Ebey's Landing

Whidbey Island Field Trip
Saturday May 7th 2016
Sunny
Mid 80 degrees throughout the trip

The day started out with a trip to Skyroot Farm where we got to meet a lovely professor from UW that decided to start Skyroot Farm with her undergraduate colleague and friend. As we started walking through the brush on the farm the farmer/professor told us about how the brush looked completely different a couple of years ago. She went on to tell us how she lets her sheep graze on different patches of the farm to help with regrowth and maintenance of the landscape. While we were walking through the brush to see the bounds of the property I had an unfortunate run in with some stinging nettle or Utica dioica. I was in quite a bit of pain until I remembered that the spores of sword fern have medicinal uses which include reducing pain from stinging nettle. Once we got out of the more forested areas I was able to find a patch of buttercups which I believe to be Creeping Buttercups or Ranunculus repent due to the shape and 2-3 foot height of the patch. Creeping buttercup is an invasive european species that is normally found in moist lawns or agricultural fields.

Creeping Buttercups

 At the beginning of the trip Tim gave us containers and told us to try to find an insect/living creature and bring it to the discussion at lunch. While hiking around the forested areas we found a Pacific Banana Slug or Ariolimax columbianus. I was able to identify it as the Pacific Banana slug due to it's black spotting and large size. We ended up naming him Karl and several students licked him to see if their tongues would go numb. I asked Alex how he felt and he replied "unpleasant" so I'm not sure if that means numb, but after watching the facial expressions of those who tested it I can conclude I won't be trying any banana slugs anytime soon.

Karl the Banana Slug

Once we left Skyroot farm we headed over to Ebey's landing to look at cacti and other organisms. We stopped about half of a mile up the road from the beach to try to hear some bird songs. While I wasn't able to identify or get any pictures of any birds I was able to identify patches of Nootka Rose or Rosa nootkana, Dwarf Oregon Grape or Mahonia nervosa, and Salal or Gaultheria Shallon. All of these plants were within 2 meters of each other and are commonly found in sea level areas. The 2 meter area was subject to quite a bit of sun light but could also find shade during certain hours of the day due to the large patch of trees across the road. 

Dwarf Oregon Grape

Nootka Rose

Salal

While walking on the beach I was able to spot what I believe to be Mt Rainier. About 3 meters from my view of Mt Rainier I was able to identify some prickly pear cactus. After looking into the subfamily of the cactus I was able to identify it as Brittle Prickly Pear Cactus or Opuntia fragilis. It earned the name brittle or fragilia because it is known to break with very little force. It can only grow in drier areas which is why we were able to find on Whidbey Island within the olympic rain shadow.

View of Ebey's Landing with Mt Ranier in background

Brittle Prickly Pear Cactus

As we were about to leave a Red Winged Black Bird or Agelaius phoeniceus. This bird was much more brave than any of the others that I had seen that day. It landed about 4 meters from me and stayed despite the large group of people nearby. I was able to identify it as a red winged black bird because of very distinct red wings and its call. 

Red Winged Black Bird