Blog Posts

Ice, Ice, Baby!

3/4/2021

Any of my fellow math and science geeks out there? You'll love this one! Here are some fun facts about icicles.

1. In order to grow, an icicle must have a constant layer of water flowing over it.
2. The thin film of water freezes on the way down. As the water freezes, it releases heat which is transferred to the surrounding cold air, and that forms a slightly warmer layer of air that rises alongside the icicle.
3. As the warmer air rises up from the tip to the top of the icicle, it removes more heat from the outer liquid layer along the way, causing the water to freeze and the icicle to grow thicker as it grows longer.
4. The tip of an icicle grows up to 20 times faster than the sides.
5. While it is growing, there is a liquid-filled tube in the tip of the icicle.
6. The rippled surfaces on icicles are rather consistent in nature; the distance between each wavy ripple is about a centimeter, and this is true regardless of temperature and flow rate.
7. Scientists believe the ripples are caused by impurities in the water.
8. The same mathematical formulas that describe the shape of stalactites in caves also describe the shape and formation of icicles, even though the physical processes that form icicles are very different from those that result in stalactites. You can see the calculations here: https://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/.../gold/pdfs/stalactite_prl.pdf
and expanded upon here: https://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/.../pdfs/stalactite_long.pdf
9. Scientists created the "Icicle Atlas" which is accessible online to fellow researchers and to the public. The Atlas contains over 230,000 images, hundreds of time lapse movies of icicle formation, and 3D printable files.
10. The record for the world's longest icicle is in dispute, but there are claims of icicles up to 45-feet long.

And yes, I'm obviously a geek and I am very proud of it!
STEM rocks!
(STEM = science, technology, engineering, math)

Western vs Eastern Gray Squirrel

2/28/2021

A rare sighting of the Western Gray Squirrel! The Western Gray is the largest native tree squirrel in the Pacific Northwest, but this once-widespread species has been declining rapidly in both numbers and in range.

I posted a photo of an Eastern Gray Squirrel below so you can see the differences. The Eastern and Western Gray Squirrels look very similar, but the Eastern has a cinnamon wash to its fur while the Western is a true gray and white.

The Eastern is also smaller than the Western, and it is frequently spotted at backyard bird feeders, in parks with few trees, and even in urban environments. In contrast, the Western Gray tries to avoid urban and suburban landscapes, and it prefers undeveloped, old-growth, native forests without the presence of people, pets, motorized vehicles, and fragmentation (caused by roads, logging, and power lines).

The Eastern Gray was intentionally introduced to the west in the early 1900's and it is often blamed for its part in the decline of the Western Gray Squirrel. However, most of the blame for the Western Gray's decline falls squarely on humans, not only for intentionally transporting the Eastern Gray (and other nonnative species) into other areas and states, but also for continuing to develop the Western Gray's territory for our own use, thereby making it difficult for the species to survive.

To help the Western Gray and all declining species, first learn about the flora, fauna, and habitats in your area and what they need to survive, then act accordingly, and most importantly, take the time to teach other people how to properly respect and care for the natural world.

Fire Falls!

2/24/2021

During a few days a year when the sun is at the right angle, the orange glow of sunset lights up Horsetail Fall in Yosemite so that it appears to be on fire. These photos show the progression in reverse order, going back in time from dark to just before sunset so you can track the movement of the sun.

Hopefully this photo series will adequately show you the way in which the fire effect occurs. The mountains only allow a sliver of sunlight to shine through, and at a certain time of year, those limited beams illuminate the falls but not the rock face. As the sun sets and turns from yellow to orange to crimson, the falls are lit in that same hue and appear to be on fire.

It was an incredible experience that I will never forget, and I am thrilled to be able to share that experience with you, even if only in photos.

Burl Wood

2/20/2021

Nature's daylight, woodland version of Van Gogh's "Starry Night". I encountered this burl wood during a recent hike. Burl wood is gorgeous, but what is it and what causes it?

