Mostly cloudy early, becoming mostly sunny, then partly cloudy into the afternoon. Temperatures in the low 50s. Breezy.
I worked on collections this morning. In particular, spent more time with one I think is a Gymnomitrion. It’s quite small, and doesn’t look like any others I’ve seen. I keyed it out to G. brevissimum, but there are some things that don’t quite fit, so I’m not sure. The iNaturalist observation had a comment recommending a longitudinal cut along a shoot to get a look at the reproductive parts, so that was my aim this morning. I did not have much success.
I also got better pictures of a separate collection that I think is Nardia geoscyphus, which would be a new-for-me species.
After lunch I went for a walk.
The Baranof Street cemetery was quiet. Plenty of gulls were at the lake, as well as an expected assortment of ducks. I didn’t stay for long. In part because the direction of the light wasn’t great for viewing, and also because of the wind.
I went up through the Russian cemetery then over to Castle Hill. Most of the leaves are off the trees that are higher up. It seems like they’re down earlier than some years. Perhaps it’s due to the winds we’ve had. The shorter trees growing on the northwest to west side still have plenty of leaves.
I was lingering in the city building parking lot when I noticed a movement that didn’t quite seem like a leaf falling. It turned out to be a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. A different sounding chip call caught my attention. Before long I spotted a Tennessee Warbler.
I wasn’t entirely sure at first, but the more contrasting/dark line through the eye made me think it wasn’t an Orange-crowned Warbler. I also was able to see it had white undertail coverts. It’s the only rare songbird I’m aware of showing up in Sitka this fall (so far, at least).
The warbler and kinglet seemed to be hanging together. Not super close, but they were basically always in the same area, moving around the hill in a semi-coordinated fashion.
It took quite some time for me to leave.
I didn’t expect to get better photos (though I hoped I might). However, the warm sun and a spot protected from the wind seemed too good to not spend time enjoying.
When the sun did go behind a cloud, the spell was broken, and I continued on my way.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
