Working Days

This was my view on the second day of work as we ate lunch (South Sister Mountain). Definitely not a desk job.

Right near the end of our work for the day I spotted this Oregon Red-Spotted Garter Snake beneath a log. These snakes are really cool to look at, and are completely harmless (at least to humans).

Here is Dr. Lookingbill trying to get some satellite communication with our GPS unit with little luck under the dense upper canopy.

Only fifteen minutes later we come back and find the snake in the same place...but with a Pacific Giant Salamander in it's mouth!

The salamander was much wider than the snake, and must have weighed at least half as much as the snake, but the snake was determined to get his meal. As you can see above, the snake's jaw can unhinge allowing it to stretch its mouth to obscene sizes.

The salamander initially gave a little fight and at one point was biting the snake. However, it wasn't long until it was clear the salamander was doomed, the question now was how the snake thought it was going to consume this monstrous meal.

Well, it just went ahead and swallowed it. Inch by inch the salamander disappeared over about 15-20 minutes.

I figured now that the snake had committed it was the best time to pick it up as it wouldn't put up much of a fight.

I wanted some too!

Only the tail remains...

Once the last bit of the salamander disappeared into the snake's mouth it immediately started flickering its tongue as if it was still hungry. Above you can clearly see where the salamander is still one big piece inside the snake's body.

Wildflower #25: On the long drive back down from the plot we came across these prickly bushes with these pretty flowers. Turns out, it is a salmonberry bush and will eventually produce raspberry-like berries which are supposedly rather tasty. I am definitely going to be revisiting this location to grab some fresh fruit if the deer don't beat me to it.

This is the plot we worked on during our fourth day of work (today). One of the higher elevation plots (~2,000m) this plot looked like a tree graveyard and even the live trees looked ghostly in the cloudy atmosphere. It was also incredibly cold even though it was 70 degrees back at the camp. We had to park about a mile from the entrance to the site (another half mile trek through almost completely untouched forest to actually reach the plot), and during our walk along the mossy logging road we counted 11 piles of cougar scat. No cougar sightings though.

Every once in a while there is a large stand of alder trees which, although impossible to walk through due to their density, are shorter than the old-growth trees and allow for pleasant views across the HJ Andrews watershed.

The majestic rock behemoth rising above the valley in these two photos is Lookout Mountain.

Found this guy hopping around near where we parked the car. Beautiful vibrant coloration.

Dr. Lookingbill and I stumbled upon one of two emergency cabins located in the region. These cabins feature three matresses, an awesome old-fashioned wood burning stove, plenty of pre-cut wood, matches and an axe. This simple getaway is exactly the kind of structure I dream of owning someday on some land here in the Northwest.