Riverside Observations

Overcast to mostly cloudy, with some sun breaking through in the afternoon. Occasional rain, light winds. Temperatures in the 40s.

Today’s outing was another neighborhood walk.

Rowan told me she had seen stoneflies on the railing of the bridge over Indian River. That was enough to send me in that direction.

Springtail (<em>Ptenotrhix sp</em>) — Springtail (*Ptenotrhix sp*) on railing of bridge over Indian River in Sitka, Alaska

I did not find stoneflies, though I did see a springtail and a small spider.

I took the trail down along the river, thinking I would then cut over to campus.

American Dipper at Indian River in Sitka, Alaska

Along the way I heard dippers calling from near by, so went to the river’s edge to see about photos.

While watching the dippers, Leucolepis acanthoneuron sporophytes caught my eye.

American Dipper Taking Flight — Water drops fly as an American Dipper takes off from a rock at Indian River in Sitka, Alaska

Once the dippers had flown down river, I turned my attention to mosses and other low growing organisms.

<em>Fontinalis</em> — Close up of *Fontinalis* fronds found in Indian River, Sitka, Alaska

The Leucolepis was abundant, and I also found other mosses/lichens/liverworts of interest.

I caught the smell of cigarette smoke just before I wet back to the trail. I expected just a whiff of it, but it seemed persistent. This made me wonder if the source was nearby (I initially assumed it was someone walking by – I don’t remember for sure, but think I heard someone walk by shortly before getting up). If they were nearby, I didn’t happen to see them. They could have been in the trees just up river from me (or I could have just been oblivious).

Lungwort (<em>Lobaria pulmonaria</em>) — Lungwort (*Lobaria pulmonaria*) observed in Sitka, Alaska

I was passing by Hillcrest Drive when I remembered a Lobaria I had observed there a little over a year ago. It was young at the time and I had called it L. linita. Based on what others said, it seemed that was probably a mistake. I revisited it today and saw that it and grown significantly and was more clearly L. pulmonaria.

Two species of <em>Porella</em> — Two related species of liverwort are growing together. On the left, slightly more yellow (on the yellow green spectrum) is *Porella navicularis* and on the right (not quite as abundant) is *P. cordeana*

There was a nice mix of other lichens, liverworts and mosses. I made some photographs and collections.

Cranefly Larva — Cranefly larva found under a thin piece of rotten bark

Upon pulling up the bark from a dead branch of the elderberry, I saw a couple of insect larvae. I wonder if they survive freezing or have antifreeze of some sort which keeps them from freezing. It’s hard to imagine they had enough insulation to be protected from freezing temperatures.

I went down to the dock at Crescent Harbor hoping for photos of Red-breasted Mergansers that were close to a float. Perhaps my intention was too pointed, as they weren’t having any of it. They took off while I was on my way down the ramp.

I was puzzled by mosses and a mystery growth(?) on a tree in the big parking lot for the harbor. I think there may be two species of moss (I collected some to verify).