In the final throes of winter, steaming compost piles still secrete the scent of death’s redemption and send vapors soaring toward the heavens even as rain drops fall all around. Smoldering slash piles rage against the wetness and throb columns of smoke skyward like the warning beacons of Gondor.
Behind the beaded glass of the breakfast nook, a beekeeper watches his hives through the warped panes of an old farmhouse. He worries about his sweet bees as they ride out the final vengeful vestiges of winter’s wrath. Should he check on them? Has he disturbed them too frequently already?
Swallows bite their tongues as they tend to their mud cake nests under the eaves, and sparrows flutter in swarms of false bravado in between downpours. A gang of gangly quail fill their gullets on the grit of the gravel drive but flee to bony branches of a slumbering apple tree whenever they are noticed Their bobbing forehead feathers belie their considerable collection of hollow-boned securities.
The beekeeper ponders what is happening beneath the lid of each hive. Is the queen healthy? Is the brood well-tended? Is there enough capped honey stored away to supply survivalist rations until the first nectar begins to flow?
Along the hedgerows and edges of the old oak savannas, the future dangles like conversations on the borders of our lives. Curling catkins unfurl from clusters of black and white birch, lonesome weeping willows, and squirrely hideaway hazelnut trees. Presumptuous pods of daffodils, a cocky congress of crocuses, and a rash of rhubarb are poised to reel in the first rays of real springtime sun. Even the grass is a more invigorating shade of green as fresh blades fatten and stretch to cover flats of formerly barren ground.
But the honeybees are still caught somewhere between the purgatory of endless winter and the fickle promise of spring radiating from the center of their universe. They crowd together to transpose warmth amongst the rest of the colony. They keep their queen at the center of their concern and focus the rest of their intent on rearing the next generation that will carry on their traditions that date back to the emergence of the very first flowers.
Roaring lion head clouds sweep in and out again on the blunderbuss breath of Old Man Winter. Streaking crude oil storm fronts streak black across the sky and cover up the feeble outreach of the overmatched daytime orb. And then, just as quickly, the rays of the sun return with a second wind to blast powerbait pink across the horizon before it sinks into the depths of the western sea.
The next morning is crisp and colored like an avante garde apricot out of control. As noon crept closer not a cloud smudged the sky and from inside the outside appeared warm. The beekeeper watched nervously as the sun’s unobscured tentacles marinated on the forest green clapboard of his hives. He could sense their stirring excitement and knew nothing good could come of it.
This late in winter a false spring is like a siren call to a honeybee. As food stores dwindle the temptation to leave the hive grows greater, but there is nothing waiting in the wild to repay those efforts. No garden flowers have come around to bloom and the buds of orchards, hedgerow bushes, and even invasive vines remain at least a month away. Without a nectar flow to capture there would be no return on their investment and the bees could starve to death due to the unjust character flaw of working too hard.
The beekeeper thought about his bees and the sound they made when they were happy. It always resonated pitch perfect with the rhythm of his heart when he sat between the hives to down his lunch and contemplate the confluence of his past and future. He thought about the trusty queens who sustain the colony for years on end. And he thought about the workers who toil away in anonymity for a few short weeks until they expire and earn an unceremonious expulsion from the drafty cracks of the hive.
As he surveyed the grounds the beekeeper wondered where his pitchfork was and when he’d need to turn that compost again. He thought of the fat worms and musky mushrooms who had so thoroughly colonized the scraps of yesteryear. He worried about his fruit trees and tried to remember where he’d last set his loppers. He knew that sometimes even tree huggers have to cut in order to get the results they really want to see.
When a honeybee hunkered up on the outside of the window to escape the wicked wrath of rain he placed his fingers on the opposite side of the glass and let it linger. He knew that losses were inevitable when life is confronted with the unforgiving whims of nature. Without pausing to put on his suit or mask he headed out across the field to see his bees, knowing full well that there was likely nothing he could do at that late juncture to inspire a simple twist in their fate. He just wanted to hear their hum again.
