Neither plant is especially unusual in the area, but neither do they grow in locations that I frequent, so I tend to see one or the other of them only a few times a year. Both have leaves that are fairly divided and in a general way somewhat similar in shape. Also, the flowers make it very easy to tell these plants apart, and that’s when I’ve mostly noticed them. These facts (and clearly a lack of careful attention to the leaves) have resulted in me being uncertain about the plants when they are not blooming.

Hopefully this will no longer be an issue, as on that recent walk, I noticed a place where the two plants were growing side by side and took the picture shown above. The greanium leaf is on the left and the monkshood on the right. Comparing them this way, it’s not hard to see the differences.

Questions that come to mind:

• What other pairs (or more) of species are there that look superficially similar, but would be clearly different with a side by side comparison?
• Is the purplish edge on the geranium leaf a typical thing? (I noticed on the other leaves I looked at in the area.)
• If not, then what caused it?

These ducks were taking shelter from the wind along the shore in front of the Visitor Center yesterday.

Did you notice the odd duck? Can you identify it?

Over three years ago, I reported on a “Golden Glow Mystery” that was puzzling me. My brother and I had been hiking along Mosquito Cove Trail and I noticed a yellow something covering the surface of a muddy depression under a stump. First thinking it was pollen or spores, we determined that it was neither – as the intense golden yellow color was highly directional. That is, looking from some directions nothing was apparent on the surface at all even though from others, it took on the bright golden yellow appearance. I wrote up the post linked above and left it that, mostly not thinking much about it until recently.

Not long ago, a message was sent to Bryonet (an e-mail list for discussion of mosses and liverworts) by an individual who was curious about photographs of something he had seen in Nigeria back in 1978. The description sounded remarkably similar to what I had observed, so I sent a message with a link to the post with my photos, description, and speculation. There was some discussion on the list, but after a couple days I received a response from B. Estebanez in Spain, indicating that what I had photographed seemed to be a Golden Algae (chrysophyte) with the current genus name Chromophyton. The e-mail continued on, saying “in Japan it is very much appreciated when growing in ponds of temples and gardens, and its Japanese name is “hikarimo” (alga of light).”

A little googling did not reveal much additional information, though I was able to find a few pictures and a page on Chromophyton at algaebase.org. Only one species is listed for the genus, but I wonder if that might be due more to a lack of taxonomic work in the group rather than a reflection of what’s out there in the world. I’m quite satisfied to have a plausible name for what I observed – especially after I read part of the description on Alagaebase page that states: “Because the chloroplasts are oriented uniformly in relation to the direction of the light, the water surface seen from a certain position will show a bright golden coloration” – the very characteristic that stood out as being so unusual to me at the time.

On a related note, I find the way these answers came forward a rather fascinating process. Photographs taken nearly 30 years apart from Alaska and Africa, an e-mail list about (unrelated) bryophytes, and a response from Spain with commentary about the occurrence of the species in Japan all were vital links for me to get a solution to this mystery. I really appreciate the chance to make these connections that span the globe, and am grateful to those all those who contributed to this process.

More pictures of Chromophyton

The summer I was working at Blue Lake and first noticed these seedlings, I figured they must be some sort of willow. Willows are somewhat notorious for being hard to identify, even with much more to go on than a seedling, so I did not have much expectation of being able to identify these seedings without figuring out what they turned in to. However, the only mature willows I saw up there seemed to be the typical-for-Sitka-area Sitka Willow (Salix sitchensis), and these seedlings were definitely not that. As the field season drew to a close, I just had to leave the identity of these seedlings as an open question.

The following summer when I was on a trip to Red Bluff Bay helping out with wilderness area surveys that the answer to this mystery presented itself. While hiking back down along the river after exploring some of the lower valley, I noticed a seedling that looked like what I had seen at Blue Lake. I stopped to take a closer look and happened to notice this seedling was growing directly below a good-sized Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera) tree . It finally dawned on me that the seedlings were cottonwoods.

If you never left the road system in Sitka (and trails directly accessible from it), you might think the only cottonwoods around were planted (or grew from seeds of trees that were planted). None of the rivers along the road (including Indian River, Starrigavan Creek, Sawmill Creek, and Medvejie Creek) have cottonwoods growing along them in the riparian habitat they are known for favoring. The majority of the trees occur in the downtown area and/or in yards (one notable exception being a single tree that seems out of place where it grows along Harbor Mountain Road a mile or two up). However, there were several cottonwoods growing along Blue Lake Creek above Blue Lake (and I’ve heard they also occur in some of the larger river valleys north of town). In hindsight, it seems like a pretty obvious choice, and I’m not sure why I did not make the connection at the time – except that the leaves were such a different shape.

