Whenever water and land meet, biodiversity flourishes. Life abounds on the land, in the trees, in the sky and in the river. The interactions between wildlife, birds, fish and plants propagate the diversity.
At Nicomen Slough, Western Screech Owls share the trees with their distant tawny cousins Barn Owls – both federally listed species at risk. In winter, they look down on the visiting bevy of Trumpeter Swans grazing for food in the wetland marshes. The Swans arrive each November, over 100 of them, and stay through January.
Scurrying through riparian areas, Muskrat, Beaver and River Otters make their homes and raise their young. These mammals were once hunted for their rich, water resistant fur, and have benefitted from conservation efforts to restore their populations.
Left to right: Trumpeter Swans, Muskrat, Barn Owl
The boggy ground of the Nicomen Slough provides ideal habitat for amphibians and reptiles as well. The endangered Western Painted Turtle, and Oregon Forestsnail have been seen in the vicinity of the property. And two species of special concern, the Northern Rubber Boa and Northern Red-legged Frog have also been spotted in the long grasses nearby.
