Album of Little Nisqually Field Trip

Selected photos from a spider collecting field trip to a marsh just east of the mouth of the Little Nisqually River (on Alder Reservoir), Thurston County, Washington. Despite unexpectedly difficult access, a successful trip to a splendidly isolated and beautiful spot. Photos by Rod Crawford and Della Scott. Note, I'm experimenting this year with larger photos — if you have a slow connection, let me know how it's working.
READ TRIP NARRATIVE PHOTO ALBUM INDEX MAIN JOURNAL INDEX

aerial view (2006) of marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington gate closing Little Nisqually Road (forest road 74), May 2009
Aerial view: marsh & easy-looking road access (Thurston County, 2006) What a revoltin' development!       © Rod Crawford
Della Scott on former Little Nis Washout and logjam on former Little Nisqually Road
Della prepares for her long vigil       © Rod Crawford Good reason for road closure: It ain't there any more!      © Rod Crawford
A bay of Alder Reservoir seen along the former Little Nisqually Road, Lewis County, Washington looking across at alders, marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Seen along the way: a bay of Alder Reservoir  © Della Scott My goal, the marsh: view of alders across water         © Rod Crawford
mossy bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllum newly leafed, on former Little Nisqually Road, Lewis County, Washington Oregon-grape understory exposed by beaver activity, marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Seen along the way: new-leafed maple        © Rod Crawford Shrub community created by beaver activity         © Rod Crawford
Oregon grape, Mahonia or Berberis, in bloom, marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington edge of grass and shrubby slope, marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Oregon grape in bloom            © Rod Crawford Shrubby slope gives way to marsh grass          © Rod Crawford
ravine draining marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington meadowlike west end of marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Stream ravine draining marsh             © Rod Crawford Meadowlike west end of marsh          © Rod Crawford
top of beaver dam impounding marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington face of beaver dam impounding marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Top of beaver dam. . .              © Rod Crawford . . . truly the Hoover Dam of beaver dams!           © Rod Crawford
sword fern Polystichum munitum in understory, marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington Salal Gaultheria shallon in understory, marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Sword fern in understory          © Rod Crawford Salal in understory           © Rod Crawford

The last 4 photos are from a grassy clearing (old log landing) overlooking the marsh.

sorting through a spider sample from beating western hemlock, marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington grassy field, former log landing, above marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Sorting through a hemlock beat sample    © Rod Crawford Grassy field above marsh         © Rod Crawford
terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans (on ant nest), field above marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington edge of grassy field above marsh near Little Nisqually River mouth, Thurston County, Washington
Garter snake sitting in ant nest         © Rod Crawford Edge of grassy field               © Rod Crawford
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This page last updated 1 June, 2009