Drops
Of
Water
Issue 39 May 2000
The first people to find errors in spelling or word structure receive a free map of the Chehalis watershed. Send us an e-mail note telling us about the error.
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Issue 39 May 2000 |
This newsletter appears monthly in 45,000 households throughout the watershed. Printing is done by The Chronicle, and distribution is by the Chronicle, the Olympia Daily Olympian, the Tenino Independent, the Rochester Sun News and the Aberdeen Daily World. This is an early edition available only to WWW users. Please send us your Drops of Water feedback.
The first people to find errors in spelling or word structure receive a free map of the Chehalis watershed. Send us an e-mail note telling us about the error. |
Special Thanks
Drops of Water is funded by organizations interested in the watershed.
These editions have been made possible by substantial grants from:
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By Mike Kelly, US Fish and Wildlife Service
WARNING - This little story is probably going to be very silly. In fact, I'm not sure that my boss will even let me submit it. After all, we are a bunch of serious biologists here at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, right? Trying to prevent endangered species from going extinct, for example, tends to turn people serious. We have serious work to do, and (here comes the government worker's mantra) not enough time or money to do it with!
Strangely enough, it's the lack of time and money that might force me to produce a very silly article this month. I have a very short amount of time to crank this sucker out. And, unfortunately, I don't know what serious subject I should tackle. The only thing I have in mind is basic salmon information...and wiener dogs.
A little while back I brought my childhood wiener dog into one of these articles to illustrate some point about salmon habitat. I just received a comment from a friend who read that article. He said, "I never realized we could save the salmon with a wiener dog!"
Well, there you go. That's what I have in mind. Of course, I haven't actually written it yet, so maybe it won't be embarrassingly silly. I think I can use the wiener dog as a vehicle for a little salmon education. I promise to spend very little time working on this, and then I'll get right back to saving endangered species.
Here's the setup: Picture a fight between a salmon and a wiener dog. Who would win, and why? Consider the physical and behavioral characteristics of each salmon species, as well as those of the wiener dog. And then play it out in your mind. I will help guide you. And for the sake of time, I'll stick to the salmon that we are most likely to find in the Chehalis River basin.
Here's the disclaimer: Play it out ONLY in your mind. Dogs and salmon DO NOT mix well in the real world. Dogs are known to harass salmon. Dogs that run loose on our local streams can interfere with salmon spawning, trample salmon eggs in the gravel, and actually kill adult salmon. And a dog that eats a salmon can become very sick. And we all know what happens when a dog finds something dead and smelly - they roll in it. You don't want Fluffy to come home covered in stinking salmon carcass goo. So keep the dogs and the salmon away from each other.
Here's the wiener dog: This is a typical miniature wiener dog with short red hair, and weighing in at a lean 10-12 pounds. A purist would call this animal a dachshund, which means "badger hound" in German. They were originally bred to go down into holes to flush out badgers. Yes, the wiener dog is a tough and spirited hunter. But I feel justified in calling them "wiener dogs" because I've grown up with them, and know them well.
Here's the situation: Our fantasy wiener dog encounters our fantasy salmon in a stream or small river. (We need to have the encounter take place in the salmon's natural habitat. An encounter in the wiener dog's natural habitat would be too big of a disadvantage to the salmon. An encounter down a badger hole would unfairly favor the wiener dog. And an encounter on the couch in the living room would be bad for the salmon, and would be really upsetting to Mom.) The salmon is a large male of whichever species we are considering. The salmon is in prime spawning condition. He is full color, full strength, full fighting spirit, and is equipped with a full set of teeth. And so is the wiener dog.
Wiener Dog vs. Chum Salmon - We'll start with the chum salmon because it is also known as the "dog salmon." You may also hear it called Oncorhynchus keta if you spend too much time around serious biology-types. Look, I gotta tell you right up front - I'm giving this battle to the chum salmon. Chum salmon are the fighters of the salmon world. They often spawn in crowded conditions, where there can be a lot of competition for a mate. They will rush a competitor like a shark with mouth wide and bearing formidable teeth. They can bite. And they can throw a body check like a hockey player. Our fantasy chum salmon is quite a bit bigger than our fantasy wiener dog, weighing up to 30 pounds or more. And since chum do not travel very far up rivers to spawn, they have plenty of fighting strength to go with their brawn.
