Wildlife Program report: Apr. 16-30, 2025

Managing Wildlife Populations

Sharp-tailed Grouse Release: This week Wildlife Program staff members from the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area released sharp-tailed grouse captured in British Columbia and transported to a lek within the Swanson Lakes/Bureau of Land Management areas. The first release was on Tuesday event with 10 males and three females.

Ferruginous Hawks: Biologist Brinkman completed an occupancy survey of a historic ferruginous hawk nesting territory in Lincoln County. The nest was located on a large rocky spire on private land, and an adult ferruginous hawk was observed leaving the nest upon approach. Productivity surveys to determine hatching and fledging success will be conducted at this active nest in June.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Voluntary Public Access Contracts: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley met with a landowner to review their access contracts and to sign an A-19 form to be able to process for payment. Thorne Hadley worked with Natural Resource Technician Moberg to collect sent out A-19 forms to landowners/managers to attain signatures to process payments for Voluntary Public Access Program. This was followed up with working on contracts with Contracts Specialist Cole to correct several contract amendments.

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Pine Bar Site: Wildlife Area Manager Dice, Assistant Wildlife Area Manager Woodall, and Natural Resource Technician Peters opened the Pine Bar recreation site on Wednesday. The site had been closed for a month due to vandalism and cutting live trees. The site was cleaned up, kiosk installed, and ecology blocks moved back to the wildlife headquarter buildings.  

Amber Lake Volunteer Project: The access area at Amber Lake, and the lake itself, is well suited for small personal watercraft, especially considering the ramp is closed, and is extremely popular for fly fishing. Local fly-fishing clubs have unofficially adopted the property as their own. The club members spend countless hours fishing, and quite a few hours volunteering to improve the launch area for themselves and others. The Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club and the Spokane Fly Fishers teamed up again this spring to refresh gravel at the launch area. There were eight volunteers registered, four from each club, and a handful of people that just showed up. A local gravel supplier delivered 12 yards of gravel to the access area prior to the project. Natural Resource Specialist Dziekan coordinated the project with the fly fishing clubs, and Natural Resource Technician Brant led the volunteer effort. Brant and the volunteer members spread the gravel in record time and even rented a gas-powered compactor to finish the project. This project will help maintain a smooth launching area for anglers, eliminating ruts from vehicles and tripping hazards. The compacted gravel will hold up for many years to come, before eventually needing to be refreshed again.

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Food Plots: Food plots planted by Natural Resource Specialist Whittaker are looking great along Joseph Creek on the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area. Elk have especially been using the small winter wheat field.  

Water Access Site Maintenance: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) water access site at Fan Lake received a new CXT toilet this week. Water Access Manager Dziekan and Natural Resource Technician Brant met Capitol and Asset Management Program (CAMP) staff members at the location on Monday morning. CAMP staff members knocked down the old toilet and had a vac truck scheduled to pump the vault right away. These photos show removal of the old toilet. The new CXT toilet was installed, and the parking lot restriped by the end of the week just ahead of the lowland lake fishing opener. Dziekan and Brant also ensured the rest of the water access sites in District 1 received the attention they needed to be ready for opening weekend. Dziekan came across three windblown trees at Caldwell Lake Water Access. He bucked them up and the trail is now clear of debris. All the other sites were routine maintenance. 

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Moose Hazing: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris hazed a moose that had been in a residential area for the past week. WDFW staff members received several additional reports regarding the same moose in the surrounding neighborhoods later in the week.

Elk Fence: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman and Natural Resource Technician Jensen walked the elk fence from the Mountain Road to the Wooten Headquarters. A few small holes and a leaning gate post were found. The holes were repaired, and the gate post will be addressed in May.

Peola Elk: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade continued to check the commercial crops that 150 elk had been frequenting for the last several months. It appears that the elk have completely left the crops after Wade worked with the crop owner to deploy a hunter to harvest an elk in the crops with a damage permit.

Couse Pack Territory Monitoring: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade checked the Anatone and Cloverland area for signs of wolf activity after receiving reports of possible activity in the areas. Wade did not observe any signs of activity. Wade also checked the snow level and road accessibility on the United States Forest Service (USFS) for potential wolf work on USFS property. Wade forwarded his observations to Wolf Biologist Spence. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Habitat Project: Private Lands Biologist Nizer and Natural Resource Technician Itrich completed seeding a property in Albion with a grass mixture to promote habitat for game birds and big game. Natural Resource Technician Itrich learned how to drive the tractor.

