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Name: Anne Saxby
Email: saxharp@gorge.net
Date Sighted:6/30/10
Location: Robinhood Creek
Date Posted: July 6, 2010
Time: 6:54 PM
Sighting: On a recent tour of the Forest Service Robinhood Creek Watershed Restoration project, we saw a large black bear crossing the now-decommissioned 3520 road. It headed off towards Horsethief Meadows. Very cool!
Name:
Greg Short
Email: short@embarqmail.com
Date Sighted: 6/27/10
Location: Dee Flat, Along Lost Lake Rd.
Date Posted: June 30, 2010
Time: 11:30 PM
Sighting: I was driving down Lost Lake Road last Sunday and I spotted this owl perched on a fencepost. All you Ornithologists out there can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it is a great Gray Owl. I thought it looked "great" at the time so I took a few photos.
Name:
Heather Clemons-Porter
Email: hvcporter@hotmail.com
Date Sighted: 12/10/2009
Location: Hood River County Library
Date Posted: March 24, 2010
Time: 6:06 PM
Sighting: I was sitting at the children's circ desk when I heard a loud thump. I ignored the thump, but my coworker told me she saw a large bird outside so I went to investigate. The large bird was dazed and almost dead looking on the sidewalk in front of the glass doors. I grabbed some gloves and picked it up gently when it blinked at me. It wiggled a little so I set it in the bushes to recuperate. It eventually stood up, stumbled and flew up to the side of the building in a sideways stance. It stayed there a while and then flew off into the nearby tree.
Name: Greg Short
Email: short@embarqmail.com
Date Sighted: Sept. 24, 2009
Location: Lower Mill Cold Storage , CA Room 8
Date Posted: Sept. 24, 2009
Time: 10:32 PM
Sighting: This is the story of a lucky Salamander named Bartlett....
This Thursday morning I was preparing to seal the door on CA Room 8 of the Lower Mill Cold Storage Facility that I operate for Heirloom Orchards. The room is full of Green Anjou pears and has been at 30 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2 weeks. After sealing the door I then enable the atmosphere control to bring the oxygen level down to 1.5 % for at least 2 months. As we learned in physics, atmospheric oxygen on Earth is about 21 %. We air breathers need this to support life. Just before sealing the door I noticed a large roll of plastic bags on the floor that was left over from storing blueberry plants in this last Spring. I grabbed the roll and put it on the tailgate of my pickup--no sense leaving it sealed up in a CA Room for 2-3 months, right? After sealing the room I pulled my pickup around to the sunny side of the building and went inside to enable the Atmosphere control for CA room 8.
I went back outside and proceeded to throw the roll of plastic bags into my pickup bed when I sensed movement inside of the rolled up plastic. Startled, I peered through the layers of clear plastic and saw a brownish salamander with a yellow band running down his back. He was moving slowly in the warm morning sun, like he was coming out of hibernation. I have never seen this color of salamander before and I wondered if he crawled into the CA room from the surrounding area or if he was imported into Oregon with the blueberry seedlings from California. I named him Bartlett and stuck him in my plastic drink bottle with a little water and proceeded to the Hood River Watershed Group HQ where I knew Jordan Kim would be ready at her trusty computer for a little Amphibian research.
With a little help from Google we determined Bartlett was indeed an Oregon resident called a Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum). I found out this evening that Bartlett is listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as an Endangered Species. Good thing I didn't' turn him into a Salamander popsicle or suffocate him in a CA room. I don' t believe Bartlett is on anyone's high priority recovery list but let me know if anyone out there finds out any more info on this species. Meanwhile, Bartlett is living happily along the Riparian area of Cedar Creek just above the culvert crossing on the road to the Hood River Experiment Station. Hopefully he finds a mate and lives happily ever after. This concludes the story of a lucky Salamander named Bartlett.
Best Fishes ~Greg
Name:
Carly Heron
Email: carly.heron@or.usda.gov
Date Sighted: Sept. 15, 2009
Location: SWCD office
Date Posted: Sept. 15, 2009
Time: 2:29 PM
Sighting: A huge praying mantis was on the screen to my office window. Isn't she cool? (Click on the picture for a bigger view.)
