Observation 2

Mixed zone

5/9/08

7:00-7:31

43-46 ºF

Weather: cloudy, rain threatening-snowing

Wind: slight breeze

Soil: slightly damp, rained two hours ago.

Notes: Dandelions are coming up near trails. A black headed chickadee is in the aspen tree near my house. I can hear a crow a block or two away and I can see a magpie flying. There is an odd red leaved plant coming up with spear shaped leaves. More buttercup patches are appearing and it looks like rain is falling on the other side of town. I found a large burrow with the first foot collapsed. It could be a badger, because it is too large for a rabbit or a squirrel. Many places are still showing little or no new growth. There is a small plant growing and I am not sure what it is. It's leaves resemble either a columbine or larkspur but it is still too early to tell. Most of the small plants coming up are too small to tell what they are easily. Three or more song bird calls are in hearing distance. I hear something that might be an owl but I am not sure and it is not dusk yet. Many of the new grass patches are on the animal trails and other well used places. Could it be because the dung is acting like a fertilizer? There is a scattered pile of this years bones in the woods and it looks like they are from an elk or deer because there are large spine bones. Moss is coming in full force and is a vibrant green. Next to the old elk scat is some fresh deer scat and fresh elk scat. I believe I heard a red tail hawk call. The edge of the forest is populated by two evergreens that I do not know but I picked up one of their pine cones for later reference. Farther in are the Douglas firs. It is very hard to see birds because they are either in the tree right above me or deep in a tree farther away. Lots of small new plants are coming up under the trees but I can't identify any of them. When plants first come up it is difficult to identify them because the first leaves of most plants are either identical or very similar to another plant. Next to a sagebrush there is an odd lichen moss thing. It is about a foot in diameter and dark brown on the top with lighter brown to yellow on the curling under edges. It also has the feel of tough leather. Down valley the rain is really coming down and it is coming this way but the veil almost looks like snow. It is probably rain because it is 43 degrees out and I don't think it can snow at that temperature but I am heading in anyway. As I near my house it starts to snow lightly and then heavily. Ten minutes later it is snowing very heavily and does not look like it will be stopping any time soon.

Hypothesis: What kinds of trees were the two evergreens? Why are there no little mammals around? what is the lichen moss thing? what is the maximum temperature that snow can fall at?

Answers for last time: Some of the songs I heard were black headed chickadee and dark eyed juncos.