Celebrate and experience the joys of
fish passage with the “living laboratory” that is the Elwha Watershed!
By: Dan Spencer, Information & Education Specialist, Puget Sound & Olympic Peninsula Complex (USFWS)
Photo: Tagged steelhead on the Elwha River, Credit: Olympic National Park
If you free it, they will come! This Saturday, October 24 is World Fish Migration Day! And what better way to celebrate than
to follow some history making journeys? The Puget Sound/Olympic Peninsula
Fisheries Complex (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) is sharing a unique and
engaging learning opportunity that features the world-famous Elwha River
Restoration Project. Using real fish
tracking data, participants plot and analyze the journeys of several fish throughout
the watershed. Journeys that, until
recently, had been blocked for close to 100 years.
Photo: A sample of the locations of steelhead and chinook salmon, Credit: FWS
The removal of Elwha and Glines Canyon dams on the mighty
Elwha River of the Olympic Peninsula (WA) is the largest completed project of
its kind. This historic achievement has
also been the perfect opportunity to study the response of an ecosystem to dam
removal. A large and diverse group of
scientists from the Federal, State, and Tribal agencies as well as universities
and conservation organizations have been studying many aspects of this living
laboratory including: documenting the
fish returns and movements; changes in the aquatic invertebrate communities;
and changes in vegetation and animal populations on land.
Photo: Mobile tracking of lamprey on the Elwha River, Credit: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
The stars of this activity are Chinook Salmon, Steelhead,
Bull Trout, and Pacific Lamprey. These species
are all born in fresh water and migrate to salt water for part of their lives
before returning to fresh water to reproduce.
Since the removal of the two dams, biologists have captured several fish
from each of these species and fitted them with radio tags. Each tag is like a mini radio station, transmitting
a signal in a unique frequency and limited broadcast range. Like switching between radio stations in a
car, biologists switch between frequencies using their receiver to pick up these
sub-surface fish-infused “stations.”
U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service heavy equipment operators tackle challenging nighttime project
on Oregon Coast
The tide was slowly draining out of Nestucca Bay, and it was
still hours before the sun would peek above the horizon. The only light was
from headlights of the machinery that was already rumbling along in the cool
night air, moving dirt at a furious pace.
A crew of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service heavy equipment
operators were racing the tide.
The objective was to install a fish screen for a pump, and
remove and replace tide gates that help manage water levels on the Upton Slough
section of Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge on the Oregon Coast.
The entire project took weeks, but this critical element had
to be done in a narrow window of time at the lowest tides last fall.
This work on soft ground on the bank of the Little Nestucca
River was left to a crew of five heavy machinery operators from National
Wildlife Refuges across the Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region.
In bureaucratic terms, the heavy equipment operators are
known as wage-grade professionals. That’s the official term.
But to project leaders, facility managers and biologists —
they simply call them the backbone of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
They’re the people who turn habitat conservation dreams into reality.
They’re creators of conservation.
“They are so important to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service’s mission. Without our wage-grade professionals, we couldn’t accomplish
the important habitat and conservation work we do on refuges. They’re unsung
heroes of conservation,” said Kevin Foerster, Refuge Chief for the
Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region.
Due to the location and environmental factors for the Upton
Slough work, this project had a variety of technical challenges including daily
tidal changes, a variety of infrastructure upgrades/installations, ever-changing
weather conditions, and the need for specialty heavy equipment to implement the
habitat restoration.
“This was a technically challenging project and all the
construction work was completed by our heavy equipment professionals. What
really floored me was the morning of the first tide-gate replacement,” Oregon
Coast NWR Complex project leader Kelly Moroney. “We were following the
tidal cycles, which required operations to begin a 3 a.m. I have been involved
in many projects over my 25-year career, but nothing came close to what I saw
when I pulled up to that morning. It
almost looked choreographed. I was impressed. They are true professionals.”
Gary Rodriguez, a 32-year Service employee and now-retired
Facilities Operations Specialist/ Engineering Equipment Operator at Oregon
Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex, served as lead for the project.
“Our job was to execute the project. We had plans,
elevations and equipment, and then it was up to us to be able to put that all
together. Some folks were skeptical if we could do it. From our standpoint, it
was not a problem. It was going to happen, and that’s what we did,” Rodriquez
said.
The crew during the nighttime installation was (from left) Kenny Berry
from Malheur NWR; Shaun Matthews from Willapa NWR; Gary Rodriguez from Oregon
Coast NWR Complex; Kelly Connall from Little Pend Oreille NWR; and Tyrone
Asencio from Willamette Valley NWR Complex. Dave Harlow from Willamette Valley
NWR Complex primarily worked on the channel restoration at Upton Slough.
Spencer Berg, heavy equipment manager for the Service’s
Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region, also worked heavy equipment on the project.
He says that wage-grade staff play an essential role in conservation for the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“I consider our wage-grade staff the backbone of the refuge
system,” Berg said. “They’re doing the work on the ground, mowing the habitat,
maintaining the boiler systems and parking lots, and creating wetland habitat.
They are doing phenomenal things. On the Upton Slough project, a project like
that takes a lot of planning and work to get going. You have to order the
culverts and supplies, you have to get the permits, and watch the tide charts
and weather. Getting all those factors lined up is a huge lift.”
All the construction work on the Upton Slough project was
handled by the Service’s heavy equipment professionals, saving taxpayers close
to $200,000 for the project.
Internally, multiple Service programs and departments helped
with the development and execution of the program. Those programs include the
Service’s Water Resources Division, Inventory & Monitoring’s Biological
program, Ecological Services’ Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office, Fisheries and
Aquatic Conservation’s Vancouver Office, and Connor Shea from the Partners for
Fish and Wildlife in California.
Have you ever heard of an aggressive hummingbird? Meet the rufous hummingbird, a tiny roughneck that aggressively defends and chases other hummingbirds away from its preferred food source, even during migration. These little guys are bright, even glowing in the right light. They are “rufous” colored, meaning they typically have reddish-brown feathers. Males are almost entirely rufous with a vivid patch of iridescent rusty-red feathers on their throat, known as a gorget. Much like other hummingbirds, they feast on nectar and insects, sometime even swiping their prey from spider webs.
The hummingbird (chupaflor or chuparosa) played an important role in Aztec culture. These captivating birds represents the sun god Huitzilopotchli, a powerful warrior who guided the Aztecs’ journey to the Valley of Mexico. The story goes that he was born when her mother held a ball of hummingbird feathers to her breast. Hummingbirds, and particularly the feathers, continue to play an important role in Latin American heritage and customs.
Huitzilopochtli. Photo credit: Creative Commons
Rufous hummingbirds fly nearly 4,000 miles on their migratory routes, traveling from wintering areas in Mexico as far north as Alaska. Rufous hummingbirds breed in the Pacific Northwest and migrate north along the Pacific Coast in the spring, and return south through the Cascades and Rocky Mountains in summer following the later blooming wildflowers at higher elevations.
Rufous and other hummingbirds are threatened by many things including black market trading of their bodies and feathers. Some people believe that hummingbirds have supernatural powers, or can make the owner lucky in love. Fish and Wildlife and other law enforcement are actively cracking down on the international market for dead hummingbirds. You can help us conserve these amazing little birds by admiring them from afar—and letting these tough guys continue on their migratory journeys.
By Sarah Levy, External Affairs Officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Baby snowy plovers with tags. Photo credit: K. Castelein/USFWS
Snowy plovers are sweet little beach bums. These white and tan small birds enjoy nesting on white sand beaches, often blending in with their surroundings. Although some snowy plovers stay on the same beaches year after year, other plovers enjoy short hops inland or down the coast, living anywhere between southern Washington and Latin America. They dine on crustaceans, mollusks, and insects.
Unfortunately, sharing beaches with humans has jeopardized the habitat and population of these birds. Off-road vehicles, building construction, recreational use, and even dogs have disrupted the nesting and breeding grounds of the snowy plover. Nonetheless, due to successful partnerships and the diligence of the public in respecting beach restrictions during the nesting season, western snowy plover numbers are higher than they have been along the Oregon and Washington coast in decades.
Agencies and organizations in the United States and Mexico have been collaborating to protect and restore the snowy plover’s habitat. Work between the Sonoran Joint Venture (a collaboration between the Fish and Wildlife Service and other cross-border organizations and agencies), and Mexican non-profits like Terra Peninsular and Pro Esteros have made dramatic improvements in protecting snowy plover habitat. Fencing, signage, and outreach continue to make progress in conserving these species.
Adult snowy plover feeding. Photo credit: D. Pitkin/USFWS
Help us make a difference by respecting conservation areas on beaches. Check out the video below about good doggy etiquette. Most of all, let’s work together to protect the snowy plover’s oceanfront property. Just like us, they enjoy a good day at the beach.