Sherman Creek Wildlife Area (SCWA) Prescribed Burning: Control line work was completed and prescribed burning was initiated at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area this week. With favorable conditions on Friday, WDFW Prescribed Burn staff members, SCWA staff members, and contract crews were able to accomplish the entire Bisbee unit (approximately 107 acres) and about a third of the Wilkie Unit (approximately 48 acres). A good amount of rain fell on Friday night, but around noon on Saturday burning conditions were favorable to ignite; so, another approximately 104 acres of the Wilkie Unit completed just before another significant rainfall hit the burn unit.

Noxious Weed Control: Natural Resource Technician Jensen sprayed poison hemlock and houndstongue on the Hartsock Unit and scotch thistle and houndstongue near the Headquarters. He also sprayed weeds at the Big 4 Lake parking area and under the powerline.

Revere Wildlife Area Friendly Fence Project: This week Wildlife Biologist Jennings will start working with the Washington Conservation Corp (WCC) to replace the top wire on the north and west fence line to put the fence to wildlife friendly standard. Funds were received from a grant to promote turkey habitat and hunter access; so, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner bought six walk-through gates to have installed along those fence lines during the wire replacement. The walk- through gates have been a topic of discussion for quite some time for the hunters that use that wildlife area.

Sherman Creek Control Burn Drone Flight Monitoring: This week Wildlife Area Manager Finch went to the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area for the control burn and monitoring by use of Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area drone. Monitoring the fire behavior is a valuable tool for incident commanders. The prescribed burn includes approximately 94 acres south of the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area office. 

Providing Education and Outreach

Hunting Camp: Natural Resource Technicians Edmondson and Keeling were invited to attend the Human Nature hunting camp and allow for members of the camp to learn more about WDFW and the type of work that the private lands/conflict staff members partake in.

Envirothon 2025: Natural Resource Technician Itrich ran the wildlife station at the 2025 Envirothon event at Klemgard Park where students answered questions regarding birds and medium to large mammals. 

Other

Kids Fishing Day: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley assisted with a kid’s fishing day in Dayton sponsored by City of Dayton with support from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. It was well attended and lots of fun.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Washington Ground Squirrels: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers and Technician Maynard trapped Washington ground squirrels at the Sagebrush Flats Wildlife Area Unit in Douglas County. The trapping was done to collect DNA samples that will be sent to the University of Idaho as part of a genetic study. Biologists placed baited walk-in traps at active ground squirrel colonies and collected buccal (AKA inside of the cheek) swabs from captured squirrels before releasing them onsite. Washington ground squirrels are designated as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), in addition to being a state-candidate species.

Greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse: Biologists are continuing to monitor known leks across Douglas County to inform population estimates of greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, both of which are classified as Endangered by the state of Washington. Douglas County has by far the highest abundance of greater sage-grouse in the state of Washington; however, the population is small and has experienced a steep decline over the past several decades. Additionally, biologists and other WDFW staff members and agency partners are conducting an intensive search for previously unknown leks by driving county roads and stopping every half mile to get out and listen for the vocalizations grouse often make while displaying. With this year’s increase in survey effort, biologists hope to find more lek sites for both species and locate leks that were displaced by the Pearl Hill Fire.

Annual Grouse Surveys: Private Lands Biologist Braaten continue surveying Sage and Sharp-tailed grouse in Douglas County. 

Grouse Surveys: Biologist Morris assisted with sage grouse searches in South Douglas County. Grouse surveys are looking to see if there are grouse in areas where they haven’t been seen recently. To do the surveys, Morris drives public roads within an assigned area and stops every half mile to listen and look for sage grouse. Morris didn’t see any grouse in his surveys but saw plenty of other interesting wildlife, including savannah sparrows, horned larks, and sandhill cranes.

