Wildlife, Fishing and Outdoors

A new river otter family is in residence at the Port of Chinook. Mama takes her babies for some swim time, dock time, and then back to their rock den in the breakwater.

A limit of rainbow trout dangles from the stringer at Western Lake near Naselle, Wash.

An osprey prepares to eviscerate a Columbia River large scale sucker, a large portion of the bird’s daily diet.

Like most people raised in the Northwest, I have had some sort of contact with sports fishing nearly all my life.

As of June 1, it is no longer mandatory to use barbless hooks to fish for salmon, steelhead and trout in the Columbia River.

The big tease is on! Several species of birds are acting like they want to nest in the yard. A pair of black-capped chickadees seem to be competing with a pair of red-breasted nuthatches for a…

ILWACO — “Orca Day,” a free, family-friendly event recognizing the Columbia River’s role in the lives of struggling southern resident orcas, is being sponsored June 15 at Cape Disappointment S…

OLYMPIA — Each year, thousands of Washingtonians go fishing — legally — without a license on “Free Fishing Weekend,” scheduled for June 8-9.

OCEAN PARK — John Fugitt has moved around a lot in his lifetime. He was a nomad of sorts, changing locations and jobs seemingly at the drop of a hat. But one constant always held true and that…

ILWACO — Wellspring Community Network, Ilwaco High School Youth Action Klub (YAK) and Sources of Strength are hosting the 2019 Color the Lake Fun Run this Saturday, June 1, at 9 a.m. at Black …

LONG BEACH PENINSULA — In recent years, residents and visitors alike have enjoyed the access that exceptionally low summer tides provide to sea caves, tide pools and other areas normally hidde…

Thinking about spring and all the bird song that fills the air reminds me of that there has been relative silence during the winter months. Bird song begins with spring and builds throughout t…

White pelicans have found sweet spots of fish along Baker Bay and Ilwaco harbor. They have been spotted at various locations for several days. They were a species unknown in the vicinity of th…

OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has scheduled a public meeting to discuss possible changes to sturgeon regulations, including one affecting Southwest Washington. The m…

To go birding on the Peninsula is a treat. There are so many places and so many species!

CORVALLIS — When it comes to sharing space, humans and wildlife don’t see eye to eye.

The safety and beauty of Ilwaco High School’s Black Lake Campus provided the “delivery room” for a joyous spring event on Thursday, when a black-tailed doe gave birth to twin fawns. This is wh…

SEAVIEW — One day last week, gardener Terran Bruinier parked her bright yellow pick up with the matching equipment trailer in tow in front of the Shelburne Inn. She unloaded some equipment and…

PACIFIC COUNTY — Springtime comes with increased wildlife activity, which allows for exciting wildlife viewing opportunities statewide. However, with bears emerging from den sites and other hu…

SURFSIDE — A cold and exhausted little fur seal pup from Baja, Mexico was rescued from south of the Oysterville beach approach by Seaside Aquarium staff on April 23.

In bygone days it was not thought to be a problem to release species of birds or animals from other parts of the world to North America and vice versa. In fact, the idea was supported and enco…

By the time you are reading this story the bird parade will be at its peak. Spring migration is one of the biggest parades on earth. It begins in February and carries on until the month of Jun…

A few years ago I wrote about the barn owl. It was important because there was one nesting in Grays River at the time. Now, I think, is good time to revisit the barn owl because my friends Jud…

Washington state anglers can expect a mixed bag of salmon fisheries this year with increased coho opportunities in the ocean and the Columbia River, but additional necessary restrictions to pr…

OLYMPIA — With sunny skies and temperatures near 60 in the forecast, a two-day razor clam dig has been approved on the Long Beach Peninsula this weekend, April 20 and 21, just in time for the …

According to scientists the most abundant bird on our continent is also one of the most successful of the bird species that have been introduced in North America. Adaptability is the key to th…

A striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) washed ashore just north of Ocean Park on Thursday evening, April 11. Personnel from Seaside Aquarium responded to the scene and found it was deceased…

ILWACO — The Pacific Northwest tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will be making a return visit to Ilwaco from May 7 through 15. While in town, the vessels will be docked at Por…

OLYMPIA — Anglers fishing for halibut in Washington waters will have more halibut to catch during the 2019 season compared to recent years.

WILLAPA BAY — The term “living fossil” is one that mixes a sense of being out of place with one of awe and mystery. The coelacanth, a fish that lived alongside dinosaurs, was believed extinct …

Anna's and rufous hummingbirds — acting like tiny versions of the pterodactyls that once ruled earth's skies — are fighting over sugar juice at feeders all around Pacific County this spring.

Fishermen will get a brief shot at landing white sturgeon on the lower Columbia River beginning in May.

Who is plump with a small head and a thin straight bill with a gray back, two black wing bars and a blue-gray head? It is also stubby in appearance, has short legs and is just a touch smaller …

Lately, the Tarlatt Slough area of the South Bay Unit of the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge has been on my mind. Why, you might ask? Well, in the last few years exciting bird activity has be…

Anna’s hummingbirds stay with us throughout the winter. It is a permanent resident so it is also here in the other seasons of the year. The rufous hummingbird, on the other hand, is rarely see…

EDITOR’S NOTE: I wrote this column 15 years ago. It came back to mind last Thursday after encountering a brilliantly colored frog on my evening walk.

The Pacific County Checklist of birds has various abundance categories. One of them is rare which means that less than five records exist for the bird. This is the case for the black phoebe. I…

There is a Northwest saying on a bright and cloudless day: “The mountain is out.”

As spring approaches my mind begins to turn to migration with great anticipation. It happens every year for me. However, it isn’t quite spring migration time yet, so I am concentrating on watc…

Grace Hunt surveys the mountain before going downhill.

Grace Hunt’s run down the hill at Mt. Hood.

Grace Hunt at Mt. Hood’s Cooper Spur.

Grace Hunt, left, and Lindsay Hunt cross-country skiing.

Ed Hunt, foreground, and Grace Hunt.

Cooper Spur Lodge at Mt. Hood is one mile from downhill skiing.