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Tree Pelt Lichen (Peltigera collina)Observer
abiabiDescription
1-13-22 Peltigera collina - specimen from float @ LSA-1 site
Fotos show rhizines & veins.
Would appreciate it if someone could explain what the gelatinous 'stuff' is on the rhizines or the how/why they appear that way & about the small triangular 'flaps' that seem to protect the area where rhizines emerge from the thallus.
This is a super fascinating lichen. Have learned a LOT about Cyanolichens after digging out info on this one - it but still don't understand its rhizine structure.
Also, it was very hard to get good images because the underside was nearly translucent & 'deep'. Any foto tips also appreciated.
Photos / Sounds
What
Tree Pelt Lichen (Peltigera collina)Observer
abiabiDescription
1-13-2022 Peltigera collina @ LSA. We had a hard freeze in November then several hits of freezing rain & another hard freeze so there is some frost damage to more exposed parts of the thallus. Note the dark apothecia on the right side of specimen - in the more protected area. Collected some Bryo float which had some of the lichen with it and was able to see the underside of the Lichen. See obs dated 1-14-22 for underside of lichen showing rhizine(s) and nearly colorless and shallow veins which were super hard to get fotos of in the field.
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Tree Pelt Lichen (Peltigera collina)Observer
abiabiDescription
10-18-21 Peltigera collina with dark apothecia on right side
Photos / Sounds
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Willow Gall Midges (Genus Rabdophaga)Observer
abiabiDescription
11-2-21 Gall on Salix Shrub @ HC NE Pondlet wetland/riparian area
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Lung Lichens (Genus Lobaria)Observer
abiabiDescription
10-29-21 10-29-21 Lobaria pulmonaria - Humpy Cove watershed at base of Salix shrub near pondlet. Collected this specimen.
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Pacific Razor Clam (Siliqua patula)Observer
abiabiDescription
5-4-21 Siliqua patula - Pacific Razor Clam @ Summer Bay Beach Dune. We don't see many of these large shells (5-7") any more due to an increase in the Sea Otter population. This clam is one of their favored foods. Back in the 1980's we used to harvest these razor clams here on exceptionally low tides when the wind was blowing off shore back. Now there are fewer clams, more otters and the PCP levels are too high to safely eat them (the clams that is).
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Fringed Rocktripe Lichen (Umbilicaria cylindrica)Observer
abiabiDescription
5-31-21 Umbilicaria cylindrica @ SBPass area. Lichen in dry state.
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Placopsis lambiiObserver
abiabiDescription
10-9-21 Placopsis lambii with pink apothecia on cliff overlooking Ugadaga Bay/Beaver Inlet.
Photos / Sounds
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Genus LeccinumObserver
abiabiDescription
10-6-21 Mushroom found up near UGTH & the old CommSta. Is this one of the Boletes? It had pores but my fotos did not show them clearly. Saw fotos of a similar mushroom earlier this season. That one was also flat topped and the sides were 'shaggy'. This one looks like it too was shaggy but has since succumbed to the rain.
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Blue-gray Rosette Lichen (Physcia caesia)Observer
abiabiDescription
3-28-18 Physcia caesia partly overgrown by X. elegans. Living on WWII concrete (Bldg built ca 1942).
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Blue-gray Rosette Lichen (Physcia caesia)Observer
abiabiDescription
3-28-18 Physcia species - probably P. caesia. Growing on WWII Concrete Bldg near X. elegans.
Photos / Sounds
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Elegant Sunburst Lichen (Rusavskia elegans)Observer
abiabiDescription
3-28-18 Orange foliose lichen growing over another lichen (grey) on concrete wall of WWII building above airport (DUT). Second image is part of the underside of the lichen mass which had lifted up from the substrate.
Photos / Sounds
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Elegant Sunburst Lichen (Rusavskia elegans)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-17-13 Lichen located on Concrete Building wall above Airport on the south facing side of Ballyhoo.
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Western Dock (Rumex occidentalis)Observer
abiabiDescription
9-24-21 Rumex occidentalis Mid-autumn colors - valves
Photos / Sounds
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Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)Observer
abiabiDescription
8-30-21 Athyrium filix-femina @ UGTH Saddle North Cirque on East side of Mound. Sori are getting ready to pop. Others of this species facing West are more yellow. The Fern Rivers are starting to show up on the hillsides. It's been fairly warm for Late August - in the 52-70F range. Dry for most of the summer. Early fall rain at night is helping to wash the Siberian wildfire smoke out of the air but it's still uncharacteristically overcast here - for this time of year.
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Family SminthuridaeObserver
abiabiDescription
Globular Springtail found on Spagnum moss along pond side
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Pacific Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina ssp. richardii)Observer
abiabiDescription
8-14-21 Five Harbor Seals snoozing on the reef today.
