Great Blue Heron “Andea herodias” Length 46″. wingspan 72″ and weight 5.3 lbs, This long legged bird is commonly seen wading in shallow ponds throughout the United States. Photo: The Columbia River at Rainier, OR 8/26/16/2010
The Queen of the West sternwheeler is 240 feet long and three stories high. Wouldn’t it be great to take an eight day cruise up the Columbia and Snake Rivers to Clarkston, WA? Lewis and Clark never had it this good but it would certainly be interesting to retrace their route. Photo: Rainier, OR 8/29/2010
Lobster Mushroom “Hypomyces lactifluorum” This is an oddity among mushrooms. It is a white mushroom with gills and it is infected by a parasitic mold. This results in a bright orange to red mushroom without gills. It is fairly common in our northwest forests and it is considered to be tasty. Photo: Near Drift Creek Falls East of Lincoln City, OR. 8/21/2010
Lewis and Clark Bridge spanning the Columbia between Rainier, OR and Longview WA.. The Chinook salmon are running and there are lots of fishermen in little boats trying to catch them. This nice looking fish weighs 26 pounds and occasionally they catch them weighing over 40 pounds. Photo 8/27/2010
Belted Kingfisher “Ceryle alcyon” Female. Length 13″, wingspan 20″ and weight 5 ounces. Females have a russet waist band and it is absent in the males. They plunge dive to catch fish and give a noisy staccato call when they fly away . Their nests are located in tunnels that are excavated in dirt banks. Widespread throughout North America. Photo: Along the Columbia River at Rainier, OR 8/26/2010
Proceed 9 miles South on Bear Creek Road from Hwy 18 to the parking lot and trail head. The road is for the most part paved, follow the road most travelled which has an occasional sign that says Drift Creek Camp. It is a well maintained trail and is 1.25 miles to “The Bridge”. This is a suspension bridge 240 feet long, 29.5 inches wide with a sway of less than 2 inches and it crosses over Drift Creek 100 feet below. Follow the trail another quarter mile to the falls and of course there is a lot more water going over the 80 foot falls in the Spring than during the Summer. The only catch to this hike is that it is all up hill on the trip back to the parking lot but that provides a great opportunity to stop and enjoy the native plants growing along the trail. Additional information is available in the hiking books published by Paul Gerald and William Sullivan. Photo 8/21/2010
Canada Goldenrod “Solidago canadensis” Sunflower Family (Asteraceae) Perennial, plant 2-5′ tall, flowers form a pyramid containing many small flowering heads containing a few disk flowers surrounded by about a dozen short ray flowers. Blooms late summer throughout OR & WA. Photo: Cascade Head near Lincoln City, OR 8/20/2010
Musk Monkeyflower “Mimulus moschatus” Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae). Perennial, plant 3-12″ tall, flowers yellow with five equal lobes, red dots in the throat and a musky scent. Blooms May to August in damp areas throughout OR & WA. Photo: Cascade Head near Lincoln City, OR 8/20/2010
Coastal Boykinia “Boykinia occidentalis” Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae) Perennial, plant 6-24″ tall, leaves mostly basal, heart shaped and lobed, flowers small and white. Blooms summer in moist areas along the coast in OR & WA. Photo: Drift Creek Falls near Lincoln City, OR 8/21/2010
Deer Fern “Blechnum spicant” Deer Fern Family (Blechnaceae). Evergreen, Rosette of numerous pinnate, sterile fronds 6-36″ long. Erect fertile fronds 15-50″ tall arising from the center, fronds less numerous and the pinnae are farther apart. Moist areas along the coast and in the mountains. Photo: Near Lincoln City, OR 8/21/2010