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No owls but you may see our wildlife biologists on March 15-18 installing a new artificial burrow system in an attempt to attract a new pair of owls to the remote camera site. Over the winter months the previous burrow collapsed. A new burrowing owl camera system may include both a above ground and underground camera and operate into the night hours. Let us hope that the installation is successful and local owls are in search of some new DIGS.
We appreciate your support expressed by your frequent cam viewing. You may also help by sending a tax-deductible donation to:
WildWatchCam
c/o WDFW
600 N. Capitol Way
Olympia WA 98501-1091 |
Burrowing
owls are a charismatic species favored among many wildlife
watchers. Because of their relative tolerance of altered
habitat and human presence, they can persist where other
species have been lost.
 The Tri-Cities have been growing
at a rapid pace for several years. In population growth,
Franklin County was #1 and Benton County was #3 in Washington
from 1 April 2000 through 1 April 2003. As a result of
this rapid growth, the shrub steppe habitat that burrowing
owls and other wildlife depend upon has been lost, degraded
or fragmented.
WDFW biologists have been working with
researchers, city and county planners, and the Lower Columbia
Basin Audubon Society to slow the rate of loss of existing
burrows within the urban growth zone. Despite this effort,
each year new subdivisions and shopping centers compete
for land occupied by burrowing owls. WDFW and its partners
hope that this Internet web page and camera project will
inspire the local community and others to develop growth
management practices that promote burrowing owls and other
wildlife within urban areas.
 There are numerous web links
included on this page to point readers to interesting
information found elsewhere on the web. More importantly,
especially for residents of the Tri-Cities, this page
functions as a conduit to local shrub steppe conservation
and education efforts. Individuals, local government officials,
private development companies, educators and others are
encouraged to contact the Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife at 509-545-2201 to learn how they can help
conserve burrowing owls and other wildlife in the Tri-Cities
area.
Please send out the WildWatchCam link to all of your friends and relatives - http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildwatch/
We appreciate your support expressed by your frequent cam viewing. You may also help by sending a tax-deductible donation to:
WildWatchCam
c/o WDFW
600 N. Capitol Way
Olympia WA 98501-1091
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