Album of South Prairie Creek Field Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford from my 6 October 2020 spider collecting trip with Jerry Austin to an obscure, isolated area of National Forest just outside the NW corner of Mt. Rainier Park, drained by South Prairie Creek and reached by a long, rough road east from Wilkeson in central Pierce County, Washington. After 2 failed attempts in 2017, we finally reached the site this year! The grassy habitat in a peculiar quasi-clearcut was cool, the alder litter and moss by the creek was productive, weather was perfect and we got 46 species!
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Aerial photo of clearing & surroundings E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington Jerry Austin by his car, E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Our clearing & surroundings; sites in red          (King County, 2017) Our parking place; Jerry by the car                   © Rod Crawford
alder forest E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington seral conifer forest E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Alder forest upslope from car           © Rod Crawford Seral conifer forest downslope from car                       © Rod Crawford
rough road (FS 7220) E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington roadside vegetation near car, E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Rough road!             © Rod Crawford Diverse roadside flora near car             © Rod Crawford
road 7220 E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington western hemlock foliage in shade near clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
The road we hiked along              © Rod Crawford Western hemlock foliage in shade near destination             © Rod Crawford
tank trap at start of side road to clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington blocked road to clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Tank trap (with mattress) blocks side road   © Rod Crawford We hiked along the blocked road to our clearing                 © Rod Crawford
multicolored shotgun shells at edge of clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington looking up along clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Oh, shoot             © Rod Crawford Looking up, less than 20% of clearing visible                   © Rod Crawford
alder foliage, clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington looking W across canyon from clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Alder foliage by the big clearing          © Rod Crawford Looking west across South Prairie Creek canyon                   © Rod Crawford
tall timber across clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington grassy field habitat, clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Tall timber across the clearing            © Rod Crawford Grassy field habitat                       © Rod Crawford
Young Douglas-fir foliage, clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington edge of clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Foliage of planted timber              © Rod Crawford Edge of the big clearing                    © Rod Crawford
grass habitat, clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington streambed below clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Closer view of grass habitat             © Rod Crawford Dry streambed near car; water trickled beneath                  © Rod Crawford
young Pseudotsuga foliage, clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington sea of tall sword fern Polystichum munitum, E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
More young Pseudotsuga foliage      © Rod Crawford To get litter, I waded through a sea of tall sword fern            © Rod Crawford
alder-fern litter near creek, E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington litter-sifting on car, E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Rather sparse but spider-rich alder litter    © Rod Crawford Litter-sifting on the car                     © Rod Crawford
salal foliage near big clearing, E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington moss in riparian forest near car, E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington
Salal foliage had its usual spiders          © Rod Crawford Plenty of moss available at sifting site                     © Rod Crawford
very unusual Misumenops/Mecaphesa crab spider from big clearing E of South Prairie Creek, Pierce County, Washington sunset in clearcut along road 7110 E of Wilkeson
The amazing Misumenops from the clearing        © Rod Crawford Sunset from Road 7110 on the way home                     © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 12 October, 2020