Album of North Fork Nooksack River Field Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford and Laurel Ramseyer from our 23 October 2018 spider collecting trip to an unusual site on the North Fork Nooksack River, Whatcom County, Washington. About a mile east of Maple Falls, the site occupies the land within an oxbow of the river and contains a patchwork of grassy fields and rich mixed forest with few invasive plants. Centrally located is a large field with a large tree in the middle, just right for some strange Halloween rite, reached by a grassy, unmarked winding track. No buildings, people or any indication of ownership. And plenty of spider habitats, some good, some only fair. Between this site and some buildings in town, we got a very nice 42 species.
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2015 aerial photo of Maple Falls area, Whatcom County, Washington morning fog on the road from Interstate 5 to Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Our Maple Falls area sites in red         (USDA, 2015) Morning fog along the road                   © Laurel Ramseyer
fall colors on the road from Interstate 5 to Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington roadside riparian forest, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Fog soon cleared, showing fall color    © Rod Crawford Roadside big trunk near our site              © Laurel Ramseyer
2015 aerial view of site, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington dirt track through site, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Closeup view of site            (USDA, 2015) Grassy track through site                       © Rod Crawford
moss on maple trunk, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington woolly bear larva Pyrrharctia isabella, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Moss on maple trunk - with spiders   © Laurel Ramseyer Pyrrharctia isabella                    © Laurel Ramseyer
Laurel Ramseyer sifting moss on car, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington moss on maple limbs, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Laurel sifting her first moss batch         © Rod Crawford Lots of moss on tree limbs                 © Rod Crawford
crab spider Ozyptila pacifica female, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington crab spider Ozyptila pacifica female, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Female Ozyptila pacifica from moss   © Laurel Ramseyer Male Ozyptila pacifica from moss              © Laurel Ramseyer
leaf litter, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington leaf-paved dirt road, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Leaf litter                 © Laurel Ramseyer Leaf-paved track, perfect spot for sifting            © Rod Crawford
edge of grassy field/meadow, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington grassy field/meadow, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Edge of grassy field/meadow      © Rod Crawford Meadow suitable for dancing around tree              © Rod Crawford
Rod Crawford sweeping grass, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington grassy field/meadow, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Rod sweeping grass               © Laurel Ramseyer Meadow section with wetter soil                   © Rod Crawford
dead mole, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington homemade obstacle course in field, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Dead Mole in the Middle o' the Field   © Rod Crawford Obstacle course in lowest field                    © Laurel Ramseyer
Theridion varians spider female from Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington female spider Castianeira longipalpa with egg sac, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Theridion varians, red variant           © Rod Crawford Castianeira longipalpa with egg sac under board        © Laurel Ramseyer
sitka spruce foliage, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington lumber pile in lower meadow, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Sitka spruce foliage           © Rod Crawford Lumber pile in lower meadow (Castianeira habitat)        © Rod Crawford
western hemlock foliage, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington fall color, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Western hemlock foliage         © Rod Crawford Fall color at meadow edge              © Rod Crawford
path from lowest field to river, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Path from lowest field to river     © Laurel Ramseyer North Fork Nooksack, in person!                        © Laurel Ramseyer
deer or elk hoofprint, bank of Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington autumn mayfly, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Giant hoofprints in sand bar       © Laurel Ramseyer Late season mayfly                  © Laurel Ramseyer
forest understory, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington sword fern in forest understory, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Understory with salmonberry            © Rod Crawford Understory with sword fern                  © Rod Crawford
mossy trunk of bigleaf maple, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington fall color, Nooksack River 1 mile E of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Mossy trunk of bigleaf maple        © Rod Crawford More fall color                    © Rod Crawford
Frosty Inn (closed), with bee bracket, Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington main street of Maple Falls, Whatcom County, Washington
Closed Frosty Inn produced spiders; note bee bracket
© Rod Crawford		 In the hustle and bustle of downtown Maple Falls        © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 15 January, 2019