Album of Norpoint Park Field Trip

Selected photos (by Rod Crawford) from an afternoon visit on 12 June 2009 to the semi-natural fringes of new Norpoint Park in northwest Pierce County, Washington, to supplement 3 old spider records from nearby Tacoma. Several areas were closed to me by impenetrable walls of invasive blackberry, but I managed to find enough habitats to sample 22 spider species, including some interesting records. The most productive habitat I could reach was a tall-grass field behind the newly contructed skate park. Judging from the park master plan (see this page) this field is due to be destroyed in favor of a "constructed wetland" (which, from what I saw of the topography, probably won't hold water).
READ TRIP NARRATIVE PHOTO ALBUM INDEX MAIN JOURNAL INDEX
aerial photo (2002) of Norpoint Park area, Pierce County, Washington alder woodland above Norpoint
Aerial photo showing habitats visited (USGS, 2002) Alder woodland atop bank above busy Norpoint Way       © Rod Crawford
red alder Alnus rubra foliage, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington Goldenpea Thermopsis rhombifolia on roadside bank, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington
Alder foliage          © Rod Crawford Goldenpea (a poisonous weed) had Misumena vatia on flowers    © Rod Crawford
madrona among the alders, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington wall of invasive blackberry, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington
A few madronas among the alder  © Rod Crawford Nassssssty invasive plants: blackberry and broom      © Rod Crawford
tall grass in field, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington grassy field surrounded by blackberry, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington
I swept 9 spider species from tall grass    © Rod Crawford Grassy field was best habitat sampled         © Rod Crawford
salal Gaultheria shallon in shade, forest understory, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington salal Gaultheria shallon in sun, forest edge, Norpoint Park, Pierce County, Washington
Forest understory: salal in shade         © Rod Crawford Salal in sun at forest edge had different spiders          © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 16 June, 2009