Robs Field notes

September 26th Tolt Mcdonald Park, Carnation, King Co, WA

Overcast with showers most the day, late afternoon clearing. Arrived at the park by 10am and there were impressive numbers of Pink Salmon holding in the river just underneath the bridge. Got to know  the new students a bit better today and the whole class did several exercises in small groups and then we did some get to know each other sorts of things. There are several students this year who are musicians. Collected a Scaphinotus beetle and we also found a darner Dragonfly.  After lunch we moved over to the new parking area and did some weeding work in the rain. As some students were digging in the chip pile they uncovered a Townsends Vole nest with tiny pink, hairless babies, whose eyes were not yet open. I estimate they are only a few days old.  We also found several Wooly bear caterpillars curled up in the undergrowth (Pyrrhartica isabella) and also captured and briefly displayed an adult male Townsends Vole. I was surprised we did not see any eagles although I did see a flicker, a downy woodpecker and both Song and Fox sparrows.  The new students went for a walk down to the mouth of the Tolt river where we found a couple of dead salmon and then returned for dinner which was created by several of the returning students.  It was a good first day and Tina Miller, the weeding project supervisor, who does many restoration projects each year, commented that our students work really well and was surprised it was our first day. 

October 4^th  Osprey Park, Sultan, Snohomish Co, WA

Overcast, with a few sun breaks.  Hiked out to the river bar on the Sultan River to watch Salmon today.  Hundreds of fish in the water, squirming, swirling, doing their mating dances.  Counted 16 redds.  Students surveyed 100 meters of shoreline and counted dead fish. Average count was 108 with 65% female.  Counted fish hauled off the shore into the vegetation. Average count was 38. Many had their heads bitten off. Lots of carcasses were covered in maggots of a Caliphoridae fly. Saw adults laying eggs as well. The smell of decaying fish was, …noticeable.  The furthest carcass was 16 meters from the water.  A kingfisher flew up and down the river and there were Glaucus-winged gulls upstream.  At lunch students found a tree frog and a NW salamander.