>Frilled Dogwinkles?  An article in the Kitsap Sun on Wednesday caught our eye when it mentioned “frilled dogwinkles.”   A few years ago our neighbor was cleaning his garage and was going to throw out a box of old frilled dogwinkle shells.  

Were They From Illahee?  We questioned our neighbor whether the frilled dogwinkle shells had come from Illahee because they didn’t look like any snail shells we have seen around here.  The frills on the shell extended out and they looked so nice that you would possibly want to display them.  He said he and his brother collected them from the Illahee shoreline when they were kids in the 1950’s.

Questions Raised Last Year.  Last year we brought some of these shells to a beach watchers class to see if there was anyone who could explain why we don’t see these intricate frilled dogwinkles on our beaches anymore.  We only see a few snail shells out there now, but they are without the raised frills.

The Answer?  Which brings us back to the Kitsap Sun article, as it explained that the changing chemistry of Puget Sound was increasing in acidification such that the “shells of marine snails called frilled dogwinkles get thinner.”  Is this the answer to our question?  

Shellfish Expert.  We hope to ask the dogwinkle question of Betsy Peabody, a shell fish expert, who is being asked to be in the Illahee film project and to comment about possible reasons for the diminishing shellfish in Illahee and the fouling of the shellfish beds from excessive sedimentation.  

The Kitsap Sun Article.  The title and link to the Kitsap Sun article is:  Scientists checking changing Puget Sound chemistry http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/apr/12/scientists-checking-changing-puget-sound/

Piebald Deer Question.  We asked the question of whether the piebald deer north of Illahee had migrated to the area south of Illahee State Park.  From the response below, the piebald deer by the park has different markings:

I can confirm that the piebald I saw last week was not the one in the photo below.  The individual I saw was cream colored and only had a few spots, which were along its haunches and lower parts of the leg, similar to what the writer described as potential offspring of the male in pictures. The individual I saw was also quite small.  I do not know what sex it is.  

Black Deer Pictures.  These photos (from near Beamsville, Ontario, Canada) were sent in by a resident who noted a black deer is even more rare than piebald or albino deer.

Earthquake Fault Lines.  We still get comments regarding the Updates we sent out regarding the fact the we have earthquake fault lines running through Illahee and whether residents should have earthquake insurance.  Attached is a map showing just the Illahee area fault lines, that was taken from the county’s website.  The link to the county map is:  http://kitsapgov.com/dcd/gis/maps/Standard_Maps/Environmental/FAULTS_DEC2006.pdf

>Miscellaneous – 4-11-11

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Trillium Blooming In Preserve.  One of first flowers to bloom in the forest are Trilliums.  We took the following picture on Sunday to show just how beautiful these flowers are.  A couple of interesting facts from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trillium are:

Picking a trillium seriously injures the plant by preventing the leaf-like bracts from producing food for the next year. A plant takes many years to recover. For this reason in Michigan^[1] and Minnesota^[2] it is illegal to pick and/or transplant trilliums from public lands without a permit from the State.

Trillium is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ants. At maturity, the base and core of the trillium ovary turns soft and spongy. Trillium seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants extract the seeds from the decaying ovary and take them to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes and put the seeds in their garbage, where they germinate in a rich growing medium.

North Perry Water Response.  We received the following response from North Perry Water’s General Manager, George Smalley, regarding our inquiry whether the community could help or show support for a possible relocation of the Riddell well:

I know it seems that there is always a correction to be made every time a news letter goes out, so here it is.

It’s not that the Tribe “ shut NPW down” on the proposed well site on Almira Drive.

It was the simple fact that the Tribe and Dr. Massman were convinced that pumping at the new site on Almira could possibly affect a stream in Tracyton, which is a closed stream with a healthy salmon run.

North Perry Water did not want to end up in Court over the appeal by the Tribes and could not agree on where or how much water could be added to several streams throughout the District to offset perceived pumping affects on the streams  from Tracyton to Brownsville and Illahee.

The new well site on Almira was to be drilled into a deeper aquifer than the well on Perry Avenue, which is  near the beginning of Illahee creek., ( Perry Ave well site),   and the Pickering well site @ maple and Pickering St. That would have allowed NPW to pump the shallow aquifer less at those sites, and hopefully give the aquifer more time to recover between pumping times. It would not affect how often the District would be pumping the Riddell site. It should be noted however that the Riddell well does pump from a  deeper aquifer than the Perry site and the Pickering well  site. Right now the aquifers  looks very healthy and water levels are good For whatever reason the District, has been pumping and selling less water over the last five years than previously, as are other purveyors in the County.

