Journal #9: Site Reflection

In my final visit to the Redmond Watershed Preserve, there was snow and frost covering the ground and the trail. Many plants were still thriving even though they were engulfed in frozen stream water and snow. The fern population in the area was still growing rapidly yet the other shrubs were still dying off and becoming dormant for winter. The moss under the snow layer was still green and thriving probably due to their deep root structures that can escape the cold temperatures at the surface. The once wet muddy areas have turned into dirty frozen ice masses that have configured themselves in a way that looks like bending fingers and arcs. As I waked towards the pond I noticed a distinct chattering call coming from the frost covered snags in the middle of this frozen pond. Then I saw a slightly grayish blue bird with a stripe over the eye and I instantly knew that it was a Belted Kingfisher due to its chattering call and it's unique mohawk plumage. It was flying from various tree tops when it noticed my presence  and continued it's chattering alarm call. I started to walk back to the parking area and heard little bird activity other than the Kingfisher but then I started to notice the noise of chipmunks in the high tree tops chasing each other. They did this for a while until they heard me and moved to trees away from me. It was a good last visit to my natural area and a lot has changed since my first observations back at the beginning of the quarter.

Throughout this quarter I have noticed many changes within my observation site whether it be different species of birds being introduced to new fungi emerging from nurse logs. Since I grew up in the area of Redmond, my area was very familiar to me and I had a sense of what life was like here. I have been to this specific site in the preserve as well but I did not realize the diversity of life it supported. Before I though there were only chipmunks and robins that ruled the trees while simple shrubs and mosses grow on the ground with scattered fungi here and there. After looking closely at the physiological changes that were occurring as the season progressed into different temperature and precipitation. Over the course of this quarter I had began to notice the different structures in plants and trees that made them unique in this part of the world and I began to understand each role these specific species had in this ecosystem. What really made me realize the diversity of this forest my and my perception of this area was the presence of a variety of birds. I witnessed multiple woodpeckers such as the pileated, northern flicker, and the downy. Before I though this area was highly developed area where families brought their loud kids to ride bikes but I soon found out it was much different. This area was actually a peace habitat for all species to live naturally with little human disturbance.

Before this class I knew that the Puget Sound was unique in specific ways and had keys differences from other places around the world. What I did not realize is how it was created and shaped by glacial movements in the past. Just that alone amazed me and made me understand how unique and diverse the Puget Sound area is when it comes to wildlife and land forms. This class has given me so much knowledge about the area in which I live in and this has made me gain a sense of home and belonging when I am in this area’s natural state. Yet I also gained a greater perception of the dangers this beautiful region faces in the future due to human impact and development. I now realize that my home isn’t invincible even though it is resilient. I now have more compassion for the wildlife that inhabits the Puget Sound just as I do. By learning all of this information and actually being able to get out into the field and see these physiological changes and examples that show the history of this region, I began to understand how this area is truly one of a kind.

When I think about the word intimacy I think about having a strong personal connection with someone or something. When I started to visit my natural area, I treated it just like any other natural area in my hometown. I followed the skills boy scouts taught me about leave no trace and respected the wildlife that inhabited this natural site. After about a month I started getting into a rhythm of visiting my site and taking note of the physical changes as the season progressed. I even went to my site more than once a week because I had nothing else to do and wanted to get outside and be in nature. I started to feel a bond forming with this area because I started to see things that few people get the opportunity to witness when they just take a casual stroll through the trails once in a while. I feel bad for people that can’t or don’t want to experience nature and develop a relationship with nature and the wilderness. Through constant observation and noticing differences over the quarter, I really begun to think about how my impact affects this area since it is close to my home. By gaining a compassion for the life that dwells in this watershed preserve and realizing that my lifestyle can have a direct impact on this beautiful area. When one comes to terms that they can really cause issues with a place close to their heart then it makes big changes in their life, the way they live, and the way they view the world.