Managing Wildlife Populations
Annual Band-Tailed Pigeon Surveys: Biologists Wickhem, Bergh, Holman, and Stephens began conducting their respective band-tailed pigeon surveys in Region 5. Additionally, Holman teamed with Region 6 Biologist Novack to survey a site in the estuary of the Chehalis River that can only be accessed by boat. Nesting birds congregate at natural mineral springs throughout the summer to consume supplemental minerals, primarily sodium and calcium. The same mineral sites are surveyed each year by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists across western Washington and the results are combined with similar efforts in British Columbia, Oregon, and California to monitor the population at the flyway level. Survey results affect the season and bag-limits for band-tailed pigeons each year and will be presented in future weekly reports.
Northwestern Pond Turtle Population Estimate: From June 5 through June 26, Biologists Wickhem, Bergh, and Ott, along with many helpers, deployed 41 turtle hoop traps at a site in Klickitat County and checked traps daily. The traps were spread across four water bodies that are historical northwestern pond turtle locations. Every year, the district staff members perform a mark-recapture trapping effort at one turtle site to generate a population estimate. All captured turtles are individually marked and the number of times each individual turtle is captured is recorded. The number of captures and recaptures is plugged into a model (along with other variables) which will generate an estimated number of turtles present at the site. This season, the crew caught 286 individual pond turtles and two individual painted turtles for a total of 805 captures (including recaptures). We will be anxiously waiting for Science Division staff members to calculate the population estimate. During the last trapping effort at that site (in 2018), there was a total of 511 captures and 207 were pond turtles. It appears that the pond turtle population has increased (HOORAY!). Also of note, the crew captured and marked 69 new wild-born turtles, three times the number of new turtles captured in 2018 (double HOORAY!). This large number of new turtles (indicating natural recruitment) confirms that the removal of invasive bullfrogs from this site is benefitting the pond turtles and many other native species. Special thanks to all the folks (20 people total!!) that assisted with trap setting, checking, and take-down.
Mardon Skipper Surveys: During the first two weeks of July, Biologists Bergh, Wickhem, and Ott, as well as the new District 9 Klickitat Wildlife Area Manager Cass Holman, assisted in modified peak count surveys for state endangered mardon skippers. These surveys are coordinated by the U.S. Forest Service as a part of a 3-year effort to visit sites historically occupied by mardon skippers across their range within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Mardon skippers require open meadows with ample sun, bunch grasses, and floral resources. Existing populations of mardon skippers are highly isolated and under threat due to habitat loss and/or degradation caused by forest encroachment, invasive plants, and fire suppression. These surveys will help inform appropriate localized and landscape scale habitat management for the species on U. S. Forest Service land. Although no sites assigned to WDFW staff members yielded positive detections of mardon skippers, the staff members thoroughly enjoyed the time spent walking in subalpine meadows identifying butterflies and collaborating with U.S. Forest Service staff members.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Oneida Access Area: Access staff members have started mowing some of WDFW sites including Onieda Access Area. Staff members mow certain areas to provide additional parking and to also try and keep fire danger down. Hot weather, tall grass, and hot exhaust pipes do not mix well. Onieda Access Area has two field parking areas that will be heavily used starting in August.
Fourth of July Aftermath: As expected, the week after the Fourth of July was busy. Many sites in Washougal, Kalama, and Mineral Lake were used heavily by the public. Unfortunately, many visitors didn’t “pack it in, pack it out.”
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Pacificorps Wildlife Habitat Management Lands: Biologist Holman joined Pacificorps staff members to visit multiple locations in the higher elevation portions of Pacificorps Lewis River Habitat Management Lands to evaluate ongoing enhancement efforts. U.S. Forest Service Supervisory Biologist Rich attended as well.
The group saw forest management projects such as pre-commercial thinning and reforestation, soil augmentations designed to increase pH, elk forage plot establishment, and weed control in wetlands. All projects on the habitat enhancement lands are on schedule. Pacificorp lands include approximately 16,000 acres of enhanced wildlife habitat in the North Fork Lewis River basin to partially balance the impacts of the hydropower system on the river. These lands are open to the public for non-motorized recreation including hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing.
Other
New Klickitat Wildlife Area Manager: We are very excited to announce that the Klickitat Wildlife Area has a new manager. Cassandra “Cass” Holman started her role with WDFW on July 1. It took over seven months to find the right person for the job, however Cass was a true standout from all the other candidates. We are very happy to have her as part of the Region 5 Wildlife Program team.
Cassandra is a wildlife and conservation biologist with a focus on addressing ecological challenges in human-compromised or altered ecosystems. She recently worked in northern California implementing floodplain reconnection and habitat restoration projects in the Trinity River watershed. However, her career has also taken her to Alaska, Colorado, New England, Texas, and North Carolina. Originally from Rhode Island, Cass is excited to call Washington home for the long term. She has a strong background in grant writing, project management, and forming conservation partnerships with stakeholders to make a tangible difference. As the new manager of the Klickitat Wildlife Area, she is dedicated to meeting the state’s objectives for species conservation and habitat protection.