and the sun was just breaking over the rim.

Tiger lily and sleepy fritillary.

and dew on a closed thistle looks like some odd horror movie eye.

views away, indeed. Mt Baker ~ Koma Kulshan is about 35 miles distant.

I encountered not one, not two but at least 12 snow fields to cross. This is not my happy place. The odd scalloped effect is called Snow Cups.

The very top of the trail ends at a fire lookout. The final approach is up a long slope of snow. I decided that I had had enough of the snow crossing and climbing and called it a day. Lunch time with a view.

near at hand, watermelon snow. The snow is turned red by algae.

Don't eat red snow.

The North Cascades are some of the most remote and beautiful. Access is challenging and the reward for those who can make the long hikes is wilderness unlike anywhere in the lower 48.

Test Pattern

2011-09-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

Having all sorts of no fun with my computer right now.

Whale of a good time, you bet

well it is slow , but we are making progress

Welcome Fall

2011-09-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

Now shatter’d shades let me attend,

Reflecting look on their decline,

Where pattering leaves confess their end,

In sighing flutterings hinting mine.

For every leaf, that twirls the breeze,

May useful hints and lessons give;

The falling leaves and fading trees

Will teach and caution us to live

From "Autumn" by John Clare 1821

Getting Dirty on International Rock Flipping Day

2011-09-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

Oh, good gigantic smile o' the brown old earth,
This autumn morning! How he sets his bones
To bask i' the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet
For the ripple to run over in its mirth;
Listening the while, where on the heap of stones
The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.
That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true;
Such is life's trial, as old earth smiles and knows.
If you loved only what were worth your love,
Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you:
Make the low nature better by your throes!
Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!

Robert Browning

It is International Rock Flipping Day.

http://wanderinweeta.blogspot.com/2011/09/time-to-flip-few-rocks.html

I had a long busy day and finished in my own back yard with a rock in the french drain

I spotted the web before I flipped so was prepared for a spider.

Sure enough a wee little spider, and not much else.

I started the day west of Portland doing the Warrior Dash.

3.5 miles of running through the woods and tackling 10 obstacles. They usually involved aspects of climbing and rope.

It was great fun and I was really excited because I felt strong and fit. Sort of surprised myself.

There were all sorts of people present. Old and young. Heavy and lean. Serious and and not so much. Costumes encouraged. There were men in kilts and women in all sorts of get-ups.

I had the first flight of the day. I was happy for that as it was forecasted to be well in the 90's by day end. It was cool and crisp in the morning so I lucked out. The course started in the woods and had a lot of climbing of steep hills and running down the other side.

I ran and plodded up hills and started wondering when the first obsticle would come. Not soon enough for me, this running is boring business. I knew when we were near as we could hear hysterical laughing ahead. I got to a pond with water about 4 feet deep. 5 logs floating, you hefted yourself up and belly over. By the third we realized better when done together so 1-2-3 all together over 1-2-3 next log. Paddle, regain your feet and hit the next one. Running in soggy shoes was no issue and I am sure the late in the day people appreciated the cool muddy water.

There were wrecked cars to go up and over. Elevated platforms to jump from one to the other. A tower of 2 x 4 to climb up and then a steep pitch to climb down. My most dreaded obstacle was the wall climb; little tiny slats and a rope. I was surprised at how easy it was when I tackled it logically.

The hardest obstacle turned out to be a suspended bridge of rope net which you had to crawl across on hands and feet, like a crab. After running and being pretty much upright, being in the down position was HARD! There was then a rope net to climb and a fire pole to slide down. Another one of those things done for the first time. Go Firemen!

The volunteers were great and they called out suggestions for doing the obstacle and words of encouragement.

But Ah the last few obstacles, those are the ones we wait for. I could take pictures of them.

Climb up and down the net. The top was tricky as it was a bit wide. But I felt like a pro going up and over these things.

Fire. Jump the fire for a photo op.

Then comes the dirty fun!!!

Jump, slide sploosh on in.

That is real barbed wire to go under. 5 strands about 15 feet apart.

Wallow wallow wallow. I simply put my hands down and pulled myself through the whole obsitcle without standing up. Unlike the woman above, I think she didn't want to get her long hair dirty.
Out and Up over the down slippy slope. I went feet first.

Where if you are lucky, a helping hand will greet you.

and on through the finish line for your neck ribbon, bananas and chocolate milk.

Our running times, recorded by electronic chips on our shoes were available. Even Batman has to wait for his results.

You could stay and have beer and turkey legs to feast on. There were bands all day and there was even a Warrior Wedding planned.

I finished my run in 4th place for women my age group/ flight time. THAT is a surprise, about 52 minutes or so. We got cleaned up (sort of) in a pond on the property and I changed out as much of my muddy clothes as I could.

They await out on the front porch for a trip to the laundry room tomorrow. My little frog watering can looks happy at the thought of all that mud!!

To see some of the obstacles, videos and to find out about races in your neck of the woods visit here

www.warriordash.com

I am already registered for next years race in North Bend and will certainly return to the Portland venue next year. It was great fun and well within the reach of anyone with an adventurous spirit and somewhat sound body. The mind is another issue. The races fill fast so make your plans now.

Everybody Loves a Train

2011-08-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I was on-call at work and required to be in on both days. This left me with the inability to hit the road early. I had a primary goal of getting my Monthly Scavenger Hunt photos worked on. I spent the Saturday being totally domestic (translation...doing laundry) and paid a visit to the Redmond Saturday Market where I bought some treats for myself.

A print from Stephanie Johnson. This amazing and talented student has art work that always catches my eye.

www.stephaniekjohnson.com

I think you will agree she is an amazing talent.

I also bought myself a treat from Wildflour Bakery. Gluten Free. Unfortunately they do not have a shop, but only sell at Farmers Markets right now. They are in the process of getting bar code registration so they can vend locally. Their blueberry lemon cupcake was less a conventional Mom's cupcake and more a tea cake. Totally wonderful.

On to the Scavenger Hunt Photos

Subject : Comfort Food. I consider all baked goods the ultimate comfort food.

Subject : Something Musical

A fiddling group called The Onlies, busking to raise money to go to "fiddler camp". They were very good.

Subject: Summer event

Vine ripened heirloom tomatoes at the Saturday Market. Only in Summer, around here.

Sunday I knew I would visit the Snoqualmie Railroad Days since one of the challenge subject was "seen at the bus or railway station" That is a hard one since here in America, bus and train stations are not that common.

But I knew I could enjoy a mid-afternoon with a train ride on the historic tracks that run from Snoqualmie Falls to North Bend.

Railroad Days is a Summer event celebrated in the town of Snoqualmie, just east of where I live. At its heart is the Northwest Railway Museum www.trainmuseum.org

This area was timber country and the railroad line through here serviced the timber concerns. West of town is Snoqualmie Falls one of the most impressive waterfalls in the region. I visited the valley area early in 2010 and you can see a picture of the Falls in pretty full roar here.

http://meanderingwa.blogspot.com/2010/01/rain-rinse-repeat.html

We start at the historic depot, built in 1890.

The ticket lobby was a wonderful collection of wood panels and squeaky floors. While waiting for my ticket I noted that there was a can of Nallys Lumberjack Syrup in a display case. I had a mini-flashback of very distant childhood.

The train had one engine and two cars. I selected this 1915 era "hard" passenger car.

It was beautiful but still in need of renovations. I soon appreciated the joy of a well padded dress/bustle or corset.

I loved watching everyone and their reactions to being on the train. Some things are timeless. Parents and children; hard to know who had the most fun.

Everyone waves. We wave out

People wave back...and smile

Mr Conductor (who did not look like Ringo Starr) punched tickets and answered questions.

There was a lot to see along the way.

Pretty houses, back streets, and a lot of blackberries. For the back story on train tracks and blackberries, visit this entry from August of 2009

http://meanderingwa.blogspot.com/2009/08/rite-of-summer-blackberries.html

The engine pushed us eastbound to North Bend. Some of the children were confused as to why we were going backwards. They were the ones sitting in the backward facing seats.

