Otters abound!

So, you've been getting out there and seeing otters. As our friend Elvira would say, nice work people! The group of 6 river otters has been seen multiple times out in the Amazon creek just south of the tracks both in the morning and around noon. Other recent happenings include new turtle logs being placed in the Amazon creek. These are basking structures created by us humans for our Western Pond Turtle friends to sun themselves on. There will be some in the creek south of Checkermallow Access by next week. Check them out with the viewing scope that is installed on the bike path. There is also a new turtle log near by the WREN educational yurt, just west of Danebo in the creek. Other critters to watch for - shore birds are moving through our area again for their fall migration, and we'll be seeing neotropical migrants (warblers and swallows) around mid-September. Let us know what you've seen or ask questions about your sightings by leaving a comment or emailing us at info@wewetlands.org!

Otters among us

River otters have been sighted again very recently out here in the West Eugene Wetlands. One of the WREN volunteers, Richard Hand, saw 5 river otters twice within the last two weeks! Once just south of the train tracks along the Amazon bike path, and then out by the bridge at Royal Ave. I saw 6! in the Amazon Creek just last Saturday, like Richard, south of the train tracks on the bike path. It is such a fun experience to watch these creatures in action. They are very social animals, meaning they are often found in a group. Some other quick ways to distinguish them from nutria at a distance are by their tails, their noses and their swimming patterns. Otters are quite graceful and playful, and will roll in the water as they swim. I have included a photo from Judy Berg to give you a mental picture of the critters to look for. So get out here, walk the wetlands and see if you can spot the otters, too. Good luck!

Educating educators in the wetlands.

A group of 28 educators gathered today in the wetlands for a part of their week long teacher training workshop. WREN sponsored their academic wetlands day in conjunction with Summer Institutes. After an overview in our yurt, the group convened at Sandpiper pond for an exciting dragonfly walk with our renowned local authors Steve Gordon and Cary Kerst. Several damselflies, a Boreal Bluet just to name one, were temporarily caught for a closer look as well as a few dragonflies including a Black Saddlebags. Our next stop found us at Meadowlark Prairie overlook for lunch where a Great Blue Heron, hundreds of acres of Tufted Hairgrass and many happy hikers were spotted. Then on to Checkermallow access for a walk through Dragonfly Bend with our restoration expert, Paul Gordon. The teachers got a special insiders look at one of the West Eugene Wetland Partnership's better quality restoration sites.

Our final walking segment took us through Willow Creek Preserve with Rick Ahrens, local naturalist, and Matt Benotsch from The Nature Conservancy. We caught a look at a Lazuli Bunting just after parking our (carpooled) cars, and on the walk we of course had to stop at the Kindaid's Lupine for a brief discussion on the Fender's Blue Butterfly life cycle. And last but not least, our very own Liz Myers presented a look at our local geology and the volcanic source of our special wetland soils.

Thanks to our walk leaders, and thanks to the teachers for taking the time and energy to visit us!!!

Busy day in the wetlands!

Today there were 3 events in the wetlands!

There was a walk with the Mossback Volkssport Club. Here are some walkers returning to the yurt…

There was a First Saturday Park Walk with the City of Eugene’s Outdoor Program.

And there was a WREN sponsored dragonfly (and damselfly!) walk with Steve Gordon and Cary Kerst. We went out to learn about Odonates in (for some!) and around the vicinity of Grimes and Sandpiper ponds. Check out this action…

We saw:
Common Whitetails – one beat-up looking male was netted for close-up viewing, and here is an immature one

Black saddlebags – another male netted with only 4 legs!
Cary (pictured here) and Steve pointed out the details…

…like pruinosity, the wing nodus (nodi?), appendages, ovipositors, and the “swiss army knife” sexual apparatus on the males.

