Selected photos from the spider collecting field trip to Heron Park, Mill Creek, Snohomish County, Washington on 15 May 2006. Photos by Rod Crawford. As little as 20 years ago the present city of Mill Creek was at least 50% open country. Now, tiny Heron Park (6 or 7 houses wide) is surrounded by miles of houses with an occasional golf course. Some effort is being made to restore habitat, but just go out of sight of the trail and you're into invasive blackberry. Ivy from residential yards to the north is invading and swallowing trees. A pond, still 3/4 open 4 years ago, is now a bed of purple loosestrife. It's a wonder there are still some native spiders!

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Remnant of a large area, Heron Park by 2002 was surrounded by miles of houses (USGS)	The flat area, formerly open water, is now a bed of purple loosestrife (not blooming yet in this spring photo)              © Rod Crawford
Riparian forest around pond       © Rod Crawford	A lilttle open water remains at the far end     © Rod Crawford
Invading ivy swallows trees      © Rod Crawford	Blackberry thicket between trail & pond       © Rod Crawford
Western red cedar trunk       © Rod Crawford	Another cedar grows from living "nurse log"   © Rod Crawford
Douglas-fir trunk       © Rod Crawford	Edge of willow swamp   © Rod Crawford

This page last updated 17 October, 2006