By the way, if you'd like to watch chum salmon spawn, Kennedy Creek is a great place for it. In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has teamed up with several partners (including the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, and other state, local and private entities) to construct an interpretive trail out there. Kennedy Creek has a strong run of chum, and it is truly an awesome sight when they are spawning. So leave the dog at home, and head out to Kennedy Creek next fall. It's just off of Highway 101 on the way to Shelton. While you're there be sure to read the sign that lists all of the partners who made this project possible.
Wiener Dog vs. Chinook Salmon - Again, wiener dog loses. Consider the sheer size of the opponent! A large male chinook (also known as the king salmon, or Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) may reach well over 100 pounds! A 50 pounder is a big chinook in the Chehalis River, but even that is a BIG FISH. And they are very good leapers. Right now I'm looking at a photo of a large chinook leaping a waterfall over 15 feet high. Think of it, all our fantasy chinook would have to do is leap up and land on our fantasy wiener dog. The end.
By the way, you can see chinook salmon spawning in the rivers of the Chehalis Basin in a number of locations. There are actually two runs - the spring chinook and the fall chinook. The springers enter the river in the spring, and hold in deep cool areas until the fall. They are usually the first salmon you see spawning in the fall, often right after the first rain. And they are often in shallow riffles with their backs sticking out of the water. This makes them very easy to observe and especially vulnerable to harassment by dogs and people. The fall chinook run begins right after the spring chinook run, and they often overlap.
Wiener Dog vs. Coho Salmon - Alright, I played this one out in my mind, and it was a tough battle. But ultimately I have to call this one for the coho, in a split decision. A large coho (also known as the silver salmon, or Oncorhynchus kisutch) is about twice the size of our fantasy wiener dog. They are very strong fish, with excellent leaping ability. The coho's strategy could be similar to the chinook's - a leap and squash tactic. But I see the coho using the stream habitat to its advantage instead. Coho love beaver ponds. During high stream flows coho will get over and around beaver dams in order to get as far up a little stream as possible. Juvenile coho spend a full year in freshwater before heading out to sea, and they like nothing better than a beaver pond as a home for that year. So if a pair of adult coho can spawn in a creek above a beaver pond, their offspring will have an advantage. So, chances are there will be a beaver pond close by, and I picture the coho luring the wiener dog into the pond's deep water, and pulling it under. Sorry, but that's what I picture.
Wiener Dog vs. Steelhead - The steelhead is probably the most revered fish in the Pacific Northwest. They are spectacular animals. They are beautiful and strong - some might argue that they are the strongest fish in the river. Some folks may not consider them to be a salmon, but they are so closely related to the rest of the pacific salmon that I'm willing to lump them together. Steelhead are also known as anadromous rainbow trout, or Oncorhynchus mykiss. They do differ from the other salmon in that they don't always die after spawning, and can go back and forth from ocean to river and spawn two or more times - if they are lucky.
Steelhead are the best leapers among the salmon. They are able to leap falls over 20 feet high in some places! And a big one can be over 25 pounds. So you might expect our fantasy steelhead to use the same tactic that allowed the chinook to easily defeat the wiener dog. But I picture this being more a battle of spirit, strength, and stamina. That being the case, the wiener dog loses again. Sorry.