Fans of the Television show "Twin Peaks" will recognize this sight.

After picking up passengers we held up traffic while we returned via Snoqualmie and headed to the falls. The town was hosting an auto show and it was fun to watch the fancy cars and the visitors as we trundled past.

The museum has many old train cars awaiting restoration. They are placed along the tracks and as you roll past you get a too close look at them. It will take a lot of work to restore them all. The museum has a dedicated facility and corps of volunteers who make this all possible.

Around here it is not unusual to find ramps and bridges over creeks made from train flatcars. It is not until you get below them that you can see that they are old train bases. This is an old Burlington Northern car base.

We wind up our trip right at the brink of the Snoqualmie Falls. The foliage on the trees obscure much of the view right now but you can still see a part of the power generation plant and the mitigation Puget Sound Energy is doing to preserve this area. The river valley below this spot is one of the big flood areas of the state.

That large tree is right at the brink of the Falls. It has been there some time, sooner or later it is going to go over.

After a pause, the engine pushed us back the direction we came. We got a chance to see the collection of old train cars. There was even a snowplow engine. Near the depot a traditional "big log" to try to count rings on.

After leaving the train I wandered about to collect my train station picture. I settled on this detail of a 1926 Mallet steam locomotive piston and wheels. I liked the color the metal has taken on with the lichens and weathering.

Subject: Something I saw in the train or bus station.

Walking along the rows of fancy restored cars I found the perfect subject for what I thought might be one of my biggest challenges.

Subject: Something with a big nose.

A 1941 Willys Coupe.

Driving home after my day out, I realized that I forgot to put a penny on the tracks.

Another opportunity to make mayhem missed.

Fruit Loop

2011-08-19T16:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was one of those where I was stuck in a rut and lacking in oomph. I could not get enthused about driving far to get to hike venues so I suck close to town. I hiked Saturday up to Annette Lake, just west of Snoqualmie Pass. It was a sweet sturdy climb with not many people about.

I found a new species of orchid (for me) and my friend Ron helped identify this as a Pad Leafed Orchis.

There was still snow on the edge of the lake. Many areas have been hit much worse than this and are still a challenge to access. Here the way was smooth.

Sunday I wanted to try and get another hike, close to home. I looked at Tiger Mountain and decided that the inviting Tiger RR Grade loop fit the bill. 10 miles up across and down. The across part was said to be the old rail bed for the logging camps that thrived in the late 1800 early 1900.

As I hit the trail I quickly noted how many shrubs and bushes were in berry. AH HA! I thought, my monthly Scavenger Hunt photo list has "fruit" as one of the topics. I knew then I had a whole forest of possible subjects. Here they are.

Dull Oregon Grape , Mahonia nervosa. Some people say this makes good jelly. The flavor is so-so. I have never been one to can, given my usual failures with strawberry jam. I hate to see what I come up with using wild berries.

Salal, Gaultheria shallon. Prized by native peoples the fruit was pressed into blocks and given as favor to honored friends and guests. Here the fruits are very big and very ripe. The flavor is OK and I see how it could make a good flavorful jam. The seeds are huge and part of its prized nature is that it took much effort to gather enough. Along with the Oregon Grape, it dominates the woodlands of the west side of the mountains.

Red Elderberry , Sambucus racemosa ssp. pubens, has burst into berry. Flavor, bitter. I can taste the quality you find in alcohols. I know some people make wine with this, but the more flavorful Blue Elder is for jam and wine making. Blue Elder is more common on the east side of the mountains. Here Elder grows well over 10 feet high and is the most common of the middle canopy shrubby bushes.

One the mountain side every opening , creek bed and clearing was dominated by Elder.

In the wet areas you meet with Devils Club. Oplopanax horridus. My plant book lists almost a whole page of ethnobotany comments. This plant is a fierce plant with limbs covered in spines. It is related to gensing and its medicinal use varied from arthritis to diabetes.

This is the horridus part of the name. The spines can grow to three inches. They could be used to make dye and were also used as fishing hooks. Some peoples even used the spines to make tattoos.

I pity the person sent for harvesting these wicked plants. I ducked under one that was arching across the trail

but did not duck enough.

After climbing up the Poo Poo Point *** trail, the loop was to continue north across the face of the mountain.

This is a Vine Maple that was split by a falling log. The tree continued to thrive and indeed was huge. The moss covered limbs snaked out and arched over the trail. I have to return in October when the color comes on and take in this sight. It might even be worth coming up to in the snow.

Glorious

I could not resist fruit of another kind. The fruiting body of fungi is not bountiful right now, but this little cluster on a stump was fun to capture.

I was happy with the railroad grade trail but then it turned bad. For a signed and named trail it had not been maintained. I was pressing through shrubbery growing across the trail right in my face. I did encounter one mystery fruiting subject along this way. It took a bit of noodling about to come up with the tentative diagnosis of Baneberry, Actaea rubra. I am glad I did not sample these big bright berries. My book has BIG BOLD WORDS about how highly poisonous this plant is.

The trail was narrow, mucky in places and with the overhanging brush I quickly decided that I best turn back. The only plus of slugging along this path for as long as I did was finding this in the mud at my feet.

Kitty Paw Print. BIG kitty paw print. Cougar. (Puma to my Peru friends) My first encounter of any kind here at home.

After turning back and reaching the trail junction I checked my pedometer and saw that with 5 miles down I might as well have my lunch break and go back the way I came.

On the way down I found a few more fun fruits. Along with the common Salmonberry and the native Trailing Blackberry, I was happy to find these fun looking berries. False Lily of the Valley, Maianthemum dilatatum.

Rosy Twisted Stalk , Streptopus roseus. The fruits are huge, about the size of a small olive. They were hard subjects as the branches hug the ground and the berries swing at the lightest touch.

For me, the prize of the day was the abundance of Red Huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium. Many people find this a fine fruit for eating. It has never impressed me for flavors but I do admit the ones here are better and juicier than what I usually find. I will save my harvests for the Blue and Black species found at higher elevations. I will attack the Kendall Katwalk for those.

Thank you to all the happy pollinators who bring the bounty to the woods for all its citizens to dine upon.

Including me!

***Poo Poo Point. The Poo Poo was the steam whistle that communicated, in sound, the directions for skidding raising and moving logs via the steam engines and hoists. Out on this point is was audible in the valley floor and along the mountain.

IM A GRAMMA!

2011-08-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

I suppose I failed to mention that I set up a terrarium.

I was inspired by the book "Sound of a Wild Snail Eating" lent to me by a friend.

Here is the set up with the Allogona townsendiana , Oregon Landsnail. These are common on the grounds where I work. You also see them frequently in our native woods.

A week ago I first spotted little snail-ettes, about 25 when I last counted.

Today one posed for pictures while eating on a snap pea. This one has a little shell damage so I will have to keep an eye on it.

All will return to the wild when they are bigger.

Tootling Along the Toutle

2011-08-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I joined the Nisqually Land trust on a walk about one of its properties. It was nice to visit a property I had not yet visited.

I immediately noticed the abundance of Redwood Sorel also known as Oxalis. They were past bloom but their bobbing shamrock-like leaves are enchanting. They carpeted the woodland floor.

Beavers have moved in and their handy work is quite noticeable. The large beaver pond and water diversion fills the area. The Vine Maple in this picture is changing color already. It may be due to the excess moisture and perhaps the tannins usually associated with Red Cedar.

Most likely these Beaver are not chewing on the bark of the cedars for food as much as they may be using the fibrous bark for filling chinks in their timber home.

Everyone has their own area of interest. While many are looking up, I always have an eye for that close at hand.

This moth gave me a great photo-op. I was able to identify it as a Pale Beauty , Campaea perlata. One the underside of this leaf there was a second moth. I think we interrupted some important business.

