Friday, August 29, 2008
Observation #5
Today I was observing the aspen tree and was happy to say that leave are starting to grow on it. The willows are also starting to grow. I think this will be good, because the aspen tree and willows are all primary producers or autotrophs. This means that the heterotrophs in my area will have more food. An example of a heterotroph is a moose or squirrel, essentially any herbivores. Then after the moose eats the plant any other carnivore can eat the moose, which will hopefully help the entire environment and ecosystem. Today I also saw two squirrels playing in the high branches of a pine tree. I also finally saw robins, and although I did not see their nest I think they have already a laid their eggs.
Aspen Report
The Quaking Aspen, or is a member of the Willow Family. The Quaking Aspen got its name because its leaves move in even the slightest breeze. The Aspen tree can range from 66 to 82 feet in height and average 7 to 12 inches in diameter. It is the most common tree in all of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. The Aspen tree grows on a variety of soils, the best soils for it being derived from igneous rock. It requires certain kinds of nutrients including calcium, magnesium, potassium and nitrogen. For reproduction, the Aspen Tree grows 10 cm long fruits which are made up of a string of little capsules. Each of the capsules contain 10 seeds surrounded in a cotton like fluff to aid in the dispersal of the seeds. The young Aspens often fall prey to grazing cattle and other heriborus animals. This grazing kept the young trees from being able to mature and this resulted in a dieback, or massive death of many trees. The Aspen tree usually resides in forested areas, but I have seen them nearly everywhere. During the fall, the leaves of the Aspen Tree turn into colors of bright yellow and red. The leaves eventually fall off for the winter. Caterpillars often use the Aspen leaves as sources for food and a place to make a cacoon and turn into a butterfly. Bird use the dead trees to build houses for themselves.
Observation #4
Grass has sprouted up even farther than before. There was a very wet snow on the ground from last night. There was a small group of deer that looked disapionted that is was so cold because just two days ago it was 80 degrees out. They were feeding on grass that was abundant every where. There is little competition between the deer for food unlike in the winter time. The hummingbirds are now out because their survival needs are being met now that the sugar water is in the bird feeder. The larger hummingbirds sit on the feeder and keep all of the other hummingbirds from eating. The leaves are now almost completely out of there buds and have their full green color. My mom also found some morel mushrooms. These mushrooms only grow in an area where succesion has occured, and that is why they they are so rare and valuble
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Observation #3
Moose
Each spring a few moose like to hang out in our neighborhood. The moose do not live in herds, the largest amount of moose that I have ever seen together is four moose. This year a moose and her calf spent a lot of time in and around my neighborhood. They spent several weeks in different yards, one of them charged my step dad, and the calf raced my mom on the road while driving. They look very friendly, however moose are one of the most dangerous animals in my back yard. They will not bother you if you do not bother them. Moose are very strong, fast, and protective of their calf’s. They will charge you if they feel the slightest bit of threat from you. They love to eat willow trees and bushes and graze on the tall grasses in our back yard. The moose population has decreased significantly since the reintroduction of the Canadian wolves to Yellowstone since the late 1980’s. Wolf packs target calf’s and the weak and kill and feed off of them. The moose have very unique joints in their legs that allow them to walk easily through deep snow. They like to live near water, and do not seem to be bothered by the large herds of elk that share the same habitat as the moose live in. Moose do not like dogs, they will charge the dogs if they are provoked. There are a lot of animals to see in Jackson and my backyard, but the moose are the most interesting.
Each spring a few moose like to hang out in our neighborhood. The moose do not live in herds, the largest amount of moose that I have ever seen together is four moose. This year a moose and her calf spent a lot of time in and around my neighborhood. They spent several weeks in different yards, one of them charged my step dad, and the calf raced my mom on the road while driving. They look very friendly, however moose are one of the most dangerous animals in my back yard. They will not bother you if you do not bother them. Moose are very strong, fast, and protective of their calf’s. They will charge you if they feel the slightest bit of threat from you. They love to eat willow trees and bushes and graze on the tall grasses in our back yard. The moose population has decreased significantly since the reintroduction of the Canadian wolves to Yellowstone since the late 1980’s. Wolf packs target calf’s and the weak and kill and feed off of them. The moose have very unique joints in their legs that allow them to walk easily through deep snow. They like to live near water, and do not seem to be bothered by the large herds of elk that share the same habitat as the moose live in. Moose do not like dogs, they will charge the dogs if they are provoked. There are a lot of animals to see in Jackson and my backyard, but the moose are the most interesting.
Elk report
The Elk
The elk herds migrate each fall from Yellowstone National Park to the Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole. Along the way they like to take a break and graze through our neighborhood. In the fall they lay with groups in the meadows and I can hear them bugling all night long, my step dad bugles back. The elk travel in big herds, usually twenty or more. They bugle during mating season, you can hear them fighting as the males crash their horns into each other when this occurs. In the spring as soon as the weather starts to get nice, most of the elk herd, migrate off of the elk refuge and hurry back to Yellowstone. The older and much wiser elk realize that spring teases us, and takes its time getting to Jackson Hole. These elk bed down in our yard for several days. They graze on the grasses, and I can watch their velvety antlers grow bigger day after day. As spring sets in, I also notice that the elk have enjoyed feasting on all of the new landscaping that we planted the year before. The willow bushes have been munched to the roots, the bark has been stripped from the trees, and the grass has been fertilized in spots from their scat. It seems like as fast as they have came, the heard has moved on, and we will not see the heard again until fall comes around. It’s fun to them jump over the fences to our yard.