Wiener Dog vs. Cutthroat Trout - Like the steelhead, the cutthroat trout may as well be called a salmon. They are also in the genus Oncorhynchus with the other salmon, and their full scientific name is Oncorhynchus clarki. Also like the steelhead, they come in both resident and anadromous (sea-run) forms. For our purposes we'll consider a sea-run individual of maximum size. He'll still weigh in at only about half the weight of our wiener dog. My first instinct is to go with the wiener dog in this battle. But in my imagination I see the wiener dog as being really tired and beat up from the encounters with the other salmon. Maybe he should have picked on the cutthroat first. But even if he did, he might have a really tough time catching the cutthroat. The cutthroat's smaller size and the more cryptic coloration of our local coastal variety would make him hard to find. He could mount a series of surprise attacks on our wiener dog, and then hide in some woody cover to rest up. I think eventually the wiener dog would forfeit the decision and go home for a biscuit.
There you have it. Salmon 5, wiener dog 0. Let's just hope our salmon can win a few real life battles.
If you want to call and complain about this article, call me at 360-753-9560, or email me at mike_kelly@fws.gov.
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In this issue of Drops of Water there are two stories on TMDL. TMDL is an abbreviation of "Total Maximum Daily Load".
The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or Water Cleanup Plan process is established by section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Federal law requires states to identify sources of pollution in waters that fail to meet state water quality standards, and to develop Water Cleanup Plans to address those pollutants. The Water Cleanup Plan (TMDL) establishes limits on pollutants that can be discharged to the waterbody and still allow state standards to be met.
In January 1998, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Northwest Environmental Advocates, and Northwest Environmental Defense Center agreed to a clean up schedule directing how Washington state will improve the health of nearly 700 water segments. Ecology's Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) outlines a plan and schedule to improve polluted waters while expanding public involvement in Water Cleanup Plans.
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Brady Engvall - Grays Harbor Oyster Growers Association
In the beginning - when western pioneers moved down the rivers and into the mouths of estuaries their concern was for treeless flatland to establish subsistence farms. Along the river flood plains and delta systems was the rich flatland that could support dairy cows, some grain culture and vegetable gardens that would make up the sustenance of these early settlers. As time went on and timber towns sprang up more and more land was put under cultivation to provide food for a new robust logging economy. To have more land the easiest thing a farmer could do was to dike areas that had geographic features that produced the most land for the least amount of diking - this is where large amounts of wetlands went. No one was at fault - it was a land of plenty and our economic system cried out for development.
Today, we are faced with a different set of problems. Population pressure and fewer wetlands mean that water quality and quantity are disappearing at an alarming rate. Much of the wetlands that support our fishery resources have been destroyed or fragmented to such a degree that they no longer provide the functions necessary to keep our marine and fresh water systems clean and productive. As evidence that we are in troubled times one need only read the latest newspaper reports about Puget Sound and the loss of shellfish beds to pollution. Declining bottomfish stocks and the listing of salmon only reinforce the theme that we are sliding backwards.
It must be understood that oyster farms farm with other peoples used water.
Specifically, how does wetland habitat help oyster farming? It provides a place for sediment to be filtered out or polluted waters to be stored so that biological functions can be carried out.
Wetlands also store flood waters so that they are released slowly into the downstream flow helping dampen pollution transport into the environment. Wetlands also promote ground water recharge promoting healthy summer flows into river systems.
These are all things that help oysters but realistically they are the same things that sustain all aquatic life that make up commercial and sport fisheries as well as a healthy environment for all citizens to enjoy.
So, what to do? It's more than just staying in business for a few oyster companies- it's a quality of life issue that goes far beyond those that farm the edge of the sea or fish. A varied and complex existence, that makes life in the northwest so interesting, is at stake.
Natural biological systems, of which wetlands are one important link, are the underpinnings of a healthy society that treasures diversity. "Back to the future" should be our theme. We can begin by preserving our precious water resources and sharing our common experiences so that in the end we all understand how we fit into the complex web of life.
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Ron Wisner, Grays Harbor Conservation District
The Grays Harbor Conservation District (GHCD) participated in a stream bank revegetation project located off the NE corner of the Porter Bridge. This small parcel of land was donated to the Chehalis River Basin Land Trust (CRBLT) by Mrs. Clara Maupin of Seattle in December of 1999. This project was one of those ideal situations that very rarely happen, the timing was such that it was a pleasure to coordinate. Usually something always goes awry when such an effort is attempted and this one was unusual in the sense that it all came together within three weeks from the time that the CRBLT called the GHCD. This project included the land holder, the GHCD and the Elma 8th grade science class. The only glitch was that it rained all day during the planting.
The GHCD has been involved in restoration activities within Grays Harbor County since 1993 when we obtained our first grant from USFWS Chehalis Basin Fisheries Restoration Program. Since then we have completed 2 million square feet of revegetation and 120 miles of livestock exclusion fencing.
On Feb. 14, 2000 Janet Strong from the CRBLT contacted the GHCD and asked if there was any way that a revegetation project could be put together for this year using students from a local school to assist in implementing the activity. Everything from that point on just fell into place; the GHCD was going to pick up the plants from their annual tree sales on Feb. 22, 2000 and had about 300 extra plants that were available which the GHCD could sell to the CRBLT at cost. The Elma Junior High science teacher, Mr. Scott Rocky, had already asked the GHCD if there was going to be any tree planting this year and if there were, they would be interested in participating. The GHCD staff and volunteers from the CRBLT site prepped the area, and using a 2-man power auger, drilled holes in the ground to place the trees, as the soil was very rocky. The CRBLT also graciously arranged to have a truckload of topsoil (donated by the Pheonix Company of Rochester) so the plants would have decent soil to start their journey into treehood. On Feb. 29, everything was ready to implement the revegetation project, with the volunteers arriving early to do a final site preparation. These volunteers were: Janet Strong, Terry Franklin, Jesse Banick and his wife Terri, Laurie Mansmith, Marilyn Vaughn, along with GHCD Technician Ron Wisner.
With the arrival of eight students, (Rachel Wilson, Lindsay Foley, Ryan Meister, Tina Paimerlow, Lisa Graham, Avalon Wisner, Scott Rocky and Jennifer Painham) work began quickly on the small parcel. Although the rain continued to fall, it made the outing one to remember. After the students planted 300 trees, shrubs and whips in about 2 hours, they then filled out metal identification tags to be places on the plants, identifying who planted the plant, the species name and the date. The final touch was to place tree protectors around all the bare root stock to prevent wildlife damage.
So, if you are driving along Highway 12 at the intersection with Porter Creek Rd., and you notice all the blue cones surrounding a small area, you have just located this newly planted riparian area. If you need assistance in your future restoration project contact Ron Wisner at the Grays Harbor Conservation District (360) 249-5980.
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Darrel Anderson, Washington Dept. of Ecology
The revised report (Total Maximum Daily Load) was submitted to EPA for review and approval on March 31, 2000. Remember, this revised report is in response to a settlement of legal action initiated by the City of Centralia, Chehalis and WestFarm Foods (formerly Darigold Inc.). This report modifies the seasonal restrictions (May 1 to October 31 of each year) on discharge of BOD and ammonia - N, to restrictions based on river flows.
When river flow drops below a specified thresholds identified in the revised TMDL, the wasteload allocations for the permitted dischargers remain exactly the same as before -- zero. When river flows are above those low-flow thresholds, the dischargers are allowed to discharge to the river at levels that protect water quality for dissolved oxygen. Dischargers are permitted to discharge treated wastewater between the Highway 6 bridge and its confluence with the Skookumchuck River.
The original report was approved by EPA on October 21, 1996 and included 17 water segments. The revised report adds three new segments to the list for a total of 20. The Chehalis River Mainstream segments and Tributaries listed for Dissolved Oxygen are on the 1998 Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters.
Copies of may be obtained from the Ecology Publications Office, 360-407-7600.
Future TMDL: The Upper Chehalis River Temperature TMDL (19) segments is in final draft. We are planning for submittal to EPA in June 2000.
