As you slow down you start to notice the unique and dynamic beautify that one often passes by. I myself try to identify as many plants and animals as I can on the various routes I take traveling in between campus and my house. For this project I wished to observe animals in Laurel Park, an area through which I pass almost daily. I also wanted to observe at a time that I am not usually there. I am rarely awake at sunrise, a habit I am sure is shared by most of the people who live around the university, so this seemed the perfect time to make observations.
Closer examination of this Douglas fir tree reveals what I believe is the larvae of a tree-boring beetle. This tree looks to be in healthy condition, but these beetles usually inhabit only dead or dying trees. This could be a sign that this tree is on its last years.
It is Thursday May 28th. In a vacant Laurel Park, I hear birds singing as I approach the park, seemingly undisturbed by my presence. It is 5:38 in the morning and the temperature is chilly, but surprisingly warm for this time of day, around 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The sky is already bright blue, and it feels like the middle of summer. There is a very slight breeze coming from the northwest and the air smells fresh and clean like a new day. The empty park feels energetic and complete even without the presence of the intended human visitors.
There are many animals presence, detectable both visually and audibly. I am familiar with the crow calls that are the most obvious in this video. They sound like they are making the "rally" call, which is a series of short "caws" and is intended to attract other crows to the area. I am not 100% certain about the other birds that you can hear on the video, though I believe I heard a robin. This is supported by the fact that I saw a bunch of robins when I first arrived at the park, though I was unable to take a good photo because my phone died after taking this video.
Mornings are some of the most common feeding times for many organisms. In hotter seasons/climates, organisms do this to avoid the extreme heat in the middle of the day. Here in the mostly cool climate of the Pacific Northwest, this habit also appears to have a lot to do with food availability being more active and visible during early morning and evening. It could also have to do with human presence being at its lowest point in most locations during the night and early morning.
There are also obvious signs of human presence in the form of litter. This park is located in the dead center of the "North campus" neighborhood that is inhabited mainly by university students. Though the park is generally clean and one feels safe walking around barefoot, cans of alcohol and candy cans be found around the perimeter of the park. This is a can of Steel Reserve malt liquor I found on the North side of the field.
In this moment, sitting alone in the middle of a field at 6:32 in the morning, I feel special for having been the sole witness to the awakening of Laurel Park today. My brain feels like it is a zen state of meditation. I fell calm, well-rested, and connected to the fellow members of my natural environment. I am, and hope to continue to be in the future, a person that is mindful and aware of how my actions play an influential role in the shaping of this unique and dynamic ecosystem on which we depend. This is a wonderful and empowering feeling. I believe deliberately exposing oneself to the nature is necessary if we wish to cultivate our development of a more aware and educated population. This video is merely some cob webs and bug parts stuck to a Douglas fir tree, but by slowing down and studying it you can almost see it dance in the slight breeze.
As my hour of observation comes to a close, I begin to spot people waking up and starting their day. The sky is starting to loose the soft and sleepy glow that is restricted to the indecently early hours of the morning. The birds are still chirping loudly.
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