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ENVIRONMENT Hoping for herps The lure of a slithery reward keeps biologists flipping boards at Denman Wildlife Area By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 28, 2015 @ 4:58 pm By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 28, 2015 @ 4:58 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> WHITE CITY — Steve Niemela approaches a flat piece of plywood he placed in the brush five months ago and prepares to pounce on a garter snake or a skink that's taken up residence beneath it, despite the fact that 33 identical boards before it attracted no slithery citizens. The curious boy in him who spent hours flipping over logs searching for snakes and other herptiles while growing up says that this one, Board No. 33, could be the one. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist in him, however, quickly discovers otherwise. "Aw, nothing," Niemela says. That's 33 nothings out of 90 sheets of plywood strategically set on the Denman Wildlife Area that will be overturned this week in this first herptilian survey here. More than one-third into the survey and counting, still not a flippin' herp to find. "It's disappointing, but sometimes you have to have days of disappointment before you get rewarded," Niemela says. It's that potential reward that persuaded Niemela to undertake the herptilian survey in the 1,760-acre, state-owned wildlife area in White City last March. He placed 90 sheets of plywood on various habitats to see what critters they might attract — from rattlesnakes and ringneck snakes to rough-skinned newts and long-toed salamanders. The 2-by-4-foot sheets imitate logs and other woody debris where these so-called "herps" live, nest and feed. After surveying 30 boards Monday with zero luck, Niemela and Oregon State University intern Jennafer Cox are spending this warm Tuesday morning kickin' and flippin' boards like they did as kids. Only their official ODFW garb and Cox's clipboard and data sheets date them from their snake-hunts of yore. Board No. 31 turns out to be irretrievable, cloaked in impenetrable blackberries that have grown armpit-high since Niemela placed the board. No. 32 has disappeared, with only its outline in the grass as evidence. "Somebody took it," he says. "We don't know why." The pair have discovered voles scurrying out from beneath several boards. Good gopher-snake bait, but so far undiscovered by that predator. Two boards flipped Monday had velvet ants, which are actually bees. "We've also gotten plenty of spiders, but no herps so far," Niemela says. Niemela punches up the GPS coordinates of Board No 38. In deep grass, he gives it a flip. Still herpless. What the eft? "I don't know if we'll ever have success finding them here, or maybe we just have to be a little patient," Niemela says. It often takes time for the vegetation to decompose beneath the boards and form the micro-climate that attracts reptiles to these woody would-be lairs. Niemela and Cox make their way down their Denman path, listening to the rustle of startled fence lizards flitting about in the dry brush. After Board No. 39 set in tall grass equally disappoints, Cox points out that the next one is the last in this 10-board set in Military Slough. "This will be it," Niemela says. "This will be the one." As Niemela approaches, Board 40's not tough to find. It's propped up vertically, with the spray-painted "ODFW HERP" lettering visible from more than 20 yards away. Clearly it's the victim of an unauthorized pre-flip. "I guess we're not the only ones flipping our boards," he says. "That's pretty anti-climactic." The next set of 15 plywood sheets along a nearby path provide no better, and the pair trek back to the ODFW office without a herp in hand. Again. 0 for 55. But the scientific method says to push on. Niemela and Cox will finish the 90-board survey this week, then come back in a few months and see whether the cooler weather and a little more time on the ground yield enough herps to give them hope to carry on. "We'll do it this summer and we'll do it this winter," Niemela says. "If we're 0 for 180, we'll call it off." Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 541-776-4470 or m [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/MTwriterFreeman . By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 28, 2015 @ 4:58 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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