Winter Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
Connor noticed this young Winter Wren feeding near a trail we were walking on. It could fly, but probably not very strongly. Parents were not in evidence, but it clearly had only recently set out on its own. It seemed mostly unconcerned with us as it actively foraged while we watched.
European Ground Beetle
Carabus nemoralis
Rowan discovered this beetle under a rock. Even after chilling, this beetle didn’t really slow down, so it was tough to get pictures of. I think I’m going to have to switch to a smaller container. As the name implies, this species has been introduced from Europe as a biological control. I’m not sure what it eats, but I would guess one of the pests it targets is slugs.
Leaf Beetle
Syneta sp.
I noticed this beetle crawling on my pants when I sat down for a break. I managed to get a couple of shots of it before it flew away. It looks like it’s probably the same beetle species I noticed last summer on top of Verstovia.
Thanks to Rob W. via bugguide.net, I have a genus for this beetle
Black Lily
Fritillaria camschatcensis
This species has at least two other common names, Chocolate Lily and Northern Rice Root. It is pretty common around Sitka in low elevation meadows and especially in the meadowy areas just above the beach. The bulbs (which look like clusters of rice) of this plant are startchy and edible, but in my experience they’re a little bitter.
Tetraphis geniculata
This species is small but very abundant on rotting stumps in the forests around Sitka. When sporophytes are present, this species is pretty easy to identify due to the distinctive bend.
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