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DIVERSITY DIVISION
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| One effect of the high water level in Pierce Lake is that water backed
up into the old Beaver Pond. |
Western Pond Turtles: Turtle trapping has been completed at Pierce National Wildlife Refuge.
Results during the last week of trapping were down from the previous two weeks.
Water was very high in all ponds, creeks, and sloughs, and showery weather discouraged
turtles from basking. One effect of the high water level in Pierce Lake is that
water backed up into the old Beaver Pond. The results for the third week's activity
were: 44 western pond turtles; 5 western painted turtles
GAME DIVISION
Bighorn Sheep: Biologist Anderson reported 4 bighorn sheep located in the Klickitat River Canyon
north of the Klickitat Wildlife Area. One of the sheep was a female that still
had its radio collar. The other 3 appeared to be offspring from the original
herd. The sheep were originally released in 1998 in an effort to establish a
herd in the Klickitat drainage. The confirmation of these sheep is encouraging
as regional staff are considering the possibility of another release into this
area in the near future.
Waterfowl Project
Field Trip: District Wildlife Biologist Miller met with local DU staff
and landowners of Canvasback Lake in northern Clark County. Miller was contacted
by the landowners to try to facilitate communication between DU biologists and
the landowners. The meeting purpose was to evaluate the property for planting
recommendations and large scale project potential. Charles Lobdell, local DU
biologist,had some previous knowledge of the property and will help with planting
recommendations for the near future. Further evaluation of the hydrology will
be required to determine if a larger scale project can be developed to improve
duck production and wintering habitat for a variety of species including sandhill
cranes, swans and other waterfowl. DU will call another meeting to share potential
for the site for other grant projects.
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| An
example from a previous year's banding effort of a gosling that is too
small to hold a neck collar. |
Resident Canada
Geese: District Biologist Miller and Wildlife Biologist Woodin conducted
a survey of resident dark Canada goose broods on the Lower Columbia River last
week. This effort is part of the preparation for banding. The goal is to ensure
that the young will be large enough to hold a band and/or neck collar. See image
to the right from a previous year's banding effort for an example of a gosling
that is too small to hold a neck collar.
Last week's survey found
nine broods totalling 43 goslings at 20-25 days old. Another two broods totaling
8 goslings were slightly older, and one brood of 5 goslings was slightly younger.
This confirms the timing for the scheduled banding effort and the end of June.
The emphasis of this effort
is on Washington's resident western and dusky sub-species hybrids. These birds
are intermediary in terms of color and size from their parent genetics and can
measure out as a dusky during hunting season, possibly resulting in a hunter
loosing their hunting privileges in Southwest Washington. However, by definition
a true dusky breeds on the Copper River Delta in Alaska. By banding these birds
they can be identified as local birds and not true duskies. Efforts such as
this have been maintained by Federal and State Fish and Wildife Agencies to
protect the dusky sub-species while allowing for hunter opportunity.
DIVERSITY DIVISION
Western Pond Turtle
Management: Under the direction of District Biologist Anderson and
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Staff, Biologists Holman and VanLeuven have undertaken
an effort to locate western pond turtles on Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
The Refuge, located in northwestern Clark County is within the historic range
of the western pond turtle. The turtles were thought to be extirpated from this
portion of their range until a single animal was captured by a Refuge volunteer
in the fall of 2006.
The northern portion of
the Refuge features a relatively large area of suitable habitat featuring complex
wetlands interspersed with uplands and islands of basalt rock. The thin well-drained
soils on the uplands support plant communities that typify the best pond turtle
nesting habitat. Specifically, the uplands are vegetated primarily with dried
grasses, Oregon white oak, wild rose, snowberry and poison oak with a limited
amount of non-native blackberry. Thus far, the trapping effort has documented
only western painted turtles.
Wildlife Viewing
Opportunities: The turtle-related visits to Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge by Biologists Holman and VanLeuven have offered the opportunity for several
interesting wildlife observations. Species located has included western painted
turtles, red-legged frogs, tree frogs, garter snakes, cedar waxwings, snowy
egrets, great blue-herons, many species of ducks (the cinnamon teal are especially
nice), Canada geese, kingfishers, goldfinches, yellow-headed blackbirds, red-winged
blackbirds, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, osprey, nutria, muskrat, coyotes
and black-tailed deer. Those interested in a wildlife viewing visit to Ridgefield
National Wildlife Refuge should call the Refuge office at 360-887-4106.