The elk herds migrate each fall from Yellowstone National Park to the Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole. Along the way they like to take a break and graze through our neighborhood. In the fall they lay with groups in the meadows and I can hear them bugling all night long, my step dad bugles back. The elk travel in big herds, usually twenty or more. They bugle during mating season, you can hear them fighting as the males crash their horns into each other when this occurs. In the spring as soon as the weather starts to get nice, most of the elk herd, migrate off of the elk refuge and hurry back to Yellowstone. The older and much wiser elk realize that spring teases us, and takes its time getting to Jackson Hole. These elk bed down in our yard for several days. They graze on the grasses, and I can watch their velvety antlers grow bigger day after day. As spring sets in, I also notice that the elk have enjoyed feasting on all of the new landscaping that we planted the year before. The willow bushes have been munched to the roots, the bark has been stripped from the trees, and the grass has been fertilized in spots from their scat. It seems like as fast as they have came, the heard has moved on, and we will not see the heard again until fall comes around. It’s fun to them jump over the fences to our yard.
Observation #2
Sneaky Snake
Sneaky Snake is the name of the most feared gardener snake in our back yard. I named him sneaky snake after a song my Grandpa used to sing, “Sneaky Snake goes dancing, a wigglin’ and a hissin. Lord I know that sneaky snake is on me!” In the spring when the snow has melted away from the house, and the sun is beating against the foundation, we can usually find Sneaky Snake and his family bathing them selves in the warm sun. Sneaky snake and his family have made their home under our porch near the sprinkler system valves. Sneaky snake is the longest and fattest of the snake family. Sneaky Snake measures about two feet long, and his mid section, is about the same size as a quarter. I think he likes the valve box for the sprinkler system because it is cool and moist. I have never seen him during meal time, however I think he likes to eat small bugs and insects. In early summer, the seasonal ditches around our yard fill with water, and sneaky snake and his family slither through the tall grass in our yard and to the water for a change of scenery. Our yard can be a dangerous place for sneaky snake. One of our dogs tries to play with him and his family. Sneaky Snake always slithers away. We can always count on seeing him and his five family members between May and October. For the past three years Sneaky Snake has claimed my yard for his own.
Sneaky Snake is the name of the most feared gardener snake in our back yard. I named him sneaky snake after a song my Grandpa used to sing, “Sneaky Snake goes dancing, a wigglin’ and a hissin. Lord I know that sneaky snake is on me!” In the spring when the snow has melted away from the house, and the sun is beating against the foundation, we can usually find Sneaky Snake and his family bathing them selves in the warm sun. Sneaky snake and his family have made their home under our porch near the sprinkler system valves. Sneaky snake is the longest and fattest of the snake family. Sneaky Snake measures about two feet long, and his mid section, is about the same size as a quarter. I think he likes the valve box for the sprinkler system because it is cool and moist. I have never seen him during meal time, however I think he likes to eat small bugs and insects. In early summer, the seasonal ditches around our yard fill with water, and sneaky snake and his family slither through the tall grass in our yard and to the water for a change of scenery. Our yard can be a dangerous place for sneaky snake. One of our dogs tries to play with him and his family. Sneaky Snake always slithers away. We can always count on seeing him and his five family members between May and October. For the past three years Sneaky Snake has claimed my yard for his own.
Observation #1
These 3 observations you said would count since i messed up on them
Vicente Fox!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vicente is a gray and red fox who lives in our neighborhood. We named him Vicente Fox after the former president of Mexico. He is about 18 inches tall. He weighs around 30 pounds, he has very long hair and a bushy tail. He has a very sneaky personality. He sneeks through the tall sage brush in our back yard, listening to the ground below. When all of a sudden he leaps about four feet into the air, and goes head first into the snow. Up he comes with a tasty mouse. He is a great hunter, we rarely see him miss his prey. Sometimes Vicente is relaxing under a bush, sometimes we see him wandering around our yard in search of my Chihuahua. Vicente does not seem to be bothered by all of the other animals who live in and around our neighborhood. Sometimes Vicente’s concentration is interrupted by our barking dogs, but he seems to be careless of other wildlife. We have seen him hunt among the horses, and he keeps his distance from the Elk who live in our yard also. Vicente is often seen in our yard, appearing in search of food. We see him more in the winter, because his coat doesn’t blend with the bright white snow as it does with the darker sagebrush. We see him mostly in the early mornings and evenings, we aren’t sure if that’s when he is doing most of his hunting, or because he doesn’t think that we are home watching him.
Vicente Fox!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vicente is a gray and red fox who lives in our neighborhood. We named him Vicente Fox after the former president of Mexico. He is about 18 inches tall. He weighs around 30 pounds, he has very long hair and a bushy tail. He has a very sneaky personality. He sneeks through the tall sage brush in our back yard, listening to the ground below. When all of a sudden he leaps about four feet into the air, and goes head first into the snow. Up he comes with a tasty mouse. He is a great hunter, we rarely see him miss his prey. Sometimes Vicente is relaxing under a bush, sometimes we see him wandering around our yard in search of my Chihuahua. Vicente does not seem to be bothered by all of the other animals who live in and around our neighborhood. Sometimes Vicente’s concentration is interrupted by our barking dogs, but he seems to be careless of other wildlife. We have seen him hunt among the horses, and he keeps his distance from the Elk who live in our yard also. Vicente is often seen in our yard, appearing in search of food. We see him more in the winter, because his coat doesn’t blend with the bright white snow as it does with the darker sagebrush. We see him mostly in the early mornings and evenings, we aren’t sure if that’s when he is doing most of his hunting, or because he doesn’t think that we are home watching him.
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