Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

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Flaxington
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Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Flaxington »

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The California Northwest is rich with salamanders and is the best place to see animals in winter. Sixteen species can be found along the coast, north of San Francisco. Due to relentless rain, winter-tent camping in the redwoods often requires two tents, one smaller tent, erected inside a larger tent. That has been my procedure in the past. However, since my kids have never explored the redwoods and camping in the rain is muggy and miserable for most people, we agreed—we'll rent an RV! With one stipulation, the RV must be small, since our desired routes required driving, and potentially turning around on, dirt logging roads.


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After picking up the rented RV in San Francisco, we ventured north, reaching our first destination, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, in the dark. Rain was non-stop, yet the temperature was an okay, 50-degrees, producing the usual half-dozen or so Ensatina, and a male Wandering Salamander clinging to the trunk of a massive redwood in the campground. I've always appreciated the way Wandering Salamanders utilize the highest section of trees, a situation neglected by most other caudata. There are records of Wandering Salamanders over 300 ft. above the forest floor.



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In 2001, we made our first trip to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and since then, we have been returning to this amazing park. An emerald-green river flows past huge redwoods, and pouring rains add mystique to this forest. It's difficult to imagine this park without rain, over 6 feet falls on the park annually. The rain showers, redwoods, and thought of salamanders stimulate the imagination of a prehistoric time, long ago. Narrowly reaching this region are the Dunn's and Clouded salamanders. In addition, existing here are the primordial-looking Torrent Salamander and Coast Tailed Frog. On this trip, we wouldn't find those creatures, but we did see Ensatinas, Del Norte, Pacific Giant, Klamath Black, and California Slender salamanders.



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Later, we drove south to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and it was wet! Rainfall fell as if from a waterfall, rain jackets were useless and the water soaked through, down to a person's core. It was tough to even stand outside to watch the salmon swimming upstream, passing our campsite, to reach spawning sites farther upstream. With so much rain, salamanders didn't need to use logs or rocks as a retreat, for a single leaf could suffice. The torrential rains made finding them hard, and only a couple Wandering Salamanders were found, clinging to the outside-wall of the campground's restroom. It was at this time, my wife and kids had enough rain, so, in a joyful mutiny, they agreed, we would escape the redwoods and seek out sunshine by driving south.



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Driving south meant Mendocino County, where there was at least a little glimmer of hope to see sunlight and the ocean. Van Damme State Park is one of the best salamander spot in California, with 9 species known to occupy the park. The trail that follows Little River is shaded by huge Douglas-firs and is home to many salamanders, including impressively large Pacific Giant and Northwestern salamanders. On this trip, Wandering Salamanders would dominate the tally, followed by Ensatinas and Northwestern salamanders. It's nice when something other than Ensatinas and California Slender Salamanders dominate discoveries.



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A place that I had yet to visited was Salt Point State Park. It was a place that's been on my "to-do list" for some time, not for its strikingly beautiful coastline, but for having the northernmost California Giant Salamanders and southernmost Northwestern and Wandering salamanders. Arriving at night and having never been to this campground before, my night-walking led me into a dense, brush-filled ravine with no hope of finding anything but Ensatinas, California Slender, and Arboreal salamanders. It was not till morning that I spotted what should have been my focus the night before. While exiting the park, a wet ravine with flowing water was seen, as well as a sun-warmed log being used to delineate a campsite. It was one of those perfect-sized logs, not too large, yet not small. It was the perfect size to easily turn, and I'm happy that I did because that log concealed a half-dozen slender salamanders, another half-dozen Enstainas, and a massive California Giant Salamander. I had told my young son and daughter stories about the existence of Jurassic-looking giants, and upon the discovery they enthusiastically leaped from the camper to lay their eyes on a true giant!



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Jokingly, as a self-proclaimed wine expert, my wife wanted to visit Napa Valley and without hesitation, I knew where to go, Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. This park is well maintained, wet, and beautifully adorned with layers of colorful fallen leaves, green moss-coated trees, and appears as a great place to see salamanders. However, freezing temperatures made finding salamanders tough, and I left happy with only finding a couple night-active Ensatinas, slowly crawling about in 34-degree temperature.