8 Spotted Skimmers – a male left a dry pellet in Cary’s hand

Both male and female Western Pond Hawks were netted, here is a young male hanging on to a willow leaf

And here is an older Western Pond Hawk

Widow Skimmers, as seen here

Also seen were
12 Spotted Skimmers
Common Green Darners were seen feeding over the meadow
Blue eyed Darners
Females were seen depositing eggs in the pond

There were damselflies too!
Pacific Forktails – a male was netted as well as a female with blue coloration
Many Lyre-tipped Speadwings were seen and several mating pairs were netted

There was other wildlife out there too… We heard a Green Heron, saw a Great Blue, a Kingfisher, and an Osprey (please let me know what other birds were seen and heard!) The penny royal was blooming and odorific. Queen Anne’s Lace was blooming and we saw beaver chew. There were fish in the ponds (we’re not sure how they got there) and just as we got back to the road we were greeted by this guy

Another great day learning in the wetlands! Jason (this post’s photographer) and I treated ourselves to a dark chocolate dipped frozen banana on the ride home…

Bike Day success!

WREN has just finished our first “Bike Day”… a long awaited dream. And what a great day it was! The weather cooperated (after several Wetlands Month weekend events in the cold or rain, the sunshine was welcome) so that the wetlands could really shine for all the folks visiting.

If you were out there, thanks for stopping by and learning about this wonderful resource in Eugene. If not, we hope you come and check out the wetlands soon. Here’s what was happening…

From 8-10am the education center design team met with folks from the focus groups to fill them in on what designs they have been considering. Our Mayor, Kitty Piercy, was there! During the rest of the event the team was available to meet the public and discuss the future education center.

At the WREN booth we were kept busy explaining the passports to folks and stamping them. Then, as people returned from their wetlands exploration, we were busy giving out a raffle ticket for every stamp collected – it was a lot of fun for us and the participants.

A shout out to all prize donators…

• Elmira Automotive (who have a “comfort station” along the trail near their shop: “Thanks Elmira!”) donated two gift certificates for auto care.
• My Coffee donated coffee and a thermos. They were also giving out smoothie samples along the trail near their shop. We can’t wait till they build a trail to their shop from the bike path!
• Doak Creek Nursery donated some native plants
• The City of Eugene Recreation donated some pool passes
• J. Michaels Books donated a gift certificate
• WREN donated a copy of Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Willamette Valley and a Mammal Scat bandana
• Café Mam donated coffee, a mug and some chocolate covered coffee beans

Thank you all!! If you participated, we will be calling the winners on Monday =)

Stream Team was there to spread the “we all live downstream” message and share how they are working to protect our waterways. A key function of wetlands is to act as a sponge to filter and slowly release water into the stream systems. Learn how you can get involved with the Team!

Invitrogen was there to inform the public about how their research and tools with molecular probes and cell staining can aid in wetlands restoration.

Paul Gordon represented the Field Operations Group (FOG) which is an interagency team focusing on wetlands restoration. There was equipment used in restoration work on display as well as native seeds. FOG does important work; this site can give you a sense of what they are up to. Thanks Paul!

The UO Environmental Leadership Wetlands Team was there to share information about the wetlands wildlife. These students have been instrumental in a very successful spring season of field trips and outreach program with WREN – thanks guys! (ps - if you follow the link, that is Holly McRae, WREN and Pat Johnston, BLM in the picture - not the Wetlands Team.)

Cary Kerst and the local chapter of North American Butterfly Association (NABA) were there to inform folks about the local Odonates and Lepidopterans which are zipping and floating all around the wetlands right now!

Here is a quote from Cary…

It was a great day with plenty of people who were having a good time and learning about the wetlands too. The hit at our stop were the larvae and the best stamp of all of them (at least that’s what some said). The kids loved the larvae, and I had a jam up a couple of times. I'd sum it up as a little girl said as she pedaled away with her dad, “That was cool!”

Lane County Audubon Society was represented near the scope that was installed at Checkermallow Access with their generous support last year. Ron was amazed at how many species were seen just from that one spot during the morning. Yup, wetlands make wonderful habitat for our avian friends!

And finally, the Cascades Raptor Center came out to share with us some birds frequently seen in the wetlands: an American Kestrel, a White-tailed Kite and a “TV” ;) Turkey Vulture. Thanks so much!