Darrel L. Anderson, Supervisor Water Cleanup/Technical Unit Water Quality Program Southwest Regional Office 360.407.6407
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Mary Lou Mill, Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Warm weather and low tides are drawing people to the beaches. When you're strolling on the sand or climbing around a rocky shore, keep an eye out for marine life. Many marine creatures have graceful shapes, bright colors or other eye-catching features that tempt us to take them home. If you must take live tide pool animals, remember that these can not be kept alive in most home aquariums. And starting May 1 there are new limits on what you can take.
Check the sport fishing pamphlet, "Fishing in Washington," for most common species, also called "classified species". All marine animals not classified have the following daily limits:
-- Moon snails: 5 per person
-- Nudibranchs (sea slugs) - all species combined: 2 per person
-- All other "Unclassified Marine Invertebrates" combined: 10 animals per person. Empty shells are not "animals."
-- Unclassified marine fish (in Puget Sound): 2 per species per person.
--All unclassified sculpins count as one species.
A license is required to take all fin fish and all classified shellfish.
Unclassified marine invertebrates can be collected without a shellfish/seaweed license. Daily limits will be enforced by Washington Dept.
of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Officers.
Please remember to check local park rules since these may be more restrictive. The beaches in State Parks remain closed to the harvest of the "unclassified" species.
Some of the more common animals covered by the new rules are shore and piling crabs, tide pool snails, starfish, limpets and chitons, tube worms, and sand dollars. Certain deep water species, such the graceful crab, are also in this category. Observations that some of these species have dwindled on public beaches led to limits on their harvest.
Moon snails are among the most popular "souvenirs." Moon snails live on sandy beaches in quiet bays. A soft brown-grey color, the moon snail shell is up to 12 centimeters (5") high, gracefully curled in a whorl.
Sand dollars also like clean, sandy beaches. They have a flattened shell and range in color from grey to blackish red. Dark tube feet on the flat underside are so densely packed that they feel velvety. On the opposite side, the shell shows a pretty pattern that often resembles a five-petalled flower. Pale grey or white shells are the remains of dead sand dollars.
Limpets are common in areas with large boulders or under a canopy of seaweed, in the lower intertidal zone. Limpets have cone-shaped shells and one species has an oval hole at the top. Up to 8 cm (3"), limpet are gray, or greyish yellow or brown, sometimes with white or brown bands running down from the top.
For more information on fish and shellfish harvest limits, contact the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 360-902-2700. The Fish and Wildlife website has information on the harvest limits http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/ Teachers can take advantage of "Beach Explorations," a curriculum for grades 5-10, available from Washington Sea Grant, 206-685-9117.
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By Marcia Siam Wiley, Consultant, ESD 113
Last fall, Educational Service District 113 received a $100,000 Goals 2000 implementation grant from OSPI (Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction) to form the CBEC (Chehalis Basin Education Partnership). Teacher teams from fourteen school districts, in conjunction with several natural resource agencies, the Chehalis Tribe, Gray's Harbor Community College, and a few nonprofit agencies in southwestern Washington are working together with support from the grant to design curriculum units focused on the study of the Chehalis River. The main goal of the project will be to improve student learning by linking the essential academic learning requirements and skill standards to local community river studies and hands-on student projects.
In January, the fourteen teacher teams met for the first time at the Log Cabin in Aberdeen to hear speakers share information about issues in the Basin. Diane Devlin, water quality extension agent for the Chehalis Tribes, gave her personal perspective on how the river has changed over time. Brady Engvall, founder of Friends of Gray's Harbor, shared historic photos of the river. Brian Walsh, of the Northwest Power Planning Council, shared slides of the watershed and advice as to how GIS (Geographic Information Systems) maps can be useful for teachers. Other speakers were Raman Iyer (Chehalis tribes), who addressed water quality issues; Steve Keller (WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife), who spoke about fish and wildlife issues; and Mike Kuttel, Jr. (Lewis County Conservation District), who highlighted actions being taken to improve the river's health.
Teachers raised several questions about the river in discussions among themselves, including some they thought would be of interest to their students. Examples of these were:
- How is flooding affecting fish and wildlife populations?
