Album of Middle Canyon Field Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford and Laurel Ramseyer from our 19 May 2017 spider collecting trip to "The Cove Recreation Area" along Wanapum Reservoir, south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington. The "cove" was once the confluence of Johnson Creek and Middle Canyon, drowned by the reservoir. Private owners planted a lot of non-native shade trees before the site became public property. Despite taking lots of spiders from the lush riparian habitats, and a record spider density in pine cones, we only managed to record 25 species from the area — including some good ones though. Laurel's account of the day is posted here.
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artificual oasis of "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington, 2015 aerial photo kayaker on "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Our artificial oasis            (Kittitas County, 2015) Kayaker on "The Cove"              © Rod Crawford
ponderosa pine tree in parking lot, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington Hololena agelenid spider from pine cones, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Site's sole Ponderosa pine, in parking lot    © Rod Crawford Juvenile Hololena (probably nedra) from pine cone          © Laurel Ramseyer
welcome sign, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington Hololena funnel web on pine cone, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Welcome to The Cove           © Rod Crawford Pine cone with Hololena web (inhabited)             © Laurel Ramseyer
cheat grass Bromus tectorum and sagebrush Artemisia tridentata, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington tall riparian meadow, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Cheat grass and young sagebrush            © Rod Crawford Tall riparian meadow, productive sweeping            © Rod Crawford
willow next to Johnson Creek, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington Habronattus jumping spider Salticidae swept in meadow, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Willow, possibly even native, by the creek    © Rod Crawford Fenale Habronattus jumping spider        © Rod Crawford
silver maple tree, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington Shady section of park, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Big, non-native silver maple tree              © Rod Crawford Elms and others made an extensive shady area             © Rod Crawford
silver maple Acer saccharinum leaves, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington bald eagle nest, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Silver maple leaves               © Rod Crawford Rear half of the park reserved for eagles              © Rod Crawford
leaves of Siberian elm Ulmus pumila, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington Siberian elm Ulmus pumila, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Elm leaves             © Laurel Ramseyer Siberian elm shade tree (on right)             © Rod Crawford
antlion mounds, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington south side of canyou with rimrock, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Antlions            © Rod Crawford South side of canyon with rimrock               © Rod Crawford
balsamroot Balsamorhiza, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington footbridge across Johnson Creek, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Balsamorhiza had its resident yellow crab spider      © Rod Crawford Footbridge across Johnson Creek                      © Rod Crawford
rattlesnake found under rock, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington rock-turning spider habitat, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Whoa! Did not expect a rattlesnake under a rock      © Rod Crawford But rock-turning did produce spiders & a scorpion             © Rod Crawford
scorpion Paruroctonus boreus under rock from "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus at "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Scorpion was more expected            © Rod Crawford Rabbitbrush was commoner than sagebrush                 © Rod Crawford
Sitticus jumping spider from outhouse, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington riparian zone along the water, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Unusual Sitticus from the outhouse    © Rod Crawford It looks greener (mostly with elms) on the other side        © Laurel Ramseyer
European black pine Pinus nigra on roadside near "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington communal Hololena spider web on ground, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington
Non-native Pinus nigra by roadside       © Laurel Ramseyer Communal Hololena web on ground by the black pine     © Laurel Ramseyer
Wanapum Dam on Columbia River from upstream, "The Cove" south of Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington wind turbines viewed from Interstate 90 between Vantage and Kittitas, Washington on 19 May 2017
Wanapum Dam viewed from upstream       © Rod Crawford A whole row of spinning wind turbines      © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 24 May, 2017