He knew enough to know it was his burden to bear. It’s what one gets for taking the time to care.
FISHIN’
With high water all around and a natural lull in most salmon and steelhead runs it makes sense to test the odds at your local lakes and ponds. Many of those bodies of those ponds are teeming with hatchery fish thanks to ongoing stocking efforts by the WDFW while their isolated waters remain relatively protected from the throes of winter storms.
In Cowlitz County, on the road to the volcano, Silver Lake was planted with 2,000 fingerling rainbow trout on Jan. 13 and Horseshoe lake received 2,250 small fry trout on Jan. 8. Offut Lake in Thurston County was planted with 205 rainbows weighing five pounds each on Jan. 29 and another 91 of those five-pounders were dropped in on Jan. 24. Clark County has also received recent shipments of trout. On Feb. 3 both Klineline Pond and Battle Ground Lake were planted with 1,500 fingerling rainbows. Notably, Klineline Pond had already received 2,000 small trout on Jan. 23.
For anyone looking to expand their fly fishing kit the Clark-Skamania Flyfishers are offering their annual rod building classes. The first class took place on Thursday but a follow up session will be held on March 5. Gene Reinert and Richard Bowers will take care of the bulk of the instruction but other rod wizards will also be on hand.The workshops are limited to a dozen participants and pre-registration is required by contacting Bowers at 360-609-2794, or bowersrichard@msn.com.
The Chehalis River has held up to the wave of winter storms as good as any other drainage in the area. Anglers have been reeling in steelhead as far up as Centralia even during high water so long as they can find a spot along the short banks. Hatchery runs are still returning on the Skookumchuck, Satsop, and Wynoochee rivers. However, the Newaukum River was approaching flood stage on Thursday evening and that flush of turbid water could be bad news for the prospects downstream.
The Columbia River is running high and wide but remains open for hatchery steelhead and hatchery Chinook salmon from Buoy 10 up to the I-5 Bridge in Vancouver. Between the freeway bridge and McNary Dam anglers are limited to the retention of hatchery steelhead. Bank anglers on the spits near Longview, Kalama, and Woodland have been having limited success pulling in steelhead in recent weeks.
White sturgeon fisheries are also ongoing in the dam pools. Last week at Bonneville 23 rods on 10 boats reportedly kept five legal sturgeon while releasone 54 fish for being too small and one more for being too big. In The Dalles Pool seven bank anglers had no catch but 15 rods on six boats kept one sturgeon while releasing one for being too small and another for being too big. The walleye bite has also been picking up in the dam pools.
Prospects are pretty depressed on tributaries to the lower Columbia River thanks to a combination of flood conditions and a predictable lag between winter steelhead and spring salmon runs. The daily limit on the mainstem Columbia River below the I-5 Bridge is two-adult hatchery Chinook, two hatchery steelhead, or one of each. The lower Cowlitz, Kalama, and Deep rivers have the same limit while anglers on the Lewis River are limited to just one adult hatchery Chinook per day.
The Elochoman River has had the best results for anglers who can get on it. To wit, two weeks ago 11 bank anglers kept five steelhead. Odds on the Cowlitz River, however, have been a little more up and down and now flooding is expected to breach the banks in both the upper and lower portions of the river. Two weeks ago eight bank rods above the freeway bridge had no catch at all while three rods on one boat kept one steelhead. Last weekend two bank rods sampled by the WDFW below the freeway bridge had no catch. However, 20 bank anglers between the freeway and the Barrier Dam kept one steelhead while 38 rods on 11 boats kept 19 steelhead and released another.
Last week Crews at the Cowlitz salmon hatchery retrieved 66 winter-run steelhead adults and 22 coho adults. Fish handlers also deposited 14 coho adults and eight winter-run steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, along with seven coho adults and 19 winter-run steelhead into Lake Scanewa located near Randle. River flow at Mayfield Dam on Monday was reported at 16,700 cubic feet per second and rising with four feet of visibility and a temperature of 44 degrees.
