Flora of Ulleungdo: 2012

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Birds and plants and things

Acer scan

another Acer scan

American Crow (proud of this one)

Bryophyte scan

Eared Grebe

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pine Siskin

print of leaves

Collagraph of a crinoid

Ranunculaceae leaf scan

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

And another thing...

I had the oddest dream the other night that I was on Ulleungdo, but when I woke up I realized that the island in question was actually Dokdo.

and I was trying to drive a car on the island...suffice it to say I was not succeeding

Revised Itinerary

June 13: Seoul

June 14: Donghae

June 15 – July 26: Ulleung-do

July 26-29: Daegu

July 29: Mokpo

July 30 – August 12: Jeju-do

August 12-23: S. islands (MokpoàShinanàJindoàWandoàYeosuàGwanyangàNamhaeàGeoje)

August 22: Busan

August 23-26: Jirisan National Park

August 26-30: Byeonsanbando National Park

September 1-5: Taeanhaean National Park

September 5: Daejeon

September 6: Gangneung

September 7-9: Odaesan National Park

September 9: Sokcho

September 9-13: Seoraksan National Park

September 13-19: Seoul – Bukhansan National Park

Well now I'm spending 6 weeks on Ulleung-do (that tiny little island in the East Sea next to the tinier island in the East Sea called Dokdo) studying plants.

Then, after staying a few days in Daegu, I'll bus/ship down to Jeju for 2 weeks - all the endemic plants!

Then it's the southern island/coast area (I still get to see Kirengeshoma koreana!) with a couple days' stay in Yeosu at a hotel located within Dadohaehaesang National Park.

Then I'll be winding my way up through Jirisan, Byeonsanbando, and Taeanhaean National Parks, after which I will visit Odaesan and Seoraksan.

I will end my trip with a week in Seoul, but of course I will not be simply sight-seeing, oh no. Bukhansan will be my sixth and final National Park, albeit it will be located almost in the middle of the capital city...

Saturday, December 1, 2012

A random assortment of photographs and illustrations

A few shroomy gems found on the trails near the organic farm at Evergreen

Goodyera oblongifolia
an orchid whose leaves are more striking than the actual flowers

Calypte anna
this is the male who guards our neighbor's feeder

Brewer's Blackbird
iridescent green body and purplish head with a striking eye

Pectoral Sandpiper at the Evergreen beach

Eared Grebe

Common Loon

Downy Woodpecker

Illustration of an American Dipper seen along the Nisqually River at Yelm Creek

Left: Aconitum
Right: Gentiana

Hooded Merganser at Nisqually NWR

Impatiens capensis

Sitta canadensis

Aconitum spp

Delphinium spp

One of my favorite illustrations: Xysticus spp

Thursday, November 22, 2012

What are birds? We just don't know...

A crow looking skeptically upon my offering of part of a Clif bar

A pigeon of an interesting color variation in Seattle

A heron with a small prize

Adorable little House Finch on Nisqually NWR

It had a friend

Shrike! Impales its food on twigs

A Red-tailed Hawk posing on a snag

An American Coot

Pine Siskin...isn't it cute?!

A sleeping Great Horned Owl

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Itinerary for South Korea

June 13: Seoul

June 14: Donghae

June 15-30: Ulleung-do

June 30: Pohang

July 1-3: Juwangsan National Park

July 3: Mokpo

July 4-18: Jeju-do

July 18-29: Southern islands (Shinan, Gwanyang, Geoje, Namhae, Wando, Mokpo, Yeosu)

July 29-31: Wolchulsan National Park

July 31- August 4: Jirisan National Park

August 4-6: Naejangsan National Park

August 6: Buan

August 7-10: Byeonsanbando National Park

August 10: Daegu

August 11-12: Gayasan National Park

August 12: Geochang

August 13-15: Deogyusan National Park

August 15-20: Taeanhaean National Park

August 20: Daejeon

August 21-29: Woraksan, Sobaeksan and Chiaksan National Parks, Hambaek-san

August 29: Gangneung

August 30 – September 3: Odaesan National Park

September 3: Sokcho

September 4-9: Seoraksan National Park

September 10: Chuncheon

September 11-12: Myeongji-san

September 12-13: Cheonma-san

September 13-20: Seoul (and Bukhansan)

I will be doing two weeks on Ulleung-do focusing on surveying endangered/endemic plants and maybe coming up with my own research project (Rambo ecology!).

Then I will be shipping down to Jeju (the Hawaii of Korea) to look at all their endemic and exotic species for two weeks. My first day there (July 4) I will be booking it up to the peak of Halla-san so I can spend my first 4th of July away from the US on the top of the highest peak in Korea - talk about celebrating freedom!

After Jeju, I will be exploring the southern isles (notably Shinan is home to several endangered Korean species, and Gwanyang is the only place in the world one can find the enigmatic Kirengeshoma koreana). I'll be spending a few nights in Yeosu on the southern coast. I have to admit I've fallen completely in love with that little town (even though I've never been there!). From everything I've seen and studied about it, it just seems the perfect place to live.

I will continue touring South Korea by way of National Parks and small rural towns and eventually make my way to Taeanhaean National Park which has a world class arboretum with a few thousand species of plants.

Then I shall enter into the world of the mountains, going to Chiaksan, Odaesan, and Seoraksan - famous mountains in NE South Korea.

From Seoraksan, I will make my way to Seoul (with a few pit stops in mountain parks) where I will stay for about a week and maybe for the first time do some slightly touristy activities.

Not bad, not bad at all.

The one and only Kirengeshoma koreana endemic to Baekun-san in Jeollanam

Well I suppose at this point this blog is not strictly about plants in South Korea, however it is my process of learning plants for my trip next summer. For now, it will be about being in the field and preparations for my trip.