I believe it is the result of the economy and conservation efforts that are responsible for this.

Even though the shallow aquifers look good, we do believe that getting into the deeper  aquifer is the right thing to do . The District is still looking at other options when it comes to pumping out of the shallow aquifer.

It is good to know that the people of Illahee are willing to help in negotiations on a new site in the future if needed.

Piebald Deer Movement?  We were asked whether the piebald deer seen south of Illahee State Park, is the same one that was observed north of Illahee.  And so we have included the attached info on the north Illahee piebald deer so those around the State Park can tell us if it is the same one.

This is probably the same piebald deer that visits us every few days.  I am sending a couple of pics to see if its the same one.  I have pics of this deer from Summer of 07, so he is about 4 years old.  We actually are starting to see what I believe are some of his offspring.  They have a few white spots but are mostly cream colored.  I hope hunters don’t try to shoot this deer.  I have talked to the major land owners in my area and they have said they won’t allow hunting on their land.

Hopefully there is no hunting in the Illahee Preserve and the surrounding areas.

Rolling Hills Golf Course Gifting Finalized.  We have been waiting to hear that the gifting of the Rolling Hills Golf Course by Don Rasmussen and Kerma Peterson to Kitsap County has been finalized and just heard yesterday that it has.  Thanks to Don and Kerma and to Commissioner Josh Brown for helping to make it all happen.  

Possible Next Step re Timbers Edge?  We heard that the finalization of the Golf Course gifting is what the Illahee Community Club has been waiting for as they will now be contacting the two Land Trusts that expressed interest some time ago about the possibility of purchasing the Timbers Edge properties.  The golf course is evidently a major part of the bigger plan for expanding the Illahee Preserve and now they feel that they are in a better position for a land trust to want to come in to help.

Illahee Garden Tour This Summer?  We were notified that a core group of Illahee gardeners are pursuing whether there is enough interest to have a garden tour in Illahee this summer.  If you would like to be part of this group or have some suggestions for possible gardens that could be toured, please let us know and we will pass the information on.

Jim Aho

>Garden Tour & Watershed Curriculum – 4-10-11

>Garden Tour Group Interest.  There were at least 10 who expressed interest in an Illahee garden tour this summer, and they will hopefully be able to meet and decide on gardens and dates.  Let us know if you have suggestions or want to be part of the group and we will pass the information on.  

Watershed Curriculum Evaluation.  Illahee has been selected to evaluate a watershed curriculum that was developed in Jefferson County and is now scheduled for 5 evaluations in our surrounding counties, Island (2 sites), Pierce, Kitsap and Jefferson County.  There is some good information in this presentation and we will pass more details on later.

Out of Town.  We will be out of town for a few weeks, but will be in email contact with our ipad.  We are sorry to miss all the flowers and leaves that are emerging.  Attached is a photo of a rhododendron starting to blossom out.

Jim Aho

>Results of Wed Annexation Meeting 2-24-11

>Good Attendance.  Considering the prediction of snow, it was good to see the chairs filled at the Illahee Community meeting on Wednesday (2/23/11), and to realize the 12 signs placed throughout the community continue to inform residents who are not on Illahee’s email lists.  

Thanks to Eric Baker.  The community needs to especially thank Eric Baker, Kitsap County Special Projects Manager, for his knowledgeable and forthright presentation on the issues of the Growth Management Act (GMA), Urban Growth Areas (UGAs), Annexation, and various other related topics.  Eric arrived before 6 pm and the questions finally were stopped at 7:30 pm so Eric could depart and residents could decide what direction they wanted to go with the two submitted resolutions.

Timely Decision Needed.  When a question was asked when a resolution to the county need to be submitted, Eric responded that it needed to be submitted by Monday, February 28, 2011, for it to get on the county’s docket and be considered this year.  

Request to be Removed from the UGA Deleted.  Based on the presentation and resulting discussions the community realized they could not be removed from the UGA,  and that part of the resolution was eventually deleted.  Eric stated that the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) has been clear that Rural densities can only go down to 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres, and Illahee clearly does not fit that definition of a rural zoning density.  

Greenbelt Zoning Urban?  Eric said that Illahee’s Greenbelt zoning density of 1-4 dwelling units per acre (or dua)  is an ‘urban’ density even though the community has argued for years that the natural features, or critical areas in Illahee, do not support the higher zoning densities of 5-9 dua which were put in place in 1998 and still remain in some parts of Illahee.  Some in the community felt the 1-4 dwelling units per acre was a more rural type of zoning, evidently remembering that for years Illahee was zoned ‘semi-rural’, that was until the Growth Management Act changed things.

Illahee Cannot Be Removed From the UGA!  The bottom line for this part of the discussion was that Illahee cannot be removed from the Urban Growth Area because it already has urban densities, whether they are Greenbelt or the higher densities of 5-9 dua.  This was a big disappointment for a number of attendees.

What Can Be Done?  No one knows what can actually be done and what is possible unless a request is made to Kitsap County.  

Request to County.  What was decided is to submit a request to the county to “Establish Illahee (or portions thereof) as a Greenbelt.”  We received a copy of the resolution late this afternoon and have attached it – the link is below this paragraph.  It was signed and submitted to Kitsap County on Thursday (2/24/11) afternoon.

RESOLUTION

Annexation Discussions.  Just some brief comments regarding the annexation discussions.  Annexations normally require providing urban level services, but there is little money available to do so at the county or the cities, so they are dependent on developers.  Annexation also depends on whether you are Tier 1 (population density and services), Tier 2 (density or services), or Tier 3 (open land).  Most of Illahee has low density and few services, so it would not be a top priority for annexation.

Annexation Methods.  Eric presented the various annexation methods, none of which seem threatening to Illahee at this time.  

Bremerton’s Annexation Plan?  Eric suggested we talk with the City of Bremerton’s Planning Department head to see how they view the Illahee area that is in the East Bremerton UGA.

Interesting Comment Heard.  We heard the following comment at the meeting that we found fascinating, though we are probably not quoting it exactly:  The Illahee Greenbelt zoning density of 1-4 dwellings per acre is one that has been supported by both the property rights residents and the environmentalists in Illahee as it allows either septic systems or sewers and is a density both groups seem to be able to live with.

Daffodils.  We promised we would photograph the first daffodils we saw last week and decided to put in another shot of the first flowers we saw, though this time with some snow around them.

High Tides.  The supposedly high tides this week were not excessively high.  We have attached a couple of pictures showing the tide at its highest on Tuesday.

Other Comments on the Meeting?  Please let us and others know your thoughts regarding Wednesday’s meeting by commenting on our website http://illaheecommunity.blogspot.com/, or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Illahee?ref=ts.  This update will be posted within 24 hours of it being sent out.

Jim Aho

>Miscellaneous – 2-21/11

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Illahee Preserve Downed Trees.  Recent winds have caused a number of trees to come down in the Illahee Preserve, with some of them blocking trails.  Several Illahee Preserve volunteers have gone through the county’s chain saw training class and have been doing an amazing job of keeping the trails open.  While walking the trails on Saturday afternoon, after the Saturday morning wind storm, we encountered Jon and Vic (two East Bremerton Rotary volunteers who went through the training) who had just taken care of 14 blocking trees and were starting to work on #15.  These are the type of amazing people we are fortunate to have working in the Preserve, and reinforces again and again that volunteers, and volunteer organizations like the Rotary, can keep a major Kitsap County Heritage Park’s trails open and the Preserve well maintained.  
(For those wondering about the trash bags by the Mutt Mit Station (see attached photo), they were left by the County’s Alternative to Detention crew several weeks ago, and they must have forgotten to call someone to pick them up.)

Power Outage On Saturday.  We received the following photo taken near Illahee State Park showing at least one set of downed power lines that probably caused some of the outage on Saturday morning.

Wednesday’s Library Meeting Sponsor.  Some have wondered about who is sponsoring the “annexation” meeting at the Library on Wednesday at 6:15 pm.  They saw the signs that went up on Saturday and wanted more information.  We received a copy of an email that had a brief explanation of the Illahee Community Club (ICC) that may be helpful:

Illahee Community Club Information:

The Illahee Community Club (ICC) has been in existence since the founding of Illahee, but was reorganized in 2008/2009 to expand its boundary (essentially that of the Port of Illahee) and purposes (to support restoration and preservation).  The Club is now a 501(c)3 non-profit public charity with contributions tax deductible, as allowed by law.  Yearly dues for voting members are $10 per family.  Lifetime memberships are granted for those who support the ICC with gifts over $100.  There are currently ~175 voting members. 