A burl is a knobby-looking growth on a tree. It usually forms when the tree is under stress from an injury, virus, bacteria, fungus, or insects. The stress disrupts a portion of the vascular cambium and it divides rapidly and irregularly like a tumor, causing the wood inside the growth to form a gnarled pattern.

Burls range in size from very small to multiple feet in diameter, and there are different kinds. Live or tree burls are usually small and are found on the sides of the tree. Crown burls form at the base of a tree. Stump burls are usually the largest and are found in the root system.

Because each piece of burl wood is uniquely beautiful, it is prized by artisans. The burl colors usually grow deeper with age, and the largest, most colorful burls are often 30-years old or more.

Sssssssnakes!

2/7/2021

Friday afternoon (February 5) I was overjoyed to be able to teach a miniature, impromptu class about snakes. It's been a long time since I've been able to teach an in-person group about the natural world, and I've missed it.

I was taking a relaxing hike after work and I came across these two Red-spotted Garters and one Northwestern Garter, all within a three-foot radius. Some children in the area saw me photographing them and wanted to learn more about them. I was thrilled by the children's enthusiasm and I was delighted by their insightful questions. I was especially impressed with one mom who admitted to being afraid of snakes, but she didn't want her children to grow up with the same irrational fear. "We fear what we do not understand."

As you can see, these snakes (and most snakes in the U.S.) pose no real threat to humans. At no point did these snakes attempt to strike me; I did not make them feel threatened or defensive. Snakes should be respected, but there is no rational reason to fear or hate a garter snake. They're one of the best things you can have in your garden. It's why these are often called "gardener snakes".

When I post about the beneficial nature of snakes and their importance in the food web, inevitably there are those who feel the need to post a comment expressing fear or hate, often with some anecdote, usually involving a dog or a venomous snake. The snakes in this post are garter snakes. Unless you are an insect, these garter snakes pose no real danger to you, particularly if you (and your dog) learn how to behave around them. Heck, a cute little furry puss caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis) can inflict more pain than a garter snake if you don't respect them!

I would encourage everyone to be more like the mom I met on Friday. Since we do fear what we do not understand, help teach the next generation to be knowledgeable and respectful, not fearful and hateful, whether it's toward snakes or toward each other.

The red Robin is bob-bob-bobbin' along!

2/5/2021

A Robin! Spring is here! OK, that's a lie. Put your parka back on.

Although many people believe that seeing an American Robin is one of the signs of spring, that's not technically true. Chances are good that your robins never left. You just didn't notice them.

We're accustomed to seeing robins "bob, bob, bobbing along" on the ground, pulling worms from the lawn all summer long. Plus, during the warmer months they usually appear as individuals rather than as a dense flock.

In winter, however, their behavior is quite different. If you want to see robins, rather than looking for individual birds on the ground, you'll have to look for a flock of birds in the trees, especially fruiting trees.

So in terms of predicting the arrival of spring, spotting an American Robin is about as accurate as declaring a ROUS to be an expert meteorologist. No, I take that back. Punxsutawney Phil is wise and all-knowing. Trust the pampered rodent.

The elegant Pintail

1/31/2021

Shhh! I'm hunting ducks (with my camera, not with a gun).

I love Northern Pintails! I love their rich coloring, their elegant style, and the way water sticks to their bills and heads like a shiny, acrylic coating. With their slender build and migrating speed of about 50 mph, some people call them the "greyhounds of the air". The name Pintail comes from the drake's (male's) central tail feathers. The feathers are quite long, constituting about a fourth of the drake's body length.

Take a look at the photo with the two females swimming side-by-side. The one with the yellow bill is a female Mallard. The one with the dark bill is a female Pintail. Note the subtle but distinct differences.

From coast to coast, and everywhere in-between

1/28/2021

Oh, how I loved living on the East Coast! Don't get me wrong - I do love the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest just as much, but I love each region in a different way and for different reasons.

