January 14, 2022 Olalla Reservoir
We went inland just a bit to visit Olalla Reservoir. It is regularly stocked with keeper sized trout so Robert wanted to check it out!
It was a beautiful sunny, flat water day. Unfortunately we didn’t bring the fishing pole!
As we hiked around the reservoir and up the hill behind it we came across many rough-skinned newts on the trail. This guy/gal was probably heading down towards a pond or the reservoir itself in anticipation of breeding season which can start as early as January!
These newts are known for their toxicity. They produce a poison in their skin that is toxic if ingested by predators. The newts use a defense behavior of arching their necks and tails to expose their bright orange undersides as if to advertise their poisonous skin!