The purposes of the Illahee Community Club are:

·         To restore, preserve, and maintain the Illahee community as an historic, scenic, and culturally significant area.

·         To combat community deterioration through remedial actions such as elimination of fecal coliform and storm water pollution.

·         To restore and preserve the Illahee area of Puget Sound, including freshwater, wetlands, floodplains, estuary, nearshore, marine, and upland habitats for the benefit and education of the general public.

·         To restore and preserve the following items adversely impacting the Illahee Creek Watershed as delineated in the Department of Ecology / Port of Illahee funded Parametrix Report, “Illahee Creek Watershed Surface Water Management Plan,” which are:

Surface Water Runoff, Landslides, Reduced Aquifer Recharge, Water Quality, Functionality of Illahee Creek Culvert, Degraded Salmonid Habitat.

·         To restore and preserve the natural features of the Illahee area including the Illahee Preserve (a Kitsap County Heritage Park), Illahee State Park, and area wildlife and habitat for the benefit and education of the general public.

·         To advocate for accomplishment of the goals and objectives in the Illahee Community Plan that support the restoration and preservation of the local Puget Sound area for the benefit and education of the general public.

·         To solicit and obtain financial support for the education, restoration, and preservation of the aforementioned items and other impacts adversely affecting the Illahee area of Puget Sound.

·         To work with private landowners, public water groups, schools, land trusts, government agencies, public and private associations, businesses, service groups, foundations, Indian tribes, and others to accomplish the above purposes.

Pheasant.  We have been trying to get a picture of a roster pheasant in the area that is pretty skittish.  This is the best we can do at this time and appreciate photographers who can capture good poses of these birds.

Gray Squirrels.  Gray squirrels have been steadily moving north through Illahee.  This one showed up this fall and pretty much ate all the chestnuts from our American chestnut tree.  They often displace the native Douglas squirrels and chipmunks, probably by out-competing them for food.  We also saw our first gray squirrel in the Illahee Preserve this winter.  Some think they are coming from the more urbanized areas of Bremerton.


Black Turnstone.  These are small shore birds we noticed just south of the Illahee Community Dock.  We included a picture with a pigeon in it to give you an idea just how small these birds are.

Spring Flowers.  We took the pictures of flowers on Friday and have noticed more flowers blooming each day, including a bunch of daffodils today (Monday).  We didn’t have our camera today, so those pictures will come later.  We also noticed the Canada Geese have paired up, another sign that Spring is nearly here.

Jim Aho

>Orca Pictures & Blog Responses – 2-6-11

>Orca Pictures.  The orcas were sighted several times on Friday (2/4/11) and Jim Smith saw them traveling north about 10 am and took the attached photos.  Thanks to Jim for forwarding them to us.

Enetai Sighting Report.  We were copied on the following report of the orcas being sighted in Enetai.

I also saw them right in front of our place yesterday afternoon.  It looked like two pods one with 5 or 6 with a big male and another group of 3 further behind.  I would guess there were 3 or 4 young ones in both groups.  I started calling but they dove and didn’t come up until they were in front of the end of Trenton Ave.  I watched them from upstairs and they disappeared around Point Heron.  Apparently the ferry didn’t see them as it didn’t slow down or stop.  About an hour later I saw them heading north in front of the Hatch’s.  There was a harbor seal in front of our place and it was on full alert.  He knew the whales were around. 

Two More Blog Entries.  Finally we are getting some responses to the Illahee Community blog site.  We have attached the latest two.  While we like those who tell us who they are, anonymous comments are also possible if you want.

2 comments:

James Hazel said…

WRT the question from Anonymous: Yes, other people do post comments … and, Why are you posting such a question as ‘anonymous’? [It is not always obvious that all the ‘anonymous’ posts are done by one individual.]On other things, I really appreciate the posts and the opportunity to learn more about the community through the blog and emails.

February 5, 2011 10:57 AM

Liz Milligan said…

I have always felt a little powerless being in unicorporated Kitsap County. Everything that goes on in Bremerton effects us and our community. I think we would have a bigger voice if we are part of Bremerton, but we can still maintain our neighborhood cohesion which is very strong thanks to Jim Aho and his cohort of advocates.

