Hey everyone,
I am up visiting my mom here in West Seattle from San Diego. I would love it if someone could point me in the right direction to be able to see some salamanders. I've done a lot of looking on NAHERP and Google Earth but kind seem to find anywhere in the area that would be suitable habitat. So if anyone is able to point me in the right direction to see some amphibians it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Anthony
Seattle request for info
Moderator: Scott Waters
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Re: Seattle request for info
Anthony; check out Camp long in west seattle for gummies.
- AndyKraemer
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Re: Seattle request for info
Mind if I ask what 'gummies' are? If you're talking about this: https://www.vat19.com/item/worlds-large ... Ah4C8P8HAQ
...I might just drive over from Idaho to see them for myself
...I might just drive over from Idaho to see them for myself
Re: Seattle request for info
Any place with moist forest can have ensatina and redbacked salamanders under logs. I tend to find redback salamanders in the slightly moister regions, like hollows where water filters down. Once you know what microhabitat to look for, it can be shocking to see what urban habitats salamanders can be seen in.
Add a marsh or pond to that mix, and you can find newts, long-toed salamanders, and northwestern salamanders at the edges.
Stream salamanders tend to most often be found in higher-gradient streams in the foothills of the Cascade mountains. Look on a topo map or Google Earth for places where the streams come downhill rapidly. This is where Coastal Giant Salamanders, Cascade Torrent Salamanders, and (if you're lucky) Van Dyke's Salamanders can be seen. Other species (Cope's Giant and Olympic Torrent Salamanders) can be found in the same conditions on the Olympic Peninsula.
Unfortunately, the only place in the Seattle area where I have direct experience is Point Defiance Park, where I found ensatina and red-back salamanders while I hiked there with a friend.
Add a marsh or pond to that mix, and you can find newts, long-toed salamanders, and northwestern salamanders at the edges.
Stream salamanders tend to most often be found in higher-gradient streams in the foothills of the Cascade mountains. Look on a topo map or Google Earth for places where the streams come downhill rapidly. This is where Coastal Giant Salamanders, Cascade Torrent Salamanders, and (if you're lucky) Van Dyke's Salamanders can be seen. Other species (Cope's Giant and Olympic Torrent Salamanders) can be found in the same conditions on the Olympic Peninsula.
Unfortunately, the only place in the Seattle area where I have direct experience is Point Defiance Park, where I found ensatina and red-back salamanders while I hiked there with a friend.