Week 10. Final Reflection

6/11/2013, Tuesday. Post-rain, sunny with clouds. 67 degrees. 

Before, small spheres of water were falling from the sky.

It seems that the water in the sky has blown to the east.

Now the sun is shining on almost all the land here.

The surface of the water shines along the gentle wave crests.

Interrupting the shine are these round plants.

These green circles rest on the water in clusters.

There's not an isolated one.

Sometimes they appear to be covered by a gentle wave,

But they always reemerge on the top showing off their greenness.

They are about as large as my open hand, stretched out.

Some are slightly larger.

Some are slightly smaller.

The circle gently float along the shoreline.

Bathing in the sunlight.

A giant beast flies out of the brush.

It stretches out its wings, which I can tell are larger than my arms.

It flies about 10 meters high before dipping back down.

Then, suddenly, another just like the first emerges. 

The grayish-blue second beast follows the same flight pattern.

The first one makes a small loop before starting to fly west.

The second follows this pattern.

Originally, their necks were long, but they've tucked them for in for flight.

Now that both have completed the loop, they fly west together.

They are silent, despite being on of the largest beast in the sky.

This species swim slowly across the surface of the water.

If it wanted to, it could take to the skies., but for now it swims.

There are many, perhaps they are family or neighbors.

They are mostly brown with black and gray streaks.

Several have green heads. 

While most swim 10m out in the lake, 

Some swim in shallower waters.

One watches over the young along the shore as they feed.

This species is very communal.

In my 10 prior years in Seattle, I’d never taken the time to explore Union Bay Natural Area. I considered choosing a more familiar spot for my observation site, but I decided to try something new at the back at the beginning of the quarter. I don’t regret the choice at all. I feel like I could learned just as much about a more familiar park, such as Ravenna or Interlaken, but instead I had an opportunity to learn just as much about a foreign ecosystem. Being a rock-geek, I was less familiar with shoreline environments. By returning to UBNA week after week, I had was not only able to (personally) discover new species but to see how life changed in that little niche of Seattle. All always have a fond memory of the time I spent in that park and I plan on making time to return when I’m in the neighborhood.

Prior to this class, I’d only studied the geologic and human history of the Puget Sound region, never the natural history. Now I have a much better idea of the different native species to the area and how they coexist with on another. By taking this class,  I was able to get exposed to many species, learn their names, families, what kinds of environments they like, etc… but we only skimmed the surface. One of the things I learned from this class is every species has it’s own characteristics and way it relates with the outside world. There are so many things that could be extensively studied because of this, such as bubble bee populations in urban environments. This class also reinforced I belief I have that is: “humans need to be more in touch (literally & figuratively) with nature.” 

When I reflect on the Union Bay, I suppose if I were charitable, I could say I know my sit spot intimately. I think to know a natural spot intimately, you not only have to be able to identify the surrounding features within it by name, but you have to have some experiential memories with it. I wouldn’t say I know the natural Puget Sound region intimately. A professional naturalist could visit UBNA for the first time in her life and name every species as well as tell me more than I already know about them. But I have the advantage of having spent time within UBNA. I’ve sat in the rain and watched the grass grow. I’ve watched the shoreline change and mothers feed their ducklings. I’ve overturned logs and have hunted for mushrooms. I’ve seen Great Blue Heron’s land in the lake and listened to House Finches. I’ve watched and listened and sat in UBNA.