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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
May 7, 2007

Region 5 Wildlife Areas

Klickitat Wildlife Area Grazing Preparation: Acting Wildlife Manager VanLeuven met with retired Wildlife Area Manager and checked range conditions in preparation for cattle grazing that is to occur this month on the North Breaks grazing unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area grazing lease area. Cattle troughs were checked and primed and fencing in need of repair was noted. The Washington Conservation Corps crew assisted with fence repair on the Wildlife Area.

Game Management Division

Dark goose egg examination.

Dark Canada Goose Project: District Wildlife Biologist Miller, Temporary Scientific Technician Ridenour, Citizen Scientist Bob Jarvis, and Volunteer Dan Howell re-visited the dark goose nests that were identified during the recent nest searches on Miller Sands Island and Spit. The nest surveyors recorded the UTM coordinates and they were plotted on a map by the WDFW GIS staff to facilitate finding the nests again. A total of 42 nests were examined with 22 having already hatched or in the process of hatching. The incubation status helps biologists predict the peak of hatch and that date is used to calculate the best time to band the birds. The next step in the project will be the observation of goose broods to confirm nest data.

Wildlife Diversity Division

Western Pond Turtle: Biologist Slavens and her crew put 11 transmitters on female western pond turtles this week for a grand total of 24 for this year at Sondino Ponds in Klickitat County. This week's other captures included 9 males, 13 females, and 27 unknown turtles for grand totals of 56 males, 30 females and 90, unknowns. Of the total 176 turtle captures, 148 have been head-starts. Two approximately 3-year old wild turtles were also caught during this last week.