A couple of years ago I helped out on some of the environmental surveys for the Blue Lake hydro project (the city is going through the process of permitting to raise the dam and thereby increase the power supply for the community). While up there, I saw several species of plants that are not especially common elsewhere near Sitka (at least not along the road system), so it was not terribly surprising to find things I did not recognize.

The seedling pictured here was one such plant that I did not recognize (thumbnails link to larger versions). I saw several similar looking seedlings, always on gravel bars with little else growing around (so probably they had been reworked the prior fall). I eventually did figure out what they were, but I’ll save that for a follow up post in case there are some that would like to try to figure it out before learning the answer.

My son pointed this bird out to me this morning as we were on our way to Totem Park. It was perched at the very top of a mid-sized Sitka Spruce and I saw it do a flycatching loop once or twice before it seemed to vacate its spot when a Merlin flew by, after which we continued on to the park.

It was too far (high) to get a very good look, even with binoculars, but based on what I had seen, I was confident that it was a flycatcer, and thought it might be a Western Wood-Pewee based on behavior and an impression of size/shape (that is, it seemed a bit to small/squat for an Olive-sided Flycatcher based on my very limited experience).

When we got back a while later, we saw the bird had moved to a snag not too far from where we had first observed it. Though the light was better, the new preferred perch was even higher and further back than the first had been. I watched it for a while several different times during the day, and it was still actively flycatching from the snag until around sunset at least. The first time I saw it there was shortly before noon, so it had been there for at least 8 hours, and probably a couple more.

Though the bird was too far away for any chance of a quality photo, I took many in hopes that they would show enough details to allow for a better chance at a positive identification. I have included the best of these in the composite shown above. My best guess is still Western Wood-Pewee. The behavior certainly fits. However, some of its plumage characteristics raise questions in my mind. In particular, it seems to be rather pale breasted, the wing bars seem to be a more pronounced than I might expect, and there’s a pale area between the eye and the bill. Still, I’m not sure what else it could be. I wouldn’t be surrprised if these questions can be explained with lighting and/or variability in the species, so I’m hoping others with more flycatcher experience might help me out.

Sickle Moss (Sanionia uncinata) infected with Eocronartium muscicola)

Last summer I noticed these white growths while doing some plant surveying work along Blue Lake Creek. At first glance I thought maybe they were rootlets coming from the trunk of the tree (either Red Alder or Sitka Willow, I can’t remember which). Closer examination revealed that they were actually growing directly from the moss. The only thing I have noticed growing out of a moss like that is sporophytes, but there are also sporophyts present and they seem different enough to make me think that the white growths are not a stage in the development of the sporophytes (though perhaps I’m wrong about this?).

I believe the moss is a species of Hypnum though I am not sure which one. So far, this is the only time I have noticed anything like this, so I am tempted to say it must not be very common. However, experience has taught me that I overlook many things, so I don’t really know how common it might be. In any case, I would appreciate any suggestions as to what might be going on with these growths.

A note on the photo: the image seen here was created from 3 initial images, each focused at a slightly different point. They were then stacked in the computer to give a greater depth-of-field.
It didn’t work perfectly, so there is a little bit of a funny look to some parts of the photo.

Unidentified Gull (Larus sp) observed at McDonalds on 19 February 2008.

This gull is another mixed bag of characters.

Once again, I had difficulty getting photos of this bird with other individuals of more obvious identity. Unfortunately, I was also unable to get a straight profile shot. That said, my impression was that the size of this bird seemed consistent with what I consider normal for Thayer’s Gulls. It seemed pretty small to me for a Glaucous-winged Gull.

Despite the apparently small size, I probably would have figured it was a Glaucous-winged Gull due to the gray wing-tips, since, as a relative new-comer to the challenges of gull identification, I tend to privilege that easy-to-see field-mark over others (though perhaps I shouldn’t). However, I’ve never seen an otherwise obvious Glaucous-winged Gull with pale eyes. After looking in Gulls of the Americas, I see that up to 1% of Glaucous-winged Gulls can have paler eyes, but the example given there has eyes that are nowhere near as pale this gull’s. I thought Kumlien’s Gull might be a possibility, but they seem quite a bit paler overall, from what I can tell.

I saw a similar gull last year (look at the last gull in the entry) and thought it was probably a Glaucous-winged Gull, but now I’m even less sure. Still, I can’t think of any reasonable hybrid combination that might result in this particular blend of characters.

Any help with this identification is certainly appreciated.

Unidentified Gull (Larus sp) observed at McDonalds on 19 February 2008.

Mid-February seems to bring the arrival of mystery gull season. I’m not sure if it’s just an impression, or actually true in practice, but it seems like around this time more large gulls show up around town where they are easy to observe. For them, it’s the lean time of year, and the food available around town certainly plays a role in the gathering. Once the herring really move in during late March or early April, they are very abundant, though not always as easy to observe closely, and gradually numbers thin out a bit as spring heads into summer.

