Album of Square Lake Field Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford and Laurel Ramseyer from our 25 February 2016 spider collecting trip to the north end of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington. We reached the lake (outside Square Lake State Park) via a short trail, probably part of the developer mitigation for adjacent "McCormick Woods" housing development, but not as well maintained as nearby Big Pond Trail. Beautiful weather quickly dried last night's brief sprinkle everywhere the sun shone. The lake shore habitats were reasonably rich in spiders, Laurel was happy as a clam with an abundance of pine cones, and we ended the day with 32 spider species. And don't miss Laurel's blog entry here!
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2012 aerial photo of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington Laurel Ramseyer at north trailhead for Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Square Lake in its winter shape     (Kitsap County, 2012) Laurel ready to set off down the trail          © Rod Crawford
White pine tree Pinus monticola in forest, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington fallen cone from white pine Pinus monticola under fern, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Tall white pine, welcome sight to…     © Laurel Ramseyer White pine cone under licorice fern              © Laurel Ramseyer
linyphiidae microspider Frederickus coylei male from pine cone, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington Linyphiidae microspider Wubana pacifica female from pine cone, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Frederickus coylei male with "tusks"      © Rod Crawford Wubana pacifica female, also from pine cones           © Laurel Ramseyer
Neobisiidae pseudoscorpion from pine cone, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington lake shore marsh in morning, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Neobisiid pseudoscprion, abundant in cones       © Laurel Ramseyer Lake shore marsh in the morning         © Rod Crawford
shrub litter with no spiders, shore of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington shrub litter with good spiders, shore of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Sparse shrub litter produced no spiders     © Rod Crawford Litter on sunny side of inlet much better                   © Rod Crawford
madrona tree Arbutus menziesii on shore of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington state park on opposite side of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Madrona on lake shore contributed to litter  © Rod Crawford State park far across the lake               © Rod Crawford
isolated Sphagnum hummock in shore marsh, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington sifting unproductive Sphagnum moss, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Solitary Sphagnum hummock in marsh     © Rod Crawford Sifting the Sphagnum added no adult spiders           © Rod Crawford
Laurel Ramseyer in lake shore marsh, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington north shore of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Laurel ventures into the marsh          © Rod Crawford Sylvan lake shore scene          © Laurel Ramseyer
hemlock and pine foliage at marsh edge, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington north end of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
One reachable bit of conifer foliage    © Laurel Ramseyer Inlet at north end of the lake              © Rod Crawford
invasive holly tree on shore of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington male microspider Linyphiidae Walckenaeria cornuella from shore of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Invasive holly on lake shore          © Rod Crawford Walckenaeria cornuella from lake shore litter             © Rod Crawford
shoots of early-spring sedge, shore marsh of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington north shore marsh of Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Pre-Spring shoots of fresh sedge        © Rod Crawford North shore marsh, a decent spider habitat                    © Laurel Ramseyer
pool blocks circum-lake trail, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington trail becoming overgrown with salal, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Unexpected pool blocks trail        © Rod Crawford Beyond pool, trail harder to follow              © Rod Crawford
Laurel Ramseyer's coat hangs on a tree, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington forest reflection in Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Coat tree           © Laurel Ramseyer Forest reflects in lake water               © Laurel Ramseyer
juvenile cybaeid spider Cybaeota shastae from moss, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington alder swamp at head of an inlet, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Cybaeota sifted from moss        © Rod Crawford I found this nice alder swamp at head of a long inlet       © Laurel Ramseyer
loose bark of dead alder, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington lush green sedge in alder swamp, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Loose bark on dead alder          © Laurel Ramseyer Lush green sedge in the alder swamp             © Rod Crawford
crotch of mossy alder tree in swamp, Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington mostly-hemlock forest canopy, trail to Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington
Alder crotch with litter & moss habitats    © Rod Crawford Forest canopy along the trail                    © Laurel Ramseyer
jogger at dusk by north trailhead to Square Lake, Kitsap County, Washington sunset from Port Orchard exit on Hwy. 3, Kitsap County, Washington on 25 February 2016
Jogger passes trailhead at dusk        © Rod Crawford Sun sets as we head for home             © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 28 February, 2016