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Bird watchers are wide-eyed in winter Monitors report lower rainfall |
Bird watchers are wide-eyed in winter Illustrations from Birds of Seattle and Puget Sound, by Chris Fisher (@Lone Pine Publishing, 1997). Used by permission. Winter is the
best time of year to observe waterfowl on your lake. There are
a lot of species around and spotting them is easier because the
trees are bare of leaves. Here are some of the species you might
find on your lake this quiet time of year. Familiar friends Canada geese and mallard ducks are common to most County lakes, and readily recognizable. Resident populations can easily number from fifty to a hundred birds. Both species tend to fly out each morning at first light to feed and return each evening before or just after dark. Annual visitors
The black and white male bufflehead is easily identified. The dusky bufflehead female is also easily identified by her white head patch. The male and female are extremely small.
Green-winged teal are also surface feeders. They have brown plumage; the male more gray-brown with a green patch on the side of the head. Both have green patches on their wings. It is not uncommon to see large rafts of these birds on small lakes during migration, but seldom for more than a day or two. Feasting on lake bounty The American coot is slate-gray with a conspicuous white bill. It feeds on the surface but also dives, eating mostly submerged vegetation or grazing on the shore. You'll see the coot on open water in the winter, but it prefers the seclusion of a wetland in the spring and summer for breeding and nesting.
You will probably see hooded mergansers during winter. Both male and female hooded mergansers have a head-crest that can be raised or lowered. The male's crest is white trimmed in black. His back is black and his breast reddish-brown. The female's crest is grayish-brown as is most of her coloration. Both are mainly fisheaters. They leave this area in April, headed for more northern and interior latitudes to breed and nest.
Where to look While most water birds are wary and hard to approach for observation, many small lakes provide excellent vantage points for water bird viewing. Binoculars or a spotting scope allow great viewing from most lake shores. With a canoe or kayak, you can silently enjoy and explore the shorelines of your lake all winter long. Contributed
by bird enthusiasts, John Strand and Cullen Doyle.
Figure 1 illustrates 1997 fall quarter precipitation totals collected by 34 lake monitors. Fall rainfall totals this year were significantly lower than last fall's (1996) regional average (567mm). Rainfall totals at about half the lakes were at or above the historic average (380 mm), while the remaining lakes were near the regional average (350 mm) or lower.
Click here to see Figure 1 in greater detail Could lower rainfall totals be related to the El Nino weather phenomenon? Possibly. El Nino winters are usually warmer than average but only sometimes drier. Based on King County data, flooding generally occurs less frequently during El Nino years.
Twenty-two lakes had complete lake level records for the fall of both 1996 and 1997. The range between the highest and lowest lake levels were smaller in 1997 (Figure 2). Lower rainfall totals this past fall were reflected by less dramatic rises in lake level. It seems that the extremely high precipitation levels in the 1996-97 water year kept lake levels high through September 1997. Most lakes may not be noticeably lower through this winter even though total precipitation has been lower. Comparing the
last two fall seasons demonstrates how dramatically rainfall
and subsequent lake level patterns can vary from year to year.
Ongoing monitoring helps us better explain the differing seasonal
and annual patterns in lake level and quality since no two years
are exactly alike.
One hundred acres of family-owned land surrounds the 17-acre lake near Woodinville. Swampy forest lines the shore to the south and east. On the north lie open wetlands. A boathouse sits at the west end and beyond it, grassy fields. From a boat, only three houses are visible. Only the sounds of commuter traffic on the county road remind me that the lake and neighboring properties are becoming an island of nature, an increasingly important home for many species, from freshwater clams and salmon, to cormorants and coots, otter and the occasional bear and bobcat - and abundant beaver (does your lake need any beavers?). Paradise Lake is biologically very old, judging by its naturally eutrophic state and high productivity. In historical terms, disruption of nature in favor of human progress goes back to the 1890's, when Great-great-great-grandpa Davis, a Welsh preacher and coal miner, turned his hand to farming and cleared land at his homestead overlooking the inlet to Paradise Lake. During the first decade of the 20th century, all the timber in the area was logged. The coal-fired trains that serviced the nearby sawmill ran across the outlet of the lake (Bear Creek) on a trestle where they dumped ashes, eventually raising the lake level. In the 1930s, family members raised trout for Seattle restaurants, following the lead of a neighbor raising bull frogs for their tasty legs. Both operations went bust, but the frogs left behind happily adjusted to life in Paradise. Generations of kids have enjoyed chasing the huge pollywogs that fill the summer shallows. A major source of family lore is the resort that operated here from the 1920's to the 50's. The resort featured a sandy beach (a minor engineering marvel for a mud-bottom lake), a rustic lodge with a restaurant and dance floor, cabins, boat rentals, horseback riding, duck shooting, and in later years, a go-cart track. Nowadays, the property is closed to the public. Many people in the area do not know where the lake is, much less realize the importance of its relatively large watershed or the value of the habitat provided by this privately owned and maintained land. The lake, largely in its natural state, has become a family retreat - a place to nourish our roots in the golden water along with the hemlocks and willows. My sister, Kay Doolittle, takes daily lake level and precipitation readings, and my sister-in-law, Nancy Doolittle, and I monitor the lake weekly. Volunteering this way is a labor of love. We view it as one component in taking care, not only of a natural heritage, but of a family treasure as well. Many thanks to Shirley
Doolittle Egerdahl for this article.
Illustrations from Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest, by Hitchcock et al, reprinted by permission of the University of Washington Press. All animals, including the two-legged variety, depend on plants for food, shelter, and oxygen. It's easy to think of plants we use everyday -- from vegetables on our plate to the trees used to build our homes. Similarly, lake plants provide habitat and food for animals. Many of these plants were also used by local Native American tribes for food, medicine, and many other purposes.
Spiraea douglasii, commonly called hardhack, is a shoreline shrub that can reach heights between 1-2 meters. The leaves are oval, 3-10 cm long, with distinct sawtooth leaf edges. The flowers resemble a pink bottle brush at the end of each branch. The plant is sometimes confused with purple loosestrife or fireweed because of similar flower shape and color but can be distinguished with a closer look. Hardhack tolerates flooding and will invade disturbed areas. The Lummi used hardhack stems to spread and cook salmon. The plant's seeds were also used medicinally to brew a tea for diarrhea.
For more local information on plant use and identification, consult any of the following:
Program Coordinator Eileen Parkin says, "Once people make the connection between water quality degradation and 'doggie doo' they will realize that cleanup is just part of responsible pet care. Pet waste is high in nitrogen and phosphorus. Just as with chemical lawn fertilizers, these nutrients leach into waterways and promote algal growth. Algae, in turn, uses oxygen which fish need to survive" Pet walkers in the area can already be seen smartly displaying plastic bags attached to their dogs' leashes. On March 29, BLCC will be kicking off their
program near the picnic shelter at Beaver Lake Park. Interpretive
signs and a 'Mutt Mitt' dispenser will be unveiled. Free health
clinics for pooches will be offered: at 12:15 Dr. Chuck Watson
will discuss "Reading you dog's signals of pain or disease",
and at 1:00 Dr. Lisa Bennett will relay important health considerations
in raising a new puppy. The public and well-behaved canines are
welcome.
Have you recently had your property surveyed? Do you know of a survey monument close to your lake? Many faithful volunteers in King County
record daily fluctuations in their lake level. We would like
to link this data to established vertical elevations. If you
know of a survey in your lake neighborhood that might document
vertical elevation above sea-level, contact Michael
Murphy. |
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For questions
about information on this page, please contact Sally
Abella.
Updated: November 20, 2001 |
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Lake Steward 
Bufflehead and ring-necked ducks frequently
winter in this area. Both are diving ducks that appear in late
September or early October each year and are often seen until
March or April.
Male ring-necked ducks are distinguished
by the white crescent in front of the wings. The female is grayish
brown. Both male and female have a light white ring around the
bill, but contrary to their name, neither has a ring around its
neck. Northern shoveller and green-winged teal are other winter
visitors to local lakes commonly seen just passing through on
their fall migration. The shoveller male has a green iridescent
head and chestnut sides; the female is light brown. Although
they look like mallards, their large spoonbill gives them away
--- it -is used to strain vegetation from the water surface.
Western grebe also winter in the area. They
may take up residence in early October and not leave until mid-April.
The Western grebe has a swan-like neck, a long yellow bill, and
in winter is grey and white. They are a diving species and are
expert fishers.
The great blue heron is commonly seen in
the Northwest. Many lakes are home to these large birds that
stand 4 feet tall with a wingspread of 6 feet. They are blue-gray,
and whitish about the head. This majestic bird is a solitary
feeder, catching fish in lakes or feeding on small rodents in
the wetlands. 
I sit on the dock at Paradise Lake and forget
about daily headaches and hurries and pressures. If I am patient,
I may see a bald eagle spiral down into the pine tree on the
southern shore, or the moon rise and turn to gold as dusk fades.
Some token, some gift from nature makes me glad I came, glad
to have the excuse of weekly monitoring duties to escape more
mundane chores at home in Edmonds.
Nuphar lutea is a water-lily
typically found growing in shallow lake areas. The large leaves
(10-40 cm long), characteristically heart-shaped, provide habitat
for algae, insects, and other aquatic organisms. These floating
leafed plant bears big (10 cm) yellow blooms can be found from
June to mid-August on this floating leafed plant. Waterfowl eat
the seeds while deer, muskrats, and beavers consume other plant
parts. The plant's large, starchy roots served as a food and
medicine source for Native Americans. 
Scirpus acutus is a relatively
leafless plant found along the lake shoreline from June to September.
Commonly known as bulrush, it is characterized by tall (1-3 meters)
green stems that are distinctly cylindrical in shape, tapering
at the tip. The flowers emerge at the stem tip as clusters of
individual spikelets. Bulrushes provide food and shelter for
a variety of animals including fish, otters, deer, beaver, muskrat,
waterfowl, and shore birds. Native Americans traditionally used
bulrushes to make mat and baskets. These items and others made
from bulrushes served as important trade items. 
Typha latifolia have
long, flat tapering leaves along with a dense brown spike of
a flower at the top of a tall stalk. Total height can reach 1-3
meters. Cattails are typically found together with bulrushes
along the lake shoreline. Many species of waterfowl and mammals
depend on both plants for food and shelter. The underground stems
provide food for geese, beaver, muskrat and other animals while
marsh wrens and redwing blackbirds nest among the upper stems.
Indigenous people used both cattail leaves and bulrush stems
to make mats that were hung as screens, used as shelter, or served
as mattresses and kneeling pads. Baskets and string can also
be made from cattail leaves or bulrush stems.
Beaver Lake
Community Club (BLCC) is on a mission to get folks to recognize
the link between water quality and "picking up" after
their pets. They are asking pet walkers to always be prepared
for cleanup by taking along a plastic bag.
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