Wildlife Log

Location: Residence off of Pinemont Drive above East Fork Irrigation District

Sighting: Time: 4:45 AM. 9 elk grazing in the yard in front of our house - 5 Cows and 4 calves. Just up the hill from drinking in the East Fork Irrigation District and on their way up to Surveyors Ridge. What a sight, and boy are they large animals. The calves were feisty - running up and down the banks and along the terraces. The cow elk is a formidable eating machine! We'd better get that 8' fence in place before we plant any more landscaping or gardens.

Sighting: Hello Again: Come on people--I know you're out there. Surely there is someone else out and about sighting wildlife besides me. Today, while fishing on the Hood River, I sighted an adult Bald Eagle soaring overhead carrying a lizard or snake for dinner. Nice to know we have an adult Eagle living year-round this far up the valley (just below Copper Dam on the Hood River).

Sighting: While angling for Steelhead on the West side of the Hood River along the Spit road I spotted an adult Bald Eagle soaring above me. It was being hazed by two Seagulls and was probably looking for a fish to eat or perhaps an unsuspecting Mallard Duck. While I was fishing I also heard a chirp chirp sound that I did not pay much attention to since there were various birds all around me. But then I noticed three or four Baby Ducklings as they flushed out from under the overhanging grass below my feet where they were safe in the calm water at the edge of the current and under cover and out of sight of winged predators. The Hen Mallard was nowhere in sight and we can only hope that she left her young ones for only a brief time to fly upstream and feed-- for these little fluff balls would not last long without the protection and wisdom they will need to acquire from their Mother during the next few months of their vulnerable Summer. I only hope that the Bald Eagle has not already made a meal of the Hen Mallard and that it won't make appetizers out of these tender young Ducklings. And then I remembered what day it was--Mother's Day-- and how ironic it was that I should witness this on this very day as I have been fishing here all Winter and Spring. And this brings me to the Morale of this story about the cycle of life and the importance of Mothers, both for Baby Ducklings and us Humans. Happy Mother's Day everyone...

Sighting: Hi, my name is Acacia and I'm 10 Years old and my sister and me like to go to a creek below our house. That creek goes into a big pond. My sister and me like to go down there and see what we can see. Last week we saw 2 Blue Herons for a few days. We've also seen Ospreys diving to catch pond fish, Mallards, Killdeer, and maybe Northern Shovelers. All of those are cool! I have also seen a Common Snipe by the creek.

Sighting: While un-stacking wood for the woodstove this week, I was startled by a hiss from the pile that could have been small rattlesnake or other tough customer. After carefully removing another couple of pieces, I found a roosting or hibernating little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) that was in partial torpor, but still up to bearing some angry teeth. Feeling guilty for dismantling his hibernating space, I moved him to another pile of firewood that I knew would not be burned this winter. Fifteen minutes later, I looked out the living room window and noticed the ever active Bob (cat) knocking something around. It was the little brown who had unexpectedly straggled out of his new quarters. Severe threats and stick-waving got the Bob to move away, while I rescued the bat once again. This time I brought the bat inside to a box for overnight rest, while I tried to figure what I could do to get him back to some safe winter roost.

A search of the internet led to no good practical instruction on how to nurse and care for distressed bats. I learned only to stay far from them for fear of rabies, and the usual instruction to call in a certified bat rehabilitation expert from Seattle or some such. In further searching, I learned that only a fraction of 1% of bats carry rabies, and that there is need for much more practical, applied and un-sanitized information on the internet from bat conservation organizations.

That night I puzzled over where to place the little brown for final recovery and continued hibernation. It would need to be a place that somewhat mirrored his temperature, humidity and air circulation needs, as well as protection from marauders. I did find some info on this via the internet, determining that little brown bat winter hibernacula typically consist of caves, rock crevices or in the thermal mass of big tree trunks. This immediately led to thinking of my house foundation, and cool late fall days when I had found little browns hunkered tightly against the concrete inside crawl space vents. A potential recovery room idea for the little brown came to mind.

Location: Upper Eastside Lateral Ditch near Neal Creek
Date Posted: Nov 6, 2007

Sighting:

"Did you see that animal Steve?", I asked, after seeing a brief flash across the dirt road. "No," Steve responded. "It must have been a... coyote or something", I said with uncertainty as we pull up to our normal water quality sample site along the Upper Eastside Lateral Ditch near Neal Creek. As I get out of the truck I look down into the ditch, and low and behold not one but two animals are down at the bottom. The first recognizable animal was a deer, who was laying on her side, her head pushing aside tall grasses near the trickling irrigation water. The other animal, with almost identical fur coloration, seemed to be laying on top of the deer, a puzzling site to see. "Steve, do you see these deer?", I ask with a sense of bewilderment. And with that comment, the second animal gets up and runs off into the brush, smashing through with loud abandonment. The deer proceeds to get up and move out of the ditch, with a large, visible open gash nears its abdomen, bleeding on the dirt road as it scurries off. And down below, only yards away from this amazing encounter, lies the evidence of the second animal's identity. Photographed here are the paw prints of an estimated 100 lb, young male Mountain Lion (Felis concolor) also known as the Cougar, after fleeing the scene of an interrupted attack on an adult black tail doe. Incredible!

