04/10/08 What's Happening

Fly-tying author will speak at local church

Lee Clark, a Northwest fly-tier known among fishermen for his book, "Fly Tying with Poly Yarn," will be the featured speaker and give a tying seminar next week as part of the West Valley Church Men's Ministry.

The 8 a.m. April 19 (a week from Saturday) men's breakfast gathering will be at West Valley Church (72nd and Nob Hill Boulevard). Clark, originator of the Clark's Stonefly, will speak both on his faith at the men's breakfast and then give a seminar on innovative fly-tying techniques, especially those involving "poly yarn" (polypropylene). To RSVP, call Norm Shively at 452-5882 or Adam Koenig at 972-3217.

Door prizes will include a new Tica fly reel, a gear bag and a set of flies.

Special hunt drawing has to be done again

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a new drawing for 2008 multiple-season hunting permits after invalidating a drawing conducted last week due to a technical error.

The new drawing for 1,500 multiple-season deer permits and 500 multiple-season elk permits will be completed by Friday. About 8,500 people purchased applications for the drawing.

Winners of the new drawing will be eligible to purchase special permits allowing them to participate in multiple general hunting seasons (archery, muzzleloader and modern-firearm) rather than just a single type of season.

Dave Ware, WDFW game manager, said the initial drawing was invalidated because groups of hunters were allowed to apply for the permits. Group applications are allowed for most special-permit hunts, but participation in multiple-season permit drawings is limited to individuals under state regulations.

WDFW director Jeff Koenings said the department will initiate a new validation process -- involving additional agency managers and a citizen representative -- to provide broader oversight over future drawings and ensure the results are valid.

Fly fishers to hear about local waters

Jim Cummins will be the guest speaker at Tuesday's Yakima Fly Fishers Association meeting, set for 7 p.m. at the Hop Vine restaurant, at Glenwood Square (5110 Tieton Drive) in Yakima.

Cummins, a special projects fish biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, will speak about fishing opportunities at local lakes and streams (other than the Yakima River), as well as other issues affecting local fishing.

Hunter education class coming up in Selah

A hunter education course, the same one the state requires for any first-time hunter born after Jan. 1, 1972, will be held in Selah during the week of April 21-26.

Classes will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, followed by a 9 a.m.-to-3 p.m. finale, including the exam, on Saturday. Registration fee is $20.

To sign up, call Nick at 697-9412 after 5 p.m. Class size is limited to the first 30 registrants.

Bird Alert: Arrivals include two curlews

Early arriving shorebirds this week included two long-billed curlews, observed south of Marion Drain Road, five black-necked stilt, spotted along Old Goldendale Road, nine black-necked stilt on a pond near Outlook, and 10 greater yellowlegs found along Lateral C Road and Toppenish Creek. There was also a lone sandhill crane noted along Marion Drain Road.

A covey of California quail, scampering this way and that and calling excitedly, alerted birders in the Nile area to the presence of that powerful raptor of northern forests: an adult northern goshawk, in hot pursuit of dinner. Another possible sighting of a northern goshawk was made on the east end of Suntides Golf Course.

A search of the shrub-steppe on the Yakima Training Center turned up a respectable list of birds for some local enthusiasts. Highlights included singing sage thrashers, performing their acrobatic display flights, two gray partridge, and two peregrine falcons displaying and poking about ledges and clefts in the cliffs above the lake. A tufted duck and a long-tailed duck were both spotted on the lake behind Priest Rapids Dam.

Yakima residents this week reported having both a purple finch and an unusually high number of Cassin's finches, with 17 having joined the more common house finches at their feeders. Other reports included a rufous hummingbird frequenting a feeder east of Cliffdell and a handsome yellow-shafted flicker spotted in Sunnyside.

The Yakima Valley Audubon message line (248-1963) received a call last week reporting a barred owl in a backyard. Now the Audubon folks would appreciate a call back (with a telephone number, please), so they can get more information on this owl of the eastern United States.

This week's correspondent: Kerry L. Turley

AROUND AND ABOUT

WHITE PASS STILL OPEN: It's been a tremendous winter for the Washington ski industry, and White Pass is a perfect example. With plenty of snow still left -- 118 inches in the base area and 180 up top, the ski area is still open daily through this Sunday and then will be open for each of the next two weekends. If you find it hard to believe that there's still that much snow left, just check out their Web cam shot under Conditions on the White Pass site (www.skiwhitepass.com).

NATURE TRAIL OPEN: Good news for wildlife viewers and hikers: The Tieton River Nature Trail, a popular non-motorized-use trail along the Tieton River, is open again. It had been closed since Feb. 1 to allow a golden eagle pair to choose its new nest site for the season. Now they've chosen a nest and "are committed to incubating eggs," says Oak Creek Wildlife Area assistsant manager Bruce Berry, "so now they won't be disturbed by use in the area."

BACK FROM ROTENONE: The 1,840-acre Sprague Lake in Eastern Washington, treated with rotenone in October to get rid of the carp, tench and walleye that were killing the trout sport fishery, is back and heavily planted. Over the next couple of months, the WDFW will stock about 160,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout (including 3,200 triploids), and later this spring the department will stock crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish that will grow and reproduce over time.

ON THE CALENDAR

SATURDAY: Mount Adams Cycling Club is holding its annual "Whistlin' Jack's and Back" ride, ranging from 33 to 70 miles, depending on where riders begin. One group will begin at 6:45 a.m. at the Fred Meyer parking lot (making for a 65- to 70-mile round trip). A second group begins at 8 a.m. at the 12/410 "Y" park-and-ride lot (40 miles). A third group begins at 8:20 a.m. at the Wood Shed restaurant (33 miles). The pace is steady to brisk, between 12 and 18 mph), there are some hills and helmets are required. For info: e-mail to antonio@mountadamscycling.org

SATURDAY: The Cascadians plan a hike of Devil's Pass and the Dalles Mountain Ranch in the Columbia River Gorge. The hike includes 300 feet of elevation gain and ranges from 3 to 8 miles, depending on who wants to go the full distance or stop and wait for the others' return.

SUNDAY: The Cascadians plan an easy White Bluffs hike. For meeting time and place for the Saturday and Sunday hikes, call Maurine Peck at 453-4244.

TUESDAY: The Cascadians plan a 12-mile hike (or longer), with 1,200 feet of elevation gain, at Eagle Creek. Tuesday hikers meet at 8 a.m. at the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart parking lot and carpool from there, usually breaking into faster and slower groups.

WEDNESDAY: Mount Adams Cycling Club road cyclists meet every Wednesday afternoon at the Fred Meyer parking lot for a 25-mile loop ride to Naches (following the clockwise route, out South Naches Road and back on Old Naches Highway). The ride begins at 5:30 p.m., and the riders regroup at the Shell station in Naches prior to the return. The pace is moderate to brisk; participants need to maintain a minimum average speed of 12 mph. Helmets are required. A faster group (averaging 16 to 18 mph) leaves at 6 p.m. For info: e-mail to anotherjones@earthlink.net

THURSDAY (APRIL 17): The Cascadians' "Pokies" group will hike the Catherine Creek trail in the Columbia River Gorge near Lyle. For meeting time and place, call Jim Hertel at 469-4458.

APRIL 20: The annual Cowiche Canyon Earth Day Hike will begin at 1 p.m. at the Weikel Road entrance. Participants can go one direction with a geologist and the other with a wildlife biologist, learning all about how the canyon was formed, what it's made of, and what grows (or walks or flies) within its natural boundaries.

-- Staff and news service reports

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