Lobster Mushroom “Hypomyces lactifluorum”  This is an oddity among mushrooms.  It is a white mushroom with gills and it is infected by a parasitic mold.  This results in a bright orange to red mushroom without gills.  It is fairly common in our northwest forests and it is considered to be tasty. Photo: Near Drift Creek Falls East of Lincoln City, OR.   8/21/2010

Belted Kingfisher “Ceryle alcyon” Female.  Length 13″, wingspan 20″ and weight 5 ounces.  Females have a russet waist band and it is absent in the males.  They  plunge dive to catch fish and give a noisy staccato call when they fly away .  Their nests are located in tunnels that are excavated in dirt banks.  Widespread throughout North America.  Photo:  Along the Columbia River at Rainier, OR 8/26/2010

Proceed 9 miles South on Bear Creek Road from Hwy 18 to the parking lot and trail head. The road is for the most part paved, follow the road most travelled which has an occasional sign that says Drift Creek Camp.  It is a well maintained trail and is 1.25  miles to “The Bridge”.  This is a suspension bridge 240 feet long, 29.5 inches wide with a sway of less than 2 inches and it crosses over Drift Creek 100 feet below. Follow the trail another quarter mile to the falls and of course there is a lot more water going over the 80 foot falls in the Spring than during the Summer.  The only catch to this hike is that it is all up hill on the trip back to the parking lot but that provides a great opportunity to stop and enjoy the native plants growing along the trail.  Additional information is available in the hiking books published by Paul Gerald and William Sullivan.  Photo 8/21/2010

Canada Goldenrod “Solidago canadensis” Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)  Perennial, plant 2-5′ tall, flowers form a pyramid containing many small flowering heads containing a few disk flowers surrounded by about a dozen short ray flowers.  Blooms late summer throughout OR & WA.  Photo:  Cascade Head near Lincoln City, OR  8/20/2010

Musk Monkeyflower “Mimulus moschatus” Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae). Perennial, plant 3-12″ tall, flowers yellow with five equal lobes, red dots in the throat and a musky scent.  Blooms May to August in damp areas throughout OR & WA.  Photo:  Cascade Head near Lincoln City, OR  8/20/2010

Coastal Boykinia “Boykinia occidentalis” Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)  Perennial, plant 6-24″ tall, leaves mostly basal, heart shaped and lobed, flowers small and white.  Blooms summer in moist areas along the coast in OR & WA.  Photo:  Drift Creek Falls near Lincoln City, OR 8/21/2010