Animals

Invertebrates

A common species that can be seen sliding along the trail is the Rufous Garden Slug from the gastropod class. This slug is slow moving across the path, leaving shiny, slimy trail behind it. The slug is about an inch and a half long with a slimy, soft body and reddish brown coloring. It was narrowest at the ends and on the head the slug as two long antennae. Slugs and snails are decomposers for the ecosystem.

An easy species to identify here is the Common Pillbug from crustacean class. I've seen this species several times and found this particular Pillbug motionless inside of a hollowed

tree. The body had grey plates or layers and was about a centimeter long. It had two short black antennae and appeared to have legs that extended from the back.

Other insects like beetles from the Coleoptera order can be seen around this site. I’ve found a beetle had a hard wing covers, was a dark brown and reddish color with black legs, pinchers, and a spiny extension from the back. I found this beetle in the shrubs at my site moving quickly and pausing occasionally, staying very still. I also found a number of flies, of Diptera, zooming around the trails.

Especially near the creek, Mayflies and Mosquitos flock to the moist environment for habitats and breeding grounds. Water Skeeters can also be spotted on the creek. Take a moment to look for insects near Piper’s Creek. There is a large variety of terrestrial and aquatic insects at types at this particular location. Another common species to observe is the Western Tent Caterpillar which can be distinguished by their furry, stripped bodies. Lastly look for Bumblebees and other important plant pollinators as they zoom around from bud to bud on small shrubs and flowering plants.

 Birds

              An uncommon bird at Carkeek Park, the Golden-Crowned Kinglet can be spotted occasionally. This bird was small, with a yellowish green back and wings. It was slim and had darker wings and face. The bird’s song a short “click” sound and reacted to my attempt at bird calls by moving between the large shrubs in the forest. The bird was mostly seen perching on the small forest trees and large shrubs, staying hidden in the light green leaves. Occasionally the bird would take flight and move from the larger trees or hover above the shrubs, but at most points in my observations, the bird remained fairly visible, perched in the outer branches of the shrubs. When he flew his wings fluttered quickly, exposing the large yellow bellow and dark wings. The bird was seen alone and appears to be territorial towards predators.

            A bird which is much more common to spot, the American Robin, can also be very fun to observe. Two robins were seen together, taking flight occasionally, but mostly remaining deep in the large

shrubs and trees. They would sometimes walk on the forest floor and would hop from branch to branch in the large shrubs. The robin I saw most frequently had the characteristic white circle around the eyes, red belly, large beak, and brown body. They were fairly large, but still smaller than a foot high. They did not seem to be alarmed by my “bird call” and would stay in the area, but they would flap their wings soon after I spoke with them. The robins remained low to the ground in a shady area, apparently searching for something in the bushes, most likely food. It appears from my observations that they are social with their own species and remain together while looking for food.

             Another bird I closely observed at Carkeek was the Black-Capped Chickadee. I found a pair of Chickadees together on a small shrub by the trail, hopping amongst the branches. They made their characteristic “dee” call and had black coloring on their heads. 

              Look for birds in the highest canopies. American Crows and Pileated Woodpeckers can be seen in the tall foliage, Crows in the tall Red Alder and Woodpeckers in the tall dead snags. In the small shrubby plants, look for Bewick’s Wrens, Song Sparrows, American Robins, and Golden-Crowned Kinglet who thrive in the densely-covered forest environment along the South Bluff Trail.  Shorebirds like Western Seagulls and Mallards can be seen at this location through the trees when looking out into the Puget Sound at a distance.