Overcast with light rain in the afternoon. Light winds (at least where I was).
Gavan Hill ibuttons were due for a visit. With rain forecast to be most likely later in the morning, I opted not to wait.
In a pool not far up the trail, I saw several water skippers. They’re the first I’ve noticed this year. I’m not sure if they were full-grown, but they certainly weren’t as small as I’ve seen juveniles before. I’m now curious what they do over the winter.
Black slugs seem suddenly numerous along the boggy section of the connector from Baranof Street. I may have seen one or two previously, but today without trying noticed a dozen or more. Several seemed to be working on piles of dog poop which is unfortunately easy to find (as I realized on my last visit).
I heard Varied Thrushes calling regularly along the connector trail. On the return I even got brief looks at some as they moved through the undergrowth.
The ibuttons had room for less than 3 more days of data, so my timing was good.
Walking down the connector trail, I noticed a pair of foam earplugs. As I retrieved them (to dispose of them when I got to a trash can), I wondered how they ended up along the trail. It seemed an odd place for ear plugs to be dropped. It was only as I was picking them up that I noticed lingering bits of what I suspect was once a pile of dog poop. I guess a dog had eaten and then passed them.
I stopped to listen and watch at the cemetery on my return. Among the birds I heard my first Townsend’s Warbler of the year.
Swan Lake had more American Wigeons than I remember seeing on recent visits, but otherwise nothing new. I did see two Hooded Mergansers (though not together). I think one was a female and the other an immature male.
I finally got some microscopy done on collections. Most of my time (and all the photos) was devoted to a collection from my early March visit to Picnic Rock. There ended up being more species than I had realized, and one I found challenging. My current best guess is that it’s Schistochilopsis incisa. However, it looks different than I’m used to seeing for that species, so I’m not sure. It could be the different habitat and/or a different subspecies.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