February 5, 2011 1:00 PM

Thanks for Responding.  Thanks for those responding to the blog as it is there to start possible discussions and dialog.  We have attached the notice about the Blog and Facebook again.

Blog and Facebook Reminder.  All updates are now posted on our blog within 24 hours of being e-mailed.  If you have comments, please visit the blog and leave your comments at the end of the post.  It’s a great way to generate a public discussion. You can post anonymously if you choose.  Also, please visit and “Like” our Facebook page, and be sure to suggest it to your Facebook friends.  We are actively trying to increase our exposure in the community through social media and we need your help!

The link for the Facebook page is:  http://www.facebook.com/Illahee

The link for the blog is:  http://illaheecommunity.blogspot.com/

Jim Aho

>Work Party & Wildlife – 1-27-11

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Saturday Rotary Work Party.  Some of you have participated in previous Rotary work parties and we want to let you know about another big one this coming Saturday (1/28/11) at the Almira parking lot beginning at 8:30 am.  Our comment is that the East Bremerton Rotary knows how to host work parties, beginning with donated Starbucks coffee at 8:15 am and ending with donated snacks from Costco as they wrap up by 10:30 or so. They don’t need many more volunteers, but they appreciate some from the Illahee Community. 

Work Party Task.  “Move wood chips from the pile at Almira lot onto nearby trails.  A group of Navy volunteers and folks from Washington Youth Academy are anticipated to assist with moving logs to close an unwanted trail.”

Work Party Tools.  “Wheel barrows, gloves, pitch forks, rake, and a push broom.  A few extra wheel barrows are welcome.”

Deer.  Last year we had 5 deer who resided close by and regularly watched our gardens, and when we left an opening unsecured in our fence, they devoured our vegetables.  This winter we are seeing only the doe and her two grown-up fawns who are now eating the garden cover crops.  Many of you have commented on how you can recognize the deer around here by their unique markings, such as those on the two young ones.  The bigger doe seems to be a typical black tail with no distinguishing marks.

A Dead Deer Report.   “We lost another little deer the other day, saw it along side the road just before getting to Canoe or Navajo turn off.” 

$13,000 Deer.  We received the attached regrading a $13,000 deer, along with a note that we may need to watch the piebald (multi-colored) deer in our area.  

Here is a buck (White tail) that a hunter got in Wisconsin .  He sent these pictures to a bunch of people to see what he could get and the owner of Cabela’s paid him $13,000 for the head and hide.  A calico buck, like the one below, is rarer then an albino.

Working On An Illahee Lobster Report.  Someone reportedly caught a lobster from the Illahee Dock.  We are working on getting more information and verifying this for another Update.

Thanks Again.  Thank you for all your wildlife reports.  It is fun to see all the wildlife we have in this one relatively small area that is so close to the city and the Highway 303 commercial corridor.

Jim Aho

>Miscellaneous – 1-23-11

>Tide Photos.  For the supposedly highest tides of the year on Saturday and Sunday, they weren’t very exciting or very high.  We did get up early on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings in hopes of catching ‘an extreme high tide,’ but they didn’t appear.  We even checked the barometer which had low readings of between 28.3 – 28.5 in Hg, which is considered a fairly low atmospheric pressure (standard is 29.92 in Hg).  We did select a couple of photos to show that the tides were high, they just weren’t extremely high.

How High Do Tides Get Here?  We have been asked at various times about what are the highest tides we have seen.  We have lived on the waterfront for over 40 years, in various places, and somewhere have photos of extreme high tides.  The extreme high tide (late 70’s or early 80’s) we saw at this residence was 18 inches higher than the tide we had on Sunday, which is why it wasn’t very exciting for us.

Schutt’s Point At High Tide.  We took a couple of photos at Schutt’s point on Sunday morning that show some low points inside the spit.  The first photo shows the low area at the north end near the mouth.  The second photo shows a low spot at the south end of the spit, where water drains from the low area, and where a branch of Illahee Creek flowed during the December 2007 storm.  A number of years ago we paddled kayaks inside the spit area.  We entered from the north and exited to the south, which would have put us in front of the house that has been built there.  That was an instance when there was a more extreme high tide.