Mountain Goats: Biologist Jeffreys and Wildlife Conflict Specialist Bridges spent a day aerially surveying the south shore of Lake Chelan for mountain goats as part of ongoing efforts to learn more about the distribution, abundance, recruitment, and trends of mountain goat populations in the Lake Chelan Basin. Survey weather was ideal, with very light winds and clear skies. Surveyors observed 25 goats between Devore Creek and Box Canyon, which is in line with recent years’ counts. Surveyors observed 24 mountain goats on the south shore in 2024, and 20 goats in 2022.

Mule Deer: Biologists Emily Jeffreys and Johnna Eilers picked up 18 remote trail cameras on game trails near Blewett Pass. These cameras were used to capture images of the Wenatchee Mountains mule deer herd from October through December 2024 when they were undertaking their annual eastward migration to lower elevation winter range. Biologists will soon analyze the thousands of images collected to determine age and sex of photographed deer and use this information to generate fawn:doe and buck:doe ratios for the herd. Biologists will then compare these ratios with those obtained from aerial surveys that took place in December 2024 to determine whether remote camera placement could be a viable method to assess mule deer herd composition moving forward.

Pygmy rabbit captures and releases: Biologists Crowell and Turner led the first enclosure capture efforts of the year with help from Biologists Gallie and Turnock and Technicians Hara and Maynard, as well as partners and volunteer members from Woodland Park Zoo, Conservation Northwest, Pheasants Forever, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Between two enclosures, eight breeding adults (seven males, one female) and eight kits were captured. Five kits were old enough to be vaccinated for RHDV2 and released into the wild. Three kits that were too young were ear-marked and placed back in the enclosure. Six adults were also vaccinated for RHDV2 and released back into their enclosure.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Hunter Access: Biologist Morris worked with the Buckrun Landowner Hunting Permits (LHP) landowners to update their permits and contract. Several thousand of their acres were sold and removed from the LHP, and so Morris worked with them, District Wildlife Biologist Dougherty, and Private Lands Section Manager McCanna to update permit numbers and LHP boundaries.

Morris also had several other expiring hunter access contracts that he updated to ensure that public hunting access is maintained on private lands.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement (DACP): Specialist Heilhecker met with a livestock producer to discuss a Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement. The producer is interested in signing the agreement to cost-share range riding expenses. Their livestock graze within a known wolf territory. Specialist Heilhecker submitted the agreement to headquarters staff members. Heilhecker is waiting to receive a copy for producer’s signature.

Specialist Heilhecker coordinated livestock monitoring activities with a contracted range rider.

Grazing Permit Management: Specialist Heilhecker attended a meeting with wildlife area managers to discuss nonlethal deterrence measures for wolf-livestock interactions. WDFW grazing permit holders will be required to deploy nonlethal deterrence measures this grazing season. Measures include checking livestock four to five times per week, notifying wildlife area managers of any livestock carcasses and any sick or injured livestock, and avoid denning areas, in addition to other measures.

Cougar Depredation Investigation: Specialist Heilhecker responded to a cougar depredation on a lamb. The livestock producer stated the lamb was alive the previous morning when the sheep were turned out into the pasture for the day. A couple hours later, their livestock guardian dogs herded the sheep to the flats and stayed with the sheep for remainder of the day. Around dusk, the sheep were brought back to the barn for the night. However, the sheep were not counted, and the lamb was not discovered missing until the next day as they were turned out. The livestock producer has several nonlethal deterrence measures in place including the livestock guardian dogs, bringing sheep in at night, motion sensor lights, and no attractants such as a boneyard.

Grazing Permit Revision: Specialist Heilhecker, along with Wildlife Regional Program Manager Haug worked on a grazing risk assessment for the Chiliwist Unit of the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area. The Chiliwist Unit lies with the Sullivan Creek pack territory. The pack has a history of three depredations within a 10-month window dating back to August 2024. Based on the annual operation plans for grazing permits on WDFW lands, the depredations met one of three high risk criteria. Any high-risk criteria trigger a decision by the director as to whether the grazing permit needs modifications. Manager Haug and Specialist Heilhecker developed options and a recommendation for Director Susewind to consider.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Habitat Restoration Projects: Biologist Morris, Biologist Cook, and Private Lands Technician Blanchard planted over 600 native grass plugs (container-grown grass plants) to enhance cover and forage in recently established habitat plots. Grasses planted included basin wildrye, Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Sandberg’s bluegrass.