Our leaders discussed the river and its powers. Every year people get into trouble with this river and its currents. While these rapids do not appear sever by river running standards.Along much of this rivers length log jams, snags and under-currents makes this river quite dangerous. On this day one local was doing a bit of fishing and retriever training with his fine dog.

Since it was Seafair Weekend, I thought long and hard about were I wanted to be, and more than that where I did not want to be. I decided to drive south and spend the night in Kelso so I could visit Johnson Ridge Center early in the morning. What an excellent choice.

I have not been to this area in many years. While I have been to the south side of the mountain for climbing, I have neglected the north side. The visitor center and all of its nice exhibits were behind locked doors, but I needed the early hours for my best enjoyment and to be back on the road before noon.

The drive up was wonderful. As I gained elevation I got peek-a-boo glimpses of the Toutle River valley. This valley took the brunt of the runoff flooding and destruction in 1980. Indeed the flood waters and debris almost over topped the I-5 bridge. Today from the freeway you can seen huge piles of mud debris dredged from the Toutle and Columbia rivers . The local community has gained a new recreation area from the leavings.

It was a heavy gray overcast morning in the lowlands and as I passed into a huge fog / cloud bank on the way up I wondered if I was going to be skunked. But as quickly as the fog bank enveloped me, I gained enough altitude to come out on the upper side with mixed clouds and sun.

This is the view up the valley through the area known as The Hummocks. You can see the Toutle River cutting its way through the mud flow. The biggest change from when I was last here, aside from the dome inside the crater, is that the dominant color is green.

Johnson Ridge is named after Dave Johnson's, a Geologist sitting watch who famously reported "Vancouver Vancouver This is it!" as he witnessed the eruption which took his and 56 other lives. The Visitors Center sits directly across from the crater opening and right on the edge giving you the view across the devastation and rebuilding.

I wandered about enjoying the solitude and the lovely examples of early vegetation. These flowers have repopulated naturally. The whole monument is one large science lab of discovery. Blasted stumps show the force and power.

Dominant flowers are Indian Paintbrush ( red) Lupins ( blue) and Cardwells Penstemon

This bare slope certainly gives you a lot of information. The remaining logs show you the direction of the blast. The ruts show you where downed trees, since rotted away have left impressions further channeling water to groove the soil.

On a north facing slope these odd mushrooms are likely thriving on log buried, rotting wood.

To the north and east the Coldwater Ridge shows the effect of loss of trees, the addition of the ashy layer and the odd pattern of runoff scars.

The eruption created, and destroyed, several lakes. Coldwater Lake has become a popular fishing destination. The boardwalk out onto the lake shows water as clear as glass. The fishermen in their little boats were not in a chatty mood. I wanted to ask about the clarity further out.

I was happy to be able to capture one oddity, which showed up well on my picture. In 1983 many of the hills surrounding the monument were replanted with Nobel Fir. This has led to an odd and interesting effect. The trees are monoculture, all from nursery stock and all highly uniform. The visual effect is some odd double vision blurring. Look closely, each one uniform and so like the next. I suspect before long, storms and time will take their toll and other trees will creep in and get hold. Will this land eventually be harvested , or was it determined that this tree species is the one most likely to do well in this unique soil system. I really don't know.

The Wikipedia entry for Mt St Helen's is well done. There are lots of good links and photos. Please pay a visit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens

I hit the road home early. I-5 northbound especially between Olympia and Seattle is MISERABLE on Sundays. No matter what happy times you had in the day, the traffic is sure to harsh that happy. I decided that I would take the back road, Hwy 507 from Centrallia to Puyallup then up the Valley Freeway to Hwy 18 . Cut over to North Bend and get home via the backdoor.

At noon I got to the coffee stand in Centrallia, where the young barista (and former commuter to Tacoma for college, poor kid) approved of my plan. I heard on the radio that traffic was already backed up at the Nisqually River.

By the time I got to the backside of Joint Base Lewis and McCord the I-5 Freeway backup was about 8 miles...then 10 miles. I shook my head in pity over those folks and smiled at my good plan. I knew the core of Seattle was no better with the I-90 bridge closed and people out enjoying the rare perfect 75 and sunny day.

I got to North Bend in three hours!!! That is a huge record for this drive and I will use this back road to happily meander home when I am in the south and west

Orchid Field Trip

2011-07-31T17:43:00.000-07:00

Had a quick trip to a location in the Cascades. This is the only spot for that county known to contain Clustered Ladyslipper.

It was a glorious day. I left early so I could stop by Sun Top during my drive. I knew I could bring you this glorious shot. It is one of my favorite vantage points.

The snow will stay on this mountain year round, but the lower peaks really are late in melting off.

But that is not stopping the upper elevation flowers from doing their thing. Here the morning sun really made things pop. This is Beargrass and a little Syrphiae fly. Click on the photo to enjoy this pretty insect.

A tangle of Red Columbine in the rocks.

A Western Anemone is more commonly called a Tow-headed Baby, due to its fuzzy , hairy seedhead. I hope to get up here when they set seeds.

It was fun to spot the stamens in these Lupin blossoms.

Continuing on after many more miles where Pearly Mae performed brilliantly, I met with a small group and we hiked a ways to find these lovely and rare orchids. Last year we visited some in another part of the state and they were very difficult to find in the underbrush.

Today they were right underfoot.

Clustered Ladyslipper aka Brownie Ladyslipper.

They come in a pale and a red form. Some we saw last year were much redder, but these were bountiful and so easily viewed. What a fun treat.

There were also some Western Coralroot and this form was so pretty with both pale and purple coloration

It was so nice to get up into the alpine area. Many of the familiar alpine flower hikes are still snowed under and I suspect we will not have much of a year again.

All Aflutter at Navaho Pass

2011-07-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

I ventured up into the elevation last Sunday. Many areas in the Cascades are still impacted by snow. Other areas have access issues due to collapsed roads, blown down trees and washed out crossings.

I knew the trail along Stafford Creek to Navaho Pass in the Upper Teanaway / Esmeralda Basin are was good to go. This is a hike I have been wanting to do. It is well known for its wildflowers and big views.

I was not sure I was going to be able to get going, the road into the trail head was taken over by range cattle. They seemed to be everywhere and would appear from and disappear into the trees with no warning. They did not seemed overly concerned with Pearly Mae, my car. A polite toot of her horn didn't shift them so I rolled down the window and did the nearest thing to a cowboy "Gitalong"; I pounded Pearly Mae's side.

that shifted them.

After signing in at the trail head I set off. It was a wee touch chilly but I let that work to my favor. The trail parallels Stafford Creek and the music of the splashing running creek was with me most of the way.

I love getting on the trail early, it beats the heat and the crowds. Today there were more people coming down from overnights at elevation than were passing me going up.

I had a nice visit with a Hermit Thrush , Catharus guttarus. He shared his wandering song with me.

Flowers made were ever changing as I gained elevation. Along this slope occasional wet areas supported our usual orchids and as I climbed the elevation specialists starting to show themselves.

Scarlet Gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata, and lupin in abundance

Tiger Lily, Lilium columbianum, most of them past prime. I cannot see these flowers without thinking of all the early Disney and Merry Melodies Cartoons with dancing and singing flowers.

Red Columbine, Aquilegia formosa, grew in clusters and I had one classic view of a hummingbird dining. Unfortunately the wee thing was not willing to put on a show for my camera.

Columbia Lewisia , Lewisia columbiana, falls into the fight of Washington's most beautiful wildflower along with its cousins Bitterroot and Tweedys Lewisia. It is certainly a striking and stunning color.

I was trucking along well until I reached the 6000 foot level. I really hit the wall feeling, drunk and giddy. I rested, drank water, ate and tried to proceed on, but I could not manage my feet. I had another sit, drank more and ate more but still my unsteady feet just made me feel uncomfortable. I turned back just short of my ultimate goal and descended. Upon reaching 6000 feet, I felt fine. I have had some issues with high altitude before, usually swollen hands, but nothing like this. I am hoping that it was simply "first higher altitude hike of the year" syndrome and I won't have to concern myself with this again. I need to stock in some snap energy gel just to be on the safe side.