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This year (2023), San Mateo County received a tremendous amount of rain, and conversations with the rangers at Half Moon Bay State Beach, exclaimed the severity of the rain and flooding that occurred just prior to our arrival at that campground. The now, sporadic rains at the campground, which is positioned on the coast, produced Arboreal and California Slender salamanders, Central Pacific Chorus Frogs, and sitting outside the campground's restroom a large, female, California Red-legged Frog. It was apparent that the abundance of moisture permitted the frog to venture away from natal waters and explore the sandy strand of beach.

In conclusion, rain is nice, even very nice, but too much rain made finding salamanders tough. Flooded streams forced those salamanders that typically existed by water to move inland, and turning logs (for the most part) proved ineffective, since salamanders could hide under any forest leaf and remain safe from desiccation. Night-walking didn't fair well either, there were nights and nights of rain, which turned favorable salamander-moving conditions into an ordinary, mundane occurrence. No longer did a rainy night provoke a salamander-party, with all the rains, salamanders were, frankly, partied out. In winter, when small animals are typically dormant in the cold mountains and deserts, there are some naturalists that know, there is still one place to go, to the California Northwest where the big salamanders grow.



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JakeScott
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by JakeScott »

Great post, Will! Haven't been on here and awhile, but this content is what I like!
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fringe
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by fringe »

I agree with that Jake Scott kid, this reminds me of the old FHF posts back in the day. Moar please.
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Jeff
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Jeff »

Really great Will! I made a few winter trips up that way when I lived in San Jose. At Jedediah Smith there was one particular log - big flat slab - that lay on a film of water over gravel, under which, in one flip, was a giant salamander, slenders (oddly), torrent, Del Norte, and painted ensatina (oddly). It was like a one-board boardline!
Jeff
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Flaxington
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Flaxington »

:thumb: The log, board, or other object hiding a variety of creatures is great, there is only one object that is better to turn, the one covering a target species. Thanks everyone for the enthusiasm. I spent a couple weeks in Arizona last year, so I'll post that one in a few days.
Cebusman
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Cebusman »

Wow! Great post! I will need to do a lot better going foward.......
Thanks!
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Flaxington
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Flaxington »

Glade that you liked it. Responses like yours are encouraging, not only to myself, but to others. This forum has been dead for years, perhaps myself and other members, especially "old school members," can revive it. I'm giving it a try... ?
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Jefferson
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Jefferson »

Great post! Makes me nostalgic for my two visits to the Calfiornia coast for sallies (February '19 and April '22--still have to post the 2022 one). I am just curious: what time of year did you see all those gracile at Van Damme? I went in April and found a thousand Slenders, some Wandering, Ensatina, and Newts, but no A. gracile. Was my seasonality just off for them?
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Flaxington
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Flaxington »

Van Damme has certainly become a hot spot for them. I have been going there since 2001. Initially, I would only find one during a trip, now I'm finding 2 and 3 per trip. For me, Van Damme is a winter spot, a place to herp when the deserts and mountains are too cold. I've seen NW Salamanders at Van Damme in November, December, January, and February. Sometimes it's only one, other times more. When I was there in April 2005, things were dry and for the first time I was seeing Alligator Lizards and Red-legged Frogs. I'm sure someone has found NW Salamanders there in April (especially if it was raining), but personally, I never have. So, yes, I would say April is too late in their season. On the hand, I have found NW salamanders elsewhere on March 31, 2005, and in dry conditions on Aug. 20, 2013. The August one was a juvenile and it was climbing a fern shrouded cliff next to a flowing stream at night. So it is possible to find them year-round in the right conditions. Although i do find them under objects, I have the best luck walking or driving at night in the rain. Giant Salamanders are found year-round, and at Van Damme i see the most in Sept., Nov., and Oct.
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Jefferson
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Re: Rain, Rain, and More Rain in Northwest California!

Post by Jefferson »

That is really cool that you once found a gracile in August. Thanks for the tips on seasonality, and again, great post!
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