Habitat Restoration: Private Lands Biologist Braaten planted 400 riparian trees/shrubs this week in Douglas County on private lands. 

Fence Removal: Biologist Morris hauled away old fence materials that the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crew members removed from private property near Quincy. WCC crew members removed the old, broken-down fence last fall but didn’t have time to remove it. Morris hauled away approximately 1,000 pounds of old barbed wire. The removal of the fence will facilitate easier wildlife movement and reduce the risk of wildlife entanglement or collisions with the fence. It will also make access easier for the landowner and WDFW wildlife survey crews on the property that is a Community Restoration Program field with mature wildlife habitat that supports Species of Greatest Conservation Need and federally listed endangered species.

Habitat Project Collaboration: Biologist Morris met with Pheasants Forever, Cascadia Conservation District, and a local landowner near Chelan to discuss possible habitat projects in the area. The landowner is very interested in creating wildlife habitat and helping their land recover from a recent fire. Morris provided technical advice on establishing beneficial wildlife habitat, including re-establishing an old stand of bitterbrush that burned in the fire. While there, the groups involved helped spread seed on a small area disturbed by post-fire cleanup by the landowner.

Habitat Monitoring: Biologist Morris went to check an area where he planted sagebrush and sprayed a pre-emergent herbicide to reduce weed competition last fall. Spring has sprung and there were the early blooming wildflowers displaying their vibrant colors, including sagebrush buttercup, yellowbells, and lomatium. The herbicide seems to be reducing weed pressure, but not affecting the native forbs, which is encouraging.

Community Restoration Program (CRP) Leave Areas: Biologist Morris and Private Lands Technician Blanchard flagged habitat leave areas in CRP fields that were going to be reseeded. Morris worked with the landowner, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Farm Service Agency to prevent areas of the field with suitable and potentially suitable pygmy rabbit habitat from being disturbed. The areas will be kept intact to provide current and future pygmy rabbit habitat. They also provide beneficial habitat to many other sagebrush-dwelling wildlife species including sage grouse, mule deer, songbirds, other small mammals, and many hawks and owls. 

Providing Education and Outreach

Volunteer Habitat Project: Biologists Morris and Cook, and Private Lands Technicians Blanchard and Wilson, worked with several seniors from Othello High School to plant approximately 400 native grass plugs on private land near Lind Coulee and Potholes Reservoir. Previous work by WDFW Private Lands staff members and the landowner had established mature native grass, shrub, and tress species on the site. The new basin wildrye and Indian ricegrass plants were added adjacent to a wildlife supplemental food plot and tree and shrub rows.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Specialist Heilhecker arranged for new tires on her motor pool vehicle.

Wolf Advisory Group Meeting: Specialist Heilhecker participated in wolf advisory group (WAG) coordination meetings where they discussed how to improve member participation. Specialist Heilhecker listened to the WAG meeting where members discussed range riding. WAG members developed a recommendation for Director Susewind to consider regarding changing the range riding criteria as a nonlethal measure for monitoring livestock. She then participated in an internal staff member debriefing as a follow-up to the meeting.

Specialist Heilhecker, Specialist Bridges, and Supervisor Rickel also attended a wolf coordination meeting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Wenatchee.

Managing Wildlife Populations

District 8 Townsend’s Ground Squirrel Monitoring: District 8 Biologist Wampole and Assistant Biologist Wilson are learning to use AudioMoth devices and developing a protocol to confirm whether historic ground squirrel colonies are inactive. By leaving the acoustic recording units (ARUs) out longer, they can better detect calls. The biologists are also testing how far the devices can capture sound. This technology is already being used to monitor species like grouse and bullfrogs because of its utility to increase detection of a species which is especially critical for managing endangered and threatened, or invasive species.

L.T. Murray Townsend’s Ground Squirrels: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Manager Morrison and Assistant Manager Winegeart found more Townsend’s ground squirrel sites on the Whiskey Dick Unit. The population seems to be very healthy.

District 4 Amphibian Monitoring: District 4 Biologist Hoffman conducted acoustic surveys for sensitive amphibians on the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area. Dip-netting and transect surveys will extend through the spring as a part of a larger inventory of reptiles and amphibians on the Wildlife Area.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Wenas Wildlife Area – Seasonal Road Closure Openings: Gates to seasonal road and area closures are now open as of 6:00 am May 1, 2025.

Oak Creek Wildlife Area – Seasonal Area Closure Openings: Seasonal gates and closure areas were opened on the wildlife area at 6 a.m. May 1. Eager recreationists began filtering into the Oak Creek parking area in anticipation of the opening beginning Monday April 29. Friends of Oak Creek volunteer members were also present to answer questions, oversee logistics for visitor parking, and assist in gate opening and user counts. At Oak Creek, there were 82 vehicles, six motorcycles, 15 ATVs, and 22 hikers through the gate the morning of May 1. There were 29 vehicles, 11 horses, and 48 hikers entering the Cowiche Unit closure area.

L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Road Maintenance: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Winegeart worked with Archaeologist Davis and Capitol and Asset Management Program Project Supervisor Gallagher with beginning a road maintenance project on a 12-mile section of road on the Whiskey Dick Unit. Natural Resource Technician Blore and Natural Resource Specialist Nass built rock jacks and posted signs at multiple points to direct vehicle traffic to appropriate areas.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Kittitas County Conflict: Elk are migrating in significant numbers westward following substantial green up in the past two weeks. Elk are hanging up in some private land areas and have been more difficult to move.

Yakima County Conflict: Elk were in an orchard near Cowiche this winter and a damage assessment was completed this week.

An elk fence repair is ongoing in the Tampico area.

A bear found its way into the city of Yakima near Cottonwood Middle School. The bear was relocated to more suitable habitat. 

District 8 Conflict - Depredations: Many lambs have been killed, likely by coyotes, at a large sheep farm. Efforts to reduce depredations are ongoing.

A livestock owner called about depredations on his new piglets. It was determined that common ravens were killing newborn piglets. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Wenas Wildlife Area - Shrub Planting: Wenas Wildlife Area Habitat Biologist Miller, Lands and Recreation Specialist Frame, Natural Resource Technician Janes, and Assistant Manager Taylor planted approximately 1,250 plugs of big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and golden currant. These native plants will provide feed and cover for wildlife and support soil health.

Wenas Wildlife Area – Illegal Garbage Dump Clean-Up: Wenas Wildlife Area Lands and Recreation Specialist Frame removed 660 pounds from an illegal garbage dump located on Roza road. The removal totaled to 21 40-gallon bags of garbage, a twin-size mattress, wood material, and a TV. Evidence such as letters, power bills, and magazines with the same address were collected at the scene and turned into enforcement.

Wenas Wildlife Area – Observatory Thinning: Forest health restoration efforts are underway in the Observatory area on the Wenas Wildlife Area. Thinning is projected to be completed by mid-June 2025.

Sunnyside Volunteer Shrub Planting: The Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area Headquarters Unit recently hosted a volunteer event with the Washington chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers planting native shrubs. Even with a smallish turnout (due to coinciding with the turkey hunting opener), they planted around 300 shrubs including juniper, serviceberry, Pacific willow, and mock-orange.

Colockum Judy’s Park Too Proposed Thinning: Colockum Wildlife Area Manager Gray met with the forestry team, District 8 Biologist Wampole, and Habitat Biologist Weekes regarding the proposed thinning project, Judy’s Park Too. The thinning prescription, objectives for the thinning, and additional factors of the project being considered were discussed. The main goal of the project is to benefit wildlife habitat and in turn fire mitigation will also be an outcome of the project. One factor talked about was the potential for northern goshawks to be in the area. Biologists are planning to go out and conduct a survey near a historic nest site towards the end of May.

Oak Creek Wildlife Area - Weed Control and Grazing Monitoring: Oak Creek Wildlife Area staff members began spring weed control operations with backpack spot spray herbicide applications. Along with this comes rangeland evaluation monitoring and utilization monitoring on Oak Creek’s three grazing allotments. Oak Creek Wildlife Area Manager Mackey, Technician Venema, and Worker Floyd assisted Range Ecologist Tawril with evaluation monitoring on the Cowiche Unit.

L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Forest Health: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Natural Resource Technician Blore and Assistant Manager Winegeart used a backhoe and two water tanks to assist Statewide Forestry Specialist McRae and Lauffer with cooling a Hutchins Forest thinning project slash pile which had begun to burn again after months of being under two feet of snow. All it took was 1,100 gallons of water and moving some ash around.

Providing Education and Outreach

Salmon Summit: Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach, Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Jahns, Natural Resource Technician Pizzini, and regional Fish Program staff members attended the annual Salmon Summit event in Columbia Park. Fourth graders from numerous Benton County elementary schools had the opportunity to release their classroom-reared salmon smolts into the Columbia River and rotate through educational stations throughout the day. WDFW’s booth was a favorite stop! The students learned about the salmon lifecycle, pit-tagging, and native wildlife and habitat before exploring the pelts, skulls, and other interesting materials. It was fun and encouraging to see how excited they were about Washington’s fish and wildlife!

Oak Creek Wildlife Area - Toppenish Garden Club Presentation: Oak Creek Wildlife Area Manager Mackey spoke at a quarterly Garden Club gathering. Toppenish Garden Club hosted the meeting, but there was membership present from all over the Kittitas and Yakima valleys. Mackey spoke about eastside forest ecology, the role of historic wildfire in the area, as well as elk reintroduction and conflict with modern commercial agriculture.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Sooty Grouse Surveys: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists are in the third year of testing a survey method for sooty grouse (formerly called blue grouse). The effort involves establishing driving routes in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains as well as the Willapa Hills. The routes include 15 to 30 listening stops where biologists spend time listening for the calling of male sooty grouse during the early morning hours. The survey method is borrowed from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon State University, and we thank them for their development of the method and sharing. When fully developed and implemented, the survey will generate sooty grouse population trend estimates that are independent of grouse harvest. Biologists Holman and Stephens, and Conflict Specialist Aubrey, have started their surveys for the year. Thanks to WDFW Law Enforcement Officer Crowell for participating as well. Biologists Wickhem and Ott completed their surveys in mid-April, each recording two hooting males on their respective routes. Biologist Bergh completed her first survey and will do a repeat of that survey in early May.

An additional component of the work is to use listening devices called Acoustic Recording Units (ARUs) to better understand the timing of the sooty grouse breeding season. This is important since the survey methodology was developed at lower latitudes in Oregon where breeding timing could be different. The ARUs are placed near calling sooty grouse and left in place for two or more months. During this time the device records the calling grouse. With several of the units placed throughout western Washington, in aggregate this information can be used to adjust Oregon’s protocol to Washington’s grouse population. Biologist Holman and Conflict Specialist Aubrey placed three units in Cowlitz and Lewis Counties.  

Glenwood Valley Annual Sandhill Crane Survey: Biologists Wickhem, Bergh, and Ott, volunteer members Castagnoli, Steider, L. Robinson, D. Robinson, B. Roe, J. Roe, staff members from Mount Adams Resource Stewards, and staff members from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joined forces for the annual sandhill crane survey on and around Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The Glenwood Valley is one of only a few areas in the state where sandhill cranes nest. Sandhill cranes mate for life and return to the same “territory” each year to mate and raise their young - called colts - before migrating south in the fall. For this survey, the groups split up into teams to drive and hike around different crane territories recording all cranes observed and specifically looking for crane nests. This year, the team confirmed six nests, and in one case, observed courtship behavior which could mean more nests will be imminently laid. Biologists Wickhem and Bergh were treated to an interesting behavioral display when a crane was observed carrying around an egg (not a crane egg), dropping it near its partner and doing some flashy dance moves (small jumps, wing-flapping, and a bit of head-bobbing), then repeating the entire sequence a few times. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Water Access Area Spring Cleaning: Water access area team members has been busy working on several spring-cleaning projects including pesticide application at several site as well as pressure washing and striping of parking lots, ADA spots, and ramps. The team has also been working on painting faded ‘No Parking’ zones. Staff members have also had all the vault toilets pumped on each route and completed the pressure washing of the vault toilet exteriors.

Road Maintenance: Water access area staff members have been working on placing large rocks along the La Frambois Road at the Vancouver Lake Unit of the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. There have been issues with the public not staying on the road, causing damage and ruts. Initially, water access area staff members placed T-posts along trouble spots, but that proved to be a hit and miss solution. Staff members sought a more permanent and less tamper-proof solution of large rocks as a more effective deterrent.