Bridges And Beavers

Day 120: Going 'round and 'round on the Tahoma Woods boundary trail is rather monotonous, but it is preferable to walking on the road. However, it's possible to change up the route a bit by taking another short path to the river. This trail is maintained by the students and staff of Columbia Crest School for the most part, although occasional anonymous Parkies will help out by clearing away easily moveable storm debris. It is one of a very few access points to the Nisqually along SR 706 and is not widely known. This bridge crosses a small boggy area fairly close to the end of the trail. Frogs can be found here occasionally, and today marked my first sighting of larger wildlife.

I'd gone to the river and was just climbing back up a staircase of roots when I heard something crashing through the brush. I checked up short, and a good thing I did, or an enormous beaver would have run me down. I am tempted to say that it was the largest beaver I've seen, but my estimate of its size might have been affected by proximity. We stood for a few seconds no more than six feet apart, equally surprised and making eye contact. I fumbled for the camera but was not quick enough on the draw. Beaver slid down a six-foot bank and with a few noisy slaps of its broad tail, submerged in a cloudy pool and was lost to sight.

Pacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacris Regilla

Day 158: Often heard but seldom seen, the little Pacific Chorus Frog is the Northwest's version of "spring peeper." A master of camouflage, this frog has the ability to change its markings as well as transform from green to brown, although it may take weeks or months for the alterations to occur. Unlike a chamaeleon, the frog does not change color to match its environment; rather, it changes in response to light as it is reflected by specialized cells in the amphibian's skin.

I was fortunate to stumble across this specimen today (almost literally!) as I was exploring the improved trail to the river at the Park's Tahoma Woods complex. I had checked out the area on my morning walk and found a lichen I wanted to photograph, but as is often the case on my walks, I only had the point-and-shoot camera with me. I came home, ate lunch and took a 15-minute break before heading out the door again, this time with the real camera and the tripod slung over my shoulder under my jacket. I looked a little lumpy, but better that than anyone thinking I was toting a rifle up the road. When I reached the river the second time, I set up for the lichen shot and was moving the tripod to get a different angle when a "leaf" jumped about a foot and landed with a plop. I stood perfectly still and searched with my eyes until I saw the unfoliose sheen of frog skin. Finding the little bugger with the lens was even harder! You can't imagine how thrilled I was to capture Pseudacris on "film" for the first time.