Though I couldn't remember if there was some snag with sending links to the
list, another Tweeter requested to try sending the links that I have for all
of the organisms mentioned to the list. Below I forward my edited response
to him with links. Skip right to the links below if you just want to see
the pictures. If the links get cut you can hit "reply" or "forward" to edit
them and put your cursor at the beginning of the second half of the link and
hit "backspace".

Stewart

-----Original Message-----

The links below are from my links files with descriptions I wrote up for the
plant and butterfly spp.. I haven't checked if all links still work
I don't have a bird link file yet, but I expect you already have pictures of
Hutton's Vireos and Rufous Hummingbirds in a book or 3. I don't have a link
for Mahonia aquifolium (Tall Oregon Grape) in my file because more people
know what it looks like than most of our plants and I never added one to my
"master link file"

While on the subject of Tall Oregon Grape - Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium:
Keep an eye out (not literally) for what I have dubbed the "Tail-light Fly"
A relatively large Dipterid with coarse, moderately sparse hairs and 2
yellow spots at the rear of the abdomen. It has some other yellow markings
also, possibly yellow spots on the shoulders too. It likes to nectar on
Mahonia aquifolium - Tall Oregon-grape starting in warm February days on the
first Mahonia blooms. I would be interested in images of this Dipterid, and
for you entymologists / dipterologists, what family it is in (Muscidae??)
and possibly it's scientific name if anyone was to figure it out or know.
(I first took note of this fly and gave it that name a year or 2 ago in
February in front of Seward Park nature center - now a new Audubon center).

-Stewart

:
Nymphalis californica - California Tortoiseshell::
http://adamschneider.net/photos/2006-04-cc/image/20060412-112606.jpg
Dorsal, ventral, late instar larva - larger file:
http://www.mariposasmexicanas.com/nymphalis_californica.htm
(larval) host plants are Ceanothus spp.:

We have no records for California Tortoiseshell larvae in western Washington
(the adults apparently mostly migrate in from east of the Mts), so keep an
eye out for their caterpillars on any Ceanothus west of the cascades and
give me a report if you see any here.

Our 2 western WA native Ceanothus spp:

Ceanothus sanguineus - Redstem Ceanothus - Rhamnaceae - Buckthorn Family:
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/cesan1.htm
http://www.cwnp.org/photopgs/cdoc/cesanguineus.html The plant in this
picture has diffuse branching due to growing in shade. West of the cascades
it is usually in full sun and likely would be bushier. Now quite rare in
the greater Seattle area, it grows on rocky spots in the region. The
Indians dried the bark and made a poultice from it to heal burns. This
species is both a nectar source and a larval food for some butterfly
species, including the large and striking Pale Swallowtail,
http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoi
dea/papilionidae/papilioninae/papilio/eurymedon-2x.jpg - also almost gone
from the greater Seattle area. The plant is also quite attractive to humans
and is related to lilacs and has similar clusters of flowers, but they are
white. Redstem Ceanothus is a nitrogen fixer and the downside is that the
rare plants that do well in low nutrient, rocky and sandy soils may start to
have more competition and could be pushed out more quickly.

Ceanothus velutinus - Snowbrush (aka Mountain Balm/Sticky Laurel)
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/cvelutinous.htm (ignore the
italian pronounciation.)
http://www.cwnp.org/photopgs/cdoc/cevelutinus.html Our (western Washington)
form of this species can grow to about 18? and is an important larval food
for certain butterflies (including the Pale Swallowtail) and a good nectar
source too. It is rare in the metropolitan Seattle area. It does well in
rocky sites, sometimes rooting between the cracks. Also a nitrogen fixer.
Seeds germinate best after fire.
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/cevelu5.htm

Cardamine nutallii (C. pulcherrima) Beautiful Bittercress/ Slender
Toothwort - Brassicaceae - Mustard Family.
http://www.pbase.com/rodg/image/58253420
http://www.turnerphotographics.com/nature/flowers/flowers2004/040323OregonCo
ast/0400993_std.jpg A host plant for the following butterfly:
Pieris marginalis - Margined White (a.k.a. Veined White, Mustard White) -
Pieridae - White Family:
http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoi
dea/pieridae/pierinae/pieris/marginalis-1fux.jpg
http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoi
dea/pieridae/pierinae/pieris/marginalis-1fu.jpg
This photo may be of a butterfly that technically may be different from
ours, but looks like our spring brood Margined White. It is perched on an
appropriate host mustard (Cardamine pratensis - alien):
http://www.gartendatenbank.de/tiere/pieris/img/001.jpg

-----Original Message-----On Behalf Of Stewart
Wechsler
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 2:28 PM
To: tweeters
Subject: [Tweeters] butterfly early flight report - my first of the
year+birds and blooms

Spring is springing!

(For you birders who only want to hear about birds skip to next paragraph
and stop there.)

(Butterfliers excuse extra details for the birders.)

Though we have had a number of warmer (over 55 degrees F) sunny days in the
last week when my butter-fly-ometer hit the "fly mark", it was today at 1:35
pm PST I finally have my first butterfly flight report for the year:

Species: California Tortoiseshell - Nymphalis californica (prefered larval
host plant - Ceanothus sp.) Tribe / Family: Nymphalinid tribe of Nympahlids
- Nymphalinae of Nymphalidae (you could think of them as the Winter-flying
Dead Leaf-wings (camoflaged as dead leaves with scalloped edges when wings
closed)
Site: Seattle's Orchard St Ravine pocket park in West Seattle
Latitude: 47.5 degrees North
Altitude: about 350 feet

Also heard there:
"Dzweep!" call of Hutton's Vireo

Other Phenology notes:
yesterday first bloom:
Beautiful Bittercress / Slender Toothwort - Cardamine pulcherimma / C.
nutallii
(host and possibly nectar plant for Margined White butterfly - Pieris
marginalis / (Mustard White - P. napi) at Camp Long -West Seattle - planted
stock First bloom open of Tall Oregon Grape - Mahonia aquifolium / Berberis
aq/ - among our better early nectar plants for butterflies and flies in
better drained sunnier sites in Western WA, also for E WA Ponderosa Pine to
Douglas Fir and riparian zones.

First Rubus spectabilis - Salmonberry bloom for year about 4 days ago in an
extra warm microhabitat by west side of a stone building (Camp Long lodge).
The first Rufous Hummingbird might be following soon!

I'd send links to photos of these species on request. (I can't remember if
links are rejected by Tweeters listserve.)

I look forward to hearing other reports, especially for firsts for year and
area.

Thank you!

-Stewart

Stewart Wechsler
Ecological Consulting
West Seattle
206 932-7225
ecostewart at quidnunc.net

-Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants and how to enhance
habitat for the maximum diversity of plants and animals -Educational
programs, nature walks and field trips -Botanical Surveys