My Favorite things about Angelfire.
My Favorite Web Sites
Angelfire - Free Home Pages
Free Web Building Help
Angelfire HTML Library
HTML Gear - free polls, guestbooks, and more!
Management of Large Hawks and Eagles
http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/watch/large_osprey.html http://www.pma.edmonton.ab.ca/vexhibit/eggs/vexeggs/falconi/osprey.htm http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3640id.html The osprey is more than 50 cm (20 in.) in length, with a brownish black back, and white on all under parts. It has a slightly crested head and long semipointed wings of up to 1.8 m (6 ft.) in expanse. The wings are held with a definite crook at the wrist. These characteristics are easily seen and are good field marks for identification. The osprey usually arrives in Alberta in late April and begins its way back to the wintering grounds in October. Winters are spent as far south as Central America.
The osprey, also known as the fish hawk, is seldom found away from water in all life zones except the alpine and prairie. As the latter name implies, it feeds exclusively on fish which it captures by diving into the water with legs thrust forward and talons extended to grasp its prey. Such dives are made anywhere from 15 to 60 m (50 to 200 ft.) above the water and often carry the bird well below the surface.
Large bulky nests are built on the tops of tall dead trees, telephone poles, or rock pinnacles overlooking water. Like eagles, the osprey returns year after year and the nest becomes a growing landmark. Two to four buff-colored eggs with varied markings are laid.
Last Review/Updated: May 31, 2002
Large hawks and eagles are generally more visible to an observer than are accipiters, or woodland hawks. They hunt from high in the air, swooping down on prey in open areas. Their broad wings enable them to soar for long periods of time, using thermal updrafts of air. In addition, their keen eyesight allows them to hunt over large areas from great heights. Hawks and eagles kill and carry their prey with their large feet and talons.
The fish-eating osprey hunts over areas of shallow water. It watches for movement in the water, suddenly dives and returns with a fish in its talons. The fish is carried with its head forward to reduce air resistance in flight.
Unlike hawks and eagles, the turkey vulture does not usually kill its own food. It is a carrion eater that feeds on the carcasses of animals killed by predators or found dead from other causes. Vultures, therefore, do not possess the long, sharp talons of hunting birds.
Migration
Like many other species of birds that breed in Alberta, most species of large hawks and eagles migrate in winter to areas where food is more easily obtained. Most species migrate out of Alberta in winter. However, bald and golden eagles occasionally overwinter in areas of the province.
Unlike most migratory birds, hawks and eagles are not designed for prolonged, flapping flight. Their wide wings and broad tails are adapted for soaring on rising air currents. For this reason, migration routes of many hawks and eagles generally follow mountain ridges where such updrafts are common.
A food pyramid is like a food chain, and represents some of the energy relationships between members of a natural community. However, a food pyramid illustrates the relative number or weights of the different kinds of animals, as they relate to food habits.
In terms of numbers, there are always fewer carnivores (meat eaters) than herbivores (plant eaters), and fewer herbivores than plants in any given community. Biologists have determined that it generally takes about 1000 kg of plants to feed and maintain 100 kg of herbivores. Likewise, that 100 kg of herbivores can only feed and support about 10 kg of carnivores.
For example, a field may grow 1000 kg of grasses, which supports 100 kg of ground squirrels, mice, grouse and insects. These in turn support 10 kg of weasels and songbirds, which in turn may support 1 kg of hawk or eagle.
At each step on the food pyramid, the plants and animals spend about 90% of the energy they consume for their own purpose, e.g. growing, moving around, feeding, digesting, maintaining body heat, and reproducing. Only about 10% of the energy consumed at one step is transferred to the next step. That is why there are fewer and fewer animals with each succeeding step on the food pyramid.
Raptors are at the top of the food pyramid of most communities. Raptors eat both herbivores and carnivores, and thus receive energy from more than one level of the pyramid.
Because of their position at the top of the food pyramid, raptors have been especially susceptible to the effects of certain biocides. Biocides are chemicals widely used in agriculture and forestry to destroy or repel animal pests or weeds. Some of these biocides are very selective, acting only on one particular pest species. Others are nonselective, and can affect many organisms.
