Can you think of a better bench to work on our Spring Nature Study?  Today we are looking at Catkins (Pussywillows) and buds.  Nate said that he remembered there being Catkins near the 34th street entrance to the beach, and yes, the little creek was lined with them. We learned that the branches break easily, then float down stream, getting lodged in the mud, and then taking root.

The catkins also grow on the shore line, but they were smaller, and a bit beat up from the high winter tides, crazy 60-80 mph winds, and several days of snow. But they are really trying to thrive!

Nate worked on his notebooking pages at the beach, then came home to look up the bushes in our Northwest Native Plants book. He thinks that they are Hooker’s Willow.

Jon found a ledge to bring his clipboard to. He really went all out on the notebooking pages today, without leading – he tested the feel, sight, smell, and dissected the buds. He filled up his Notes section and drew some great sketches. We read that little larvae like the ends of the branches, stay there all winter, then grow up to be a tiny delicate fly in the late spring.  We read that they create a Gall home that some might think is a seed. All of these had been either cut or broken off, each branch was severed. I will keep my eyes open!

Studying at the beach. It’s my favorite.

Spring Buds – OHC Challenge!