I was pretty disappointed to have to come down but I had a treat in store.

All of the moist areas that crossed the trail were now supporting butterflies. Most butterflies sip mud, sand and wet spots to obtain minerals from the soil. This was abundantly seen in Peru and it true here. The butterflies become very placid in this situation and it can be possible to get quite close to some of them.

My camera got a work out. My id skills are pretty rough and my tentative identifications are just that.

Canbey's Lovage, Ligusticum canbyi, with a checkerspot

Common Banded Skippers , Hesperia comma

Dotted Blue (L) and Greenish Blue (R) Euphilotes enoptes , Plebejus saepiolus

Field Crescent , Phyciodes campestris

Great Arctic, Oeneis nevadensis. This was the first I have ever captured an image. I was lucky to get a glimpse of the colorful eye spot on the upper (inside / top of the wing)

Northern Crescent, Phyciodes selenis, a bit blurry but these are not as common or as docile

Variable Checkerspot, Euphydryas chalcedona...closed

and opened

Zerene Fritillary , Speyeria zerene

A Pale Swallowtail, Papilio eurymedon look how worn out this one is.

I stopped when I spotted this swallowtail. It really loved the Scarlet Gilia and was predictable as it flew from patch to patch. I took many pictures and I could tell they had bad light, bad timing, bad positioning. I kept at it and shifted down trail a wee bit when some people walked through and spooked the butterfly. But I waited and it came back.

and I got my prize.

Everyone loves mud, particularly when it holds gems like this...

Dog Mountain

2011-07-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I seized the opportunity to get away overnight. I have consistently put off going to Dog Mountain but knew this was the last great opportunity for this flower season.

Dog Mountain is about 55 miles east of Vancouver right on the Columbia River. It is a popular hike and the huge bonus is the spectacular views and great wildflowers. Unlike other areas of the Cascades that are still snowed under, this mountain is snow free right now. I saw some pictures from the 4th of July weekend on Flickr and I knew I had to make a visit a priority.

I needed a place to stay so I took a look at Google Maps. I spotted a landmark reference for Sandhill Cottages so went to their website.

http://www.sandhillcottages.com/index.htm

A restored 1930's era Auto Court.

Totally charming, I was hooked. I called and they had a unit open so I grabbed my stuff and drove smack into I-5 Friday afternoon bogged down traffic.

Stupid stupid stupid why didn't I go via Yakima? Somehow I convinced myself that traffic at 215 could not possibly be as bad as traffic at 315.

Well it took 2 hours to get to the other side of Tacoma, about 45 miles. A total of 5 1/2 hours for the usually 4 hour drive.

But Oh look what greeted me. A funky little cabin that reminded me of the cabins at the ocean so many years ago.

Beadboard walls! Super comfortable bed!

The bathroom shower fixture was directly overhead.

The little porch, the wood was worn and raw. Boy did that take me back to childhood. I stepped carefully and did not need needles and alcohol for splinter surgery. There was a slider on the porch and it was nice to sit and read just enjoying being outside.

They had chicken and you could buy fresh eggs and coffee, beans roasted on site.

No radio , no TV ( but WiFi no problem)

It was perfect.

But the little kitchen area took the cake. A Crosly Shelvador, something I have never seen before. A refrigerator with a sink and 2 burner stove top. All in one unit. To my dismay I assumed that cooking utensils and dishes were provided, they were not.

Next time I will be prepared.

I got up early the next day and drove to the trail head, arriving before most of the crowds. My Wildflower hike book mentions that Phantom Orchids were possible here and suggested that the Ausperger Mountain Trail is the best way up and then come down Dog Mountain trail. I heeded Professor Kruckbergs advice. I grabbed a walking stick since I knew Phantoms likes to grow under and associated with low shrubby plants like Salal or Oregon Grape. This trail area is filled with Poison Oak so I was needed my stick for safety.

The trail got underway with a nice sloping climb. It was persistent but not bad.

There were fabulous views out from the trees of the Columbia River and the mountains to the west. I was not having a lot of flower or bug action and I was disappointed that the Rattlesnakes seemed to be sleeping in.

But what greeted me when I entered a stretch of piney woodland... I still cannot wrap my brain around.

Phantom Orchids

Not a few, not some

Hundreds. Hundreds of the RARE Phantoms. The hillside was littered with them. Occasionally there were clumps that looked like bouquets. It went on and on and I was giddy with the thrill of it.

I was so distracted as I walked along that I misstepped right off the edge of the trail, giving my upslope foot a scary twist. My ankle and instep are still puffy.

But oh the views. Oh the flowers.

That is Mt St Helen's. I was up there a year ago.

Mt Hood, in Oregon, plays peak-a-boo

I am looking ahead to the last bit of this climb.

Bugs were surprisingly few.

Lupin and Paintbrush

I think this bee was snoozing.

I didn't see the pretty beetle on this Larkspur, it was far too small. I regret the timing, the green metallic sheen would have been awesome.

Wild Ginger, on of my favorite flowers.

The perfect lunch spot. The lookout point on "Puppy" a little mountainette next to Dog.

The route down was slippery with little stones and I am so happy I came up the way recommended. I was the only one going up the trail when I was on it. Beating the heat of the day was key, though here the winds are very persistent so overheating was not an issue. Coming down the trail I encountered still more Phantoms on the trails. Overall I encountered seven different orchid species in bloom, one a variant I had never seen before; an "immaculata" Spotted Coralroot.

Getting back to my cozy cabin I spent the afternoon reading, sipping coffee, fresh roasted in the office

and still trying to wrap my mind around the magnificent bounty of Phantoms.

I was higher than these clouds!

Like Here, Only Different ~ Tracks in Traps

2011-07-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Of all the varied experiences, I think learning about and working with track traps was the most interesting and exciting.

We started out on one of our first days for the trap track making exercise. A track trap is 1 meter by 1 meter. Typically on trails they are spaced every 250 to 500 meters apart. The debris is cleared and the soil is chopped up with a machete. First thing we learned at station was how to properly sharpen and carry the machete. We all had a go at the proper 45 degree angle whacking needed for most efficient cutting.

Cutting up the soil is a different matter. A cross between chopping meat and making bread. Once a trap is dug , the maintenance work is easier. Breaking virgin soil took a lot of angled whacks. The rough clods are gathered up and further whacked and chopped into a finer grit, then gathered further and whacked some more.

Then the whole pile is distributed and smoothed

Then you get to stand back and admire your handiwork. Perhaps dreaming of what might leave its mark.

Traps were checked as part of daily walks. It is more of a challenge than you might think.

Leaves fall constantly and they leave imprints in the soil. Moisture falls from the trees every morning and the rain drops leave splatters of imprints. Sometimes when a leaf is positioned above,just so, its drip tip runoff produces imprints which resemble the footprints of the smaller animals.

But key to foot print identification is that there are more than one print. The one meter square captures stride length and multiple footfalls of the animals that live here. Sometimes it is possible to see the tail mark left from an armadillo and we even found a snake mark.

At the mammal colpa, the sticky mucky ground is smoothed over as best as possible to help identify the animals and birds visiting the clay.

Arriving at a trap the debris is cleared very carefully, noting what marks the leaves leave. Marks are examined very carefully.

Lighting is everything and a flashlight was a vital tool. By lighting from different angles you can see subtle impressions and shapes that might otherwise be missed in flat, full light. Photography can be a challenge and shading with your body and side lighting sometimes helped make the recording picture. Sara was brilliant at analysing signs and shared her vast knowledge with us. Under her guidance I felt confident evaluating the traps myself.

