Water Life

March 28

Water Life

March 28 an 29, 2017

Water, water, water … is what normally makes up Springtime, an a big part of bringing everything to life. Things were sure springing to life at Cottonwood Pond by late March, especially in the water.

From above the area, I could get an overall, clear picture of how the area had been changing. One very distinguishing aspect was the obvious heavier flow of water from the Swampy Spot to Cottonwood Pond. In the above photo, to the right of Cottonwood Pond, you can see two dark trails carved through the light brown leaf layer, from the right (Swampy Spot) to the left. The upper trail heads toward the Trunk, going under it to “little pond.” The lower one heads down from the Swampy Spot and then curves left until it goes through the Inlet to the main pond.

Here is a closer view:

March 28

You can see the very watery Swampy Spot n the right, then the upper and lower flow trails to Cottonwood Pond. There seems to be more greenery developing along these flows.

When the Swampy Spot first developed there were not discernible flow trails from it, except during periods of excessive rains. But, in spring of 2017 I had been struck by how deep and obvious the flow trails had become. And, so, I speculated:

• I predicted that Temporary Creek #1 (which runs into the Swampy Spot) would become a true Creek, running ever more heavily into the Swampy Spot, which would expand and deepen. The Swampy Spot might become a good study spot itself!
• I predicted that those two flow trails from the Swampy Spot would become much more prominent and dependable, to be deeper, more regular sources of water for Cottonwood Pond.
• I predicted that distribution of plant life would change along those flow trails in type and number, and so would animal life.
• This, along with the stronger flow, would create significant changes in the amount and diversity of life in Cottonwood Pond.

March 29 - The Swampy Spot (middle) with two flow paths exiting it (below) - how much farther will it push the ball toward Cottonwood Pond?

March 29 - The flow path that heads toward the Trunk and "little pond" from the Swampy Spot

And, that was going to be very much fun to observe, study and document.

March 29 -  Fresh Crawdad chimney next to the Swampy Spot

On March 29, I took a closer look at Cottonwood Pond, focusing mainly on life in the water. I took water, mud and submerged leaf samples to bring indoors and study more closely under scopes later. I have always wondered how to categorize this place. Since one possible option was “vernal pool,” I was looking for any species that would define it as such, a main one being Fairy Shrimp.

Heading down the front slope, I encountered bunches and swathes of blooming spring ephemerals, an elegant mushroom, and a prettily colored Garter Snake.

Water in the main pond was fairly clear, as the fine sediment had settled onto the leafy layer below. The increasingly large Mud Piles were nestled against the Cottonwood's Root Ball Bottom. They had become greener as some plants had grown larger and more had sprouted.

Notice the clumps of moss on the Very Rotten Log (lower right), full of sporophytes

I noticed a new development on the larges Mud Pile (formerly Mud Pile #1) – two tall, fresh Crawdad chimneys made of pebbly blobs of Mud Pile mud.

I had not seen Crawdad chimneys on top of the Mud Piles before.

From the long view, I could see where the tunnels ended at the base of the Mud Pile, just above the water, providing easier access to potential Crawdad dinners.

This also looked to me, though, as if this location would make the Crawdads more easily accessible as dinner for Raccoons.

Those blobs of green algae I had recently seen in the water seemed to have grown, an I thought it looked like there were more of them. I took some samples for the scopes.

Wriggling around in the water above the algae blooms were some mosquito larvae.

Above spots of unobstructed leaf layer I was able to clearly see many more, hanging downward from the surface from where they were siphoning oxygen through breathing tubes.

Below water, brushes on their mouths were filtering in anything minute enough for the larvae to eat. Frequently, a body would curl up and release in a wiggly dance back to the surface. Very soon, surviving larvae would become pupae or “tumblers,” on their way to winged adulthood. The larvae are food for many other organisms, but we always hope that not too many of them make it to adulthood.

I was hoping to find some frog egg masses in the water, since I had been hearing so many Chorus Frogs calling. I did find two gelatinous masses attached to a twig in the shallow. It was possible they were full of frog eggs, but even my loupe magnifier did not convince me.

A closer look revealed a few white blobs. What were these?

Another mystery at Cottonwood Pond. I hoped to find these masses again the next time I could check for them, and that their identities would be revealed. I also had always hoped to find salamander eggs in Cottonwood Pond, though I had not yet encountered a salamander there.

Some leaves on the pond bottom had distinct trails through the sediment that almost resembled the tangle of the canopy above the area.

What made these?

Notice the white blob on the end of the leaf petiole (lower right), sticking out of the water - it may be some type of egg mass.

A closer look revealed what I had suspected – pond snails scraping algae and decayed material from the leaf surface.

I did not get to see any of the elusive Chorus Frogs. But, this critter showed up, as still as a statue, always with an eye on me:

Green Frog

When I shared this closeup photo on Facebook, a friend noted that the frog's eye was reflecting the woodland behind me. I think that a good title for a children's book might by “The World in a Frog's Eye.”

Look at the little bubble near its mouth (okay, Frog, we now know you are not an inanimate object - you are breathing!) Below the frog is a pond snail on a leaf.

Near the frog's left toes there seems to be a worm-like creature on the leaf. Now, a snail has moved to a leaf petiole on the far left.

Things were really picking up at Cottonwood Pond, and I hoped that I would discover more exciting finds in my samples under the scopes.

In the meantime, I would be keeping an eye on everything, and I knew that wildlife would be keeping an eye on me, too.

Bonus photos

Spicebush in bloom next to the Creek, just downstream from the Cottonwood Pond area: