Managing Wildlife Populations
Sharp-tailed Grouse Translocation: This month, fifteen male and fifteen female sharp-tailed grouse were trapped in British Columbia and relocated to the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. Wildlife area managers and staff members transported the birds from the Canadian border and transferred them to release boxes in the wildlife area and released them from there. Satellite tracking is being used to follow the movements of these birds, and staff members have enjoyed watching where they choose to spend their time. This translocation required cooperation and involved working with the sharp-tailed grouse translocation team, Diversity Program staff members, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife communications team.
Sharp-tailed Grouse Lek Surveys and Searches: This month wildlife area staff members have continued with sharp-tailed grouse lek surveys. Staff members began completing adjacent lek counts synchronously removing suspicion that birds could be double counted after being flushed. New Natural Resource Technician Garcia started this month and was able to tag along for the last week of lek counts.
Northern Leopard Frogs (NLF): In recent weeks, Biologists Dougherty and Clements, along with the assistance of Technicians Leipold, Kelly, Reed and Puckett, successfully established 25 tadpole pen enclosures at Columbia National Wildlife Refuge where eggs collected directly from Potholes Reservoir are being reared along with tadpoles that have been reared at our partner locations, the Oregon Zoo and Northwest Trek. The crew has also completed the elastomer tagging to help identify metamorphs later in the summer field season.
Waterfowl: Biologists Dougherty and Clements, with the help of volunteers from a local waterfowl group chapter, have been monitoring hen mallard nest tubes that got reconstructed over the winter and were placed in early spring. So far one nest tube has been seen to have a hen mallard inside of it while a couple of others have shown some early activity of nesting inside of them. The monitoring will continue throughout the month of June.
Sage Grouse Surveys: Private Lands Biologist Braaten continues to count and search the last of the grouse leks in Douglas County for 2024. This last two weeks Private Lands Biologist Braaten has walked many miles of Conservation Reserve Project (CRP) in north Douglas County. These efforts finally paid off with the discovery of two new sharp-tailed grouse leks consisting of an additional 15 grouse.
Pygmy Rabbit Support: Biologist Cook and Technician Blanchard mowed a fire lane to provide access and an area for fire crews to create a defensible space in case of wildfires. The main goal of this work is to protect one of the pygmy rabbit enclosures. On the same trip, Cook and Blanchard mowed access roads used by the pygmy rabbit crew to reduce fire risk when it will most likely be accessed later in the year when fire danger is higher. During the mowing Cook drove the tractor while Blanchard followed in a truck with a 110-gallon spray tank to be able to extinguish any fire starts that may occur. The mowing also occurred in the morning on a day with lower winds and temperatures to reduce fire risk.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Hunter Access: Biologist Morris checked and posted signs on hunter access properties. Morris maintains signs on several thousand acres, so working on them throughout the summer ensures all properties will be properly posted come hunting season this fall.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Elk Issues: Specialist Heilhecker received a report of elk damage. The livestock producer stated 60 head of elk were eating all the grass. Therefore, he was not able to turn his cows out to pasture. The elk are also damaging his livestock fences. They discussed nonlethal hazing options. Specialist Heilhecker will meet with the producer to sign a damage prevention cooperative agreement.
Range Rider Coordination: Specialist Heilhecker met with a new Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife contracted range rider (CRR). They discussed wolf activity in the county, reviewed paperwork the CRR needs to submit for payment, and possible riding locations for the grazing season. Heilhecker also gave the CRR a Garmin InReach to use. The CRR started work in the Sullivan Creek pack territory.
Depredation Investigation: Specialist Heilhecker and law enforcement investigated a dead calf in the Sullivan Creek pack territory. Based on information gathered at the scene, they determined the calf was a probable wolf depredation event. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was notified of the event.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Bridgeport Bar Irrigation and Preparation: Staff members have been working to prepare fields and irrigation on the Bridgeport Bar for spring seeding. Natural Resource Technicians Haney-Williamson and Ruiz completed routine maintenance, replaced several butterfly valves, and started the pump on the winter wheat fields.
Scotch Thistle Spraying: Wildlife area staff members sprayed Scotch thistle sites across the Big Bend Wildlife Area. They saw a noticeable reduction in the number of plants as a result of last year’s spraying efforts. While completing this project, they assessed the success of last year’s bull thistle spraying and noticed that lakes that were covered in hundreds of bull thistle rosettes last year now host only a handful.
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Spraying: Thirty-nine acres were treated using chemical fallow treatment to prepare for a seeding project on Barry Field in the Big Bend Wildlife Area. In this cooperative project wildlife area staff members supported the grazing permittee and NRCS with this spray project.
Habitat Plots: Biologist Cook met with the Cultural Resources archeologist to look over maps of four potential projects to determine siting changes to avoid known cultural resources and potential needs for field surveys. Cook learned more about the cultural resources review process and how best to submit and track projects review progress. These projects are expected to begin work later this fall or next spring.
Biologist Morris set up a game camera on a habitat plot. The game camera serves two purposes: it will hopefully reveal any wildlife use of the habitat plot, and it will also show the plant development and growth throughout the year.
Biologist Morris has also been monitoring another habitat plot that has some mature and some recently planted (1 year ago) trees and shrubs. The plot has some Canada thistle and will need to be sprayed. Biologist Morris is keeping an eye on the thistle since it will need to be sprayed either when it starts bolting, or this fall before dormancy sets in.
Providing Education and Outreach
Chief Joseph Dam Earth Day Event: Biologists Balderston and Haupt participated in an Earth Day Event at the Chief Joseph Dam where many different organizations led stations for groups of students from local elementary schools. Balderston and Haupt taught students what they can learn about an animal by looking at just their skull.
STEAM by the STREAM Event: As hosts of the annual STEAM by the STREAM event, wildlife area staff members prepped the site on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area and led stations for students from local elementary and middle schools. Three of the four stations were run by Douglas County Wildlife Area Complex staff members, and these stations included landscape painting, planting native forbs, and a skull and bones themed nature walk. Students also learned about sharp-tailed grouse and the work that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife does to help protect and enhance their habitat.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Contracting: Lands Operations Manager Finger participated in contractor interviews for a Route Inventory and Assessment contract. The successful contractor will inventory trails, assess trails sustainability, and provide recommendations for trails improvements across a select few wildlife areas across the state.
Safe Harbor Agreements to Conservation Benefit Agreements with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Biologists Rickel and Morris met with U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff members to begin transitioning existing Safe Harbor Agreements to Conservation Benefit Agreements. The new regulatory certainty template serves as a better management tool for species conservation and landowner flexibility.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Assistance: Private Lands Biologist Braaten received a call from Okanogan County NRCS. They requested assistance and wanted to talk with someone for advice regarding a 2012 conservation easement Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has on private land near Oroville. There was a Department of Natural Resources timber thinning project that recommended thinning timber in the easement area. Okanogan Land Trust also forwarded information of easements to Private Lands Braaten regarding this issue. Private Lands Biologist Braaten forwarded info to Regional Program Manager Haug, and he forwarded it to our Real Estate Manager.
Other
Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) Grant Applications: Biologists Blake and Haupt submitted RCO grants this month. One application was for work at the Big Bend Wildlife Area, and the other was for the new acquisition at Barclay Crane (Wells Wildlife Area) to do habitat restoration and cultural resource protection.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Sage BIL Grant Application: Biologist Haupt submitted a proposal for a USFWS Sage BIL grant. If funded, the project will involve mowing, weed control, and native planting to improve habitat for Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area.