Location: In the back of Steve's truck which was parked at the office
Date Posted: Oct. 24, 2007

Sighting: As Jamie was loading up the back of Steve's pickup in preparation for their field day, he saw a little female Junco that had gotten disoriented in the covered bed of the truck. Since the bird was sitting there stunned and motionless, Jamie reached in a picked up the little bird. After a quick rest to regain her senses and pose for a few pictures, she flew off into the ginkgo tree.

Location: Columbia R. just outside the mouth of the White Salmon River
Date Posted: Oct. 7, 2007

Sighting: Once again I stepped off the front porch of the Hood River Watershed and intercepted this beautiful Fall Chinook Salmon. This fish weighed 28 pounds and is very bright for this late in the season.

Sighting: We spooked a momma Merganser and her several young-ins. She quickly led them downstream so that we couldn't chase them. The next day my brother and I saw a Water Uzel in the same place.

Sighting: I was mtn. biking with my dogs when I head a rattle from the side of the road. I knew it was a rattlesnake and despite the fact I wanted to go back and see it, I figured it would be prudent to get the dogs out of there for everyone's safety. There were also lots of lizards in the road. Probably rattlesnake snacks!

Sighting: While fishing for Summer Steelhead in the late evening I spotted 3 buck deer in a "Bachelor Group" trying to cross the River. Two were already 3 points and one was a yearling toehead and all were in velvet in the early stages of antler development. They looked like they were going to swim across the river until they spotted me and were spooked back to the shoreline. I have fished this part of the river for 35 years and have seen deer tracks occasionally but this is the first time I have actually seen deer on this stretch of the River, even though it appears to be excellent deer habitat. Earlier in the week I spotted two pairs of Canada Geese in the Pipeline Hole. One pair had two young goslings and the other pair successfully reared 6 (count em!) goslings who were already half grown. This area along the Hood River corridor is included in the Powerdale Lands which have been set aside as a conservation easement by Pacificorp and the Powerdale Lands Stakeholder's Group for fish and wildlife habitat and recreational access. What a wonderful legacy for the citizens of Hood River County and beyond!

Location: Hood River mainstem just below China Gorge Restaurant in the Y-inn hole for you locals that still remember...

Sighting: A group of Master Gardeners out enjoying a member's lovely garden on Willow Flat (above Odell) were thrilled to see a bald eagle fly right overhead with a fish in its talons. Where did he catch it?

Sighting: Steve calls, "Hey Jordan, come check this out." Jordan and he peer out the window in Steve's office to see this beautiful male pheasant strutting around the backyard of the office under the plum tree. Looked pretty content out there. Click on the picture to get a bigger view.

Sighting:

Sighting: Once again I stepped off the front porch of the Hood River Watershed and intercepted this beautiful Fall Chinook Salmon. This fish weighed 28 pounds and is very bright for this late in the season.

Sighting: We spooked a momma Merganser and her several young-ins. She quickly led them downstream so that we couldn't chase them. The next day my brother and I saw a Water Uzel in the same place.

Sighting: While conducting the "field" portion of the Watershed Group sponsored Steelhead Fishing 101 Class I spotted a Mink frolicking on the opposite shoreline.

Sighting: Bear sighting. At 100 yards away it looked like a huge black bear with a brown coat. This is the second time a bear has been sighted in this area in the past week.

Sighting: Looked out my living room window the other morning and there were 3 cow elk trotting thru the orchard. Looked like maybe they were hurrying off to a brunch date.

Sighting: Don't know if this address is too far out of the watershed to qualify, but saw Coyote chasing deer; piliated woodpecker and a great horned owl.

Sighting: I was trying not to fall off the slushy, foggy ridge when I heard the shrill cry of a Peregrine Falcon. I looked up and the falcon flew right over us before disappearing into the mist.

Sighting: Saw a 6-8 point healthy looking deer in an orchard

Sighting: Saw a beautiful 8 point Buck starring at me. He had no concern that I almost drove over him.

Sighting: We saw a coyote that we startled as we were driving to our next water quality monitoring site. It ran down along the road ahead of us and then turned and went off into the woods.

Sighting: A pair of some type of dark-colored salamanders scurried into the damp weeds as I approached the edge of the creek.

Sighting: I didn't SEE the bear, but I saw lots of its tracks in the mud along the creek. I also found plenty of half-eaten salmon carcasses nearby. Apparently this bear is a picky eater!

Sighting: I saw a large coyote in a pasture with several cows. The cows looked worried!

Sighting: I noticed these two Fall Chinook Salmon swimming by the front porch of the Hood River Watershed this last September. My Dad and I stepped out of the Watershed just long enough to intercept them in the Columbia River off the mouth of the White Salmon River.

Sighting: A bobcat was crossing the road when we came around a corner.

Sighting: A small grey lizard ran across the trail in front of me.

Sighting: Thought I saw a moose but it was a large elk. IMPRESSIVE!