My first assignment was into an area, a special bit of hell called "The Matrix"

The matrix was a 300 meter by 300 meter grid of 49 traps spaced 50 meters apart and numbered like a conventional X/Y grid. 0/0 the start - 0/150 three tracks up that line... and so on all the way over to 300/300. At the center of the matrix is the Mammal Colpa. We had come over the day before and whacked the foot ways to beat back some of the brush. We also reset the traps making the soil smooth. The area had not been visited for some time and it was serious rough going. Often the only way you could see was small red or yellow ribbons hanging in trees. You also used a compass bearing, the grid being set up on due north/south lines with connectors alone the "0" and "300" line east and west. once on a line there was no east west connection, you had to go all the way to the end. Lastly you could see machete marks from previous cutting. I think during these times of navigation and observing the vegetation wrapping completely around us, seeing the machete marks is when I had that first "I am really here and REALLY in it" moment.

The challenge of walking back and forth in the matrix, navigating without an expert present AND actually making identification of the footprints we found was a solid effort of which I am pretty pleased.

There was a Control Matrix that was a bit apart from the study matrix. This grid had no colpa, but did have the same winding stream cutting through its center. Crossing that stream on each line got to be a bit trying. Often the bank was steep and broken. Seldom were their logs and thankfully in the dry season the water only came half way up the boots. The downside was that the control matrix was rougher , less trod. Navigation was challenging and a couple large downed trees made getting across the top of the grid impossible.

During one trap evaluation duty I was navigator. It was the end of a very long day and I was darn pooped. It was time to navigate out of the matrix and I took the bearing and we headed out. The trap 50 meters from our start had prints in it. I looked at them and at the trap id strip and asked, "didn't we check this one?" Yes we had checked it. Now there were fresh Jaguar prints in it.

She was just there. She probably had us under surveillance the whole time.

Wheeee it was a little thrill. The lucky part was, I guess, that i had navigated us the wrong way and made a 180 degree error. If I had done it right the first time we would not have had that little thrill.

Easier duty was the Mammal Track detail. Traps every 250 to 500 meters along the transect trails meant brisker walking. You could take time to watch the environment and even stop to enjoy birds or animals you might see. The traps yield just as much fun stuff as the matrix. Indeed, one transect was a Jaguar Highway. Paw makes in both directions. One one walk we encountered a trap with easily 20 prints in it. We called it the Jaguar Dance floor. It looked like the cat had stopped and perhaps turned this way and that. I am sorry my pictures did not turn out.

But here are a few that did.

3 nice Jaguar prints

That is my hand

The prints in a trap are not always so clear cut. These prints gave Alan a pause. It was a matter of deciding what they were not and then noticing a detail.

Moderate foot sized with long deep finger like toes. Not a cat, not a canid. Not a primate, certainly not hoof stock.

The Alan noted that the footfall was together. Two prints side by side, two sets of them. A member of the Weasel family does this. And this sized weasel could mean only one thing. Giant River Otter. An odd location but not so very far from a stream that an animal might not have come up from the river. We walked along and it was not very long before we found a huge pile of ants. You bet, those ants love scat and when shooed away we found poop.

That Ladies and Gents, is Otter Poop ( not to be confused with that Summer treat "Otter Pop" ) . The white flecks, indeed most of it, fish scales!

The last full day of our time at camp, I trekked out with Sara and three other team members. We evaluated the track traps along the Brazil Nut Farm trail and once we got to the end we were to continue on further into rough territory to recover cameras from some distant placements made the days previous. Nick and I navigated with GPS and compass. He had been to this location on the original placement.

Even though he had been to this location, he did not readily recognize one of the rough areas. We floundered around with the GPS, venturing our on likely paths and returning back. I think we tried all the false leads and rejected trail efforts of those before us. This area is harvested for Brazil Nuts and there is a farm on the next property over. Finally we got on the right track and recovered the camera. In front of the camera there was a track trap and it showed a bold Jaguar print. The camera would later show us a blurry image of a male Jaguar.

Sitting there in the jungle far from everyone else we had our snacks. Rosie, our camp cook, had a little concession of packaged snacks for sale. I am glad I thought to pack some for this trip. We were out 8 hours. The little sugar frosted flakes were just the thing. Sitting there, a Blue Morpho Butterfly flew into the clearing. We had talked about hand landing Morphos the day before. Could I? Would it?

I tapped some of the sugar crumbs into my hand and put it out. The butterfly, a four inch wide bit of blue magic circled me three times, each pass coming closer.

And it did land on my hand and politely dabbed at my sweaty palm, totally ignoring the sugar.

This day was the epitome of the whole experience. Hard work, a bit of adventure, contributing to research and encountering the rare grace of the creatures of this amazing place.

I so long to return.

Like Here, Only Different ~ Tra La the Flowers of Winter

2011-06-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

Technically it is Winter now in Las Piedras. There were few flowering shrubs or vines about and I imagine those that do bloom, do so high in the treetops. The walking paths were often littered with individual blossoms blown down.

So here is a bit of random pretty.

The end of a Banana Tree blossom.

Hibiscus

Dry and sleepy looking, don't you think?

These were particularly common. I thought they were Balsa but I understand Balsa blooms white.

This was blooming along a main trail. I saw it as we returned to camp one day and never saw it again. It looks like the stamens are loaded with sugar droplets. I am sure a butterfly moth or hummingbird found this most wonderful.

This has some characteristic of a Rosa sp.

Not sure if this is a seed pod or a flower.

These blossoms were everywhere on the jungle floor.

Like Here, Only Different ~ Orchids for Ron

2011-06-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has spent time here on my blog knows my growing affection for orchids, particularly our native terrestrial orchids.

My interest was sparked via contact with Ron Hanko who has a couple blogs, including one about his home grown orchids.

I was keenly aware of the potential for finding orchids while in Peru but I was not too sure how much I could discover. A majority of orchids grow high in or on trees. Thinking along these lines, most downed logs I encountered got a once-over as best I could.

As we walked the trails I found orchid plants that had blown out of trees, though none of them were in bloom. I placed some of these bundles onto logs of downed trees in hope that they might set their roots.

One downed and disintegrating log allowed the collection of a few unfortunate small orchids for a possible culture and rehoming.

At home base, many of the trees held orchids that were found as knockdown rescues. One tree supported some small, natural orchids. Here, for my friend Ron, some of the little gems.

On a home tree, several of these were in bloom.

Ron, is this a Masdevallia???!?

Ron says this is Trigoniodium acuminatum

In another small tree, these appeared to be growing naturally. Of course, they were out of reach and yellow, that cursed color for photography. They remind me of Oncidium. Their leaves were small and arrayed like a palm fan.

Ron says they are Psygmorchis pusilla. They were wonderful!

Lastly, on a fallen tree I found this in bloom. Deep in the understory, this color was tricky with my shaky hands and sometimes steamy camera lens. I tried to capture these pale blooms several times. Are these an Epidendrum? Ron says yes they are but cannot tell the species.

The flowers were amazingly tiny at the end of long spikes.

I was sorry to not find more orchids, but had great pleasure finding those I did.

For those who appreciate great photography and the wonderful world of orchids, Rons Blogs are a feast for the eyes. His Orchids in Bloom represent his home cultured orchids, many of them from South America.

http://orchidsinbloom-ron.blogspot.com/

http://nativeorchidsofthepacificnorthwest.blogspot.com/

Rons Ramblings around the Pacific Northwest

http://ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/

Like Here, Only Different ~ Smile You're on Candid Camera

2011-06-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

You cannot be in all places and all times.

No matter how slow or how quiet you are, the animals and hear, smell, feel and sense your presence LONG before you know they are around. (Well except the Peccarys, everyone nose where, when and from what direction they come and go.)

It is not hard to imagine what a small group of sweaty humans with suspect clothing and a layer of DEET and Pyrethrum smells like to a sensitive animal like an Agouty or a keen hunter like a Jaguar. They often depart long before we see them.

So the motion /heat sensitive cameras are a great tool to have. They can be set up in key locations and effectively take the place of 24/7 watch duty. They capture images which can help identify unique features on the cats. The ocelots and Jaguar can potentially be identified by their coat markings.

