The Pacific Chorus Frogs See Salmon at Chuckanut Creek

The Pacific Chorus Frogs met for an exploration together for the second time in as many weekends.  This was due to a rescheduling because of wind earlier in the season but we appreciated getting to spend another day together only a week after our second exploration.  This would be the final outing of the fall season for the Pacific Chorus Frogs and we certainly ended on a high note.  

One of the most amazing migrations on the planet ends right in our own backyards here in the Northwest as salmon come back from feeding in the ocean to spawn in the same streams in which they were born.  On this day we got to see chum salmon return to Chuckanut creek and spawn in the gravelly sections of this healthy northwest stream!

Looking at salmon eggs

We met in the parking lot and had our opening circle nearby before we headed up the trail. After passing out jobs and taking quick survey of who had been to this amazing park before (almost all of us had) we began our journey down to the creek with the excitement of potentially seeing big salmon muscle their way up Chuckanut Creek at the front of our minds.  

Opening Circle and handing out jobs

As amazing as salmon are, our curious young minds were suddenly filled with questions and excitement about all kinds of things that we noticed on the trail on our way down to the creek.  We came across some licorice fern that some of us thought we knew how to harvest.  The mentors noticed that we did not, in fact, know how to responsibly and carefully harvest licorice root.  So, as a group, we decided that until we knew how to harvest this resource responsibly (Art of Harvest comes in a couple seasons for the Pacific Chorus Frogs!) we would leave this job to the mentors so as not the damage the ferns.  We all still got to try some licorice root and some of us thought it was delicious and sweet while others found it to be bitter and made faces associated with this taste!  We played a few games of Hide! and played in some streams that cut all the way to the sandstone center of the Chuckanuts.

Using all four limbs to scramble up this hillside

Mountain Streams

Our initial enthusiasm for seeing salmon was reignited as we caught our first glimpse of some male salmon splashing and fighting over the right to fertilize a female's eggs.  Our awe and respect only increased as we began to get the full picture of what a salmon's life looks like.  One of us even remarked that he felt, "honored" to witness the final act (spawning) of a truly harrowing life journey that these salmon take.  After learning about all of the predators and survival risks encountered at every stage in their lives, we became more amazed that so many had even made it back to the same stream where they themselves were born!

Captivated

We decided to have some lunch on the bank of the creek so that we could still watch the salmon while we ate.  Next, we would journey further up the creek, cross it using a massive downed tree, and then head up the steep hill to find a spot for Spiders Web.

The big tree bridge over Chuckanut Creek

We eventually did make our way over the creek and up the hill to a great spot for our final Spiders Web game of the season.  We even found some earth shelters left behind (could it have been other BEC groups?).  Our spot for this game was large, and had a mostly continuous coverage of sword ferns, salal, and Oregon grape on the forest floor. As flies, we found that our little bodies fit well under the sword ferns and we were able to burrow underneath them with relative ease on our quest for the food source.

Good hiding spots!

Who left this here?

We ended our game and had a final, season ending closing circle.  Here we all shared something that we were grateful for, as we always do in our closing circles, as well as something that we wanted to learn in our coming seasons together as Pacific Chorus Frogs.  Collectively, we were interested in building shelters, carving, and making fire.  One of us even wanted to be able to stalk an elk! The good news for our group is that in Explorers Club, we will get to learn and practice all of these skills in future seasons! 

Closing circle

It has been amazing to see these boys have the opportunity to explore and know each other more deeply this season. We are picking up the BEC culture quickly and because of this we have been able to have some powerful outings with plenty of fun and free play interspersed throughout.  We are excited for our winter and spring outings and are looking forward to deepening our forest connection while continuing to grow together as the Pacific Chorus Frogs.

Be sure to check out the rest of the photos from our outing here!