North Coast Diaries

Lazuli Bunting at Stanley Lake

For the second year in a row we have found territorial pairs of LAZULI BUNTINGS at Stanley Lake in Seaside.

There are at least 2 males and 1 female in the area which is not a spot I immediately think to look for buntings.

And here are a few snaps of other species seen.

Willow Flycatcher

Common Yellowthroat

Cinnamon Teal female with tealings.

In praise of Urtica

I can remember, as a young Boy Scout, herding even younger scouts through the thickets of Urtica dioica in search of the ever elusive “snipe” that inhabitated the riparian edges of the Big River at Cougar Bend. Most folks know Urtica as Stinging Nettle and with that also realize just how mean a little Boy Scout I was. Urtica has more uses than the abuse of tenderfoot scouts. It can be used to make cord and is believed to many medicinal properties by both Native Americans and European herbalists. If carefully collected, Urtica can be boiled and served as “pot herbs” and is quite tasty.

Boy Scouts are not the only creatures that eat nettles, however. There are several butterfly species that use nettles almost exclusively for feeding larvae.

Larvae of the Red Admirable (pictured above) and the Milbert’s Tortoiseshell are nearly obligate Urtica feeders. Satyr Anglewings and West Coast Ladies are also closely associated with nettles, though their larvae have been recorded on other plant species.

All of which brings us to the definition of “noxious weeds”. Urtica is a native species and it belongs along stream banks and other wet spaces. Yes, it stings when you touch it and it may need a bit of management in places with high people densities, but it does not deserve to be eradicated as some park managers are inclined to do.

And after you’ve gotten used to nurturing your nettles, we can move on to native thistles…

Townsend's Solitaire

This is one of two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES seen near Nicolai Mountain on Sunday

Saddle Mountain in June

Kathleen Sayce led a botany hike up Saddle Mountain on Saturday. We were greeted by below normal temperatures and overcast, but the wildflowers were a spectacular mix of species slowed up by the cold spring and more typical early June species.

Dodecatheon austrofrigidum frigid shootingstar

Cardamine pattersonii Saddle Mountain bittercress

Erythronium revolutum pink fawn lily

Synthyris schizantha fringed synthyris

Viola adunca early blue violet

A June quiz two-fer

Here are two easy ones from today's banding. Or are they???

Answers Here

Willapa NWR amphibians

I went north to Pacific County and the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge this morning. My goal was to find the elusive VanDyke's Salamander (Plethodon vandykei). The nature trail at the the refuge headquarters is as much an art walk as it is a nature walk, with sculptures and painting around every corner. And one has to admire the refuge priorities that place the fate of a windthrown tree ahead of the convenience of a hiker.

I actually did pretty well on finding salamanders, turning up a Van Dyke's, 2 Western Red-backs, a Dunn's and and Ensatina, plus tons of Rough-skinned Newts.

VanDyke's Salamander (Plethodon vandykei)

Western Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon vehiculum)

Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii)

And the ubiquitous Taricha granulosa

Another mystery bird

Here's a mystery bird that should shake some folks up.

The answer.