 

Chis Dunagan Blog.  When we posted our last Update that linked 2010 high tide photos, we did so just as Chris Dunagan had posted his most recent blog covering the same subject – Ecology’s request for people to take photos of the high tides.  The link is:  http://pugetsoundblogs.com/waterways/2011/01/21/grab-your-camera-to-share-some-high-tide-photos/

Eagle At Preserve Pond.  We received the following email regarding an eagle that was seen in the detention pond at the Almira parking lot of the Illahee Preserve.  Thanks to all who send these reports.

I wanted to let you know that I saw a bald eagle at the Preserve today.  I drove into the Almira parking lot at about 1:45 and saw a bald eagle emerge from the stormwater retention area.  The eagle took flight as soon as I pulled in so I don’t know what it was doing in there, but it didn’t have anything in its talons.  My first thought was that it may be preying on waterfowl that use the area but if the eagle was hunting it didn’t come up with anything.  It was a really spectacle to witness as the eagle was so close and not the type of bird I was expecting to fly out of the stormwater area.

Deer Photo.  There are a number of people who are regular walkers around the area.  We talked with Tom the other day and he said he regularly saw deer on his walks including some big bucks.  We asked if he would send us a photo, and the next day he did, with these comments.

 Saw that big buck again.  Exact same bed he was in before.  In the wetlands on 3rd.

Port Articles in Kitsap Sun.  It was hard to walk and read after I picked up the Kitsap Sun this morning as my interest was on the article on the Port districts, and what appears to be an effort to consolidate them.  Two feature articles in the Sunday Sun were on the Ports and we have attached the links here.  

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/22/currents-pull-kitsaps-many-micro-ports-in/

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/22/from-bremerton-to-tiny-eglon-each-port-lives-in/

Port Discussion Continues on Monday.  On Monday, the discussion is supposed to continue and we will provide that link later.  There are a number of residents who are snow birds and say they appreciate the Kitsap Sun links, along with others who do not receive the Sun.

Your Port Comments?  After reading these articles we would be interested to hear your thoughts and comments with respect to the general issues and also with respect to the Port of Illahee.

Jim Aho

>Illahee Wildlife – 1/12/11

>Illahee Wildlife.  The numbers and diversity of wildlife in Illahee, and the surrounding area, is amazing, and from your comments is one of the reasons people like living here.  One of the projects being worked on is a master template for interpretive signs for the Illahee Preserve and possibly for the Illahee Community, that would incorporate images of area wildlife.  We think this is a huge undertaking if for no other reason than just the vast variety of both terrestrial and marine wildlife, which we are aware of around here.

Terrestrial Mammals.  Terrestrial mammals that either are or have been seen in the Illahee area include:  black bears, black-tail deer, coyotes, fox, raccoons, opossums, skunks, rabbits, moles, mountain beavers, gray squirrels, Douglas squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks, bats, rats, and mice.  Let us know if we missed any.  We have attached a photo of a fox to represent this group.

Marine Mammals.  Because of the over 3 miles of shoreline in Illahee, and the relatively narrow passage of water between Illahee and Bainbridge Island, the marine mammals that frequent Puget Sound can at times be seen in Illahee.  The marine mammals we have seen include:  Gray whales, Orca whales, sea lions, porpoise, seals, and river otters.  Again, let us know if we missed any.  We have attached photos of a seal and river otters to cover this group.

Major Marine Birds.  Bald Eagles, Osprey (rare), Great Blue Herons, Kingfishers, Gulls, Cormorants, Loons, Canada Geese, Mallards, Wigeons, Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, Mergansers, Scoters, Grebes, Plovers, and Sandpipers.  In this section we have just covered the main categories as the numbers become extensive.  Attached are photos of a Goldeneye and various waterfowl at the mouth of Illahee Creek.

Terrestrial Birds.  The Kitsap Audubon Society has documented over 55 different terrestrial birds just in the Illahee Preserve.  The numbers of terrestrial birds in Illahee are too many to list them in this Update.   

Saltwater Fish.  Silver salmon and chum salmon have been the main salmon species using Illahee Creek (and the nearshore areas), along with two trout species, steelhead and coastal cutthroat.  Chinook salmon and pink salmon are also regularly use the nearshore beaches of Illahee.  Forage fish such as sandlance, smelt, and herring, and many other species use the nearshore areas.  We have attached some photos of salmon smolts netted in the nearshore environment a few years ago.  Also attached is a picture of a smelt that was caught at the Illahee dock on a squid jig.