I recently took pictures of three different gulls which are giving me a little identification trouble. I also realized that I have some photos of gulls from last year around this time that I have yet to get conclusively identified. Rather than cram them all into one post, I think I’ll let this be the start of a series of mystery gull posts.

I think this may be a hybrid gull. My best guess at this point is Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull. Observed 17 February 2007 at Swan Lake.

I took this picture last February at Swan Lake. Currently, my best guess is that this is a hybrid gull, possibly Glaucous-winged x American Herring Gull, or a somewhat odd (to my eyes) Thayer’s Gull.

I eliminate pure Glaucous-winged Gull because of the very dark on the primaries. I eliminate pure Herring Gull due to the dark eyes and not-black on the primaries.

I think this may be a hybrid gull. My best guess at this point is Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull. Observed 17 February 2007 at Swan Lake.

I’m not sure that I can really eliminate Thayer’s Gull, though neither am I convinced it is a Thayer’s Gull. This may be due primarily to my inadequate understanding of the range of variation in Thayer’s Gulls, however. The orbital ring of this bird seems to be almost a mix of yellow and pink, suggesting the possibility of a hybrid, as Thayer’s Gulls should have a pink to pinkish-purple orbital ring. This bird also seems to be a little bit bulky for a Thayer’s Gull, though unfortunately I neglected to take a picture that included other, more easily identified, gulls for comparison. There is a skirt, which Thayer’s Gulls can show, but it’s more typical of Glaucous-winged Gulls. Also, the dark on the wing-tips seems a bit light for most Thayer’s Gulls. If there are other characters I am neglecting to consider that would help with the identification of this gull, I would be interested in learning about them.

I think this may be a hybrid Glaucous-winged x American Herring Gull, but it may be a pure Glaucous-winged Gull. Observed 17 February at Swan Lake.

Comments I received on the first post, as well as through e-mail, mostly suggested Orange Crowned-warbler, though I did have one response that it might be a Palm Warbler if it did a lot of tail pumping. As I did not notice any significant tail pumping, it probably was not a Palm Warbler, though the earlier photos showed some similarity to a Palm Warbler photographed in Gustavus recently. While the second warbler seems a bit more typical of an Orange-crowned Warbler, I’m still not absolutely convinced of the identity of the first warbler. However, it seems most likely that it’s also an Orange-crowned Warbler perhaps of the Taiga race (Vermivora celata celata), rather than the more typically seen (in Sitka) Pacific race (V. c. lutescens). The yellow rump still seems a bit strange, but otherwise things seem to fit.

(click on thumbnails for larger)

This Orange-crowned Warbler was observed 24 November 2007, a new late date for the species.

This Orange-crowned Warbler was observed 24 November 2007, a new late date for the species.

Eating a caterpillar(?)
Still showing a yellow rump
Apparent pale supercilium in earlier photo seems to have been an artifact
Faint pale yellow wash on breast, contrasts against pale gray of throat and head.
Caught another caterpillar(?)

The second warbler, presumed to be an Oranged-crowned Warbler. I believe it’s a new late record for this species in Sitka.

Additional photos can be found at:
24 November Photos: Backyard Birdsx

Below is one photo of each of the other loons in question. I have arranged them from the most Pacific Loon-like to the least Pacific Loon-like, to my eyes. (Numberings are from the previous post, look there to see additional photos of some of these loons.)

(Click thumbnails for larger versions.)

(Bird #1)

Loon observed at Starrigavan 14 December 2004.

Common(?) Loon observed 12 December 2006 outside Crescent Harbor breakwater. Seen with Common Loon.

This Loon was observed at Eliason Harbor 6 November 2006.

I am not entirely certain about this identification. The bird seemed less bulky than many Common Loons. Perhaps it's a first year bird? Observed 16 January 2007 at Eliason Harbor.

Loon observed 12 December 2005 in Crescent Harbor breakwater.

Common(?) Loon observed 27 October 2006 while kayaking at north end of channel.

It seems to me that the first five pictures above show something of a continuum of patterning on the neck. However, it also seems like lighting, posture, and positioning play a significant role in the apparent patterning (or lack thereof) on the neck. To me, the sixth bird looks signficantly different than the first five, but it’s worth noting that it’s also the only one without its head/neck extended up rather then folded down a bit.

It’s also worth noting the following picture of Bird #4, which look far more Common Loon-like.

Loon observed 12 December 2005 in Crescent Harbor.

Loon observed 12 December 2005 in Crescent Harbor.

Upon realizing that I had misplaced the third picture of Bird #4 (the one that’s in the list above) and it actually belonged with these two, I came to think that probably all of the birds were Common Loons since the third picture fit into the continuum of birds that looked a little unusual for Common Loons and had elements suggestive of Pacific Loons, but also, in different postures, looked very much like a Common Loon.

