Turn off that television—this is prime time for viewing bald eagles.
Washington has one of the highest numbers of wintering bald eagles in the country. About 2,000 of these majestic birds of prey winter throughout the state, feasting on spawned-out salmon and other dead or dying fish in rivers and streams, and on road-killed or winter-killed animals.
The upper reaches of the Skagit River in Skagit County boosts the highest number of birds with as many as 500 eagles gathered there now. Celebrating this spectacle is the Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival on January 30 and 31 which provides special opportunities to learn about, view and photograph the birds as they congregate in trees and feed on the river's banks.
U.S. Forest Service "Eagle Watcher" hosts are available both Saturday and Sunday with spotting scopes and interpretive information at pullouts (milepost 99 and 100) along State Route 20, east of Sedro Woolley, and at Howard Miller Steelhead Park in the town of Rockport. Festival activities are centered in the town of Concrete, at Steelhead Park in Rockport, and at the Marblemount Community Club. From I-5, take Exit 232 (Cook Road), and go east to the light at SR 20 in Sedro Woolley. Turn left onto SR 20 and proceed east approximately 25 miles to Concrete. Rockport and Marblemount are located 8 miles and 12 miles further east.
The Bald Eagle Interpretive Center, located one block south of SR 20 on Alfred Street in Rockport, will be open Fridays, Saturdays and holidays in January and February. The center features talks, slide shows, and guided nature walks. Call (360) 853-7614 for program schedules. The Festival Committee publishes a free 16-page schedule of events. To get your copy call (360) 853-7009, or write Bald Eagle Festival, P.O. Box 571, Concrete, WA 98237.
Some of the eagles you may see along the Skagit River are wearing leg bands and satellite transmitters in backpack harnesses. The equipment is part of a study by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Over the past two winters 37 eagles were captured and banded; 23 of them were also fitted with transmitters so their movements can be tracked. Up to five more eagles will be captured and equipped this winter. The transmitters give off signals received by satellites that send the location data back to computers in ground stations. So far WDFW has learned that while these eagles may be neighbors on the Skagit through the winter, they nest far and wide. Some have been tracked as far north as interior Alaska and the Beaufort Sea near the Arctic Circle, while others nest along the upper Columbia River in southeast British Columbia. You can track some of these eagles yourself on an Internet website about migrating animals called "Journey North". You can also learn more about WDFW's Bald Eagle Research Projects on our Wildlife Research Website.
Other spots to see wintering bald eagles include Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge in Clallam County on the Olympic Peninsula, and the Columbia River Gorge in southwest Washington, specifically Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery near the mouth of the Little White Salmon River in Skamania County. Wherever you eagle watch, be sure to leave pets at home, be quiet, and minimize movement to avoid disturbing eagles.
Eastside Fishing: Eastern Washington's recent deep freeze has created good ice-fishing action in some winter-only trout lakes and year-round mixed species waters. Fourth-of-July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line is still yielding 12 to 18-inch rainbow trout, although the catch rate has slowed since the December 1 opener. Nearby Sprague Lake, along I-90 and the town of Sprague, offers bluegill, perch, bass, and trout through the ice. Spokane County's Eloika and Newman lakes provide crappie, perch, and other fish. Stevens County's winter-only Williams and Hatch lakes have 10- to 13-inch rainbows coming through the ice. Okanogan County's winter-only Green, Lower Green, Little Twin and Rat lakes offer nice rainbows, too. Open-water winter fishing is still available and fairly productive on several of eastern Washington's year-round Columbia River reservoirs, including Roosevelt, Banks and Rufus Woods lakes.
Winter-fed elk watching at Oak Creek: About 1,400 elk, including some impressively-antlered bulls, are highly visible now at WDFW's Oak Creek Wildlife Area, off Highway 12 southwest of Yakima. WDFW's winter feeding station there draws the animals every season, even during relatively mild winters. Oak Creek elk have been winter-fed for decades to make up for loss of winter range to private land ownership and to avoid elk damage claims. The program offers a bonus of easily-accessible viewing opportunities. WDFW's Oak Creek Manager John McGowan reports that a total of about 2,500 elk are eating at the wildlife area this year, about two-thirds the total fed in more typical winters. McGowan and crews put out hay every day at about 1:30 p.m., although elk are visible in the area throughout the day. About 100 California bighorn sheep also are fed every morning at a site near Clemens Mountain off the Old Naches Road, just east of the elk feeding station. WDFW and volunteers operate a small visitor center at the Highway 12 elk feeding site where elk viewers can learn more about the species and the area.
Snowmobiling and wildlife watching: New snow cover in many parts of eastern Washington has lured outdoor recreationists, including many snowmobilers. Like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling can be a good way to get off the beaten path to watch wildlife. But unlike those other non- motorized sports, snowmobiling's noise and speed can drive off wild animals and stress them unnecessarily. Here are some tips on productive and responsible wildlife watching for snowmobilers:
- Travel only on established snowmobile trails
- Shut down your machine once you reach a likely wildlife viewing area and sit quietly
- Use binoculars or a scope to scan for wildlife
- Use a telephoto lens rather than trying to get closer for a wildlife photo
- Move slowly, quietly and never directly toward nearby animals; wait until the animals leave the area before restarting your snowmobile
- Yield to any wildlife using the same trail, particularly large and potentially dangerous animals like moose. When snow is deep and iced-over, many hooved animals use snowmobile trails for easier traveling; remember you are recreating, they are trying to survive.
Westside trout fishing: The following westside lakes were recently planted with catchable size trout: Battleground Lake - 5,000 rainbows; Klineline Pond near Vancouver- 8,400 rainbows; Lacamas Lake near Camas - 14,700 browns and 4,700 rainbows; Kress Lake near Kalama - 2,500 rainbows; Lake Sacajewea near Longview - 1,400 rainbows; Maryhill Pond - 300 rainbows; Rowland Lake - 1,300 rainbows; Spearfish Lake - 1,100 rainbows; Icehouse Lake near Bridge of the Gods - 1,700 rainbows. In addition, 150 broodstock rainbows weighing several pounds each were released into Horseshoe Lake; 140 fish into Klineline Pond, and 125 fish into Spearfish Lake from Jan. 12-19.
Sturgeon fishing: Some sturgeon are being caught off the bank below Longview. The Dalles Pool was very good for boat anglers, Bonneville Pool was fair and John Day Pool was slow. Fishing may improve if the smelt run is good.