Name: Greg
Short
Email: short@embarqmail.com
Date Sighted: June 14,2009
Location: John Day Dam, Columbia River
Date Posted: June 16, 2009
Time: 7:32 PM
Sighting: WHITE PELICANS IN THE GORGE !!!!!!!!!
A little bit outside of the Hood River Watershed but
still interesting. Apparently there is a small population of these Pelicans
residing on the gravel islands below the John Day Dam. I was Walleye fishing
last Sunday and happened upon these beautiful birds and was lucky enough to snap
a few photos. There is a small population of White Pelicans in Eastern
Washington from the Mouth of the Walla Walla River upstream to Priest rapids Dam
on the Columbia River. They are listed by the State of Washington as an
Endangered Species. They have a 9 foot Wingspan and a protrusion on their long
slender beaks as you can see in the photos. I was glad I brought my camera
along even though I did not catch any Walleye-- Damn wind!
Name: Susan Hayes
Email: shhayes@gorge.net
Date Sighted: March 28,2009
Location: East side, off Highline Rd.
Date Posted: March 29, 2009
Time: 10:18 AM
Sighting: Increased sightings of coyotes in our back yard. Lived here 13 years and have notice more activity in last two years. Lost one of our outside cats that had been with us over ten years and think he may have had a run-in with coyote. We just arrived home after being gone a week. We keep an old pickup in back of house for garbage which we take to garbage site on a regular basis. Much garbage was strewn about when we got home. We have been keeping our garbage like this for many years, never have had an incident. Yesterday , I was doing some yard clean up and discovered what I am certain is bear scat. The location of the scat was near the truck and about a 100 yards from Highline Road. We are surrounded by woods. Has anyone else seen bears in this area?
Am concerned because of our and our neighbors animals, especially our dogs. Thanks.
Name: Terri
Browne Hixson
Email:
Date Sighted: Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008
Location: Kahoe Drive off Markham Road
Date Posted: January 2, 2009
Time: 03:40PM
Sighting: The bobcat came out from behind our sheds. At first I thought it was our cat, Buster, but then I remembered that he had not left the house in 10 days because of the cold and snow. The bobcat came 15 feet from our back door. At that time I was very happy that Buster and our dog, Jenny, were inside where it was warm and safe. It looked to be about 35-40 lbs. It was smaller then Jenny who weighs 60 lbs and about 4 x the size of Buster who weighs 10!
Name: Terri Browne Hixson
Email:
Date Sighted: Sept. 15, 2008
Location: Riordan Hill Rd.
Date Posted: January 5, 2009
Time: 12:51PM
Sighting: I was coming down from Family Man on Riordan Hill Rd and saw a bobcat run across the road. It was very small, about 15-18 pounds.
Name: Michelle Bradner
Email: mmbradner@hotmail.com
Date Sighted: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008
Location: Kingsley Irrigation Trail
Date Posted: September 07, 2008
Time: 02:16AM
Sighting: MAMA BEAR AND CUBS. My husband was out running with our 2 dogs along the irrigation canal Tues the 2nd. He crossed the first gravel road the trail continues into the trees and along the open ditch. They ran into 2 bear cubs playing on the trail. This was maybe a 1/2 mile in along the treed section before the paved road & the gated section of trail. He saw it was bear cubs as the dogs ran toward them. He called them back ... they stayed behind him. One cub crossed the water ditch & scurried up the hillside while the 2nd ran down the hill. NEXT Mama Bear popped up on the trail to check out what was going on. She snorted and sniffed but stayed her ground. When the 1st cub came back down the hill from the other side of the water ditch she took off down the hill. Thank goodness nothing happened. He wasn't more then 40 ft away or so. A few days later they ran by and the dogs could smell the bear scent from the other day but no sightings.
Name: Terri Browne Hixson
Email:
Date Sighted: August 28, 2008
Location: Kingsley Irrigation Canal
Date Posted: January 5, 2009
Time: 12:49PM
Sighting: We were mountain biking along the canal off Kingsley Rd and we saw a bear cub. It was at the new clear cut over looking the old Dee Mill. The bear heard us coming and took off down the slope, crashing over the fallen tree limbs.
Name: Anne Saxby
Email: saxharp@gorge.net
Date Sighted: June 26, 2008
Location: Willow Flat
Date Posted: July 10, 2008
Time: 3:28 PM
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?
