I went on a multi-hour hike up Indian River today. This evening Melissa, Connor, Rowan, and I flew a kite on the campus lawn.
Weather: Contrary to the forecast, it was another clear day. There was a breeze blowing. It seemed to be blowing mostly up-valley when I was hiking. This evening the wind seemed to be coming out of the northwest. I heard and caught a glimpse of an avalanche on the North Sister. Later, when I was able to get a view of the mountain unobscured by trees, I was not able to tell where the snow fall had occured. I did not run into the extensive patches of snow in the clearings like I saw on a hike up there 10 days ago. I did see one very small spot of snow at the edge of clearing where snow could have accumulated but still well shaded from direct sunlight and exposure to rain.
Birds: I did not see anything too unusual. I heard plenty of Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Robins, Varied Thrushes, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Juncos, Orange-crowned Warblers, and Wilson’s Warblers. I think I may have heard a Red-tailed Hawk and/or possibly a Northern Goshawk.
I heard a repeated high pitched call I did not recognize but it was coming from near by while I was sitting. I turned to look and saw that it was a pair of juncos foraging. I am guessing what I was hearing was a companion call, but I’m not positive about that. They were moving toward me and not seeming to notice me at all, they passed by only a few feet from where I was sitting.
Flora: Things were a little bit behind what I’ve been seeing around town. That’s probably not too surprising. There was some new growth in the muskeg, but they’re still pretty brown.
There were extensive patches of liverworts with sporophytes.