Overcast and a little bit breezy during the day. More wind and at times heavy rain started later this evening. Temperatures in the 50s.
Given the forecast for wind and rain, I expected to face a good soaking during my outside time today. As it turned out, the weather was much mellower than the forecast suggested (to me, at least).
I headed out around 2pm without a clear intention of where I would end up.
I started with a look at the channel. There were plenty of gulls, though I did not see any that stood out as unusual during a relatively quick scan.
I did see some bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) floating near the ramp. I had recently noticed that my only photo of this species was from Sea Lion Cove back in 2002. It’s not unusual to see it washed up on shore, but I guess I’ve never thought to take a picture since then.
Next stop was the kelp patch turn around. I happened to notice bull kelp there as well. It may have been growing there, since it did not seem to be moving. Most of the kelp there is Macrocystis, however.
From here I decided to check the Alaska plantain (Plantago macrocarpa) that grow out at Starrigavan for powdery mildew.
I failed to anticipate the very small streamlet that flows through the mini-meadow where I wanted to check attracts salmon. Given the very small size of the water way, it also makes a handy place for bears to catch them. I didn’t see any bears, but there were plenty of salmon carcasses and the vegetation was well trampled. Not so handy for checking leaves.
I did find a few plants further away from the stream, but no obvious signs of fungal growth that I could tell.
I also check some of the goosetongue (Plantago maritima). Some possible fungal infection on a couple of leaves, but it didn’t look like powdery mildew. While looking for the fungus, I noticed some leaves had galls. I don’t know if these are due to an insect, but that’s my suspicion.
Driving back towards town, I noticed a seal in the estuary (tide was near high) and thought it might be worth sitting and watching in case the seal might come close.
The seals (I saw at least two) never came especially close, but I did enjoy the perspective of seeing them from close to the water.
While watching, I did see a few salmon swim by (and at least one that just drifted). They all appeared to be pinks some were quite decayed.
I was prompted to move by a repeated bird call I heard over along Nelson Logging road. I don’t think it was a bird I wouldn’t know, but the call wasn’t quite familiar enough for me to place. I did not figure I had a good chance of finding it, but headed that way anyway.
I walked as far as the first trees between the trail and the river, but didn’t hear the calls again.
Before heading home, I checked out the beach at Old Sitka where I had heard Black Turnstones earlier. I looked the flock over just in case a Ruddy Turnstone might be hanging out.
Out towards the west there was a dramatic looking cloud formation. Streamlined layers stacked, with puffy clouds above and below. I’m guessing there was some significant wind sculpting the streamlined clouds.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
