A Day Well Spent

March 27, 2026 Survey Eel River Watershed Last week I was invited to join Eric Stockwell on a survey in the Eel River Watershed. We were specifically looking for the distribution of coho salmon fry emerging this spring. I've previously posted a young-of-the-year (YOY) video from that day, but there's so much more to experience. Here's a 2 minute video that includes a live adult steelhead, some presumed steelhead carcass parts, a jaw and a gill plate, additional clips of coho YOY, a lamprey carcass which was returned to the stream bed before we departed, redwood sorrel, a turret spider burrow, some mushrooms that I think are oyster mushrooms, and a white trillium in full bloom. There's a lot to think about. New life and recent death are in full view. There are moments of deep reflection. These are sanctuary moments. I'm grateful to Eric for the invitation, for sharing his knowledge, and for the experience of this place and these things. A day well spent should leave one with a sense of satisfaction and contentment. This was definitely a day well spent. #nature #humboldt #cohosalmon