HUNTIN’
Nearly every general hunting season has finally come to an end but goose hunters still have a short window of opportunity out on the coast. Goose Management Area 2 closed in January but the coastal section will reopen on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays from Feb. 8-22.
Additionally, most cougar hunts are set to stay open until April 30. The WDFW reserves the authority to cancel cougar hunts by area once harvest limits have been reached. Until emergency closures are issued, though, cougars may be hunted with any legal weapon, although dogs may not be used.
On Feb. 13 the WDFW will be hosting a digital forum in order to provide insight and take public input regarding proposed changes to cougar management practices. Public comment will also be accepted in writing through Feb. 26.
“If you’re interested in how cougars are hunted in Washington and would like to provide input on the 2020-2021 hunting season, please take time to watch our videos or attend our digital open house,” said Anis Aoude, WDFW game division manager, in a press release. “We need your input to provide our Commission with the best information about the public’s desires for cougar harvest management.”
Four options for cougar harvest guidelines have been proposed and a video online (youtu.be/8G_naHin_ys) helps to explain the intricacies of those changes. A full reciting of the proposals can also be viewed online at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/season-setting.
The “digital open house” on Feb. 13 will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. with WDFW wildlife program director Eric Gardner and Aoude on hand to answer questions and provide insight. That forum can be viewed online at player.invintus.com/?clientID=2836755451&eventID=2020021000.
Meanwhile, small game hunts for bobcats, fox, raccoons, cottontail rabbits and snowshoe hares will all stay through March 15, no discussion needed. Trapping season for beavers, badgers, weasels, martens, minks, muskrats and river otters will continue through the end of March, and of course, hunting season for coyotes is an open ended affair in The Evergreen State.
The WDFW will also be taking public comment on a full range of hunting seasons this month. Those comments regarding proposed changes will be accepted in writing through Feb. 26. A full list of those recommended changes to hunting regulations can be viewed online at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations]wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations.
“We encourage everyone interested in the upcoming hunting seasons to check the proposed changes and send us your comments,” said Anis Aoude, WDFW game division manager, in a press release.
Written comments can be submitted online at wildthing@dfw.wa.gov or by mail to WDFW Wildlife Program, PO Box 43200 Olympia. A final decision on the proposal is expected to come down at a commission meeting on April 10-11 in Olympia.
Lastly, applications for special spring bear hunts will be accepted through the end of February. A total of 250 permits are available for the coastal area alone.
Hunters must purchase a special permit application and a 2020 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. Additional details can be found online at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/special-hunts/bear.
CLAMMIN’
Succulent bivalve enthusiasts should be elbow deep in good times as a seven-day razor clam dig continues through Feb. 12.
Those digs were approved following marine toxin testing by the WDFW that confirmed the mollusks are safe for consumption. The remaining digs are set for the following dates, tides, and beaches:
February 8, Saturday, 6:09 pm -1.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
February 9, Sunday, 6:51 pm -1.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
February 10, Monday, 7:32 pm -1.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
February 11, Tuesday, 8:13 pm -0.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
February 12, Wednesday, 8:55 pm -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
“Work to dodge the rain, and this should be a great dig,” said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, in a press release. “Razor clams do not like fresh water, so heavy rain can make them harder to find, but with a bit of patience and good timing it should still be possible to bag limits of clams given the healthy populations across the beaches.”
Due to the evening low tides no digging will be allowed on any beach prior to noon. That means diggers will need to be prepared to work in the dark as well as the wind and rain.
“Diggers want to be sure to come prepared with good lighting devices and always keep an eye on the surf, particularly at this time of year when low tides come at dusk and after dark,” added Ayres. “Diggers can also start gathering clams an hour or two before the tide, which will allow folks to enjoy daylight for most of their time on the beach.”
The WDFW has also announced a tentative list of digging dates that should keep clam hounds busy through April. Surveys of clam populations have shown an abundance of the surf sucking siphoners so odds should be in the favor of the sand pounding public.
“We have lots of razor clams on area beaches this year, and we're releasing a tentative schedule to give people plenty of time to make plans to get out and enjoy them,” explained Ayres in a press release.