Insecticides used to control insect pests, and fungicides used as seed dressings can also kill small birds and rodents, reducing a raptor's food supply. The indiscriminate use of herbicides (weed killers) destroys large areas of vegetation.
However, it wasn't until the development of certain "persistent pesticides" that drastic reductions in the numbers of some wildlife species were noticed. The first of these pesticides, DDT, appeared in the mid-1940's. DDT is non-selective, and affects many forms of animal life. DDT was used throughout the world umtil the late 1960's when major declines in populations of many bird species became evident. (For example, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, brown pelican.)
Unlike other pesticides, persistent pesticides have a very stable chemical structure that resists breakdown, and remain in the environment long after their application. Indeed, their long-lasting effect was one reason they were developed. However, wind or water can transport them to areas far from the site of application. For example, pesticides have been found in animals living in the Arctic, thousands of kilometres from the nearest site of application.
Persistent pesticides are not easily excreted from the bodies of animals that ingest them. The pesticide is usually sprayed on plants and is eaten by plant-eating animals (insects, rodents, birds, etc.). If the chemical does not kill the animal outright, it is eventually broken down and stored in the animal's body. Unfortunately, some of these byproducts are also harmful. Some are stored in the fatty tissue of the body, and remain until the animal is eaten or dies from other causes. The longer the animal eats food contaminated with pesticide, the greater the concentration of pesticide in its fatty tissues. A predator feeding on a number of these animals then consumes the pesticide in a higher concentration than did the prey species. Thus, the concentration of pesticide in the predator becomes several times larger than that in its prey species. This is called "biological magnification."
Because raptors are at the top of the food pyramid, they can receive large doses of poison with every animal they eat.
Although the slow accumulation of biocides in a raptor's body may not kill the animal outright, it can affect the bird's ability to reproduce. Many populations of raptors have been drastically reduced by DDT because the birds laid infertile, or thin-shelled eggs that were broken before the young could hatch.
Although the use of DDT was banned in Alberta during the early 1970s, other persistent pesticides are still used. We must seriously question the value of pesticides that affect the entire food chain. A reduction in numbers of members of any one link on a food chain can be a warning that something is wrong in our environment. We must never forget that we too are members of a food chain, and what is affecting other species may also be affecting us.
Birds of prey are prominent in the mythology of civilizations throughout the world. Both their grace and ferocity led early people to believe that these birds had supernatural powers. Consequently, many raptors were worshipped as gods. In European and Asian cultures, the eagle has represented power and strength since 4000 B.C. This concept is also apparent in North American mythology.
To capture an eagle and take some of its feathers was an act of the highest bravery to the Plains Indians. Each feather worn on a warrior's bonnet represented a unique act of bravery. In the American southwest, the golden eagle inspired Indian legends of the Thunderbird. For some tribes, the Thunderbird was the "war eagle" and its image was painted on battle shields for protection. In other legends, the Thunderbird brought summer thunderstorms that enriched the earth, providing bountiful crops and abundant wildlife.
European settlers in North America did not hold eagles and hawks in such high regard. Golden eagles have been accused of killing livestock, because the eagles have been seen feeding on the carcasses of such animals. However, golden eagles are occasionally carrion-eaters and may feed on carcasses left by other predators or as a result of death by other causes. Hawks may take poultry, but these minor costs to the farmer are outweighed by the benefits that raptors provide in controlling the numbers of rodent pests.
Hawks and eagles do eat game birds. As predators, raptors hunt the most abundant and easiest to catch prey. When prey populations decrease, raptors switch to other prey, move to other areas to hunt, or stop breeding. Thus, raptors are seldom responsible for large declines in prey populations. The most important factor governing the abundance of both predator and prey is suitable habitat in which to live.
Raptors are also a value to modern man as "biological indicators" of environmental change. The reductions in raptor populations in the 1950s and 60s alerted the world to the dangers of DDT and other pesticide use.