The project had four cameras set up in key locations. A few were set up in very remote areas others in the key study area of the Mammal Colpa and near a large water source.

They are pretty nifty and can take a series of images in a time frame you can set. A removable memory card allowed a team to swap out the data card without bringing the camera back to camp. Built in flash permitted collection of night images. Most of the animals species tolerate the flash and no one mentioned any report of an animal harming a camera.

Mounting the camera in high traffic areas like on a trail resulted in many images of the footwear all the team members wore. In fact, when the images were reviewed on the computer, it was possible to id all of the team members by their footwear.

I was able to obtain some images from our two weeks from the Biosphere Facebook page.

A Puma ( cougar, mountain lion) at the Mammal Colpa. It is on the left, just to the left of the tree trunk, behind the main clay area, walking up slope. At 3 in the afternoon as you see by the tag.

An Ocelot. The rosette pattern of the fur may make this an identifiable individual.

A Jaguar. A grand creature. This is potentially the Jaguar they call Matthias, in honor of the founder of Biosphere.

Sometimes when the animal is very close to the camera you see nothing but the blur, but often the color and general impression is enough to make a species identification. Or you get half a portrait.

Agouty

That is a Guan at the Mammal Colpa on the left. I am not sure if a positive id was made on the bird on the right.

Looks like a gull to me but that would not be a likely jungle visitor.

It is a shame that there were only four cameras. Watching the images come up on the computer was like Christmas Morning!!!

Like Here, Only Different ~ Slow Walking

2011-06-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

A larger part of our day to day work activity involved walking. Very. Slow. Walking. I think, aside from the need for a lot of insecticide spray/repellent, I found walking slowly VERY challenging.

Transect walks and behavior observations were done daily on any of the four transect trails; Mammal Colpa , A, C and Brazil Nut. Each was a different length but most range from 3 to 4 Km one way. I loved having a good, solid walk every day in such an interesting environment. The Brazil Nut trail was the longest at about 10-12 Km round trip.

During Transect walks, a team of two or three observers, led by one of the scientists, walked the length of the trail. The goal was to find key animal and bird species in the environment and when they were encountered collect data on their numbers, behavior and location. Questions about the impact of humans in the populations and behaviors of the animals require more data as eco-tourism increases. The needs of key or threatened species like the cats must be established. Range, territory and prey species need to be understood. How the mineral colpas serve the needs of the animals may lead to considering their locations and abundance in protecting habitat.

Typically the scientist would lead, focusing on the immediate area on, above and next to the path. The second would watch the area slightly deeper into the habitat and above. The person in the rear observed even deeper into the habitat and to the rear to make sure there was no animal following or fleeing behind.

We walked at 1 Km /hour which is a very slow pace for me. It was also important to maintain as quiet a step as possible. Sometimes this was a challenge given the amount of leaves on the ground and the presence of twigs and stems. Silence was also important as often the only hint of an animals presence or fleeing was the rustle of the vegetation. This ditch crossing and trail are somewhat typical of many of the paths. Rustly leaves. Trying hard to be quiet is a challenge. Like trying to sneak into the cookie jar, the harder you try, the more you fumble.

When an animal was encountered they were watched and their behavior or reactions were categorized. We also recorded their distance from the trail and height above the trail using range finders. Where there were multiple animal, there was an attempt to count the number of juveniles and babies. Usually the animals flee and are not seen by all the team members. The best chance of seeing animals was during the primate encounters. Typically the monkey troops were spread over a wider area and they passed overhead in noisy , tree crashing flights.

Saddleback Tamarins were particularly fun to encounter. These small monkeys have sort of a feisty attitude, in my opinion. At times one would approach as if it was far to fierce to be reckoned with and we better leave, by golly! Mostly a lead animal would watch steadily as the rest of the troop would move away. Their departure was typically a somewhat purposeful but not frantic navigation. It seems they were the ones most likely to come near, or be in the lower middle story. I only got one fair photo of monkeys during the trip. Usually they were simply too high and better observed in binoculars.

Small mammals of the jungle are challenging as they have the dense understory to shelter them from our eyes. Paca

and Agouti were most common

with Brocket Deer also possible.

One species we always knew when they were about. Even if they were not there, we knew they had been. White-lipped Peccary live in herds of 50+ animals. They are noisy with squeals, rumbles, clicks and rooting sounds much like common swine. Their most notable characteristic is their smell. Holy Cats you know when they have been in your environment! The smell seems too linger in the nostrils like all musky scents. They are also potentially dangerous if they charge as they are not afraid of charging right past or through your group. When they run they really cover ground. I did get to have one observation of a group of about 75 animals ranging for tiny babies to large adults. I felt I could still smell them a few hours later. These animals are the Jaguars main prey species.

White-wing Trumpeters earn the name of Heart Attack birds as they would sit right at trails edge until you came close they they would blast away in flight. I had more than one "heart attack" during my walks. Spix Guan I nicknamed the Jackass Birds as their braying alarm call reminded me of a Mule. I think, aside from the tamarin troops these were the most common target species encountered. I usually got a good look as they would fly up and perch on a branch before moving off.

It was a great treat to get a couple encounters with Tamandua. These pretty anteaters spend most of their time int he trees seeking ants and termites. Termite nests are easily spotted in the trees but the Tamaduas, with their slow moving way, were quiet and less obvious.

Creatures that eat ants and termites have a good living in this environment. Ants of all types are everywhere and termite nests seem just as plentiful.

Our walks usually started around 545am and we walked (slowly) out about 3.5 to 4 Km before turning around and coming back to camp. At the study pace this was usually 6 hours. During the second week we covered some of the transect trails in reverse, walking all the way to the far end then starting back (slowly) at 6am. This meant getting up at 330 to hit the trail by 4am.

This day we had a shortfall of provisions due to a logistics issues and packed some cookies and crackers to nibble on before starting our walk at 6am. I have to say there was something sort of special sitting on a log deep in the jungle as it woke up, eating Oreos.

The great bonus of doing this transect is that we were 1 Km from home base when we finished. A short quick walk and there we were. It was 11 am and why not, we peeked into the kitchen. We struck it rich with our special treat.

It was so good and so welcome I took a picture of it.

Chef Rosie's Buñuelos and Coffee. The Coffee was that which was picked on the neighbors farm property and roasted right there. The buñuelos are made with pumpkin puree, flour, eggs and milk then deep fried. Strawberry jam and Dulce de Leche are the topping.

Sweet tasty bites of heaven.

As before, the animal photos, except the tamarin, brought to you by Google Images. (sigh)

Like Here, Only Different ~ Bird Observations

2011-06-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

One of the main attractions of Peru, indeed the equatorial / near tropic regions is the abundance and diversity of bird life. Peru has over 1800 recorded bird species. North America has 914.

I found the bird spotting exceptionally difficult and photography even more so. The dense jungle, you have experienced. No sooner would you get a near sighting of a bird then it flitted off. Many of the birds are camouflaged either leaf colored or brownish. Trying to see up into poor lighting results in a drab silhouette which defies classifications. My zoom camera chewed up batteries and solar recharging meant that it was limited in its use. It was not possible to have it trigger ready in an instant. Often when I was out, particularly early in the morning, I was working in teams and there was little time to stop and muddle over a bird flicking about in the top of a tree.

But there was still great birding. The major draw for this region are the clay licks, known as colpas. I had learned that colpas were important to the birds and animals of this region as the kaolin in the soil detoxified the alkaloids in the foods they eat. This idea was part of a published study which has since been proven wrong. The soil contains sodium and potassium which many of the plants lack. It is mineral seeking not detoxification.

Part of our daily routine was for two teams to make observations at the Macaw colpa of Red and Green Macaw. The early shift was 6am to about 10am, the late shift 10 to 2. Jose transported two of us across the river and we made a short hike to the blind. Every five minutes observations were made on the Macaw behaviors. We counted each bird we could see and characterized their behavior and position; high in trees, low in the tree-line (shrubbery) or on the lick. Behaviors included preening (self or others) watchful, flying, fighting, playing, eating, walking and sleeping.

