Tyler Starr
7 September 2008 from 1337 to 1358
Location: Minto Brown Island Park, Salem, Oregon, along the Willamette River and in a field.
Weather: Approximately 85 ̊ F. 15-20 mph winds. Very sunny, no clouds in the sky. The midday sun is very strong, and there is a large temperature difference in and out of the shade.
General: I started off sitting by the Willamette River. Hundreds of small snails litter the rocks in the shallows. I found one larger one as well. I also found a banana slug in the shade near the water. It was olive green with black spots, approximately 5 inches long (see picture). It was moving about 5 inches per minute. When we were walking on the path to the field, an osprey flew directly over our head, about 30 feet above us. I looked over the river at that point, and saw three turkey vultures riding the thermals, never flapping their wings. 3 or 4 swallows were darting above the water in search of insects. When I got to the big, wide open field, I saw about 10 of some sort of falcon-type birds off in the distance. It was difficult to get close enough to identify, but I believe they were red-tailed hawks. The field was flat, with tall trees along the border, where the birds were flying. Overall, there were not as many birds and animals as I would have thought there would have been. If I were to return in the morning or evening, when it is cooler, I would probably see even more wildlife.
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