Name: Steve
Stampfli & Jordan
Kim
Email: hrswcd@gorge.net
Date Sighted: July 10, 2008
Location: SWCD Office
Date Posted: July 10, 2008
Time: 2:50 PM
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.
Name: Jordan
Kim
Email: hrswcd@gorge.net
Date Sighted: July 9, 2008
Location: Post Canyon Road
Date Posted: July 09, 2008
Time: 10:45 AM
Sighting: Just got back to the office from a site visit on Post Canyon Road where we saw a beautiful owl (pictured here). Not sure what kind it is, but it was large. I thought maybe a Great Horned Owl, but it didn't appear to have any "horns." Maybe it was a screech owl because it was making some noise about us watching it.
**Found out later that it was a barred owl. (Thanks to Cathy Flick and Richard Larson!)
Name: Craig and Sue Nicholson
Email: craigmnicholson@yahoo.com
Date Sighted: June 27,2008
Location: Residence off of Pinemont Drive above East Fork Irrigation District
Date Posted: July 05, 2008
Time: 10:39 PM
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.
Name: Greg Short
Email: Short@embarqmail.com
Time Posted: 10:35 PM
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).
Name: Greg Short
Email: Short@embarqmail.com
Time Posted: 10:21 PM
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...
Name: Acacia Blachly
Email: lencynb@localnet.com
Time Posted: 7:29 PM
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.
Name: Steve Stampfli
Email: stampfli@gorge.net
Time Posted: 8:03 am
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.
Read more and see pictures of Steve's bat recovery room...
Name: Jamie Gomez
Email: hrwg@gorge.net
Date Sighted: Nov 1, 2007
Location:
Upper Eastside Lateral Ditch near Neal Creek
Date Posted: Nov 6, 2007
Time Posted: 12:00pm
Sighting:
Name: Jamie Gomez
Email: hrwg@gorge.net
Date Sighted: Oct. 24, 2007
Location: In the back of
Steve's truck which was parked at the office
Date Posted: Oct. 24, 2007
Time Posted: 10:00am
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.
Name: Greg Short
Email: short@embarqmail.com
Date Sighted: Oct. 1, 2007
Location: Columbia R. just
outside the mouth of the White Salmon River
Date Posted: Oct. 7, 2007
Time Posted: 8:17pm
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.
Name: Carly and Chris and George
Email: carly.heron@or.usda.gov
Date Sighted: July 11, 2007
Location: Lake Branch near Divers Creek
Date Posted: July 31, 2007
Time Posted: 5:34pm
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.
Name: Carly
Email: carly.heron@or.usda.gov
Date Sighted: July 30, 2007
Location: Logging road off Lost Lake Rd
Date Posted: July 31, 2007
Time Posted: 5:29pm
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!
Name: Greg Short
Email: Short@embarqmail.com
Date Sighted: June 16, 2007
Location: Hood River mainstem just above the Pipeline Hole
Date Posted: June 17, 2007
Time Posted: 1:32pm
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!
Name: Greg Short
Email: Short@embarqmail.com
Date Sighted: June 9, 2007
Location: Hood River mainstem just below China Gorge Restaurant in the Y-inn hole for you locals that still remember...
Date Posted: June 17, 2007
Time Posted: 1:15pm
Sighting: While conducting the "field" portion of the Watershed Group sponsored Steelhead Fishing 101 Class I spotted a Mink frolicking on the opposite shoreline.
Name: Jock Bradley
Email: jock@rippinproductions.com
Date Sighted: April 14, 2007
Location:
Date Posted: April 14, 2007
Time Posted: 9:56pm
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.
Name: Jamie Gomez
Email: hrwg@gorge.net
Date Sighted: January 2007
Location: Nestor Peak Trailhead, WA
Date Posted: March 6, 2007
Time Posted: 1:22pm
Sighting: Just after beginning the trailhead for Nestor Peak from the forest road, we spotted a Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) in flight. It perched high in the mid-canopy on a dead branch of a Douglas fir (about 15 m high). It was unmistakable as a Great Gray due to size and coloration. Amazing sight to see. Witnessed for several minutes the owl perching, rotating its head around, at one point staring at us. It then flew off and went out of sight. Its coloration perfectly suited the lichen colored dark tones of the upper sub-canopy of this Douglas-fir, Western Red Cedar forest, and would have gone unnoticed if it were seen in flight! Have been to same sight several times since and have not seen it.