Identification Tips:
Length: 22 inches Wingspan: 54 inches
Large, narrow-winged hawk
Flies on flat wings with distinct kink at elbow
Wings taper to a rounded tip
Short hooked beak
White cap
Dark brown eyeline broadening behind eye
Dark brown nape, back and upperwings
Wings from below: flight feathers white barred with black, undersecondary coverts white and underprimary coverts black producing rectangular black mark at wrist
White chin, throat, breast and belly
Brown tail has a number of white bands
Hovers and then plunges into water after fish
Adult male:
Underparts entirely white
Adult female:
Dark necklace of streaks on throat
Immature:
White tips to dark back feathers
Similar species:
Unmarked white belly, wing shape, and flight style make the Osprey instantly recognizable even at a distance.
Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.
Adults: Head White with speckled crown and black eye-stripe
Upperparts Dark brown
Body White with band of buff streaks on upper breast, more visible on female.
Flight feathers from below Pale grey, barred overall. Dense black carpal patches and long black tips to primaries.
Tail from below White with narrow dark banding
Juveniles: Similar to adult but lighter brown above with feathers edged creamy-white. Less marked below
Size of adults:
Female Male
Wingspan (cm) 154-170 147-166
Length (cm) 57-62 56-60
Tail (cm) 20-23 19-21
Weight (g) 1600 1400
Breeding:
Age at first breeding 3-5 years
Number of eggs Usually 3
Size of eggs (mm) 62 x 46
Incubation period 35 days
Fledging period 53 days
Plumage:
Characteristic: Age:
First downy plumage At hatching
Second downy plumage From 11 days
First complete feathers 42 days
Full adult plumage 18 months
Olympic National Park is designated a Class I area by the Clean Air Act of 1977. In general, air quality in the Lake Crescent watershed is good. However, visibility and ambient air quality may be affected by various factors related to local and regional pollution sources and weather conditions. Industrial and urban sources of emissions that most immediately affect the north side of the park are located in Port Angeles. Emissions from boats and automobiles within the watershed are presently not monitored. Periods of reduced visibility and air quality are moderated by coastal weather patterns, which push particulates out of the area.
No air quality monitoring occurs currently within the Lake Crescent watershed. The nearest monitoring stations, one operated by the Washington State Department of Ecology and another operated by the National Park Service, are located in Port Angeles and at Hurricane Ridge. Data from these monitoring stations are not representative of air quality conditions in the watershed due to their location, prevailing wind patterns, and emission sources.
For several years in the 1980s an automated camera recorded visibility by taking three 35 mm slide photos each day, looking south from Barnes Point. These photos are on file and constitute a visibility baseline for the Lake Crescent watershed.
Point sources of air pollution on the Olympic Peninsula include pulp and paper mills, lumber mills, veneer dryers, prescribed forest burning, and asphalt and gravel operations (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1997). Automobiles are becoming a greater source of pollution on the peninsula as the population increases.
Water Resources
Information is not available for groundwater resources; the following information focuses on surface water resources.
Surface Water Resources. Lake Crescent is widely recognized as a spectacular element of the Olympic Peninsula’s lowland forest environment. It is physically separated from the rest of Olympic National Park by Happy Lake Ridge. Its only drainage is the Lyre River which exits the lake west of Log Cabin Resort and makes its way to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Lake Crescent once drained into the Elwha River Valley, until a series of massive landslides separated the lake from present day Lake Sutherland. These natural events raised the surface elevation of Lake Crescent nearly 80 feet and established the Lyre River as the outfall for the lake (Logan and Schuster 1991).
Water resources within the watershed are dominated by Lake Crescent, which has a surface area of 5,127 acres and comprises 17% of the total area of the watershed. The lake’s greatest depth, 624 feet, has been found off La Poel Point; the average depth of Lake Crescent is 332 feet. Other lakes in the watershed, located at the upper elevations, are much smaller in size and include Happy Lake and the Eagle Lakes.
The most recent recording of water temperatures were conducted in 1991. Surface water temperatures between June and September ranged from 57°F to 68°F. The Lake Crescent Water Quality Status Report (1984-1989) (NPS 1989a), recorded year-round water temperatures ranging from 43°F to 66°F, with lowest temperatures recorded off of La Poel Point.
Fifteen perennial tributaries flow into Lake Crescent, with the majority located on the southern slopes of the watershed. Drainage patterns on the south side of the lake exhibit a much greater degree of incision and concentrated flow than on the north side, which lends itself to sheetflow or dispersed subsurface flow. Barnes Creek is the main tributary into Lake Crescent; the Lyre River is the only outlet from the lake, flowing north into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Floodplains associated with Barnes Creek and the Lyre River have not been mapped.
Numerous intermittent streams form during the spring when the snow melts, and cease flowing in the drier summer months. Many of these streams cascade over the steep slopes and nearly vertical walls immediately adjacent to U.S. 101 where they are channeled into culverts and released into Lake Crescent.
In addition to lakes and streams, the Lake Crescent watershed contains 22 wetlands identified on National Wetlands Inventory maps (Fish and Wildlife Service 1987). Most of these wetlands are located in the upper reaches of the watershed and are classified as palustrine or riverine wetlands.
Water Quality. Several water quality studies (NPS 1989a, 1991a) were conducted during the 1980s for the purpose of establishing a baseline for further water quality testing within the Lake Crescent watershed. Conclusions derived from these studies indicate that the lake is in extraordinary condition. Lake Crescent has been characterized as an oligotrophic lake with no problems requiring any form of mitigation
(NPS 1991a). Oligotrophic lakes are generally low in nutrients, thereby limiting the growth of algae. Additionally, the Washington State Department of Ecology uses Lake Crescent as a reference lake in its ongoing study of freshwater lakes in Washington, due to its pristine water quality.
One study measured water quality parameters on a monthly basis between 1984 and 1987, and biannually in 1988. Monitoring was conducted in response to concerns regarding the effects of development and septic systems located along the lakeshore. Drain fields and septic tanks close to the shoreline are at risk of exposure as a result of erosive forces associated with extreme winter storms. This study showed no evidence of septic-source "enrichment". Likewise, in a more recent study conducted in 1991, there was no indication of pollution from septic systems. No water quality information is available for streams and remote lakes in the watershed.
Other potential sources of water pollution include unburned fuel released from two-cycle engines, spills or leaks from gas pumps, and gas tanks on motorized watercraft. Runoff from parking lots is also a potential source of pollution (non-point), though levels have not been established for oil or heavy metals. Expansion or construction of parking facilities, unless adequately designed to treat and store surface runoff, may result in increased amounts of these pollutants into Lake Crescent. Unexpected events such as hazardous material spills from commercial vehicles or trucks along U.S. 101 are a significant concern of Olympic National Park.
Geology and Soils
The Lake Crescent watershed is situated within a unique geologic formation called the Crescent Formation, so named because of the horseshoe-shaped band of marine basalt that comprises the northern and eastern perimeters of the Olympic mountain range. Inside this configuration, the predominant geologic materials are sedimentary in origin. The northwestern portion of the watershed is comprised predominantly of basalt, with the southwestern portion comprised of sandstone, shales and conglomerates.
Lake Crescent is a glacially-formed lake, and was formed during the Pleistocene Epoch (Ice Age) when continental glaciers were active in the Puget Sound basin. Lake Crescent was much larger in early post-glacial time, but a series of landslides isolated the eastern portion, now known as Lake Sutherland.
Soils have formed from a variety of geologic materials including marine basalt, hard sandstone and conglomerate and interbedded sandstone, siltstone and shale, metamorphosed sediments and volcanics, continental and alpine glacial drift, and alluvium. No official soil classification or mapping has been conducted within Olympic National Park. However, some generalizations about soil characteristics can be made based upon mapping and classification conducted by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for areas adjacent to Olympic National Park that contain the same parent material.
