Turkey Tail is a saprophytic (obtains nutrients from decaying wood) mushroom that can be found in every forested ecosystem of the world. With its alternating bands of colors and bright white underside, this fungus is easy to identify and adds a beautiful adornment to fallen logs, branches, and rotting stumps.
If you ever peer into a half-rotted log you might be so lucky to find a slippery pair of eyes staring back at you. If you’re extremely lucky those eyes could belong to a Pacific giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus). Usually seen wriggling through woody debris or eating a mildly toxic banana slug, these marbled beauties are found throughout western Oregon.