Decided that it might be impossible to catch up with writing about past activities without getting further behind, so I'll just give a brief summary of recent activity.
Did manage to get up to Picnic rock on Verstovia on August 2nd. We were motivated by the fact that it had been 20 years or more since Jeanne Stolberg had been up there and that it was a vaguely nice day. No sun, but it was warm enough for shorts and t-shirt, at least while moving. What was blooming above treeline was pretty similar to the July 11, 2007 trip. Viola glabella, Vaccinium ovalifolium and Harrimanella stelleriana were blooming in the meadow. One Castilleja parviflora was blooming as well. Near picnic rock, there were also a few Erigerons blooming. There was still snow on the slope between the clump of krummholz trees above the meadow and the stairs just below Picnic rock. In other words, it still looked rather spring-like.
August 6
After walking up Verstovia on the 2nd I had been antsy to get up to Harbor/Gavan to see the meadow near the boulder field. Richard Carstensen.provided a good excuse for a trip up after work. He was in town overnight on his way to join Scott and Bob at False Island for a groundtruthing trip. Richard hadn’t been up Harbor mtn before and it was a rather nice day. Okay, it didn't take much of an excuse to head up there.
The timing turned out to be excellent for flowers. There was Elliotia blooming on the way up the road. Lots of Pinquicula vulgaris in bloom just past the picnic shelter parking lot. The Dodecatheon jeffreyii in the wet meadow near the parking lot at the trail head were in full bloom. The fragrance was exceptionally nice, both of us were inspired to get down on hands and knees to partake of the excellent aroma. Up the trail, where the it levels out past the Mountain hemlocks, the Anemone narcissifolia and Castilleja parviflora were in bloom. We saw a Sharp-shinned hawk in the mountain hemlock elfin forest
where the trail dips down.
The meadow near the boulder field was kind of breathtaking. There were masses of flowers in bloom, including Aconitum delphinifolium, Castilleja parviflora, Fritillaria camstchatcensis, Geranium erianthum, Aquilegia formosa, Valeriana sitchensis, Artemisia norvegica, Tellima grandiflora, Arnica latifolia, Erigeron peregrinus, Phleum alpinum, Rubus spectabilis and Heracleum maximum. Senecio and Sausseria weren’t in bloom yet. The Vaccinium were still blooming, so I’m not sure that the berries will have a chance to ripen this year.
After walking up Verstovia on the 2nd I had been antsy to get up to Harbor/Gavan to see the meadow near the boulder field. Richard Carstensen.provided a good excuse for a trip up after work. He was in town overnight on his way to join Scott and Bob at False Island for a groundtruthing trip. Richard hadn’t been up Harbor mtn before and it was a rather nice day. Okay, it didn't take much of an excuse to head up there.
The timing turned out to be excellent for flowers. There was Elliotia blooming on the way up the road. Lots of Pinquicula vulgaris in bloom just past the picnic shelter parking lot. The Dodecatheon jeffreyii in the wet meadow near the parking lot at the trail head were in full bloom. The fragrance was exceptionally nice, both of us were inspired to get down on hands and knees to partake of the excellent aroma. Up the trail, where the it levels out past the Mountain hemlocks, the Anemone narcissifolia and Castilleja parviflora were in bloom. We saw a Sharp-shinned hawk in the mountain hemlock elfin forest
where the trail dips down.The meadow near the boulder field was kind of breathtaking. There were masses of flowers in bloom, including Aconitum delphinifolium, Castilleja parviflora, Fritillaria camstchatcensis, Geranium erianthum, Aquilegia formosa, Valeriana sitchensis, Artemisia norvegica, Tellima grandiflora, Arnica latifolia, Erigeron peregrinus, Phleum alpinum, Rubus spectabilis and Heracleum maximum. Senecio and Sausseria weren’t in bloom yet. The Vaccinium were still blooming, so I’m not sure that the berries will have a chance to ripen this year.
It can be very good going to a familiar place with someone who hasn’t seen it before. I don’t think that I take this spot for granted, but it was good to hear some questions posed about the meadow. Specifically, how long has this meadow been here or how old is the slide? Why a herb dominated meadow and not a shrub dominated slope? When I told RC about the meadow, he had pictured a flat sort of place, not the very steep slope that this meadow occupies. He was curious about why there was a meadow here instead of Sitka alder. In the end I’m not really sure, it could be related to the very low frequency of disturbance (rock slide), the snow load, accident of arrival timing, dispersal or even aspect. The surface is of small rocks covered with a thin layer of soil. Another possibility we discussed was the possible affect of deer browse. Although I’d think that the deer do some serious damage on the herbs as well.
The areas that aren’t as well drained (without the rock) have extensive Nephrophyllidium crista-galli and probably sedges. At least I assume that it is related to drainage.
We heard a Ptarmigan mom and chick/chicks near the trail, no luck finding the birds.
Last year I collected and planted seeds from the meadow. Columbines and lupines were pretty successful, and there are very small seedlings probably from monkshood. One surprise was a single Hiericium triste that did well enough to flower this year. The columbines and lupines are now in the garden at the park, not sure if the Hiericium will join them or not.
August 7
St. Lazaria
Kristi from the Historical park arranged a training trip for the park staff on an Allen Marine boat. Went from 6-8pm on the public tour operated by Allen Marine on Thuradsy evening.
The weather was sunny and very calm, so we were able to go out to St. Lazaria
Two Humpback whales on the way out. Also stopped at Low island to look at Sea Otters and Harbor Seals.
Lots of Rhinoceros auklets on the way out. One small group of Phalaropes just outside the airport.
Saw Tufted Puffins, Common Murres, Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucuous-winged gulls, one Horned puffin, 3 Fork tailed petrels, Oystercatchers.
One odd plant, on the walls of a cave (crayola cave) which I'm still not sure of the identity. Campanula rotundifolia was blooming along the cliffs.
The red huckleberry crop on the lot is particularly productive this year. I've managed to pick a few gallons so far and am hoping for more before the thrushes and the weather finishes them off.
There has been a number of warblers in the garden, including Wilson's, Yellow, Orange crowned and Townsends. Adults and juvenile Robins and Varied Thrushes are pretty abundant in the garden and forest as well.
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