Marine Invertebrates.   This is another wildlife category that has so many species that it is beyond listing, except for a few categories we are more familiar with:  clams, oysters, mussels, snails, sea stars, sand dollars, sea cucumbers, marine worms, barnacles, crabs, squid, and jellyfish.  Attached are photos of mussel sampling and a squid to represent the vast number of invertebrates.

Wildlife Reports Desired.  As we stated at the beginning, one of the primary reasons stated by residents for the reason they like living in Illahee is because of the wildlife.  And one of the primary reasons people state they like the Illahee Community Updates is because of the wildlife reports.  Thank you for all your wildlife reports and the pictures you pass on so we can get them out to the entire community.  We couldn’t do it without your help!

Jim Aho

>Wildlife & Miscellaneous – 12/28/10

>Deer Photos.  The last set of deer photos we forwarded received some interesting comments.

Multi-Colored Deer.  Over the years we have heard many comment about the white markings on a good number of the deer in Illahee.  We thought it was the remnant (recessive) markings from a reported big albino buck from many years ago.  What we received the other day in an email indicates it could be otherwise.  Here is what we received (note we have removed the names, since we only use them if given specific permission, and we italicize the responses, so you know they were written by others): 

I think this has come up before but I thought I would forward it anyway.  I showed my brother-in-law the photo of the multi-colored deer that you sent.  He became very interested and looked up what he could find about it.  We recently saw a piebald deer in our yard but it we don’t think it was the same one as in your picture.  If this information is of any value do with it as you wish.

You have a Piebald Blacktail Deer living in your neighborhood.  Pretty rare.  In fact this may be one of the best close up pictures on the internet.

Piebalds:

The term Piebald means “of different colors”.  This term is usually associated with horses, though we normally refer to such horses as pintos, paints, or Appaloosas. A piebald animal is one whose hair or fur has a spotted, rather than a solid color pattern.  Depending on what part of the U.S you are from piebald deer are sometimes referred to as pintos.

A genetic variation or “defect” is what produces the piebald condition in deer.  It is not a result of parasites or diseases. Piebald deer are colored white and brown similar to a pinto horse. Sometimes they appear almost entirely white.

Many piebald deer have some of the following conditions associated with the coloration; bowing of the nose (Roman nose), short legs, arching spine (scoliosis), and short lower jaws.

It is said that Piebalds consist of less than 1% of the deer population

Many people confuse the piebald deer with the albino deer.

Albino:

Albino deer are totally white, and true albinos have pink eyes from a lack of pigement in their eyes. Albanism results from recessive genes.

White deer are naturally easily mistaken for albinos, which they are not. The true albino, besides having all white hair, also has pink eyes and pink hooves, something the white deer do not have.

Both the white deer and the albino deer, and perhaps, to a lesser extent the piebald deer, are at a disadvantage in the wild as they are easily spotted except in conditions of heavy snow. This lack of camouflage, along with poorer health keep the population of these abnormally colored deer low.

Melanistic:

Melanistic deer are the complete opposite of an Albino.  Being very dark, often approaching totally black. Melanism results from overproduction of pigment and is far less common than albinism or Piebald.

Biologists Often Respond.  We have several biologist who receive these Updates and will respond on issues like these.  We will let you know if they do and what they say.

Another Culvert Cleanout?  While on a walk on Monday (12/27/10) it appeared the County was cleaning out the Illahee Creek culvert again.  Upon a closer look (see attached photos), they were removing logs from the cleanout area where they were last week.  Why they would be removing logs, or woody debris at the downstream end of a culvert is beyond understanding.  Normally biologists look at adding what they call LWD, or large woody debris, into streams.  We could understand them wanting to remove it if it was blocking a culvert, but to remove it at the downstream end, and close to the mouth of the stream, just doesn’t make sense to us.  We did hear it was at the request of the landowner, and it could be that the sediment removal caused a nearby tree to fall into the stream, but at some point we need to let streams go where they want to go.  That is why we have channel migration zones, or a CMZ.  Theoretically streams are supposed to be able to flow unimpeded in a CMZ and especially in a flood plain.  Upstream Illahee Creek migrates back and forth in the flood plain, which has caused problems for some of the property owners, and is understood to be part of the natural processes.  We hope a biologist will step in and help us understand why there are different approaches taking place upstream and downstream.

Other Input?  We know there are others concerned about the culvert and would like to know your thoughts.  In a later Update we will discuss the massive deposition of sediment that has been deposited at the mouth of the creek.

Jim Aho