As I was approaching my sit spot, I noticed something moving by the creek. At first, I thought it was a deer and I was super excited. Unfortunately, it was not a deer. A branch decided to lay across the creek and without my glasses on I was tricked into thinking there was a deer. The movement I saw was two squirrels chasing after each other. I was hopeful to see something I wasn’t expecting like I did last week with the red fox, but it did not happen. The picture below shows the “deer” I saw.
I decided to come to my sit spot at a different time of the day to see what the difference was in activity. I wasn’t surprised to find it to be quieter and having less commotion in the morning than the afternoon. Sounds of the running water and squirrels climbing the trees was all I could hear. The leaves that had been covering the creek had sunk to the bottom and the creek was flowing normally again. The serenity of the area was appreciated as I tried to regain my focus after the disappointment of mistaking a branch for a deer. Since using inaturalist to figure out the names of some of the species, I have found that I look at the organisms the same. I do have a greater appreciation for the organisms.
The three subjects of my observations have made some interesting changes. The dead log has moved closer to creek and is hanging of the side. The insects around the log are still there making their homes. As I have thought about this log, I have wondered how many organisms are using the log for their benefit. There is a wide range of possibilities. Two examples are the insects using the log for a home and fungi breaking down the dead organic material. The rock itself has not changed since I started observing it but the area around the rock has. The water level has risen so the leaves around the rock are now gone. The sediment around the rock has remained the same. The lovely bush is starting to feel the effects of the changing of seasons. The leaves are still the vibrant green that attracted me to the bush. The fruit is however starting to fall off and the bush is losing the bright red color with it. The before, pictured on the left, and after, pictured on the right, shots of the dead log are below.
The 1-meter square that I observed was within the creek. The top third of the square was the East side of the creek and had leaves that had sunk to the bottom. The leaves on the surface of the water were spread out throughout the square. These leaves were from at least 3 different plants. They were all different colors. Every so often one leaf when float away. Within the leaves was a branch with one end being y shaped. The middle section had what looked like a spider web on the surface. It had leaves stuck to it, but it never moved with the water. I could not see any animal within the web. I have never seen anything like it before. The bottom third of the square was the North side bank of the creek. It was covered with fallen leaves, weeds, and grass. There were some roots hanging out of the bank too.
Every time I come back to my sit spot, I learn something new about the area. The relationships that the organisms have with one another continue to educate me. I can’t wait to see what next time had to offer.
Aw that sucks that you almost had a deer siting that turned out to be a log! I will give the log credit since it does look like a deer! That’s cool that you will get to watch the log’s decomposition process!
Hi, Sadie! Omg, I totally understand the struggle of misinterpreting things without your glasses on. I do stuff like that ALL the time!! Great job on your blog post, it looks great! I love your writing style! 🙂
Ah yes the deer that turns in to a stick and the bear that turns into the bush….but hope springs eternal and the stick and bush have merit in their own way. I enjoyed your reflections on the value of the log to other organisms in the community – nice post Sadie.