Wetlands Wandering

For about half the year, during our rainy season, our local wetlands are great places for birds and bird-watchers. Starting in May, as the most shallow waters dry up, these same wetlands become a plant-watchers delight. All that very fertile soil supports a bonanza of plant life and flowers. We are fortunate to live within just a few miles of two large-scale wetland preserves. Both of these have several miles of trails for visitor use; and both are in the process of being restored to a more natural state after having been farmed or used for wastewater.

Here are some of the highlights of our recent visits in June and July to the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge in Sherwood and the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve in Hillsboro.

Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). This non-native vine thrives in open, sunny areas. Flowers are about an inch wide and vary in color from all white to pink and white as seen here. Bindweed stays mainly on the ground but can climb up just about anything vertical, so don't stand in place too long.

     

Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum). You can find this plant growing all over the area, near ditches or small creeks. It is highly toxic and closely resembles other members of the wild carrot family such as Water Hemlock and Pacific Water Parsley.

The purple streaks on the stems should mean "do not touch."

Needle-Leaved Navarretia (Navarretia intertexta). Forming huge swaths in drying, open areas, this native has tiny blue flowers the size of sesame seeds. Broadleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), also known as Wapato, grows in ponds or along pond edges. The nickle-sized flowers are bright white and easy to spot.

     

Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis) is one of our favorites and is another plant that seems to enjoy the dried up wetland soil. From a distance it appears like a blue carpet on the ground. Thousands of bees were also enjoying these flowers.

Wild Mint with Navarretia

     

Even in the summer, what would a wetland be without ducks? At the Tualatin River refuge, these nearly full-grown ducklings were still hanging out together. Also spotted some young grebes and a great blue heron. At Jackson Bottom we saw eight great blue herons in a pond, and two adult osprey soaring around. In addition, there are several dozen very busy tree swallows buzzing about the Bobcat trail.

At Jackson Bottom, several Killdeer plover families had made their nests right on the gravel trail. Fortunately staff members placed pylons around these areas to prevent crushing the nearly invisible eggs.

Can you spot all four eggs? (6/19/2016)

It goes without saying, we did find a few undesirable weeds in these refuges, such as the nasty Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) and the sturdy, spiny Fuller's Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum).

     

And last but not least, another couple of favorites, Chicory (Cichorium intybus) seen at Jackson Bottom, and the elusive Nelson's Checker Mallow (Sidalcea nelsoniana), seen at Tualatin River.

Links:

Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge