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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
Brian Calkins, Acting Wildlife Program Manager

June 12, 2006

Wildlife Diversity Division

Western Pond Turtle Management: Under the direction of District Biologist Anderson and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Staff, Biologists Holman and VanLeuven have undertaken an effort to locate western pond turtles on Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge, located in northwestern Clark County is within the historic range of the western pond turtle. The turtles were thought to be extirpated from this portion of their range until a single animal was captured by a Refuge volunteer in the fall of 2006.

The northern portion of the Refuge features a relatively large area of suitable habitat featuring complex wetlands interspersed with uplands and islands of basalt rock. The thin well-drained soils on the uplands support plant communities that typify the best pond turtle nesting habitat. Specifically, the uplands are vegetated primarily with dried grasses, Oregon white oak, wild rose, snowberry and poison oak with a limited amount of non-native blackberry. Thus far, the trapping effort has documented only western painted turtles.

Wildlife Viewing Opportunities: The turtle-related visits to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge by Biologists Holman and VanLeuven have offered the opportunity for several interesting wildlife observations. Species located has included western painted turtles, red-legged frogs, tree frogs, garter snakes, cedar waxwings, snowy egrets, great blue-herons, many species of ducks (the cinnamon teal are especially nice), Canada geese, kingfishers, goldfinches, yellow-headed blackbirds, red-winged blackbirds, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, osprey, nutria, muskrat, coyotes and black-tailed deer. Those interested in a wildlife viewing visit to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge should call the Refuge office at 360-887-4106.

An eagle on its nest surveyed from helicopter.	Two young eagles in advanced stage of feathered growth.

Bald Eagle Nesting Survey: Wildlife Biologist Woodin participated in a survey of Bald Eagle nestlings on the Lower Columbia River last week. This survey was conducted by Frank Isaacs of Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, with the aid of Bob Anderson of Oregon State University, and Pilot Franz Bergtold.

Of the 45 nests surveyed, two thirds had young. The image to the right of an adult eagle with its eaglets shows what a nest looks like from the helicopter. Of all the nests that did produce young, 59 percent had two young while 38 percent had one young, and a single nest contained three young. The other image is of a nest containing two young in advanced stage of feather growth.

Bald eagle productivity is much lower on the Columbia River from Cathlamet downstream is much lower than upstream. Only 44 percent of the nests had young in the Cathlamet and downstream section, whereas upstream 94 percent of nests surveyed had young. The reason for this is not known.