Photos / Sounds
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White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata)Observer
abiabiDescription
5-15-21 Platanthera dilatata growing in tall Equisetum arvense @ LSA
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Arctic Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus parryii)Observer
abiabiDescription
7-1-21 Particularly irate Ground Squirrel which kept shrilling, barking & whistling @ Strawberry Hill near the eagle nest on the cliff. There were a LOT of eagles all over the nearby hillside so it was on constant high alert.
These Ground Squirrels were introduced to Unalaska in the late 1800 - early 1900's. Intention was to provide food for Foxes during a Fox Fur craze. Research papers indicate that their DNA is that of Nushagak Arctic Ground Squirrels.
However, the foxes cannot possibly keep up to the growing population of these little monsters which have now colonized the entire island and the Eagles basically ignore them.
"Cute" but very destructive to habitat.
What
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)Observer
abiabiDescription
7-1-21 While taking fotos of a particularly irate Ground Squirrel on DEW duty at the burrow, this Bald Eagle flew right behind me. I could hear it coming > the birds sound like a landing Jet when they are in high speed flight or dive mode.
Thinking I might get whacked on the head I spun around, started to duck and as I lifted the camera up to protect my face, I got this foto.
As you can see, the bird was not aiming at me but rather, on another eagle some distance away. Its Red salmon season so perhaps it saw food on the wing... adult Eagles frequently steal food from immature eagles during amazing aerial battles over fish etc.
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Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)Observer
abiabiDescription
7-1-21 Semipalmated Plover chick @ Strawberry Hill - SE side. Two slightly different angles as it zipped thru the grass.
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Genus IrbisiaObserver
abiabiDescription
It has been very wet & cool this spring & a good many of these Bugs were on some Salmonberry & Artemisia tilesii leaves near the beach at LSA.
I collected some to look at more closely & get more fotos of their finer points so they have been chilling in the fridge. However, 37F does NOT slow them down at all! Apparently they like cool weather which may explain why there were so many on the plants.
After searching online, reading everything I could find & looking at iNat postings - my guess is that these are Irbisia sericans - the Black Grass Bug...
or not...
Now I get to learn about BUGS :)
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Yellow Spotted Lady's-Slipper (Cypripedium yatabeanum)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-27-21 one of 4 Cyps growing in this spot. These are the first I've found so far this spring/summer. It's been cool and very wet. Hopefully that will prevent the introduced Ground Squirrels from eating so many of these orchid flowers this year.
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Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-7-21 One of two juvenile Bald Eagles @ Summer Bay Lake Bridge. I've tagged this one as 'Juv #2' > note the darker, larger eye patch that extends from behind the eyes to the ear area than the eye patch of 'Juv #1).
What
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-7-21 Two juvenile Bald Eagles were sitting on the downstream railing of SB Bridge looking for Red Salmon. This one (Juv #1) flew off so I wasn't able to get more fotos of its eyes.
I've been taking fotos of Bald Eagle Eyes & coloration for years now in an effort determine more closely the 'age' of a juvenile. Bald Eagle fledgling eyes are deep chestnut brown & lighten to pale yellow at maturity (4-5 years).
It's easy to tell a fledgling from an adult but years 2 & 3 are almost impossible. The year before maturity many Bald Eagles have a bar of dark feathers across the eye area.
Juvenile #2 (see images 5822 & 5824) has similarly colored eyes this one, but has a darker feather 'eye patch' which extends to about the ear area.
Photos / Sounds
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Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-27-21 Red-throated Loon @ Summer Bay Lake. Bird was initially about 500 feet out in the lake when I first saw it & when I stopped to get a foto it rapidly swam my way.
It stayed very close to the edge of the lake swimming back and forth, lunging and doing shallow dives, picking at it's feathers, algae on the rocks, grasses etc. I got the distinct impression that it was trying to draw attention it's way. I got some video of it behaving this way while making low calls and sounds.
At another point it hauled out onto the rocks on the lakeside and sat there for quite a while.
Interestingly enough... this adult Red-throated Loon arrived at Summer Bay Lake at about the same time as a juvenile Loon initially ID'd by some local birders as an Arctic Loon (and it may be just that but I don't really know enough about how to ID a juvenile loon, so I revised my obs of that one ID to Genus level).
Red-throated Loons breed on the Alaska Peninsula. Sightings here are considered rare.
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Woolly Cranesbill (Geranium erianthum)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-22-21 Haven't seen this white flowered G. erianthum plant in a while. Some years it flowers and some years, not. Maybe all the rain and overcast this spring has triggered something so that it has produced so many flowers this year.
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Western Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-22-21 Still a bit confused about how to ID the sub-species Adiantum aleuticum aleuticum and Adiantum aleuticum subpumilum so calling this just plain A. aleuticum.
Photos / Sounds
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Arctic Loon (Gavia arctica)Observer
abiabiDescription
6-22-21 Juvenile Arctic Loon with what appears to be an injured leg (see it sticking out behind the tail). Bird has been in Summer Bay Lake for at least a week now.