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|
An eagle on its nest surveyed from helicopter. |
Two
young eagles in advanced stage
of feathered growth. |
Bald Eagle Nesting
Survey: Wildlife Biologist Woodin participated in a survey of Bald
Eagle nestlings on the Lower Columbia River last week. This survey was conducted
by Frank Isaacs of Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, with
the aid of Bob Anderson of Oregon State University, and Pilot Franz Bergtold.
Of the 45 nests surveyed,
two thirds had young. The image to the right of an adult eagle with its eaglets
shows what a nest looks like from the helicopter. Of all the nests that did
produce young, 59 percent had two young while 38 percent had one young, and
a single nest contained three young. The other image is of a nest containing
two young in advanced stage of feather growth.
Bald eagle productivity
is much lower on the Columbia River from Cathlamet downstream is much lower
than upstream. Only 44 percent of the nests had young in the Cathlamet and downstream
section, whereas upstream 94 percent of nests surveyed had young. The reason
for this is not known.
REGION 5 WILDLIFE AREAS
Shillapoo Watchable
Wildlife: Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Hauswald had an unusual sighting
of a single sandhill crane on the South Unit of the Shillapoo Wildlife Area
last week. We will be watching for this bird and will try to determine if it
is a Greater (breeding populations in the Columbia Gorge), or a Lesser or Canadian
Sandhill Crane. The differences between the three varieties are very subtle.
Hauswald and Technician Ridenauer also located a single Great Blue Heron nest
on the property boundary of the Vancouver Lake Unit while doing a weed survey.
This is the first known nesting by Great Blue Herons south of Vancouver Lake
in quite a few years. The site is very close to a former rookery on property
now owned by the Port of Vancouver that once had close to 100 nests.
DIVERSITY DIVISION
Western Pond Turtle
Management: Under the direction of District Biologist Anderson and
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Staff, Biologists Holman and VanLeuven have completed
the June effort to locate western pond turtles on Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge. The Refuge, located in northwestern Clark County is within the historic
range of the western pond turtle. The turtles were thought to be extirpated
from this portion of their range until a single animal was captured by a Refuge
volunteer in the fall of 2005.
The northern portion of
the Refuge features a relatively large area of suitable habitat featuring complex
wetlands interspersed with uplands and islands of basalt rock. The thin well-drained
soils on the uplands support plant communities that typify the best pond turtle
nesting habitat. Specifically, the uplands are vegetated primarily with dried
grasses, Oregon white oak, wild rose, snowberry, oceanspray and poison oak with
a limited amount of non-native blackberry. The lack of quality nesting habitat
is often thought to be a significant limiting factor for the pond turtles, this
does not appear to be the case on the Refuge.
In spite of the habitat
quality, no western pond turtles were captured during the 9-day trapping sequence.
The trapping effort was conducted from June 8 through 16 with, 19 traps (10
baited hoop traps and 9 basking traps), placed within the Carty Unit. A total
of 18 western painted turtle captures were recorded during the effort with zero
re-captures of the same individual turtle. An additional effort to further document
western pond turtles on Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is tentatively scheduled
for late summer - early fall.
GAME DIVISION
Mt. St. Helens Elk
Herd and Wildlife Area Plans Public Open House: The first open house
to review the Mt. St. Helens Elk Herd and Wildlife Area Plans was held on Wednesday
June 21st. Approximately 25 people attended the meeting including State Representative
Ed Orcutt and Fish and Wildlife Commission Chair Ron Ozment. After a brief introduction
individuals who attended had the opportunity to discuss the plan with district
biologists and provide comments in an informal atmosphere. By far the primary
focus of concern we heard was limitation of access to private forest lands for
hunters which has become far more restricted in recent years. Other concerns
included elk damage and some desired liberalizing seasons in the Margaret, Toutle
and Loowit GMU's.
Lewis County Elk
Mediation: District Biologist Miller attended a meeting of the Lewis
County arbitration board to attempt to resolve conflicts between WDFW and a
small landowner group in Lewis County. Miller was able to provide information
on hunting seasons and how Wildlife Management can assist in reducing elk numbers
on private property if access to the public is allowed. Landowners concerned
about safety and liability prefer to select who can hunt their property. This
limitation reduces the ability of Wildlife Management to help this group of
landowners. Wildlife Enforcement may allow lethal removal of a limited number
of animals with a Permit to Kill that is issued to the landowner and the elk
is provided to charity. Goal for WDFW is to reduce the damage and not eliminate
the elk herd.
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