While living in Virginia, I loved birding in the Outer Banks, getting up-close and personal with bears and venomous snakes near Dismal Swamp (yes, you read that correctly), taking in the views at Shenandoah, and of course having the pleasure and honor of working for NASA Langley.

The Atlantic beaches are loaded with colorful shells, delightful crabs, miles of smooth sand, and scores of shorebirds playing keepaway with the waves. The nearby mountains are older, more weathered, and therefore smoother than those of the west, so the sweeping mountain views are more peaceful and gentle, rather than rugged and exhilarating. The roasted peanuts are to die for, the farm stands dotting the roadways have a delicious array of produce, they had the best Scottish store I've ever found, and there are a wealth of historical sites all around.

Every state and every region has countless unique treasures. This photo reminds me of all of the treasures I found along the eastern seaboard, and so many fond memories are rushing back to me.

Clark's at Crater Lake

1/24/2021

If I give you a list of things to remember, how many things on that list will you be able to recall 3 months from now? 10? 30? 100? 500? Pfft! Step aside, amateur. The Clark's Nutcracker has you beat. This bird stashes thousands of seeds per year, and studies have shown that the birds can remember the locations of almost every seed. Some birds have been observed burying over 30,000 seeds over a range of almost 2 miles, and they have been able to recall almost all of the locations 9 months later.

So maybe you can't compete with the Clark's in a memory test, but how about a physical test? I'll make this easy for you. How many pine nuts can you carry underneath your tongue at one time? 10? 20? 50? Bzzt! Sorry, you lose again! The Clark's can carry up to 90 pine seeds in a special pouch behind its tongue. Yes, I know pine nuts are bigger than pine seeds, but your mouth is much bigger than the bird's mouth!

Today just wasn't your day, but losing to a Clark's is nothing to be ashamed of. This bird is a superhero; it has an entire species depending on it! The whitebark pine is almost entirely dependent on the Clark's for dispersing its seeds, and the bird is able to do this because of its beak. When Captain William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame, and after whom the bird is named) first described the bird, he assumed it was a woodpecker because of its long, sharp beak. However, that beak is specifically designed for picking out the seeds of pines, and its mouth is specially designed as a carrying case for the cache of seeds. This superstar Sunday Squee is a real life Lorax saving the trees one mouthful at a time.

Have a Sunday that's fit for a superstar, everyone!

Canadian? Canada? Cackling?

1/17/2021

Let's combine a pop quiz and the Sunday Squee. I hope you folks studied. Ready?
Is this bird
A) Canada Goose
B) Canadian Goose
C) Cackling Goose
D) Waterproof Chicken

The answer is C: Cackling Goose. If you said D, I'll accept that answer because why not? B is kind of wrong; the goose you typically see is called a "Canada" not "Canadian" Goose. Yes, I know "Canadian" may seem like a better adjective to use, but the geese don't care about grammar so just roll with it.

A Canada Goose and a Cackling Goose look almost identical, so much so that they were all under the Canada Goose family not so long ago. In 2004 the Cackling Goose was split from the Canada Goose and is listed as its own species now.

So how can you tell the difference? The first is size. The Cackling is about 25" long; the Canada is about 30"-40" long. Now, since most of us don't carry a yard stick when we hike, and none of us really want to wrangle a goose just to measure it, there are other ways to tell the difference between a Cackling and Canada.

The Cackling has a cuter face than the Canada. What? That description isn't objective enough for you? Sheesh! You're difficult. OK, how's this? The Cackling's head is more round, rather than elongated. It has a steeper forehead and a smaller bill so the head looks more tucked in and round. The neck is also shorter.

Still too hard to tell the difference? Here's an easy way to tell: the Canada honks, while the Cackling cackles with a high-pitched squeak or yip. So if you really want to know for sure what type of goose you're looking at, engage it in a conversation. 😆

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