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The area that I observed was Edgewater Bar, located in Derby Reach Regional Park in Langley, BC (10 N 527496 5450356). The site includes walking trails, a dog park, picnic tables, and fishing along the Fraser River. I arrived at the site at 12:50 pm on Sunday, April 25th. The weather was overcast with slight rain, and the temperature was 11°C. The study area was approximately 400m2 and consisted of grassland, forest, and the bank of the Fraser River.
Among the grasses were dandelions randomly distributed throughout the landscape, with blackberry bushes and trees in the background on a slight hill surrounding the park’s perimeter. I noted that the dandelions seemed to have established more abundantly on the flat meadow than the surrounding hills. I wondered how the slope might affect the establishment of the dandelions.
As I made my way along the trail, I observed cherry blossoms in bloom with white flowers amongst other trees, including Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis), Grand Fir (Abies grandis), Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata), and Lawson’s Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana). I spotted two American Robins (Turdus migratorius) foraging for earthworms on the grass, then retreating onto a tree branch once they gobbled up their meal. The Robins did not appear to be phased as people walked by with their dogs. As dogs frequent the area, I wondered how dog barking might affect the courtship behaviour of the robins.
As I travelled northward, I entered the picnic area. The area consisted of grasses and flowering plants, including Creeping Buttercups (Ranunculus repens), Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris), Greater Plantain (Plantago major), and Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata). Other trees present in the area included Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum), Red-berried Elders (Sambucus racemose), and a Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) with a Hoof Fungus (Fomes fomentarius) growing on it. I wondered if tree clearing for the picnic area might contribute to the succession of invasive plant species.
As I approached the Fraser River, I could see filter fabric topped with gravel which capped the natural clay ground of the river bank. There was a fisherman upstream to the right who had just caught a small fish and dogs splashing downstream to the left. Looking back up from the river, I could see grasses growing amongst Western Sword Ferns (Polystichum munitum) and Creeping Snowberries (Symphoricarpos mollis). Throughout the observations, I could hear sounds of birds chirping, dogs barking, and people talking.
Link to images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q2c8m_LmNkOEtyvapqD9d15cPJy7CUMl?usp=sharing
Sounds like a nice study area and lots of options. Remember to include your field journal. Good luck narrowing down to one question!
Thank you Robyn! My field journal is now accessible on google drive.