RSS7/3/08 What's Happening
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Public meeting set on wildlife area grazing
Livestock grazing on state wildlife land in Kittitas County will be the focus of a July 15 public scoping meeting in Ellensburg.
The 6-9 p.m. meeting at the Kittitas Valley Event Center (Building 13, Manastash Room, 512 N. Poplar St.) is the first step in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's process of developing an environmental impact statement (EIS) addressing potential effects of managed livestock grazing on the Quilomene and Whiskey Dick wildlife areas.
Those wildlife areas, about 15 miles east of Ellensburg, are part of the Wild Horse Coordinated Resource Management plan, covering 62,000 acres of private and public land of which 34,409 acres are in WDFW ownership.
Bird Alert: Flycatcher makes early arrival
Last Friday's report of an ash-throated flycatcher perched atop some pines in Parker Heights is the earliest record of that migrating flycatcher in our area. Although this species is a regular summer resident in the bottomlands along the Yakima River, it was a
first-time visitor to the
Parker Heights yard.
While trying to beat the 100-plus temperatures by birding the shade of the Fort Simcoe oak trees, one observer noted a lot of begging and chattering from two Lewis' woodpecker nests near the old officers quarters. This is also a good spot to see Bullock's oriole as four were noted here, as well as yellow breasted chat, of which two were heard singing and chatting in the brush, and a Say's phoebe frantically feeding three demanding juveniles. A pair of black-chinned hummingbirds were energetically enjoying the camp host's feeder.
Other birds of interest this week included a Eurasian collared-dove noted flying several times between a spruce tree and a maple tree in Yakima; Swainson's hawk, two chukar, a couple of vesper sparrows and several mountain bluebirds noted along the Mabton/Bickleton Road; and red crossbill, Cassin's finch, pine siskin and a pair of gray catbirds seen along Wenas Creek.
Please call your bird sightings into the Yakima Valley Audubon phone line at 248-1963.
This week's correspondent: Kerry L. Turley
High-country snows make hiking difficult
Even with the recent stretch of hotter temperatures, many upper-elevation trail systems are still under snow in many places, and that's not likely to change soon.
The snow at Chinook Pass is still several feet deep, and even the recent snowmelt trend hasn't made a dent on a lot of high-country trails, said Naches Ranger District resource assistant Mike Rowan.
"There are portions of the Pacific Crest Trail that will, in all likelihood, not be snow-free all summer," Rowan said. "They may be passable and I'm hoping those will be relatively short sections, but in areas that are shaded or on north-facing slopes, there will be significant areas of snow."
Above 4,200 feet, most trails still have a lot of snow cover, particularly on open, south-facing slopes. The number of downed trees from winter storms "doesn't appear to be even close to the mess we had last year," Rowan said, but the heavy snow base kept trail crews from getting an early start.
OUT AND ABOUT
DOG, LEECH PLANTS: Recent snow-plowing of the access roads to Dog and Leech lakes off Highway 12 in the White Pass area allowed stocking of triploid rainbow trout. Both lakes have a daily trout limit of five (no more than one over 14 inches), and Leech is fly-fishing only.
FISHING ELSEWHERE: Above Bonneville Dam, anglers can retain sockeye and summer chinook salmon up to Priest Rapids Dam through July 31. The daily catch limit is two adult salmon per day. Fishing for hatchery steelhead also remains open on the Columbia River up to the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco.Kokanee anglers might want to try Rimrock, Bumping, Keechelus, and Kachess reservoirs. Mackinaw or lake trout are being caught at Cle Elum Reservoir.
HUNTING QUESTIONNAIRE: The state wildlife department is accepting public comments through July 13 on key hunting issues ranging from shooting hours to mule deer seasons as a first step in developing state hunting seasons for 2009-11. A questionnaire is posted at wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/seasonsetting/index.htm on which hunters can also suggest ideas for future regulations and hunting seasons.
HOH CLOSURE: If you're planning on a summer vacation on the Olympic Peninsula, read on -- the DNR's popular South Fork Hoh Campground, located just south of Forks, will be closed July 7-April 1 for culvert replacement work to the access road.
ADVISERS NEEDED: Applicants are being sought to fill several vacancies in two provincial advisory committees (one of which is centered in Yakima and Kittitas counties) that help the Forest Service with the Northwest Forest Plan and other issues within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The positions to be filled represent public interests that include grazing, fishing, wildlife, environmental, forest products, public at large, and mining interests. For information on the process, call Robin DeMario at 509-664-9292
ON THE CALENDAR
SATURDAY-SUNDAY: The Cascadians' weekend hikes include Round Mountain on Saturday and Grand Park on Sunday. For meeting time and place, call Maurine Peck at 453-4244.
TUESDAY: Novice bicycle riders just getting past their nerves of getting out on the streets can get the feel of it with other newbies, under the guidance of experienced Mount Adams Cycling Club members. Riders meet at 5:45 p.m. at the
40th Avenue Bi-Mart.
TUESDAY: The Cascadians' Tuesday hikers plan a trip to Shell Rock Peak, a 9-mile round trip with 1,800 feet of elevation gain. Hikers meet at the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart at 7:30 a.m. and carpool to the trailhead, usually splitting into faster and slower groups.
WEDNESDAY: Anywhere from 30 to 50 Mount Adams Cycling Club road cyclists and non-members have their weekly 25-mile loop ride to Naches beginning at 6 p.m. at the Fred Meyer parking lot off 40th Avenue. E-mail anotherjones@earthlink.net for more information.
THURSDAY (JULY 10): Pokies should disregard The Cascadian newsletter listing on this one. The Cascadians' Pokies will hike Bethel Ridge. For meeting time and place, call Don Cooper at 966-3596.
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