- What are the native species on and around the river?
- What are existing regulations of the river and who's in charge?
- How are decisions made regarding land use? Who makes them?
- How do we balance environmental rights with property rights?
- How do we factor in long-term economic and environmental impacts of land use decisions?
- What industries impact the river most?
- What is the cost-benefit ratio of dredging?
- Is water quality improving?
As a follow-up to the Aberdeen workshop, teachers met in February at Lake Quinault Lodge to plan their curriculum units. Led by Kathy Budge of ESD 113, and Marcia Wiley, a curriculum integration specialist, teachers considered how they could connect river content knowledge with the new state essential academic learning requirements. They also made plans to get students "into the field" this spring and to work with other teachers in their buildings. Many hope to start water quality monitoring of the river with their students and to have students inventory local plant and animals.
As part of their work, teacher teams will also be trained in Nature Mapping, GIS Arc View software, and skill standards. Teachers will meet again with partnership members in June to review their progress, The project hopes to obtain funding from diverse sources to extend its work in coming years. For more information about the project, contact Tom Hulst, project coordinator, at 360-586-2933. To learn more about project workshops, contact Marcia Wiley, workshop coordinator, at 206 -706- 6051
Many thanks to those teachers and districts who are participating in the Chehalis Basin Education Partnership. We look forward to seeing your work progress!
Teacher participants:
Aberdeen: Chris Bradshaw, David Bruncke, Mike Machowek, Briana Nino (Americorps volunteer), Melissa Curtis (Americorps volunteer), Nicole Haskey (Americorps volunteer)
Adna: Debbie Davis, Cheryl Gibson
Boistfort: Kasia Booth, Stephanie VanderMeer
Centralia: John Schultz, Teri Sardina, Kendra Meek, Dave Thomas
Elma: Connie Ford, Carol Boyer
Montesano: Joni Grove, Joel Tyndell, Rick Bergholz
Napavine: Marci Scheuber, Doug Springer, Tom Rasmussen
North River: David Farnell, Roy Rasanen
Oakville: Burke Anderson
Ocosta: Gretchen Krema
Onalaska: Johnny Garcia, Pam Pauley, Jan Lindsel
PeEll: Ron Dorothy
Rochester: Amy Roney, Martin Woodruff, Jay Cowin, Tracy Jacobson
Wishkah Valley: Janelle Corbett, Rob Ashler, Don Richardson
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Dave Rountry, Water Cleanup Coordinator, Department of Ecology
Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) recently completed a study of fecal coliform bacteria pollution problems in the Grays Harbor watershed. The study evaluated bacteria levels at the mouths of tributaries, urban drains, at the mainstem of the Chehalis River, and where municipal and industrial wastewater plants drain into the harbor.
Fecal coliform bacteria are a concern because they indicate biological waste is entering the harbor. It is a threat to water quality and to the health of shellfish beds. Bacteria concentrations can also degrade the recreational and aesthetic value of the affected water. Fecal coliform bacteria enter the watershed from many sources, including failing septic tanks and agricultural run-off. Other sources within the harbor include wastewater from industrial and municipal facilities. The study indicates that most of the pollution problems come from many small diffused sources.
Successful solutions will involve many people. The final version of the report on the study will serve as the scientific basis for future discussions with you about water cleanup strategies for the Grays Harbor watershed. It's important to have local interested parties' help and involvement to make sure that water cleanup strategies are developed that are consistent with local economic, environmental and social interests.
This spring, Ecology is working with those who contributed to the study and other primary interests to finalize the report on the study. They anticipate that the final report will be available to the public in late June or July. During the summer there will be lots of opportunity for you to participate in discussion about how to go about fixing the pollution problems. An important decision will be to prioritize the most-significant pollution sources/tributaries for action.