There was not a lot of action for the early shift. Early birds were usually the small parrots and parakeets. I particularly liked the bold colors of the Blue-headed Parrot. They were easy to learn and identify. It was a pleasure to be able to watch them without gathering data.

While I never saw them at the colpa, I did have one stunning viewing of Blue and Gold Macaw.

Scarlet Macaws were also in the area, but less frequent at the colpas. Many of the small parrots popular in the cage bird trade are found here.

As the morning moves on the Macaws arrive and displace many of the little parrots. Most of their time is spent on sitting high in the environment preening and watching. They very slowly make their way lower in the trees and, as if by some signal, enter the colpa as a large group.

We kept track of the presence and passing of boats, even noting the type of motor they have, conventional outboard or noisy Peque Peque.

Scientists are working to determine the disturbance of the animals in the environment and the boat traffic is one concern. This is especially true when it comes to eco-tourists and increasing industry of this area of low development. Birds coming overhead would also make the parrots flee. I was surprised to see their reaction to Vultures and have to wonder if this is simply a flee now ask questions later behavior. They returned quickly.

Future work will also look at the bird behavior and to see if the birds make use of a sentinel bird as part of their flock safety. Many mixed flocks here at home will have certain species that are alarm triggers. It will be interesting to see if anything is found out about other species serving as a sentinel as well as same species behavior.

I would have liked to have had more opportunity to go to the Macaw colpa, but there were many duties and rotations to go on and sadly I only visited once. Parrots were all around, however and they were easy to spot due to their noisy flocks.

In the jungle there were several key birds we kept track of and I was lucky to see many Spix Guan.

The classic "heart attack bird" is the White Winged Trumpeter. They would hold quite still until you got very close then they would fly away with a burst of startling sound.

I also had one spotting of a Razor-billed Curassow. These large birds are potential prey for the carnivores of the jungle. They also eat clay.

Birds for birding sake were many and varied. Toucans and Woodpeckers were always fun to spot. I was pleased to see and identify some of the drab antbirds and woodcreepers. At night I could hear owls calling. The Smooth-billed Anis were always skulking around the yard

and on our way home, Jose stopped near shore to allow us a look at the prehistoric looking Hoatzin.

I even spotted a Bluish-fronted Jacamar on an afternoon walk. This is certainly one of the birds I wished to meet.

The capper of all bird sightings came on my last walk in the jungle, the morning we left. Rita, one of our group members, pointed the bird out to me and I was thrilled to see it. Alan said it was the prize for beauty and I agree.

Paradise Tanager. Thank you Dr Rita for your Eagle Eyes!

For me,however, for all the flash and color and amazing qualities, nothing beats my little Paraque. He was my special little bird, the one I saw and never really saw. Paraque are birds of the nightjar (nighthawk) clan. I entered my room one night and my head lamp kicked back a reflective spot across the yard. One bright dot... NOW TWO. Now one , then two. I put my binoculars on it and sure enough I could see a pair of eyes looking back at me. Only two things produce that head swivel, one-eye two-eye effect, owl or nightjar.

I discussed with Alan and he said it would be Paraque. Mr Paraque was there, night after night at the same spot.

I tried many times to get a picture and I can barely believe my luck that I was able to capture something on film.

see the little white dots?

Means the world to me.

I would love to take credit for these photographs but must say most of the bird photos are from Google images. The Ani, Vultures and the Parque are mine.

More than seeing bird is hearing them, night and day. The jungle sounds just as it does in every movie and documentary you see. Rarely do you see the birds that make the sounds but their noise is ever present. The Screeming Pihas started at about 10am every day. They are THE sound of the Amazon lowlands. For such a noisy bird, they are unremarkable, drab, hard to spot.

I was out on a transect walk with Alan when I head this song. The Musician Wren. I got a fleeting glimpse of brown but the song was nothing like the pretty singers here. The clarity , the projection, the ring.

Stunning.

For anyone with a passion for birds I can only recommend David Attenboroughs wonderful "Life of Birds" documentary series. It is on Netflix as instant watch.

I am so thrilled that I was able to experience even a little slice of bird heaven.

Like Here, Only Different ~ For Cornelius

2011-06-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

WARNING ALL SORTS OF BUGS!!!

Like Here, Only Different ~ Into the Woods

2011-06-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

My familiarity with my home woodlands makes me feel comfortable in any situation I face when out and about locally. When I enter a different environment, however, my usual tools are a bit weak. I don't know the names of plants and trees and do not recognize stand-out plants. Typically I make use of contour and terrain to orient to the direction (compass) and recognize a location I have passed before.
But here in the jungle all bets were off.

The land is almost perfectly flat. There were some small hills and gullies, usually associated with a stream or the area near the river where small streams have cut deep. One factor is that it is hard to see where the sun is coming from. Blue sky was rare in the dense jungle and even when you could see it, the direction the sun was shining from was hard to tell.

In addition, right now the sun is in the north, totally opposite to my usual "sun to the south" orientation.

Flying out of the Andes to the eastern country it was miles and miles of treetop with no obvious hills. Here at home, handy mountains and bodies of water can keep you pointed in the right direction. In our little exploration territory, the saving grace was that there are very little in the way of paths. Only those hacked out and trod upon were available. The Las Piedras river was our boundary and North was always the direction for home. A large stream and waterfall behind the main compound was a catching feature.

On the reserve, four major trails or "Transects" occupied our time. It was along these trails; Mammal Colpa , Brazil Nut and Transects A and C that we did our walking observations. There was a minor trail called the Waterfall which had a small amount of new work started. Typically it was a trail for a pleasure stroll.

But this jungle certainly held familiar sights. Fungus of all types serve to break down rotting wood and convert it to usable nutrients. Sometimes it was questionable as to what an item was spore or fungus.

Many of the leaves that have fallen appeared similar in type and structure to some at home. It is now the dry season and the leaves in places were quite thick. Breathing deep I appreciated that they smell like the November woods here at home, only not at 85 degrees. I even had a shoofle through some.

Occasionally a small marshy are would appear and I had a good look at a Tiger Heron in one. During the wet season the iconic and colorful tree frogs come down from high in their trees to find mates. It is here in the marshes you will see them. After mating they return up the trees and lay their eggs high in bromeliads and holes.

Every layer of the forest is filled with plants and trees and there is seldom an open area. Occasionally , where tall trees dominate you can see into the low understory, but usually it is clearly an area that will swallow you up within 5 meters. Observations of animals is primarily with the ears rather than the eyes. Birds are exceptionally elusive.

Like here at home, crossing ditches and wet areas can often be a matter of a few logs plopped across the waterfeature. My favorite bridge had a nice hand rail that was lashed into place with vines. A sturdy 2 x 8 plank was a luxury.

Trees are massive and high. Ironwood, an iconic tree of these jungles can live for over 1000 years. These are the trees prefered by Macaws for nesting. They are harvested for their timbers. Since they take such a long time to grow to the appropriate size for nesting, the loss of these trees can be quite devistation to the total environment. Thankfully Macaws accept nesting boxes and efforts have been made to establish them in area impacted by illegal logging.

This cedar type tree was poached from right near our Macaw Colpa. We saw Mahogany rafts made of sawn timbers at our canoe port when we returned home to Puerto Maldonado. Mahogany poaching is a big problem and it is a wood best not considered for new construction. Salvaged Mahogany can be found in old buildings but export of prime new wood continues.

Brazil Nut Trees give out their fruits in the shape of a cocoanut like ball. If you shake them you can hear the nutlets rattling inside. Brazil Nut farming is a sustainable crop. The large nuts are collected in baskets then machette opened to release the individual nuts, whch are raked and dried in the sun. We found many rotten nuts which are left behind. Some of our group had the fun opportuntiy to watch a monkey trying to break open a nut casing. They had a laugh when the poor animal dropped the difficult fruit after failing to whack and bite it open. They said it truly looked disappointed.

