Spring is more than a month away, but Washingtonians have plenty of reasons to head outdoors between now and then. Salmon and steelhead fishing, razor-clam digging and the 11th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count are just a few of the recreational activities available in the days ahead.

Ice fishing is also still an option for anglers at several popular lakes in eastern Washington. A minimum of four inches of solid, clear ice is the safety standard established by the U.S. Coast Guard.

In Puget Sound, anglers have been reeling in some nice blackmouth salmon, and fishing heat up when four more marine areas open for salmon Feb. 16. Waters opening that day include marine areas 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 11 (Tacoma-Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal).

“There’s been some decent fishing for blackmouth in portions of Puget Sound this winter,” said Steve Thiesfeld, a fish biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “So anglers could get off to a good start in these new areas early on, especially marine areas 6 and 11.”

Despite some high water and cold weather, steelhead anglers on the Olympic Peninsula have been catching some nice fish in recent days. With a warming trend predicted, fishing conditions could improve throughout the west side of the state. That would be especially welcome in southwest Washington, where a late run of winter steelhead to the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers is expected to peak later this month.

Razor clam digs are also popular, regardless of the weather. Twin Harbors will open for four late-evening razor clam digs Feb. 6-9, while Long Beach will open Feb. 8 and 9 only. The digs were approved after marine toxin tests showed the clams were safe to eat. As with previous digs this season, digging will be allowed only during the hours between noon and midnight.

Rather stick close to home? Birders throughout the state can participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, which runs Feb. 15-18 in the United States and Canada. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see during the count dates wherever they choose - at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges. See http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc for more information on the bird count, which is sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

For more information about current and upcoming outdoor-recreation opportunities in Washington, see the regional summaries below:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Fishing continues to be spotty for anglers casting for hatchery steelhead in several of the region’s rivers and streams. However, salmon anglers have found decent fishing for blackmouth in a few marine areas of Puget Sound.

  “From what I’ve heard, it sounds like Marine Area 7 and the northern portion of Marine Area 9 are the best places to fish for blackmouth,” said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. “A number of anglers in those two areas have done really well in the last few days.”

  Selective fisheries for hatchery blackmouth – resident chinook – continue into April in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands) and 9 (Admiralty inlet), as well as 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner). Anglers fishing in those areas can keep two hatchery blackmouth as part of their two-salmon daily limit. They must, however, release wild chinook, which have an intact adipose fin, and are required to use single-point barbless hooks.

  Thiesfeld reminds anglers that the waters from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point in Marine Area 9 remain closed to salmon fishing.

  In the rivers, steelhead fishing has been slow, said Steve Foley, another WDFW fish biologist. “I did hear that some anglers fishing the Green River did pretty well the first couple days of February, but then it dropped off again,” he said.

  Foley said anglers on the Green River are finding a mix of hatchery and wild steelhead, and that is likely the same for anglers on most of the region’s other rivers. “This is the time of year we start to see a transition from hatchery to wild steelhead,” he said. Wild steelhead, bearing an intact adipose fin, must be released in all area waters.

  Anglers have through Feb. 15 to fish for hatchery steelhead on the lower portion of the Green River, from the 1st Ave. South Bridge to the South 277th Bridge in Auburn. The upper reach – from the South 277th Bridge in Auburn to the Tacoma Headworks Dam – remains open through the end of February.

  Foley notes that other rivers in the region, including the Snoqualmie, Snohomish and the Skykomish, also remain open through Feb. 29. Other rules and regulations for freshwater and saltwater fisheries can be found at WDFW’s fishing regulation website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

  Elsewhere, a stretch of the Cascade River that closed in January has re-opened. The river is once again open from the mouth upstream to Rockport-Cascade Road. Low steelhead returns prompted WDFW to close that portion of the Cascade River for a couple of weeks to ensure enough fish made it back to the Marblemount Hatchery to meet spawning goals.

  “Additional changes to fisheries in the basin also are likely this spring to protect wild steelhead,” said Bob Leland, WDFW's steelhead program manager. WDFW will continue to monitor returns of wild steelhead, which are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act, to determine the timing of any emergency closures.

• Hunting: The waterfowl season is over, and hunters are reminded to return their completed harvest reports for brant, snow geese and sea ducks to WDFW by Feb. 15. Hunters who fail to return their reports by Feb. 15 will be ineligible to hunt those birds in the 2008-2009 season.

