Diario de jefry_green37

Time and Date: 19/09/20
Duration: 45 Minutes (65 including travel time)
Location: Laurel Creek Conservation Area, Waterloo, ON
Weather: Warm, around 20 Degrees Celsius, almost no clouds, slight breeze
Habitat: Shoreline, Brush,

Species ID'd:
-Common loon (Gavia immer)
-White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
-Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
-Maple Tree (Acer)
-Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
-White Spruce (Picea glauca)
-Canadian Geese (Branta canadensis)

Travelled over to the Beechwood Area for my Friday Afternoon Tennis game. After which, I took my bike over to the Laurel Creek Conservation Area. The temperature was quite moderate, with the warm sun countering the cool breeze coming off of the lake. I passed a small shoreline grove, where I noticed a flock of about a dozen loons, which i identified as the common loon (Gavia immer), as the other loons in the area include the red-throated and pacific loon, neither of which showcased characteristics that separated them from the common loon. I continued to travel around the conservation areas' perimeter trail, where I proceeded to enter more densely forested area. There was a healthy mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, some of which I was able to identify as a spruce, cedars and firs. Most trees were still green, with hints of yellow indicating the impending annual colour change as Fall approaches.

After getting all the around the perimeter trail, I entered the enclosed section of the conservation area, containing the sandy beachfront, with notable aquatic plant life such as algae, being visible from the shoreline.

It was interesting to make the connection to an earlier study in ENVS 200, where we had taken water samples on the Laurel Creek section that runs through UW campus. Our results indicated high levels on nitrogen, particularly in sections that were upstream and closer to Columbia Lake. When I entered the beachfront area on my field expedition, it was critical that I watch my step as, what I assumed were goose droppings. In our 200 study, we theorized that there were increased nitrogen levels due to the goose population, so it was interesting to see that be confirmed.

There were only geese (Branta canadensis) swimming out in the lake, most likely preparing to fly south.