Journal Entry #2

Sunday, 28 October 2012
afternoon, 4:30 pm
79⁰
very warm, cool breeze, sunshine

See	Hear	Feel/Smell	Biotic/Abiotic
-standing water -revealed roots -MANY insects -spiderwebs, including on trees across the stream -small berries, somewhat purple in color -small bird, likely a robin, hopping around -ripples -area of "pond" looked like it shrank a bit -plastic bottle -moth -twigs -falling leaves -dead leaves -small bird, likely a chickadee -moth stuck on the water -leaves eaten by insects, maybe aphids -lichen -moss -dead trees -living trees -more spiderwebs, some between leaves, over holes in the ground, etc. -small hole for small ground animals -bigger hole for bigger ground animals -leaves in a spiderweb -"seedlings", if you will, growing around the base of a tree	-lizard in dead leaves -the lizard turned out to be a small bird, likely a robin -airplane -dog, probably because there are houses within a mile or so -small bird, kakaa-a-a -small bird, chii-i-irp -woodpecker breaking branches -faintly rustling leaves -squirrel -small bird, maybe a sparrow -brittle twigs -woodpecker #2 -small birds #2, #3, #4, and #5 -woodpecker #3 -small bird, maybe sparrow or robin -crunchy or brittle leaves	-very slight breeze -dry, kind of waxy leaves -wet and kind of slimy leaves in the creek -WET mud -moist mud -dry dirt -nice breeze -cool water -crunchy but not completely brittle leaves -spiky leaves -hard dirt -dusty bark on the tree	Biotic: -revealed roots -MANY insects -small berries -small bird, maybe robin, hopping around -moth -falling leaves -small bird, maybe chickadee -moth stuck on water leaves eaten by insects -lichen -moss -dead trees -living trees -leaves in spiderweb -"seedlings", if you will -lizard in dead leaves -dog -small bird, kakaa-a-a -small bird, chii-i-irp -woodpecker -breaking branches -squirrels -small bird, likely sparrow -brittle twigs -woodpecker #2 -small birds #2, #3, #4, and #5 -woodpecker #3 -small bird, likely sparrow or robin -crunchy leaves -dry, kind of waxy leaves -crunchy but not brittle leaves -spiky leaves Abiotic: -standing water -spiderwebs -ripples -plastic bottle -hole for small ground animals -hole for larger ground animals -airplane -very slight breeze -WET mud -moist mud -dry dirt -nice breeze -cool water -hard dirt -dusty bark

Journal Entry #1

Here is my first observation journal entry.  Because it is my first, it is not going to be my best.  Enjoy!


Sunday, October 14, 2012
Late afternoon, 5:45 pm
about 65⁰F
cool, a little bit of sunlight

See	Hear	Feel	Biotic/Abiotic
-standing water -tree with root growing over a “pond” -ripples -ground littered with dead leaves from the many trees -rocks -pebbles -bee, a bumblebee or a yellowjacket -oak tree with twisted roots, revealed maybe because of erosion -tiny flying insect, seems similar to the mosquito -water insect, looks similar to a spider, on the “pond” -poison oak, not TONS, but some -hole in the bank of the creek, maybe home to a small animal -tree, maybe an olive tree	-sound similar to duck, more like a crow -dog -cricket sound, maybe with a little bit of frog in it, maybe related to a cicada -little birds -maybe a chickadee -bee -bird, similar to a woodpecker sound but not the same as I’ve heard before -movements from birds, the movement of air as they pass -small animals -air or wind -insects, flying or not flying -dropping leaves -geese	-stagnant air, no breeze -rough bark -hard trees -poky or spiky leaves, probably from the oak tree -smooth or slippery rocks -dry ground, dirt, soil -smooth leaves -small bugs or insects, they landed on me while I was observing my study area	Biotic -dead leaves -living leaves -sticks and twigs -branches -trees -roots -insects -birds -bees -geese -dog -bark of a tree Abiotic -plastic bottle -dirt -rocks -trash -water -air

Maps

I couldn't find a good published map of my area from USGS or another organization, so here is a map from Google Earth:


















I outlined my area using red.  It is in the line of dark trees next to the fields.  The trees are more dense there because there is a small creek.

Pictures From My Area

Hello!  So, I took some pictures from around my area and thought it might be interesting to post them on this blog.  Enjoy!

Sorry if any of the pictures are duplicated!  They're pretty anyways :)  Enjoy!

Site Overview

           The area of study examined for this Field Study is near the Ladera Recreation District.  It is at the base of a small hill near Webb Ranch as well.  My study area is on a creek surrounded by many trees.  The trees drop many dead leaves.  Because there is a creek, there are also many insects and arachnids.  The area of 100 meters squared is 20 meters by 5 meters.  The 5 meters goes across the creek and 20 meters along it.

            The creek produces a variety of plant and animals.  There are many valley oak trees, which have darker green leaves.  Other trees have lighter green leaves.  During my first visit, I saw a tree that looked similar to an olive tree, but there that was the only one.  There was definitely a spectrum of green in the leaves of the trees on and around the creek.  Some roots from the trees were revealed, likely de to erosion.  There are little grasses or flowering plants, but I did see some poison oak.  The poison oak, however, is not over everything and is mainly in the trees towards the edge of the creek.  The animals were somewhat scarce in my first visit.  There were many flying and crawling insects and arachnids.  There is a very small pond of standing water where I observed a water insect, but it was difficult to identify it because it was so small.  There are few animals such as a rabbit or a squirrel, but that could change as the year progresses.  There was a hole in the ground at the base of a tree that looked as if it could house a small animal.  The only water in my area of study is a small creek that is not flowing in the fall.  It is mainly standing water with a little shallow pond.  The creek is at the base of a small ravine, but there are more shallow slopes down to the creek I used to access my area.  This creek is at the base of a small hill where the trees are sparse.  At the bottom of the creek and at the edges of the banks and small, shallow pond there are rocks and pebbles.  This area is cool, and the shade contributes to that temperature.  This is a riparian area because it is based on the water source of the creek.

Questions about the ecology of my study area:

1.     How does the flow of the creek change over time, especially through the winter and spring?

2.     How does the shade produced by the trees affect the way other plants grow?

3.     Does the standing water have an effect on the health of the plant and/or animal life in my study area?

Driving Directions From Sequoia High School, Redwood City, California:

1. Head northeast on Brewster Ave toward Broadway

2. Turn right onto El Camino Real

3. Slight right onto Redwood Ave

4. Turn left onto the State Route 84 W ramp

5. Merge onto CA-84 W

6. Take the exit on the left onto I-280 S toward San Jose

7. Take exit 22 toward Portola Valley

8. Merge onto Alpine Rd

9. Turn right onto La Mesa Dr

10. Turn left to stay on La Mesa Dr

11. Turn right onto Andeta Way

NOTE: This is the faster route to take, but there are other ways.  Also, the area is in all the trees you can see near the bottom of the small hill.  Don’t go up the road.  There should be a gate towards the left closer to the house than the barbwire fence.  If you can’t find the gate, there is a big hole in the barbwire fence.  My area of study is close to the end of the little bunch of trees and there is a gentle slope down to the creek where my area begins.  There will be a map provided that will make it more clear where the study area is.