• Wildlife viewing: Have 15 minutes to spare for bird science? That’s virtually all it takes to contribute to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an annual survey of birds sighted throughout the North American continent over a four-day period. This year’s bird count is scheduled Feb.15-18, when birders of all levels of experience are invited to count the number of birds they see in a 15-minute period and enter their tally, by species, on the GBBC website (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc). Participants can conduct their count in their own backyards, in a neighborhood park or anywhere they choose.

  These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. “Each tally helps us learn more abut how our North American birds are doing, and what that says about the health and the future of our environment,” said Tom Bancroft of the National Audubon Society, which sponsors the GBBC along with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

  Birders looking to venture away from their backyards can head out to the Skagit River and watch bald eagles. There’s still time to catch a glimpse of the white-headed raptors along the Skagit, where bald eagles annually spend part of December and January feeding on the carcasses of spawned salmon. After a few weeks of dining, the eagles head north – usually around mid- to late January – to their summer homes in Alaska and British Columbia. The best place to begin eagle-viewing activities is at the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretative Center. The center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday through Monday through Feb. 18. For more information on the interpretive center visit http://www.skagiteagle.org.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Razor clams, blackmouth and steelhead could all be on the menu in the coming days — as long as rainy, blustery weather doesn’t get in the way.

  Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, said he is advising everyone planning to participate in the late-evening razor-clam dig Feb. 6-9 to bring warm, waterproof clothes and a lantern. “The digs are scheduled to take place after sunset and there’s always the possibility of rain,” Ayres said. "We're hoping for good conditions, but it's always best to be prepared."

  Twin Harbors Beach will open Feb. 6-9, while Long Beach will open for digging Feb. 8 and 9 only. As in previous openings this season, no digging will be allowed at any beach before noon.

  Ayres recommends that diggers hit the beach at least an hour before low tide for best results.

  Evening low tides during the digs are at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 (+0.1 ft.), 6:52 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 (0.0 ft.), 7:27 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 (+0.1 ft.), and 8:02 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 (+0.4 ft.)

  Diggers may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.

  A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2007 Washington state annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.

  Variable weather has also made for a challenging steelhead season from the northern Olympic Peninsula to the Grays Harbor area. On the Olympic Peninsula, the results were mixed as anglers took advantage of some clear weather to get out during Superbowl weekend. A creel check on the upper Hoh credited 33 anglers with 22 wild steelhead (all released) and nine hatchery fish, although catch rates were still low below Oxbow Campground, where 67 anglers caught four wild (all released) and one hatchery fish.

  The Bogachiel produced its best numbers so far, with 22 anglers catching five wild steelhead (four released) and three hatchery fish. Although effort was low, seven anglers on the Calawah caught 12 wild steelhead and kept six. The Sol Duc on the other hand, slowed down a bit from previous weeks, yielding about one fish per angler. Of the 26 fish caught, 17 were wild. Of those, 10 were released.

  “The cold weather is good for anglers on the Hoh, especially in the early morning when the water’s clear and there’s a couple feet of visibility,” said David Low, WDFW fish biologist. “On the other hand, when the water’s low and clear on the Sol Duc, it’s hard to catch a fish — if you can see them, they can see you.”

  With wild fish now making their push upriver, Low reminds anglers that retention of wild steelhead is currently limited to one fish per year on the Bogachiel, Calawah, Clearwater, Dickey, Goodman, Hoh, Hoko, Pysht, Quillayute, Quinault or Sol Duc rivers. Elsewhere, they must be released. Retention rules for wild steelhead are outlined on page 33 of the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  Farther south on the popular Wynoochee River in Grays Harbor, the fishing has been fairly consistent despite the variable weather, said Larry Phillips WDFW fish biologist. “The most successful anglers are picking and choosing their days, paying attention to water flow and conditions,” he said.

  Low hatchery returns this year haven’t helped either, Phillips said. “But with the push of wild steelhead coming in the weeks ahead, anglers should have more success on area rivers.”

  Phillips reminds anglers that the Chehalis River continues to run high and muddy from flooding, making it difficult to fish.

  Meanwhile, those looking to catch some blackmouth salmon will have four more marine areas to fish starting Feb. 16, with seasons scheduled to run through April 10. Fishing is non-selective in those waters, including marine areas 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 11 (Tacoma-Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal).

  “People really enjoy this opportunity to catch some blackmouth,” said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. “So far, catches in the north sound have been good, which suggests that these new openings will be productive as well.”

  The daily limit is one salmon, regardless of species. Chinook must measure at least 22 inches. There is no size limit for other species of salmon.

  Anglers can kick off the season in competitive style by entering the Discovery Bay Salmon Derby, which takes place President’s Day Weekend near Sequim. The derby is the oldest running derby in the state and features $10,000 in prizes. The derby starts at daylight Feb. 16. The award ceremony will begin at 2:00 pm on Monday, at the Gardiner Boat Ramp.

  Derby participants should note that selective fishing rules will be in effect, requiring that all wild salmon be released. Only fish with a clipped adipose fin may be submitted for this year’s derby. For more details, call 360-797-7711 or visit http://www.discobaysalmonderby.com.

• Hunting: The waterfowl season is over, and hunters are reminded to return their completed harvest reports for brant, snow geese and sea ducks to WDFW by Feb. 15. Hunters who fail to return their reports by Feb. 15 will be ineligible to hunt those birds in the 2008-2009 season.

• Wildlife viewing: Have 15 minutes to spare for bird science? That’s virtually all it takes to contribute to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an annual survey of birds sighted throughout the North American continent over a four-day period. This year’s bird count is scheduled Feb.15-18, when birders of all levels of experience are invited to count the number of birds they see in a 15-minute period and enter their tally, by species, on the GBBC website (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc). Participants can conduct their count in their own backyards, in a neighborhood park or anywhere they choose.

  These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. “Each tally helps us learn more abut how our North American birds are doing, and what that says about the health and the future of our environment,” said Tom Bancroft of the National Audubon Society, which sponsors the GBBC along with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: With warmer weather in the forecast, anglers may finally get a break from the deep freeze that has slowed fisheries around the region in recent weeks. The question is whether rain and rising temperatures will push area rivers too far in the other direction, said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist.

  “Most rivers have been running low and cold, but a thaw could result in too much of a good thing,” Hymer said. “We have a big snowpack this year, which could swamp area rivers if it melts too quickly.”

  Late-run winter steelhead are now returning to the Cowlitz and Kalama hatcheries, but fishing has remained slow during nearly three weeks of frigid temperatures. A creel check conducted Feb. 2-3 on the Cowlitz River tallied seven boat anglers with one hatchery steelhead; two bank anglers had no catch. Fishing was also slow in the Kalama River, which also has a significant return of late-run fish.

  “If conditions are right, that fishery could heat up in the next few weeks,” Hymer said. “That run usually peaks in late February.”

  During the last week of January, Tacoma Power employees recovered 207 adult coho salmon and nine winter-run steelhead at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. Thirty-one adult coho and two winter-run steelhead were released into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site and five adult coho were released into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton.

  Meanwhile, creel checkers observed no catch in the fisheries for sturgeon or smelt during the first weekend in February. With water temperatures hovering around 39 degrees, those fisheries probably won’t improve until the rivers warm up a bit, Hymer said.

  Smelt dipping is allowed from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each Saturday through March 29 on the Cowlitz River and daily on the lower Columbia River. For weekly updates see the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/smelt/index.htm. For sturgeon seasons, which vary by area, see the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  Unlike those species, razor clams don’t mind a little cold weather. As recently announced by WDFW, Long Beach will open for late-evening digs Feb. 8-9 and Twin Harbors will open for evening digs Feb. 6-9. All other beaches will remain closed to digging.

  As with previous digs this season, digging will be allowed only during the hours between noon and midnight. Evening low tides during the digs are at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 (+0.1 ft.), 6:52 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 (0.0 ft.), 7:27 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 (+0.1 ft.) and 8:02 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 (+0.4 ft.). The digs were approved after marine toxin tests showed the clams were safe to eat.

  Diggers may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.

• Hunting: The waterfowl season is over, and hunters are reminded to return their completed harvest reports for brant, snow geese and sea ducks to WDFW by Feb. 15. Hunters who fail to return their reports by Feb. 15 will be ineligible to hunt those birds in the 2008-2009 season.

• Wildlife viewing: Have 15 minutes to spare for bird science? That’s virtually all it takes to contribute to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an annual survey of birds sighted throughout the North American continent over a four-day period. This year’s bird count is scheduled Feb.15-18, when birders of all levels of experience are invited to count the number of birds they see in a 15-minute period and enter their tally, by species, on the GBBC website (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc). Participants can conduct their count in their own backyards, in a neighborhood park or anywhere they choose.

  These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. “Each tally helps us learn more abut how our North American birds are doing, and what that says about the health and the future of our environment,” said Tom Bancroft of the National Audubon Society, which sponsors the GBBC along with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

  One good place to see – and count – birds is the Shillapoo Wildlife Area, which hugs the western boundary of the Vancouver city limits. Like the Ridgefield National Wildlife to the north, Shillapoo is a wintering area for geese, ducks and waterfowl of all kinds. “We have some egrets out there right now, and the sandhill cranes should start arriving in late February,” said WDFW wildlife area manager Brian Calkins.

  The department does ask that people view the birds from their cars at this time of year, Calkins said. “The wildlife area is managed for Canada geese, and one of our goals is to keep those birds off private property,” he said. “By heeding the signs and staying out of the fields, visitors can help us keep the geese inside the wildlife area.”

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The recent deep freeze has left ice relatively solid at most winter or year-round fishing lakes, providing opportunities for ice-fishing. Forecasted warmer weather could change those conditions quickly, so anglers are advised to be cautious and check out ice-fishing safety tips at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regions/reg1/ice_fishing.htm.

  A recent creel check at Fourth of July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line found that anglers have been catching rainbow trout through the ice at the far south end of the lake. Fishing was slow in other parts of the lake, however. Anglers are reminded that Fourth of July Lake has a five-trout daily catch limit, only two of which may be over 14 inches, the most common size.

  Hog Canyon Lake, in southwest Spokane County, is under the same catch regulation, although it has many more rainbows under 14 inches, said WDFW enforcement officer Curt Wood. The challenge at Hog Canyon is getting to the lake. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) gate near the shoreline had to be closed and locked because people were getting vehicles stuck in the heavy snow cover there, Wood explained, so anglers must make a long walk in from the upper parking lot.

  One lake that rarely ices up completely is Rock Lake in Whitman County. Open water fishing for rainbow and brown trout at the year-round lake is good for those willing to brave cold and windy conditions, either from a carefully-maneuvered boat or from shore.

  Fishing at Lake Roosevelt has been slow on net-pen reared rainbows, at least in part because there were simply fewer of them released last year. Anglers who catch the occasional kokanee in the big reservoir need to watch for tagged wild fish, which cannot be retained until a study is completed. From Feb. 1 through March 21, harvest of wild kokanee salmon (non-adipose fin clipped) with an external red plastic spaghetti tag adjacent to the dorsal fin is prohibited throughout Lake Roosevelt, including Hawk Creek and the San Poil, Spokane and Kettle arms. Research scientists from WDFW, the Spokane Tribe, the Colville Confederated Tribes and Eastern Washington University are conducting a three-year biotelemetry study on habitat use and behavior of wild kokanee. Researchers are anesthetizing fish captured for tagging, and under Federal Drug Administration (FDA) rules they cannot be consumed for a period of time.

• Wildlife viewing: With deep snow covering most of the region, some wildlife viewing has become too close for comfort. Deer and other wildlife drawn to low-lying areas frequently travel by road, making collisions more frequent. Most animals that were in good condition last fall are surviving the snowy winter, but some are helping themselves to haystacks and other food sources in agricultural areas. WDFW discourages intentionally feeding deer now because their digestive systems take several weeks to adjust to provided feed. Feeding also concentrates deer, which can increase predation and disease spread. For more information on winter wildlife feeding, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/factshts/wintfeed.htm.

  WDFW habitat biologist Jeff Lawlor of Spokane reports seeing two adult and two juvenile bald eagles likely foraging for fish or waterfowl on Latah Creek just south of downtown Spokane. Other have been spotted around the Seven Mile area of the Spokane River. “Great horned owls are also back in the Coulee Hites area, hooting away at each other in their courtship rituals,” Lawlor said.

  Juli Anderson, WDFW Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area manager, also reports courting owls hooting back and forth in the grove of trees near the Lincoln County area’s headquarters office. “This year, as in most years, the owls seem to have beat the redtailed hawks to that nesting spot,” she said. Anderson also noted visitors to Swanson Lakes should be aware that drifting snow has and can cause hazardous or impassible driving conditions on the area’s gravel roads.

  If courting owls aren’t enough of a reminder that spring really will follow this snowy winter, perhaps blue birds are. WDFW wildlife biologist David Woodall of Clarkston reports seeing several small flocks of western blue birds in the Snake River canyon from Asotin to Joseph Creek. Those birds may have been wintering in the canyon, but others will be returning to eastern Washington to start nesting by the end of the month.

  Birdwatchers of all kinds, from beginners to experts, can be part of a continent-wide bird survey during the 11th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.15-18. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see during an outing or a sitting wherever they choose – at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges – then enter their tally and location on the GBBC web site at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Bird sightings from throughout the U.S. and Canada can be compared on-line as tallies are recorded. Together these counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Bob Jateff, WDFW fish biologist from Omak, reported that winter ice fishing opportunities in Okanogan County have improved considerably due to colder temperatures.

  “For rainbow trout the best lakes to try are Rat, Big and Little Green, and Davis, while Patterson Lake is good for yellow perch,” Jateff said. “Powerbait for trout and a small jig tipped with a worm for perch are successful methods for ice fishing.”

  Other reports indicate that ice fishing for perch has also been good at Fish Lake in Chelan County, Jateff said.

  The Northwest Ice Fishing Festival will be held Feb. 16 at Sidley Lake near Molson. Sponsored by the Oroville Chamber of Commerce and Molson Grange, registration is 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Molson Grange Hall or at the office on the lake. The cost to enter is $20 for adults, $10 for kids 14 and under, with prizes awarded. For more information, contact Robin Stice at (509) 485-4002.

  Jateff says steelhead fishing above Wells Dam on the upper Columbia River has been slow due to cold temperatures and icy conditions. “Expect success to improve as temperatures start to moderate during the month of February,” he said. All steelhead with a floy or anchor tag attached must be released when caught above Wells Dam, including all tributaries.

  From Jan. 31 through March 31 anglers can retain hatchery (adipose fin-clipped) steelhead with anchor or floy tags in the parts of the Columbia and Wenatchee rivers that are open to steelhead. The tags, which were attached for previous sampling operations, are no longer required for monitoring purposes in open areas below Wells Dam. For more information on this rule change, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

  Fishing at Rufus Woods Reservoir (behind Chief Joseph Dam) has also slowed in recent weeks, but anglers can still expect catches of triploid rainbow trout in the two-pound class on bait, lures, and flies, Jateff reported. “Shore access is limited to a few locations on Rufus Woods, but for boat anglers there is a well-developed launch site just upstream of Chief Joseph Dam maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers,” he said.

  Chris Anderson, WDFW enforcement captain, reminds anglers about the two-fish daily limit at Rufus Woods. “If you’re fishing with bait you have to count the first two fish caught,” Anderson said. “Because lots of folks are catching multiple fish using bait, we’re seeing lots of fish mortality. We and tribal police have been writing numerous tickets for folks exceeding the daily bag limit, including tickets for four individuals from Spokane who had 47 trout in possession.”

• Wildlife viewing: With deep snow covering most of the region, some wildlife viewing has become too close for comfort in several ways. Deer and other wildlife drawn to the low-lying areas are now often near roads, making collisions more frequent. So far, most animals that were in good condition last fall are surviving the snowy winter, but some are helping themselves to food sources like haystacks in agricultural areas. WDFW discourages people from starting to feed deer because their digestive systems take several weeks to adjust from natural food. Feeding also concentrates deer, which can increase predation and disease spread. For more information on winter wildlife feeding, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/factshts/wintfeed.htm.

  Jim Brown, WDFW sergeant from Okanogan, reported complaints throughout the county of dogs chasing deer and cases of deer being killed or mortally wounded by dogs. This behavior is considered public nuisance and dog owners are being cited.

  Both mule deer and white-tailed deer are very visible as they forage early in the morning and later in the day on WDFW’s Sinlahekin and Chiliwist wildlife areas in Okanogan County, reported Dale Swedberg, area manager. A cow moose was recently seen on the north end of the Sinlahekin, and another has been regularly seen near the Chilwist. Swedberg said cross-country skiiing is available on nearly eight miles of snow-covered hiking trails on the Sinlahekin, although only about two miles have been “set” by skiers to date. “There’s opportunity to set many more miles of trail and it’s a great, quiet way to see wildlife in the winter here,” he said.

