Enter: Broad-headed Skink

In an unexpected act of fortune and happenstance, a new reptile has been added to Wahkeena’s list of animal species!

Three summers prior, I visited Wahkeena for the first time, looking to photograph the enchanting and ephemeral pink lady’s slipper. Temps were mild and the sun was shining happily above, and I did find the lady’s slipper and composed a few photos. Objective accomplished, I set out on the Casa Burrow trail in hopes of seeing anything else interesting and was not disappointed.

I paused to catch my breath for a moment at the trail’s peak, and in those few moments, movement on top of a downed tree crossing the trail caught my eye – a skink!

It rested for a moment in the sun that was filtering in from the canopy above, barely long enough to snap a few frames, and then skittered below to the underside of the log.

Recently, I mentioned this chance meeting to preserve manager Tom, and showed him the photos I’d taken, and down the rabbit hole we went. It wasn’t a five-lined skink – the species already recorded on the flora and fauna list, but a broad-headed skink – one not yet confirmed for the preserve!

Keep an eye out on your next visit for our newest official addition to Wahkeena.

– Naturalist Leah