Poor Planning on the Cataract Trail
I figured doing a loop on the Cataract Trial wouldn't take too long, but I was probably gauging that on doing the same route solo in the past, and I usually just completely lose track of time by myself. Nevertheless, poor planning turned into some pleasant night hiking and crepuscular frog listening.
Target List
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Brittle Bladderfern (Cystopteris fragilis)Observer
kuedaDescription
Not typical, but what else could it be? Growing on a ferny / grassy ledge overlooking a waterfall.
Photos / Sounds
What
Tuckerman's Coral Lichen (Sphaerophorus tuckermanii)Observer
kuedaDescription
can't recall the name of this genus
Photos / Sounds
What
Beaked Spindle Gall Wasp (Heteroecus pacificus)Observer
kuedaDescription
Unisexual generation gall, at totally the wrong time of year.
Photos / Sounds
What
Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta)Observer
kuedaDescription
lots if these flitting about a grassy field with bracken
Photos / Sounds
What
Glossyleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos sensitiva)Observer
kuedaDescription
no noticeable burl
Photos / Sounds
What
Herre's Ragged Lichen (Platismatia herrei)Observer
kuedaDescription
A bit like Evernia but with lots of marginal ... isidia?
Photos / Sounds
What
Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa)Observer
kuedaDescription
dark around the eye but pointed nose and protuberant eyes, so probably torosa.
What
Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris regilla)Observer
kuedaDescription
Small pond with reeds. Near-deafening chorus.
Photos / Sounds
What
Square-legged Camel Cricket (Tropidischia xanthostoma)Observer
kuedaDescription
Probably the biggest and most colorful one I've seen. Card is credit card-sized, so 85.60 × 53.98 mm.
Photos / Sounds
What
Aquatic Garter Snake (Thamnophis atratus)Observer
kuedaDescription
Despite exercising some care, it still got me pretty good. Coloration is pretty atratus-ish, but 8 upper labials. CORRECTION: both elegans and atratus have 8 upper labials (usually). The count is a way to separate them from sirtalis. T. atratus should not have 6 and 7 enlarged, though, as elegans does.
Photos / Sounds
What
Straight-jawed Pedunculate Ground Beetle (Promecognathus crassus)Observer
kuedaDescription
10-15 mm
Comments
Thank you for teaching me a wonderful new word: crepuscular.
Thanks for reminding me to add my sound recording of the frogs!
so no pileateds?
Heard a pileated, didn't record an obs, did add to check list. Still pretty bare boned, so the check list isn't showing whether or not things were observed.
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