By Dana Bivens - Public Affairs Officer for the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Photo by Aaron Hamilton/USFWS
Have you ever seen a western yellow-billed cuckoo? Standing about twelve inches tall with a distinctive black and white patterned tail, yellow-billed cuckoos are now a rare sight in the western United States. Once a frequent resident in riparian forests along rivers, yellow-billed cuckoos have experienced population declines during the twentieth century. The US Fish and Wildlife Service listed these migratory birds as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2014.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, the yellow-billed cuckoo has become rare due to loss of habitat. Cuckoos love to forage for larger insects such as cicadas, katydids, grasshoppers and caterpillars along rivers and in flood plains. In recent decades, their foraging and breeding grounds have been lost to development, agriculture, and changes to river flows. We do still have larger stands of riparian forest in the PNW so if you listen attentively from late May through August, you may be one of the lucky few to hear and catch a glimpse of an elusive western yellow-billed cuckoo.
Photo By Steve Shunk/USFWS
When the sunny days of the Pacific Northwest summer begin to give way to fall, yellow-billed cuckoos head south to spend the winter in Columbia, Brazil, and Venezuela. Some even head as far south as northern Argentina where they remain until spring migration begins. During the winter months, cuckoos dedicate themselves to feeding and storing up the needed energy to make their long trip north to breed and raise their young.
Migratory birds are an important part of our Pacific Northwest Ecosystem, and we can all help to improve their habitat and make it safer. Small things like turning lights off during spring and fall migration and keeping cats indoors can help protect all migratory birds, including the yellow-billed cuckoo. For more tips on how you can help make your home a home for wildlife, please visit https://www.fws.gov/Oregonfwo/promo.cfm?id=177175843
By: Dana Bivens - Dana is a PAO at the USFWS Portland Regional Office
Photo By Peter Pearsall, USFWS
Did you know, many of the birds we see in the Pacific Northwest in the summer spend their winters in the tropics? The goldfinch is no exception! You may have seen this charming bird in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in the spring and summer months. Goldfinches are a common sight across the continental US and southern Canada. They are frequent residents at backyard bird feeders, and love to mill about in bushes, fields, and floodplains foraging for seeds.
The bright yellow color and aerial acrobatics of these social birds is a delightful sight to see. In the winter months, some of these tiny travelers migrate south as far as Mexico. Weighing in at only 0.7 oz, migrating goldfinches will take up their winter residences in the southern United States, and in northern Mexican states including Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, and along the Gulf of Mexico. In mild winters they may also be seen much further north.
While many birds make the trip south, some take up year-round residence in the continental United States, and are a common sight around birdfeeders in the winter when food is scarce. Always pleasant to see on a cold winter day, goldfinches are favorites for wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers alike.
Migratory birds are an important part to the Pacific Northwest Ecosystem, and we can all help to improve their habitat and make it safer. Small things like placing bird decals on window glass or keeping cats indoors can help protect all migratory birds, including goldfinches. If you want to make your backyard or garden a gathering spot for goldfinches, check out this information on making your home a home for wildlife: https://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/documents/Education/USFWSBackyardBirds.pdf
By: Zach Radmer, USFWS Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Washington Fish and Wildlife Office
Photo: West Coast lady butterfly (Vanessa annabella) at Crater Lake National Park, Oregon; Photo credit: Zach Radmer
“Swoosh!” My net lay still, a colorful quarry perhaps captured after a brief sprint along the trail. Admittedly I’m more excited than you would think. It’s not every day that you catch something new. I don’t think people know that most butterflies get away. The large and sun-warmed individuals are highly motivated and will easily outpace you even into a headwind. I have carried a net for miles and caught nothing but mosquitos. But this time it’s a lustrous copper (Lycaena cupreus) that sports bright orange wings covered in dark black spots. Best of all, I have never caught one before.
This is the part of the story where you think I would wax poetic about chasing butterflies as a kid, but the truth is my professional and personal interest in butterflies didn’t start until my colleagues at the Washington Fish and Wildlife Office introduced me. Butterfly catching is for everyone. Butterfly catching turns every hike or picnic into a scavenger hunt. In an alpine meadow or even a brushy field on the eastern slope of the Cascades you never know what you might find. Visit the same place four months later and you might find an entirely different crew of butterflies. Some fly in spring and some fly in late summer. Some could be ‘on the wing’ all year round because they spend the winter as adults resting in the crevices of trees and houses! Wherever you decide to go looking, bring a lunch. Butterflies are small game and decidedly not delicious.