Of course, I could be wrong about all of this, but I like to think I’m on the right track. Hopefully someone will set me straight, if I’m not.

Questions that remain for me are:

How variable is the neck pattern in Common Loons? Does the first bird, which seems to have no neck pattern at all, but otherwise looks very much like the other birds, fit within this variation?

How variable is the amount of white around the eye in Common and Pacific Loons? Pictures I have of birds that are clearly Pacific Loons (scroll to bottom for photos) seem to show white around the eye, though the field guides I’ve looked at suggest there is not any. The birds pictured above do not have as much white as other birds I have taken pictures of that are clearly Common Loons (scroll to bottom for photos), and less than the field guides I’ve looked at seem to suggest they should have.

Is it unusual for a Common Loon to show a chin strap, as Bird #8 seems to?

Loon comparison

Loon observed at Starrigavan 14 December 2004.

Common(?) Loon observed 12 December 2006 outside Crescent Harbor breakwater. Seen with Common Loon.

Pacific(?) Loon (Bird #1)

Loon observed at Starrigavan 14 December 2004.

Loon observed at Starrigavan 14 December 2004.

This loon was the first I ever took pictures of, back on 14 December 2004. I have changed my mind about whether it was a Pacific Loon or not several times over the time since, though most often I have considered it a Pacific Loon. What inclines me toward Pacific Loon is that it seems to have the clean line between white and gray on the neck and it’s not as bulky as I tend to think of Common Loons being. On the other hand, the bill seems more bulky than I would expect for a Pacific Loon, it seems to have white around the eye, and there’s no hint of a chinstrap. However, it looks even less like a Common Loon.

Common(?) Loon (Bird #2)

This Loon was observed at Eliason Harbor 6 November 2006.

Common(?) Loon (Bird #3)

I am not entirely certain about this identification. The bird seemed less bulky than many Common Loons. Perhaps it's a first year bird? Observed 16 January 2007 at Eliason Harbor.

Common(?) Loon (Bird #4)

Loon observed 12 December 2005 in Crescent Harbor.

Loon observed 12 December 2005 in Crescent Harbor.

Loon observed 12 December 2005 in Crescent Harbor breakwater.

This loon, photographed in the south corner of Crescent Harbor 12 December 2005, seemed to me a Common Loon. I still lean pretty hard toward Common Loon, as it’s got the bulk and the contrast/line between the light and dark of the neck seems more consistent with a Common Loon. On the other hand, the bill seems a little short and there is no white above the eye (as would be expected on a Common Loon). Update: Looking at the third picture, it’s apparent there is some white above the eye. I had forgotten the third photo was of this bird (rather than the ones taken the same day outside the harbor) until going back through the pictures and double checking my original notes on it.

Common(?) Loons (Bird #5 and #6)

Loon observed 12 December 2005 outside Crescent Harbor breakwater.

Common(?) Loon observed 12 December 2006 outside Crescent Harbor breakwater. Seen with Common Loon.

Common Loon observed 12 December 2005 outside Crescent Harbor breakwater.

Common Loon observed 12 December 2005 outside Crescent Harbor breakwater.

Update: Now that I have compared one of these photos with one I am thinking of as a Pacific Loon (see above), I’m a little more inclined to think these are Pacific Loons.

Pacific(?) Loon (Bird #7)

This Red-throated Loon was observed while kayaking in Eastern Channel on 27 October 2006.

Common(?) Loon (Bird #8)

Common(?) Loon observed 27 October 2006 while kayaking at north end of channel.

Mystery sparrow seen in early August in the Subalpine.

In August I got a brief look at the sparrow shown above. As best I can figure, it’s a Savannah Sparrow, though it really does look fairly different than the Savannah Sparrows I am used to seeing around here. The pattern of markings seems correct for Savannah Sparrow, it’s just the coloring that appears darker, and much less yellow than I am used to seeing. Also, I saw it above the treeline, whereas I generally see Savannah Sparrows on lawns or the beach.

I’ve included below photos of typical fall Savannah Sparrows that I’ve taken around Sitka, as well as the two shots I got of the mystery sparrow.

Update: The first couple of responses I received suggested I consider Lincoln’s Sparrow. I had not looked specifically at Lincoln’s Sparrow because that’s a bird I felt familiar with, but upon looking a little more closely, I can see some resemblance. The two main problems I have are the lack of buffy coloration, particularly on the malar. What buffiness the mystery sparrow has is on the auriculars (I think I’m using the terminology correctly). Also, the mystery sparrow does not seem to have a streaked throat, which Sibley’s suggests they usually have. Another difficulty is that I’ve never seen a Lincoln’s Sparrow at upper elevations around here. That does not mean they don’t get up there, but so far, in my experience, I’ve only found them at lower elevations.