The digs will still need to be approved pending results of marine toxin tests closer to the proposed diggind dates. Tentative razor clam digs have been announced for the following dates, tides, and beaches:
March 6, Friday, 4:11 pm, -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
March 7, Saturday, 4:59 pm, -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
March 8, Sunday, 6:43 pm, -1.0 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
March 9, Monday, 7:25 pm, -1.0 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
March 10, Tuesday, 8:06 pm, -0.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
March 11, Wednesday, 8:46 pm, -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
March 20, Friday 5:27 pm, 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
March 21, Saturday, 6:07 pm, 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis (Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival)
March 22, Sunday, 6:41 pm, 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
March 23, Monday, 7:12 pm, 0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 3, Friday, 3:41 pm, 0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 4, Saturday, 4:37 pm, -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 5, Sunday, 5:27 pm, -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 6, Monday, 6:12 pm, 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 7, Tuesday, 6:55 pm, -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
No digging is allowed after noon for April digs -- listed below -- where low tide occurs in the morning.
April 8, Wednesday, 7:26 am, -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 9, Thursday, 8:14 am, -1.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 10, Friday, 9:01 am, -1.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 11, Saturday, 9:50 am, -1.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis (Long Beach Razor Clam Festival)
April 12, Sunday, 10:42 am, -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 13, Monday, 11:39 am, -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 22, Wednesday, 7:08 am, 0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 23, Thursday, 7:41 am, 0.0 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 24, Friday, 8:15 am, -0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 25, Saturday, 8:49 am, -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 26, Sunday, 9:26 am, -0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 27, Monday, 10:07 am, -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 28, Tuesday, 10:54 am, -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 29, Wednesday, 11:48 am, 0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
The WDFW’s resident clam man pointed out two of those weekends in particular as can’t miss digs.
“The Ocean Shores Razor Clam and Seafood Festival on March 21 and 22, and the Long Beach Razor Clam Festival on April 11 are long-running events that celebrate the unique contribution of razor clams to Washington’s culture and coastal communities,” said Ayres in the release.
All diggers age 15 and up are required to possess a valid fishing license and the daily harvest limit is 15 clams per person.
“Abundant razor clam populations on beaches are allowing for more digging opportunity this year,” added Ayres. “But, it is important that razor clam diggers be sure to only dig where it is allowed.”
BIRDIN’
The Great Backyard Bird Count will get going next week and participation is open to anyone with a view of the outdoors.
Experienced birders and greenhorns alike will join forces in order to conduct the annual survey of birds across North America over a four day period from Feb. 14-17. In order to participate all a person has to do is observe a particular area for 15 minutes and keep a tally of observed birds by species.
There are no limitations on the areas that can be turned into observation points. Participants can flock to the forest, wander on down by the river, or simply look out the window into their own backyard. Additional information, as well as results, can be found online at www.birdsource.org/gbbc.
SHREDDIN’
Rain in the lowlands has been mostly good news for the folks who’ve found their way up to White Pass this week. Early Friday morning there was a mix of snow and rain around the mountain with temperatures ranging from 31 degrees up top to 33 degrees near the base.
Surface conditions have been holding up well with heavy powder to keep things interesting and fresh snow falling above 5,000 feet. A total of ten inches of new snow had fallen over the previous 12 hour with a foot and a half of fresh snow over the previous day. That snowfall brought the snowpack up to 123 inches at the summit and 85 inches at the base.
White Pass ski area is currently open daily from 8:45 a.m. until 4 p.m.
CLIMBIN’
Anyone hoping to climb Mount Saint Helens during peak months this year will need to circle March 18 on their calendars.
On that day, at 7 a.m., climbing permits will go on sale online. Recent history shows that the most popular permits typically disappear within minutes with the rest of the permits usually claimed by the end of the day.
Only 100 climbers are allowed on the upper slopes of southwest Washington’s volcano each day.
Permits can be purchased online at https://t.co/d8fXXiccyO?amp=1.