  Bald eagles can be seen on the Sinlahekin at the extreme south end of Blue Lake where there is a small area of open water. Other birds that have been observed recently include hooded merganser, golden eagle, rough-legged hawk, northern shrike, Steller's jay, water ouzel, black-capped chickadee, and pine siskin. Swedberg noted snowmobiles are not allowed on roads or other parts of the Sinlahekin and Chiliwist, except for the county road from Conconully to the road on the south side of Fish Lake and up the Stalder Road.

  The 7th annual Balde Eagle Festival in Grand Coulee, Feb. 14-16, includes bus tours from town to the Northrup Canyon winter bald eagle roost and other local wildlife watching sites. The festival, named after the original American spelling of bald eagle, also offers wildlife symposiums and art, photo, and poetry contests for all ages. The Northrup Canyon bald eagle viewing site is off state highway 155, about seven miles south of the town of Grand Coulee. It includes two small parking lots and a foot trail that winds through the center of the canyon. For more information on the festival, see http://www.eaglefestival.com/ or call (800) 268-5332 or (509) 633-3074.

  Birdwatchers of all kinds, from beginners to experts, can be part of a continent-wide bird survey during the 11th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.15-18. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see during an outing or a sitting wherever they choose -- at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges -- then enter their tally and location on the GBBC web site at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Bird sightings from throughout the U.S. and Canada can be compared on-line as tallies are recorded. Together these counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Jim Cummins, WDFW fish biologist, said he has heard reports that whitefish fishing is good in the Yakima River. “From what I’ve heard, the fish are large, often running from 14 to 18 inches in length, with some even larger,” Cummins said.

  Cummins also noted that fly-fishers are after rainbow trout in the Yakima River. “But there’s about four miles of the river from Roza Dam upstream that are frozen, and there’s shoreline shelf-ice everywhere,” Cummins said.

  Cummins also recently observed good numbers of anglers fishing through the ice at year-round Myron Lake and winter-only North Elton Pond in Yakima County. “I’m not sure how they were doing, but both the lake and pond have been well-stocked with trout,” he said.

  Those that would rather stay indoors can head to the 18th annual Central Washington Sportsmen Show, which is scheduled for Feb. 15-17 at the Yakima SunDome. The show includes a WDFW information booth and features daily fishing seminars, a fly casting pool, fly tying demonstrations, trout bobbing contests, an outdoor cooking camp, and vendors of fishing and hunting gear, guides and lodges. For show hours, admission prices and other details, see http://www.shuylerproductions.com/index.php.

• Wildlife viewing: Bald eagles are scavenging for fish and waterfowl along the Yakima River in several locations. Jim Cummins, WDFW fish biologist, said he has seen at least 10 of the big birds along the river between Roza Dam and the Umtanum access, and others located in the city of Yakima, Union Gap area, and between Yakima and Naches.

  Cummins also reports seeing large numbers of juncos, house wrens, and California quail in his own Yakima backyard where he maintains feeders. He also sees mourning doves, white-crowned sparrows, pine siskins, song sparrows and American goldfinches using the feeders.

  Elk are still visible at winter-feeding stations at WDFW’s Oak Creek, Wenas, and L.T. Murray wildlife areas in the region. Oak Creek Wildlife Area Manager John McGowan said elk are fed at 1:30 p.m. daily at the area headquarters site six miles west of Naches on Highway 12. People interested in tours should call the Washington Environmental Corps volunteer staff Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 509-698-5106, McGowan said. Reservations need to be made 48 hours before the tour date.

  To limit disturbance on big game winter range, vehicle gates at Oak Creek and Bethel Ridge roads and on the Sanford Pasture/Mud Lake road system on the Oak Creek Wildlife Area, Mellotte Road into the Wenas Wildlife Area, and the Robinson Canyon and Joe Watt Canyon roads into the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area are all closed through April 30.

  A new closure to motorized vehicle access on the Whiskey Dick and a portion of the Quilomene wildlife areas in Kittitas County is also in effect through April 30 to protect wintering elk. The area is north of the Vantage Highway, south of Quilomene Ridge Road, east of the Wild Horse Wind Farm, and west of the Columbia River.

  Birdwatchers of all kinds, from beginners to experts, can be part of a continent-wide bird survey during the 11th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.15-18. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see during an outing or a sitting wherever they choose – at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges – then enter their tally and location on the GBBC website at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Bird sightings from throughout the U.S. and Canada can be compared online as tallies are recorded. Together these counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.