Vines are everywhere. Many of them we recognize from the indoor plants in our home. Ficus and Philodendron grow in many colors and forms.

Strangler Fig can grow to massive dimention, completely ovewhelming the tree upon which it grows.

One Fig called a Walking Fig can actually move as much as 5 meters in its lifetime. The stiltlike legs can adjust the position of growth for optimal light conditions.

Like here at home, trees support a wide array of ferns and symbiotic plants such as bromeliades High up in the branches of the highest tree is where orchids take root. I carefully looked at the fallen trees to see if I could find blooming orchids and I did find one. Many of the orchids were not in bloom , much to my disappointment. During one work session, Sara, one of the scientists, collected small orchid plants from a fallen and crushed log. She tries to salvage and propegate them at home. Some of the trees around camp support rehomed orchids. I placed plants that had fallen from trees back onto logs and into tree crotches in hope that they would take root in the bark.

It did not take me long to feel comfortable in this environment. I began to recognize certain trees and became aware of distance marker ribbons. I often knew how far to Base Camp.

When it is 90 degrees and you have been out walking for six hours with your water running low, this is vital information to have. I did have one misadventure involving direction, fatigue and route finding.

More about that later.

Happy Summer Everyone

2011-06-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

Smooth-billed Ani, a member of the Cuckoo Family. They rather cleverly hunted for grasshoppers and crickets in the thatch set down for roof repairs. Very fun to watch.

Svmer is icumen in Lhude sing cuccu! Groweþ sed and bloweþ med and springþ þe wde nu. Sing cuccu!	Summer is a-coming in Loudly sing cuckoo Groweth seed and bloweth mead and springs the wood anew Sing cuckoo!
Awe bleteþ after lomb, lhouþ after calue cu, Bulluc sterteþ, bucke uerteþ. Murie sing cuccu! Cuccu, cuccu, Wel singes þu cuccu. ne swik þu nauer nu! Sing cuccu nu, Sing cuccu!	Ewe bleateth aft-er lamb, Calf loweth after cow, Bullock starteth, buck farteth, Merry sing cuckoo! Cuckoo, cuckoo! Well singest thou cuckoo, Nor cease thou never now! Sing cuckoo now, Sing cuckoo

Like Here, Only Different ~ Life in Camp

2011-06-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

I joined Biosphere Expedition on their 2 week Peru project at the Las Piedras Biodiversity Reserve camp in the far southeast jungle of Peru.

http://www.biosphere-expeditions.org/2-week-expeditions/wildlife-volunteer-expedition-to-the-amazon-basin-peru-studying-jaguars-pumas-parrots-pecc.html

The Las Piedras river is in Madre de Dios department which is the heart of the biodiversity mecca of Peru. The catalog of species; bugs plants butterflies birds and mammals far outstrips any other region on earth.

After a miss start and cancelled flight out of Los Angeles I arrived in Lima on election weekend Friday night. I only had time to be driven into town and then return to the airport Saturday morning for the flight to Puerto Maldonado via Cuzco. The experience of being in traffic in Lima prepared me for the more sedate but still free form driving of Puerto Maldonado.

Horns are a communication device.

I was happy that my flight to Cuzco was mostly free of clouds. It was a thrill to see the geology of the area and marvel at some of the roads which wind and cling to mountainsides so steep they have to be seen to be believed. The approach into the Cuzco airport was a 180 hairpin turn between two mountains. I was on the side on the inside of that turn. Pretty thrilling.

I joined the rest of the group at Wasai Lodge which is tucked onto a hillside above Madre de Dios river.

Rooms have mesh screens which allow you to hear the sounds of nature and the sounds of the river boats, car horns and the disco up the street. After dinner and a quick sleep, we were off to camp.

First order of business is loading the vans onto open-topped river boats. The boat driver then polls the boat away from shore and revs up the Peque Peque motor. This long shaft engine makes a horrible racket and I am sure this driver must have some degree of hearing loss.

In the past the trip up river was 6 - 8 hours by outboard canoe, but now with the creation of the Interoceanic Highway a drive of 2 hours put us within 45 minutes boat ride of the camp. You can read more about this highway here.

http://www.npr.org/2009/09/14/112535943/the-amazon-road-paving-paradise-for-progress

We turned off the paved road and drove what seemed like an hour along a dirt track to the "port" Here canoes rest on the shore.

The trip made shorter allowed one boat to make two trips. One for us and the second trip for our luggage. At camp we would walk back down to the beach and hike our bags up the 10 minutes distance.

The boat was a low draft open affair with benches on either side. We were given careful instructions for loading making sure to distribute ourselves alternately on the benches. What a way to get into the jungle. We got some looks at Caimen, turtles, birds and butterflies. Everywhere swirling butterflies along the shore sipping minerals from the soil.

The walk up from the river involved some rather dicey steps of free form tread and timing. The walk moved you into the life of the jungle; with bugs birds and your own heartbeat. Silence at last, only the sound of the earth.

Rounding a small bend we saw our home for the next two weeks.

Thatched palm roof, open sides. It is all wood.

The main porch is slatted for stripping off dirty shoes and boots. Bare feet or inside zoris ( thongs or flip~flops depending on your homeland ) for the main living areas. I selected socks to protect my feet from bug bites. Occasionally I moved to zoris after a long day on my feet where soft and cushy was the remedy.

The main Big Room was the center of life. A long table is where we had class sessions, meals and socialization's.

There were also a few chairs and hammocks.

The high roof was a marvel of construction and the thatch was completely waterproof. Bats spiders and geckos dwell up here. One tarantula was named "Charlie" in honor of one of the teams insect loving members.

The kitchen was run by Rosie the most amazing Camp Cook in history.

She presented us with three vegetarian meals daily and was able to cater to the diet restrictions and allergies of some of the members. She knows an army travels on its stomach that is for sure. She also pours a mean drink. Yes that is a cake she has there, made using steam for our departure lunch.

Off the main room two long decks lined with 5 rooms each.

The rooms held two platforms with twin sized mattress covered with Mosquito nets. The window was open to the world and there is a 24/7 chorus of sound. Birds, bugs, frogs; buzzing, chirping, beeping and croaking. In the dawn you can hear Howler Monkeys sounding off, sometimes near often far. At night, bats fly in and out catching moths. Over the course of two weeks, moth wings built up on the top of my mosquito net.

It was a long walk from room #8 to the bathrooms. Three showers three toilets.

No electricity no lights no hot water. We live with candles and head lanterns. These lights attract visitors of all kinds.

We woke at dawn (or earlier) and went to bed around 830 to 900. Cold showers you get use to, the long walk to the bathroom at night was a chance to star gaze. Laundry was hand wash and hang to dry. Since we were out at dawn, laundry rinsed at the end of the day was not dry until late the next day. The environment condenses in the overnight and water drips from the trees and roofs. I thought for sure it was raining, the first I awoke on the first morning, but it was the condensation dripping off the thatch. Laundry was vital, even a simple rinse helped keep things somewhat odor free. The moths and butterflies flocked to wet laundry for water and minerals. It was the best time for photography. Clothes rinsed in the afternoon were usually dry late the next day.

Life in camp was good. We all had our routines and seemed to find our own little place of comfort. The first cold shower was shocking and took my breath away. By the end I was a pro. There is something to be said for showering by candlelight. Sometimes my place of comfort was on my bed under the mosquito net. The flies loved me too much and I am still trying to shake off their lumps and bumps. Thankfully they do not itch too much.

For some reason the mosquitoes really didn't bother me. I had one momentary fright when a wasp bit/stung my in the corner of my eye. It felt like a cigarette being pressed to my skin. Amazingly enough for all the burn there was no swelling and the area was fine the next day. Two more followed over the weeks and they were trouble free as well.

But darn those flies. They kept me off the beach and in long sleeves, pants and socks for the duration.