Conclusions from the draft report:
Approximately 50 percent of the fecal coliform loading to Grays Harbor came from the Chehalis River during the study year of 5/1/97 through 4/30/98 (excluding the Wynoochee and Satsop Rivers). Most of the load from the Chehalis River originates in the upper watershed above Porter. The Humptulips, Satsop, Wishkah, and Hoquiam Rivers were the next largest sources of fecal coliform and, together with the Chehalis, collectively accounted for nearly 80 percent of the total loading to the harbor.
Large reductions in fecal coliform concentrations are needed to meet water quality standards for tributaries to Grays Harbor. The total reduction in loading needed from all nonpoint sources combined is an average of about a 65 percent reduction of the current total loading from tributaries.
Please watch your local newspaper for notices about public meetings concerning the fecal coliform TMDL in Grays Harbor. If you want to be included in mailing of information about the project status, announcements of meetings and opportunities for involvement, please contact the Department of Ecology. The contact person is Dave Rountry, Water Cleanup Coordinator, Department of Ecology, PO BOX 47775, Olympia, WA. 98504-7775. His phone is 360-407-6276. E-mail is drou461@ecy.wa.gov
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Noelle Norstrom, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Late April and early May are the months to keep your eyes peeled for the arrival of a remarkable bird, the Vaux's swift (Chaetura vauxi). Vaux's (rhymes with "box") swifts are roughly swallow-sized, and have long, cycle-shaped wings and compact, cigar-shaped bodies without much tail. They're designed for fast speeds and sudden banking. They have greyish-brown plumage that is a little paler on the throat than on the back and undersides. Though their appearance and foraging habits are very similar to that of swallows (Vaux's swifts sometimes feed in mixed flocks with swallows), Vaux's swifts are actually more closely related to hummingbirds.
Returning to our region from their wintering grounds in Central and South America, Vaux's swifts will be seeking out hollow trees and snags, woodpecker cavities, and sometimes even residential chimneys to use as roost and nest sites. Vaux's swifts are typically denizens of mature and old-growth forests where there are abundant broken-topped trees and hollow standing snags. They enter tree cavities from broken tops, or through pileated woodpecker holes in the sides. With decreasing acreage of older forests in Washington, numbers of Vaux's swifts have also declined. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has designated the Vaux's swift a State Candidate Species.
I have always been delighted to see Vaux's swifts feeding above the treetops in the forest, but I will never forget the first evening I witnessed a flock of them fly into their night roost, a chimney of an older house in my Olympia neighborhood! My sister and I were out for a walk one evening in early May when a flock of over 1000 Vaux's swifts hurtled overhead, just above the rooftops. Calling excitedly, they swooped off in a wide arc, circling an area of about four blocks. As dusk approached, the swift formation tightened above a neighbor's old brick chimney. Karen and I stood with our mouths agape as the twittering mass of birds formed a rotating, doughnut shaped cloud above the chimney. Other neighbors came out of their houses. Soon the street was lined with people, all looking up with their mouths open. "What are those, bats?" someone asked. Suddenly, at some mysterious cue, the swifts all stopped calling and the doughnut of birds stretched into a funnel cloud. The only sound to be heard was flapping wings as the swifts spiraled down into the chimney. Once the descent into the chimney began, it took about one minute for all of the swifts to disappear. For a couple of weeks afterwards, this was a nightly event. Word spread, and each evening the crowd of humans grew larger. People brought folding chairs and drinks. The swifts didn't seem to mind the audience, but they did eventually disperse, and things got pretty much back to normal in my neighborhood.
Swifts prefer to roost in large aggregations during migration, but they seldom share nest sites. Most often there will be only one nesting pair of Vaux's swifts per hollow tree, though sometimes they are cooperative nesters. Birds other than the parents have been known to assist in feeding nestlings. After the large flock of swifts had vacated my neighborhood, I noticed that a half-dozen had stuck around. I could see them feeding on insects high in the air, often in the company of swallows. Two of these swifts, and sometimes three, would engage in cacophonous, high-speed chases at rooftop level over my back yard. I also noticed individuals popping into my immediate neighbor's chimney during the day. These entries were silent, fast and stealthy, completely unlike the show the swifts had put on when they first arrived. As summer wore on, raspy cheeping could be heard coming from inside the chimney, and then one day there were six new swifts overhead with their parents. These joined the other resident pairs and their newly fledged families. Once the young have fledged, the adults show them roosting and nesting locations, and the young practice their landing approaches.
