DC area home to many beautiful birds
By Hallie Barta
Being an avid birdwatcher, I like to keep what is called a “life list” of every species of bird I’ve ever seen. I’ve been keeping this list for about a year and have recorded a total of 92 species, over 70 of which were spotted within our county.
But when many sources of new local sightings have been exhausted, I crave new places to search—and therefore I was excited at the opportunity to join the Goldendale Citizenship 4-H group on their tour of Washington, D.C. in June. While drinking in all the gorgeous historical sights there were to see, I kept my eyes open for movement among the trees—anything I might add to my life list.
I was rewarded. In addition to the copious amounts of starlings, blackbirds, and rock doves (feral pigeons), I caught sight of the blue, black, and white feathering of a blue jay while in Jamestown, Va. Later in the morning, I even spotted a brilliant crimson northern cardinal—the bird I had been dying most to see! I was on top of the world.
Had I known it wouldn’t end there, I would have been even more thrilled. Jamestown offered me the notice of a Carolina wren, and even in the heart of Washington, D.C., I discovered a northern mockingbird, gray catbird, and common grackle! Since I had decided against bringing my field guide (a mistake I’ll never make again) I identified them mostly by memory. After correcting some minor mistakes in the conclusions I’d come to, I added them to my steadily growing list.
Going on vacation soon? I encourage you to start keeping track of your sights. Every bird is wonderfully different, and they all beg our attention.
Offer made on land for solar-wind project
A local businessman made an offer this week on 1200 acres of land outside Goldendale where he hopes to build a solar-wind energy project.
The idea would be to use the land to install greenhouses for a regional project that could, if successful, provide 20 megawatts of energy to about 5000 homes.
The plan is based on investigation being done by six Seattle-based scientists into the feasibility of using hot air rising from greenhouses to generate power through turbines. The researchers will also be testing smaller, vertical turbines that collect wind passing outside the greenhouses.
Monday, officials from Klickitat County’s economic development department, including director Mike Canon, visited the site.
At this point it is unclear how quickly the project could get underway or how feasible it is. However, those involved remained optimistic.
“I’m so absolutely positive this makes sense,” said John Gotts, the businessman behind the deal.
He said he will work this week on getting the property re-zoned from agriculture to energy.
Hunting cougars with hounds approved for Klickitat County
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission approved amendments to hunting regulations, which expands the options for cougar hunting in Klickitat County. The amendments, consistent with a bill approved early this year by the Legislature, extend for another three years a pilot project authorizing cougar hunting with the aid of dogs in Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties and allow other counties to request inclusion in the project.
The amendments allow limited-entry hound hunts for cougars in Klickitat County beginning this year. Other changes include reducing the annual cougar bag limit from two to one for all hound hunters, and reducing the total allowable harvest for the 2008-2009 winter season by 40 percent in Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties to stabilize the cougar population.
Hunting cougar with dogs was banned statewide by public initiative in 1996. However, in response to concerns about public safety and livestock depredation, the Legislature voted in 2004 to allow hunting cougar with hounds during specific seasons in five eastern Washington counties where public safety and depredation concerns were the greatest.
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