Warden’s report -Visit to ER #76 – Fraser River Islands, April 26, 2009

Visit to ER #76 – Fraser River Islands, April 26, 2009

Warden’s Report by Bev and Bill Ramey

Sunny, warm; water highest that we have paddled to islands; 20 degrees C.

Depart Nicomen Island boat launch at 11:30 am after carrying boats to put in. Finish 6:00 pm.

Reach main slough between islands at 12 noon, without carrying across any gravel bars. Although the water higher, the current wasn’t stronger, and so we were able to ferry across easily. Paddle up slough. Did not see eagles at nest, but did not look for too long and hard to see into nest as cottonwood has leafed out. 36 mallard in slough.

Take out top of slough. Find pair of plastic gloves as marker, likely horsetail harvesters; found this in two locations (see photos). Large swale between the lower islands that we usually walk has water flowing through it, but we are able to make our way down. Western toad. Lots of shrubs flowering – twin berry, salmon berry, elderberry, oregon grape, stinging nettle. Also red osier dogwood, snowberry. Cut across main island. Blackberry in several places. Walk up shore facing Nicomen Island, but having to wade through water. As we bushwhack on section higher on bank, find Ecological Reserve metal sign, now mostly hidden by shrub vegetation. Coyote scat. Shotgun shells from what looks like a simple blind.

Cross slough and walk up main island to upstream tip; ‘outhouse’ without walls still there. Black bear tracks.

Birds:

Mallards – 36 in slough

American robin – 20

Violet green swallow – 50 over river, plus another 10 in meadows, plus later 100+ over river

Rufous hummingbird

Yellow-rumped warbler (audubon)

Song sparrow

Ruby-crowned kinglet

Hairy woodpecker (F)

Wood duck – pair

Mew gulls – 100+ on river

Glaucous-winged Gull – 20

Thayer’s gull – 3

White crowned sparrow

Common raven

Common merganser – 1

Common goldeneye – 1