Name: Larry
Email:
Date Sighted: January 22, 2007
Location: Dee Flat
Date Posted: January 24, 2007
Time Posted: 11:31am
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.
Name: Judith
Email: Stewart@fr.com
Date Sighted: December 23, 2006
Location: Mosier off State Road
Date Posted: January 1, 2007
Time Posted: 6:32 pm
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.
Name: Kate
Email:
Date Sighted: December 10, 2006
Location: Mitchell Point
Date Posted: December 11, 2006
Time Posted: 3:17 pm
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.
Name: Tony
Email:
Date Sighted: December 5, 2006
Location: Highline Rd.
Date Posted: December 9, 2006
Time Posted: 4:01 pm
Sighting: Saw a 6-8 point healthy looking deer in an orchard
Name: WK
Email: wk1973@yahoo.com
Date Sighted: November 2006
Location: Hwy 35 near Mt. Hood
Date Posted: November 16, 2006
Time Posted: 8:11 pm
Sighting: Saw a beautiful 8 point Buck starring at me. He had no concern that I almost drove over him.
Name: Steve Stampfli
Email: stampfli@gorge.net
Sighting: This
sighting pertains to Hood River's sister watershed here in Washington, the White
Salmon, which shares many common wildlife species.
To
introduce the story, my cat named Bob loves to bring his playmates into the
house, often late at night. Late Friday, I awoke to a chattering sound that
seemed to be streaking through the air in my bedroom, and I became literally
frozen in fright... Actually, that's a tall tale... and what I really heard were
a couple of thumps downstairs and knew that that darn Bob had brought in a pal.
When I got down to the workshop, he looked guilty of exactly that, and I found a
small dark squirrel with a huge black eyes and a tail shaped like a fudge-sickle
clumsily trying to jump up on the wall. I recognized him pretty quick as a
northern flying squirrel, since 10 years ago I had rescued one of his cousins
early one morning after he had flown into a barb-wire fence up on Snyder Creek
and got snagged on a barb. Anyway, I was able to coral the squirrel for the
night in the workshop, and released him, apparently unharmed, outdoors the next
morning. Northerns are actually quite common in our area, but seldom seen since
they are nocturnal. They are agile gliders, but as I found are clumsy and slow
on the ground, probably the reason Bob was able to catch one.
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: I was out deer hunting Sunday evening and spotted an adult Bald Eagle soaring overhead. I often see Eagles during the Winter months but it is surprising to know we have a year-round resident eagle living in the area. This bird was evidently hunting rodents as it was not near a waterway. Best Fishes, Greg
Name: Kate
Date Sighted: 9/27/06
Location: Neal Creek
Date Posted: September 29, 2006
Time Posted: 6:02pm
Sighting: A pair of some type of dark-colored salamanders scurried into the damp weeds as I approached the edge of the creek.
Name: Kate Merrick
Date Sighted: 9/7/06
Location: Rogers Creek
Date Posted: September 29, 2006
Time Posted: 5:50pm
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!
Name: CH
Date Sighted: 9/7/06
Location: Dee Highway
Date Posted: September 29, 2006
Time Posted: 12:03pm
Sighting: I saw a large coyote in a pasture with several cows. The cows looked worried!
Name: Greg Short
Date Sighted: 9/4/06
Location: Columbia River, Wells Island
Date Posted: November 14, 2006
Time Posted: 9:37am
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.
Name: CH
Date Sighted: 5/30/06
Location: Lost Lake Road
Date Posted: September 29, 2006
Time Posted: 12:01pm
Sighting: A bobcat was crossing the road when we came around a corner.
Name: CH
Date Sighted: 9/28/06
Location: Dee Flat Area
Date Posted: September 29, 2006
Time Posted: 12:00pm
Sighting: A small grey lizard ran across the trail in front of me.
Name: Won
Date Sighted: week of Sept. 11
Location: Cooper Spur Rd, over EF Hood River
Date Posted: September 27, 2006
Time Posted: 5:25pm