callahanjfc's Journal

I observed a Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Cohos are one of five Pacific salmon found in the Juneau area. They have been and continue to be one of the most sought after fish by fishermen, due to their size, strength, and taste.
I observed this fish in Auke Creek. Auke creek has one of the biggest wild runs of Coho on the Juneau road system. It is a beautiful place to be, and it offers coho with perfect habitat to spawn.
The hook that it is beginning to develop on this fishes nose indicates that it is an adult male. Coho return in large numbers to this area to spawn, moving in from the ocean to reproduce in fresh water. During this stage of their life they turn from the silver that is seen in the ocean to a deep red. Males often develop a large hooked nose. After they spawn once they die. This fish will likely spawn within the next month, and die shortly after.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/241595417
I found this frog near the Dredge lakes trail while on a walk. It was dead and looked like it was pretty dried up, so it had probably been dead for a while. I chose to post about it because this is a somewhat rare species to see in Juneau, and I have never seen one before. I was excited to have found this frog, because I have heard of them before and have actually tried to find them but was never able to. Fish and Game says that in Southeast AK they are generally limited to river corridors. In colder environments they require a body of water that does not freeze over. The one I found was right next to Mendenhall River, so this makes sense. The ADFG website also says that they have only been reported in Juneau at one location, and that they are suspected to be introduced to the area.
This frog is found from Alaska through Coastal BC and down through the PNW to Nevada. They are a candidate species for the Endangered Species Act. Their populations are declining due to habitat destruction. These frogs breed in wetlands during the spring, and migrate along riparian corridors to feed. They hibernate in the winters.
Mining has had serious impacts on these frogs, as some metals can kill them or stop them from being able to breed.
These frogs have an interesting diet. Although their diet consists of mainly bugs and food sources that seem common to frogs, they are very opportunistic and are known to eat snails, crustaceans, and arthropods.

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=columbiaspottedfrog.main
https://www.fws.gov/species/columbia-spotted-frog-rana-luteiventris
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_spotted_frog