Forest Park BioBlitz

I loved these beautiful scrub jay eggs they had on display
when we signed in.

Naturalist Laura Guderyahn was leading a herpetology team at the Forest Park BioBlitz, and kindly invited us to join the fun.  The BioBlitz was a massive effort to survey the wildlife of Forest Park in a 24 hour period, including night surveys.  This was the first, and organizers are hopeful that it will be an annual event. Wildlife experts such as Ms. Guderyahn were recruited to lead 40 separate teams, and 140 volunteers joined in to help.  I think everyone else on our small team was an actual herp expert except us!  Jasper was the only child among the volunteers for the first group of teams. We were told it would be a terrestrial amphibian and reptile survey, taking place at three locations within the park.  Since it was a fine day, I expected our footwear should be appropriate for hiking, and left our boots at home.  Instead, we were assigned to do an amphibian stream survey!  Luckily, it was in Balch Creek in MacLeay Park, right next to the headquarters where teams assembled, so the water was quite shallow, and we didn't have to drive anywhere else.  A camera crew from Oregon Public Broadcasting's  "Oregon Field Guide" show followed us around, so we are hopeful that they will show some of our findings on their program.  Data from the survey has been posted here: http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=57579  Our team found an equal number of Dunn's salamanders, redback salamanders, and giant Pacific salamanders, and three ensatinas.  They could be found in different habitat within the area of the creek.  I believe Dunn's salamanders and redback salamanders were all found under rocks, in moist areas near, but not in the creek.  The ensatinas are completely terrestrial, not needing water to breed (although they actually do not have lungs!), and were found high up the banks of the stream in wooded areas, under leaves and logs.  The giant Pacific salamanders were all found in the stream itself.  While many do morph into a terrestrial adult form, the ones we found were all larvae, sheltering near or under rocks within the creek.  The one exception was the monster that explains their common name.  It was found in the creek, and had odd nodes on the side of its head which may or may not have been residual gills.  The experts on our team theorized that it was more than old enough to be past its larval stage, and may have actually been morphing back into an aquatic form.  Its back was scarred with souvenirs from many a fierce battle with others of its kind, perhaps defending a small territory.  It was a real show stopper!  They are the earth's largest terrestrial salamanders.  I can't say it was cute, but it certainly was fascinating!  This was one of the best things Jasper and I have done together.  I really hope we will have the chance to do it again.

A pair of juvenile Dunn's.

A teeny weeny ensatina.

I looked under a rock hoping to find a salamander, and
was surprised to find these mollusk eggs instead.

Jasper was really proud to find a nest of newly hatched baby redback salamanders, all together under a rock.

The first giant Pacific salamander larvae gets some attention.  Brandon, who found the beastie,
stands beside Ms. Guderyahn.

The first giant Pacific salamander.

A tiny Dunn's salamander.

Another tiny Dunn's.

A juvenile giant Pacific.

A juvenile giant Pacific is released, while the film cameras roll.

A tiny Dunn's, where it was found in the mud.

Jasper found two giant Pacific larvae in a row.  He was very excited!

The film crew captured his moment of stardom.

One of Jasper's giant Pacific finds.

Jasper was thrilled to find crawdads in the creek.

A handsome pair of Dunn's.

Another giant Pacific.

The monster!  An adult giant Pacific salamander.

Yet another giant Pacific larvae.

Here's the adult giant Pacific salamander being released.  A face only its mother could love?

This is a black lampyrid beetle in the firefly family (but it doesn't glow).  Jasper thought it a very handsome fellow!

No visit to Macleay Park is complete without climbing this log!