June 2021
Wetland Visit -- June 20, 2021
Yellow Glandweed (Parentucellia viscosa) -- This small flower is native to Europe. The flower is unusual with three petals and a hairy hood. The stems and leaves are covered with hairs that contain small drops of a sticky liquid.
European centaury (Centaurium erythraea) -- As the name implies, this plant is native to Europe. It is unusual for the pollen sac to be twisted like this. Before the flower opens the pollen is enclosed in a sack. After the flower opens this sack typically breaks so that the pollen can be released. The twisting may be the way this flower breaks the sack. Each flower is about the size of the little finger nail.
New Sign -- There is now a "Do Not Mow" sign next to our rock wall as you enter the Townhomes area. There is a trail along our rock wall and it is not necessary for the Civic landscapers to mow in this area. The main problem, when this area is mowed, is that the native plants that have been planted by Clean Water Services get cut.
A single flower of Ocean Spray is about 1/6 of an inch.
Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor) -- This native shrub was planted in the wetlands as part of the wetland remediation. Each very small flower has about 20 stamens making it difficult to clearly view the petals.
Hardhack (Spiraea douglasii) -- This native shrub was planted in the wetlands as part of the wetland remediation. Each very small flower has 25 to 50 stamens.
Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae) -- This brightly colored moth has been imported because the caterpillars feed on Tansey Ragwort, an obnoxious weed. Previously, I had seen the caterpillars but not the moth.
Common Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula ) -- A damselfly. Dragonflies rest their wings away from their body. And dragonflies have larger eyes that nearly touch. Damselflies have smaller eyes further apart and rest their wings next to the body. I looked thru photos of many species that all looked nearly the same before guessing that this was a Pacific Forktail. Like dragonflies, there are mysterious spots at the end of the wings. The thorax (in the middle) is covered with very fine, transparent hairs.
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia ) -- A dragonfly. The males and females look different and this one matches the female coloring. This dragonfly rested here until it spotted a flying insect. Then it took off only to come back a few seconds later.
Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) -- This native shrub was planted in the wetlands as part of the wetland remediation. At the base of the two flowers you can see the start of the berry forming. Other berries have lost the flower and are transforming into the white berries that we see in winter.
Orange Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) -- This is one of our stranger flowers. The whole flower falls off leaving the white stem that enters from the top. The stem then continues to make seeds. Wikipedia says that when the plant is moved, mature seeds are thrown in all directions leading to a second common name of "touch-me-not."
Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus) -- This native shrub tends to stay close to the ground. Unlike the non-native Himalayan blackberry this plant is more likely to trip you than to rip you. My encounters with the Himalayan blackberry always leave me with wounds. Wikipedia says the fruit is nice to eat but I never find berries that are ripe or easy to pick.
Fringed Willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum) -- The first flowers are just opening. There is lots of this near the water in the field. In the fall the seeds float on the breeze. The flower is so small it is always hard to get a good photo.
Coyote Pup Toys
Garden Glove
Bone
Golf Ball
Rope
Plastic Water Bottle
Corrugated Drain Pipe
June 5 at 8:01 AM
June 5 at 8:03 AM
June 5 at 8:06 AM
June 5 at 8:07 AM
June 17 at 9:12 PM -- Older and faster
June 18 at 8:39 AM
June 18 at 9:01 AM and already into beer.
June 18 at 9:03 AM -- More than one way to handle beer.
June 19 at 6:54 AM -- All the pups going fast.
June 20 at 5:05 AM
Sometime between June 20 and July 1 the trail cam was taken. Actually, the trail cam novelty had worn off. It is time for something else. I wonder what that will be.
More coyote pup toys