Photo: Theodore Roosevelt, founder of the Boone and Crockett Club
Working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), I
have long held deep admiration of and appreciation for America’s conservation heroes,
including John Muir, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, George Bird Grinnell, Gifford
Pinchot, Aldo Leopold, and Rachel Carson, to name a few. Their lasting contributions
continue to enhance our nation’s scientific understanding of ecosystems and
natural processes, management and preservation of land and natural resources
for future use, and recreational opportunities. These founding conservationists
and their legacies have also motivated me to find ways to leave my own mark on
the natural world. Over time, I have found that modern-day conservation heroes
exist too, and that, depending on their values and goals, they can be powerful
partners with our agency in affecting positive change for our nation’s wildlife
and people. For me, The Boone and Crockett Club – the oldest conservation
organization in America – exemplifies the power of positive change through its
diverse and inspirational network of natural resource stewards.
Photo: Waterfowl hunting at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington; Photo credit: USFWS
I was a bright-eyed, twenty-four year-old graduate
student when my advisor introduced me, through his involvement, to the Boone
and Crockett Club. I am ashamed to admit I knew nothing about the Club at the
time, yet I couldn’t kick the theme song from Disney’s 1955 movie, “Davy
Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier!” from my head! I was impressed to learn
that Theodore Roosevelt and George Bird Grinnell founded the Boone and Crockett
Club in 1887 in response to declines in wildlife populations, especially in
large animals or big game. At the time, founding Club members were particularly
motivated to think creatively about how to balance human and wildlife needs while
maintaining traditions and a fair chase ethic around resource consumption,
especially as a wildlife management tool. Since the late 1880s, the Club and
its membership—which has included military and political leaders, business
leaders, outdoors sports enthusiasts, scientists, writers, and industrialists—have
coordinated regularly, campaigned and raised money, pioneered policy
initiatives, and initiated legislation to advance the following mission:
“…to promote the
conservation and management of wildlife, especially big game, and its habitat,
to preserve and encourage hunting and to maintain the highest ethical standards
of fair chase and sportsmanship in North America.”
Photo: A native bumblebee on non-native flowers. Credit: Julia Pinnix/USFWS
The first adult spring Chinook salmon arrived
at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery in mid-May this year. In my high-elevation
home garden, daffodils were fading and spinach was two inches high. Gardens and
salmon are more tightly linked than many people realize. Consider that whether
you live three feet from a salmon stream, or three miles away, whatever goes
into your garden finds its way via water into a salmon stream.
I’m a big fan of manure when it comes to
fertilizing my garden. This is often a better choice than concentrated
fertilizers. Manure offers a healthy dose of nutrients to plants, without
overdoing it. But too much of a good thing is still too much: it’s the
concentration that counts. That goes for manure as well as for chemicals. Excess
nutrients wind up contaminating rivers and streams, promoting unwanted plant
and algae growth. Too much nitrogen can even change the pH of rivers, making
them more acidic. Acidic water kills salmon eggs and interferes with fish
growth.
Photo: The Leavenworth NFH pollinator garden. Credit: Julia Pinnix/USFWS
I avoid using herbicides in my garden or yard.
To keep weeds down in the gravel of my driveway, I spray concentrated vinegar
on a sunny day. It works well and doesn’t leave behind harmful chemical
residue.
Photo: Biologist Katy Pfannenstein holds up a scale from a spring Chinook. Credit: Julia Pinnix, USFWS
The thrill of hooking into a fighting fish
never gets old. Success in bringing it to the bank or boat comes with a choice:
will this fish be dinner, or will I slip the hook and let it go? If you choose
to keep it, likely you have dinner on your mind. I favor dinner—but I also plan
to read the story of the fish in its anatomy.
Reading that story starts from the outside,
with a look at fins. Does it have an adipose fin—the little one between the
tail and the big fin on its back? If it does, that salmon can’t be dinner! It’s
wild and must be released. Hatchery salmon have their adipose fins clipped off,
precisely so anglers can tell which ones are keepers.
Photo:
Otoliths (ear bones) collected from king salmon in southwestern Alaska. Credit: Julia Pinnix/USFWS
I scan the fish’s sleek and slimy body. Does
it carry bite marks left by seals? Was it punctured by an osprey’s claws? I’m
not the only one thinking of dinner… Are there sea lice still clinging to its
skin? Sea “lice” are copepods that attach to salmon in the ocean. They will
soon die in fresh water, so their presence tells anglers the salmon has not
been out of the ocean for long.
