Nature Journal Entry #1: A Botanical Excursion to Edworthy Park and the Surrounding Area
Where: Edworthy Park, Bow River Pathway, and Douglas-Fir Trail
When: August 3rd 2024 (Late Morning to Early Afternoon)
Highlight: Police-car moths and their floral partners!
Late Saturday morning, my friend Alexis and I went down on a botanical excursion to identify and learn about local plants at a nearby park. Due to the heat warning, we decided upon Edworthy Park and the surrounding area, because trees provide great shade! We started by investigating the riparian woodland along the Bow River. There was a shrub with white berries and red branches, which using a Plants of Alberta field guide, we identified to be a Red-osier dogwood. There was some wild blue flax and Saskatoon berry bushes nearby. Another plant we seen along the river was a very light blue wildflower. Though we had the field guide with us, we originally identified it as a showy aster, but upon looking at iNaturalist back home, I believe it to be a smooth blue aster. Along a dirt path heading west of Edworthy Park, we stopped for some pita, tomatoes, cheese, and hummus. After crossing the Canadian Pacific Railway, we walked along the busy Bow River Pathway and seen creatures like black squirrels and a noisy osprey, but most notable was a particularly spectacular pair: fireweed and a police-car moth. Police-car moths are native pollinators in this region and they are doing a fantastic job today with all sorts of wildflowers. It was utterly fascinating to use the hand lens and watch them work.
Eventually we got to the Douglas-Fir trail and started our ascent. I was certainly winded by the time we got to more stable footing (maybe that's a hint). We found conifer tree trunks covered in lichen and moss, common yarrow, and black-capped chickadees, but alas, no Douglas Fir trees that we could identify amongst the assortment of coniferous trees. Part of the trail was closed due to safety, so they might have been along that section. Skittering down another descending trail, we got back on the paved pathway and continued giving attention to the verdant life around us. There was more police-car moths to see, but with a different floral partner this time: the vibrant goldenrod. Alongside the moths were bumble bees too. On the way back, we also seen more black squirrels rustling in the shrubs, prairie roses, and some red baneberry. After our botanical excursion, we went to a Vietnamese restaurant for a late lunch!
