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Southwest Washington
Wildlife Reports
June
16, 2008
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Region
5 Wildlife Areas
Shillapoo Wildlife Area: Assistant
Manager Hauswald and Technician Babcock have been busy with several activities
on the Wildlife Area. These include weed and blackberry spraying on the North
Unit, fence repairs on the Vancouver Lake and South Units, and installation
of tree protectors and mats on hundreds of trees planted earlier in the year.
Regular visits are also made to structures that control water levels in managed
wetlands to assure they are clear of debris and to check for beaver and nutria
damage to flashboards.
Wildlife Area Manager Calkins set up a new methodology to illustrate the effectiveness of grazing in managing winter waterfowl pastures. This technique uses a visual metering target to illustrate vegetative density and height. For an example, see photos at right. Each square on the board is one foot. Ideally by the end of the grazing period, almost all of the board will be visible. The grazing objective for these pastures is to reduce vegetative height to 6 inches or less to foster use by Canada Geese.
Klickitat Wildlife Area: Boulder Placement: Manager VanLeuven requested assistance from WDFW Engineering Division in implementing a boulder placement project along Grayback and Sheep Canyon Roads. Approximately 350 boulders were placed along the road to better define the edge of the road and encourage drivers to stay on the road with their vehicles. The engineering staff were flexible in scheduling this project, accomplished the job quickly and with care, and the project turned out well.
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| Approximately 350 boulders were placed along the road of the Klickitat Wildlife Area to better define the edge of the road and encourage drivers to stay on the road with their vehicles. |
Sondindo Unit: Manager VanLeuven checked on the cooperative effort between a neighbor and WDFW on installing a common boundary fence. The fence was built according to our specifications and is a very professional-looking job. The materials/labor agreement between WDFW and the neighbor was beneficial to both parties.
Game
Management Division
Dark Goose Brood survey: District 10 personnel, along with volunteer
Jarvis, completed a survey for dark goose broods in the vicinity of Miller Sands
Island. This survey was combined with a streaked horn lark survey to save on
boat fuel. Approximately 35-40 broods of dark geese were observed. A multi agency
effort is planned to capture and mark these birds in July.
Wildlife
Diversity Division
Bald Eagle Surveys: Biologist Holman participated in a helicopter survey
of Bald Eagle territories in the Lower Columbia River from Interstate 5 to the
River's mouth. The Oregon and Washington sides of the River were investigated,
along with the various islands over the course of the two-day effort. Eagles
occupy much of the suitable habitat on both sides of the River. Approximately
125 nesting territories are located along the 107-mile course of this portion
of the Columbia. Initial results indicate good production of chicks again this
year.
This survey is a joint effort between Oregon State University, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, WDFW, and the Corps of Engineers. The survey is coordinated by Oregon State University and OSU's Frank Isaacs had the lead on the survey effort and maintains the data related to this important eagle population.
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| WDFW is evaluating the potential issues associated with windpower and the protection of ferruginous hawk nesting sites. |
Windpower: Biologist Anderson has been working with the habitat and research divisions to evaluate proposed windpower projects in Klickitat County. Several projects have already been built and several more are being planned in the last remaining quality shrub steppe habitat in Klickitat County. The most recent planned development is located in a high concentration area of ferruginous hawk territories, a state threatened species.
WDFW is trying to evaluate the potential issues associated with windpower and the protection of ferruginous hawk nesting sites. The attached photo was taken near an active ferruginous hawk nest located in the middle of a proposed wind farm. An adult ferruginous hawk was killed last year at the wind farm seen in the photo.
Watchable Wildlife: During dark goose banding surveys, the crew at Miller Sands was surprised to see a flock of 19 white pelicans at the downstream end of Miller Sands spit this week. White pelicans are rarely seen in the summer in western Washington and this sighting compliments others reported to WDFW recently.
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