As Vaux's swifts prepare to migrate south for the winter, they stage near their breeding areas for several weeks, building their numbers. As autumn approached, my neighbors and I were once again treated to a few weeks of nightly shows as the swifts reassembled, in yet another chimney, in preparation for their migration. And then they departed as suddenly as they had arrived.
Be sure to look for Vaux's swifts this summer. Whether that means staking out a likely snag or chimney, or just taking a second glance at a flock of swallows, it's worth keeping them in mind while you're enjoying the outdoors. Perhaps in the face of habitat loss these swifts will adapt to human structures and thrive, as the chimney swift has done in the eastern United States, or perhaps their numbers will dwindle with the shrinking acreage of older, unmanaged forests on our landscape, and we will no longer have opportunities to marvel at these acrobats.
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Noelle Nordstrom, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Most people would never guess that by buying personalized license plates for their vehicles, they help conserve wildlife species in Washington. To get the word out, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has launched a "Make A Difference - Make A Statement" campaign that is aimed at increasing public awareness of our state's Personalized License Plate program.
Proceeds from the sale of personalized license plates directly benefit Washington's wildlife species and their natural habitat. By buying personalized license plates, Washington vehicle owners support wildlife research, recovery efforts, and viewing opportunities for wildlife species such as bald eagles, burrowing owls, Columbian white-tailed deer, and spotted frogs.
Personalized plates are available for Washington passenger vehicles for $44, with a yearly renewal fee of $30. Forty dollars of the initial purchase and the entire renewal fee helps conserve wildlife species through WDFW's Wildlife Program. Personalized license plates allow
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The state hardest hit by Hurricane Floyd is adopting on a massive scale an approach long advocated by National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to reduce flood damage.
North Carolina plans to buy out as many as 11,000 homes and businesses in the 100-year floodplain that were destroyed by flooding in the hurricane's wake. With an expected total price tag of $600 million, it would be the largest voluntary buyout in U.S. history, costing nearly as much as the federal government has spent on voluntary buyouts nationwide since the Midwest flood of 1993.
In its 1998 report, Higher Ground, NWF concluded that hundreds of communities across the country could significantly reduce flood losses through buyouts and relocation of floodprone properties.
NWF and one of its affiliates, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, have been helping the state implement its plan and are working with individual communities to find appropriate uses for bought-out land in floodplains.
The North Carolina Wildlife Federation also has teamed up with the North Carolina Sierra Club and Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt to produce public service radio messages urging people not to build in floodprone areas.
"It's gratifying that states are responding so seriously to the ideas we presented in Higher Ground to reduce repetitive flood losses in their communities," says the report's author, David Conrad, NWF's water resources specialist.
The federal agency recently awarded Conrad its Outstanding Public Service Award for his work in promoting sound floodplain management.
Reprinted, with permission, from National Wildlife April/May 2000
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We're happy to welcome back Ann Coleman, Youth Corner Editor!
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Find thse words in the puzzle: BEET, HOE, SET, CARROT, LADYBUG, SHED, CORN, LETTUCE, SPADE, DIRT, ONION, SPINACH, EARTH, RADISH, SQUASH, GARDEN, RAKE, STOCK, GATHER, ROOT, TILL
Quick Quiz:
What month has twenty-eight days?
Where does an old volkswagon go?
If Mississ-ippi should lend Missouri her New Jersey what should Dela-ware?
Whan is the soup most likely to run out of the sauce pan?
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Quick Quiz:
1. All months have twenty-eight days. 2. To the old volks home, 3 - Alaska,
4 - When it has a leek.
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Send comments or questions to the: Chehalis River Council
