Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

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PNWHerper
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Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by PNWHerper »

A long time of trying to find some giants have finally paid off! :thumb: On and off for the past 3 years or so I have tried to find some transformed adults in the Pacific Northwest. At first, I think I was just to ignorant of where to look to really have much of a chance. Then, although I was in the right general areas but had a combination of bad timing, limited field time and bad luck.

I admit that I felt pretty frustrated with my failures, but now I think I broke my streak. I ended up going 3 times to the Columbia River Gorge to search for them. The first I had to leave early, but TravisK found one. I was not there for that and did not get a chance to record tracks from that individual. The second time, I found one transformed adult but literally could not find any appropriate tracking substrate. This last time, which was yesterday, I scored majorly. I ended up finding 8 transformed adults, 1 of which escaped before I could voucher it or record tracks from it. I also brought some substrate with me, so as to record the tracks.

All this for the Herp Tracking Book project, which is now in its last final months. I am now very tight on money, time and general resources to continue to seek more data points (and species) for this project. So data collection has pretty much come to an end now...

It seems appropriate to end on a species that for so long has eluded me.

Special thanks for folks who gave me specific help on how and where to find them. Your secrets are still safe with me.

Here are photos to show some of the highlights of the experience of finding these giants.

The first one I found was very photogenic.

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As I poked around looking for others, I came across this red-legged frog.

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On that trip I found a neotenic individual who was close to 11" long and with a head as wide as my wrist!

It escaped before photos could be taken. :P


Then on this final trip, I found many more giants. Many larva in the creek, and then some transformed adults which were my real targets. Here are some of those.

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Generally I don't like photos like this, but I wanted to show all 7 together (minus the one that dove into a underwater rockpile). They are all pretty similar sizes, between 6-7" long.

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I only detained them for a short time to get some tracks, then they were released in the same spots (down to the same series of rocks) where they were located.

Here are some post release photos, happily back in the cool creek waters. I even got a smile from one of them... :D

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I know this is not as much diversity as many other posts, but you just can't complain when you find that many giants! An all 8 were found within an hours time. All found within about 150 feet of each other. I wouldn't not have believed it possible, till it happened. :thumb:

A hard won herping success story.

Thanks for looking,

Fil
kwheelz
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by kwheelz »

Congratulations! Great success story.
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by JAMAUGHN »

Great post, Fil. I'm going to be in the Gorge next week. I hope I have similar success!

Congrats on finishing the data collection portion of the book!

Jim
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by hellihooks »

Good job and congrats. Finding a really large one (12 in) is a truly unforgetable experience... :thumb: I've yet to see one, larval or otherwise, in the water... :shock: jim
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by TravisK »

Congrats Fil, Let us know when/if we can pre-order the book. I expect a signed 1st run edition ;-)
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PNWHerper
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by PNWHerper »

Thanks all, I appreciate it!

When Surf'n'Herp came to visit his brothers here in WA state, I got a few hours with the 3 of them. With that time we visited a few creeks in the area to see what we could find. To my surprise, we found giant salamanders in both creeks. All of them had gills, and the first one was pretty beefy.

Here is the only one we found in the first creek in situ.
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Here he is temporarily detained:
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Measured out at just over 9 inches long. Look close and you can see the bite wound scar on his head.


Along with giants, we found several tailed frogs. Here is the one I photographed:

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Some literature says that tailed frogs and dicamptodons are often found in the same creeks. I have found this to be true generally.

At the other creek, much higher up into the mountains we found a few larval giants along with another tailed frog and some tailed frog tadpoles. Here is the only photo I got of a tailed frog that time. I just wanted a close up of the eye.

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Jeff also located a nice looking cascades frog in the woods nearby:

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I am sure Jeff's photos will be better. I did not spend much time taking pictures on this outing, as I was in searching mode.

Hope you like the additions here,

Fil
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jonathan
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by jonathan »

Awesome! I'm really happy for you. It took me forever to find my first transformed giants too.
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PNWHerper
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by PNWHerper »

Thanks, Jonathan. It was definitely a huge highlight for me.

I am still hoping to find some really large ones and get their tracks some day in the near future. I will have to try and hunt around closer to Portland from here on out for a while, as my funds are to small for trips into the Columbia Gorge. Casual searching in that area when visiting family is all I can do for a while.
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by PNWHerper »

I was on the way to see family for Christmas in Portland, and just needed to go out for a walk before I spent 2 days with family. A short stop in a city park, and I found some Dicamps. It was what I call "opportunistic herping."

I happen to have my camera, and so got some nice photos. I think these are best close up photos I have had a chance to get from Dicamps so far. Let me know what you think...

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Happy Holidays and a Merry New Year to everyone!
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by JAMAUGHN »

Very nice, Fil!

JimM
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by SurfinHerp »

Happy Holidays to you and your family too Fil!


It's cool that you found more Giants this week, and I really like your closeup photos. Glad you made the best of your opportunity.

I just noticed that you had already posted great pics of some of the same herps I included in my recent post. Don't know how I missed them the first time.
After comparing and contrasting a little bit, I think your photos turned out better than mine. And it's clear we have different styles.


I hope to catch up with you in the field next year...

Let's resolve to take advantage of whatever opportunities life presents for us in 2014 :beer:


Jeff
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PNWHerper
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Re: Success at Last!! (Coastal Giant Salamanders)

Post by PNWHerper »

Very nice, Fil!
Thanks, JimM.
Happy Holidays to you and your family too Fil!
Thanks, Jeff.
It's cool that you found more Giants this week, and I really like your closeup photos. Glad you made the best of your opportunity.

I just noticed that you had already posted great pics of some of the same herps I included in my recent post. Don't know how I missed them the first time.
After comparing and contrasting a little bit, I think your photos turned out better than mine. And it's clear we have different styles.
Thank you, Jeff. :beer:

I really enjoy your post and your photos. I think its great that we have different styles, and focus on things a bit differently. It makes for great viewing and sharing.
I hope to catch up with you in the field next year...

Let's resolve to take advantage of whatever opportunities life presents for us in 2014 :beer:
Yes, if the opportunity presents itself, I would love to get together and do some herping.
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