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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
Brian Calkins, Acting Wildlife Program Manager

July 10, 2006

Region 5 Wildlife Areas

Operation Dark Goose

Klickitat Wildlife Area: Wildlife Area Manager Ellenburg has been seeing numerous turkey broods this summer on the wildlife area. The rain that has fallen throughout the spring and summer has increased grasses and these are full of insects for the chicks and poults to feed on. This should increase chances for success for the fall turkey hunters this season.

Deer fawns are starting to emerge and follow their mothers around so remember that if fawns are seen in the roads just scare them from the road and their mothers will come back to them.

With all the spring and summer rains the grasses are in abundance this year and this also brings an increase in fire danger, so please remember if you are visiting the wildlife area open fires and fireworks are prohibited.

Wildlife Diversity Division

Peregrine Falcon Monitoring: Productivity surveys continue for this year's statewide peregrine falcon monitoring effort. These surveys are part of ongoing monitoring of Peregrine Falcons by both Washington State and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Birds have been reported at several of the known historic sites and current efforts are focused on determining if occupied sites have produced young. Of seven territories currently being monitored in the Columbia River Gorge, three have young, two have failed, one is unoccupied and the other has had only one adult observed on site. We will continue to these sites until the breeding season is complete.

Game Division

Operation Dark Goose: The Lower Columiba River capture of dark resident geese took place on July 7. This project is designed to mark as many local geese that resemble the dusky subspecies as possible. The project is designed to improve population estimates of the Dusky subspecies as well as improve check station operations during the hunting season. Over 30 volunteers from OSU, WDFW, ODFW and private citizens contibuted to the project. A total of 150 geese were caught and released with a variety of markers such as neck collars, tarsus bands and federal leg bands. These birds can be recognised from others by the white collar or tarsus bands or by the unique leg band series.