In general, soils tend to be thin and poorly developed due to glacial scouring of the bedrock of the northern foothills belt (Brown and Grower 1960). Subsoils strongly resemble original bedrock material. Upland soils are typically well drained, with low to moderate water retention and very high infiltration rates. Soils along the lakeshore contain greater amounts of clay and are poorly drained. Sensitive soils are associated with steep slopes, incised stream channels, unstable bedrock, and water seepage areas. There is evidence of mass slope failure within the watershed; four areas of landslide deposits have been mapped by the
U.S. Geological Survey. Additionally, rockfall along U.S. 101 is not uncommon during the wetter months. During the fall of 1995, a bridge on the North Shore Road was washed out when a landslide occurred during a period of heavy rain. Based on this history, the potential for on-going mass-wasting (slope failures) is high.
Topography
The topography of the watershed is one of extremes. Lake Crescent is enclosed by steep ridges on all sides. Elevations range from approximately 575 feet at lake level to roughly 1,500 feet on the northern ridge, and 4,500 feet on southerly ridges. Evidence of the underlying rock formations can be seen in the depth of the stream channels on the major north and south slopes. Streams on the north side of the watershed are underlain by a harder basalt which is resilient to downcutting. Over time, this resistance to erosion has produced a fairly even slope with relatively shallow stream valleys. The south slope, which is formed in a softer sandstone base, typically has much deeper and more numerous stream channels. The highly dissected topography on the south slope of the watershed creates strong east and west slope aspects in individual drainages.
Vegetation
Vegetation within the Lake Crescent watershed is influenced by many factors including precipitation, topography, bedrock material, soils, slope, aspect, wind, landslides, fire, and human use. Vegetation can be classified within three major zones: the western hemlock, silver fir, and mountain hemlock zones (Henderson et al. 1989).
Some botanists describe Lake Crescent as the place where "east meets west", in terms of vegetation of the Olympic Peninsula. Species common to the western peninsula, such as Sitka spruce and Oregon oxalis are relatively uncommon east of Fairholm. Conversely, grand fir, which is common on the eastern side of the Olympics is not known west of Fairholm.
Several disjunct populations of plants are found within the watershed. (Disjunct populations are relatively small populations of plants that are separated, often by hundreds of miles, from the main population.) Giant helleborine (Epipactis gigantea) is rare in Washington state; the only confirmed location on the Olympic Peninsula is Lake Crescent, where it grows along the shore. Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) is found along the northern and eastern shores of Lake Crescent, the only known locations for it on the north Olympic Peninsula. Yerba de selva (Whipplea modesta), known mainly as a plant of the Oregon and California coast, is found only at two locations on the Olympic Peninsula, one of them Lake Crescent.
Western Hemlock Zone. This zone starts at lower elevations and extends up to about 2,000 feet, or where the silver fir zone begins. Dominant tree species within this zone include Douglas-fir and western hemlock, with western redcedar, grand fir, red alder, and big leaf maple also occurring within this zone. Unlike some other areas of the park, low-elevation stands around Lake Crescent also contain madrone, Pacific dogwood and Douglas maple. In very old stands, the dominant species includes western hemlock and western redcedar. Analysis of digital (GIS) data indicates that the majority of the watershed falls into this zone. Common shrubs include salal, Oregon grape, red huckleberry, Alaska huckleberry, rose and salmonberry. Herbaceous plants include swordfern, deerfern, twinflower, violet, vanillaleaf, trillium, and foamflower (Henderson et al. 1989).
Silver Fir Zone. This zone occurs in mid- to upper elevations (approximately 2,000 to 3,600 feet) and is dominated by silver fir and western hemlock. Douglas-fir can occur as a relic from earlier climatic periods or in drier areas within this zone. Associated tree species include western redcedar, mountain hemlock, and Pacific yew. Common shrubs within this zone include huckleberry, fool’s huckleberry, salal and Oregon grape. Herbs include queen’s cup, bunchberry, rosy twisted stalk, vanillaleaf, false lily-of-the-valley, deerfern, swordfern, dwarf bramble, foamflower, and trillium.
Mountain Hemlock Zone. This zone occurs in all but the driest parts of the peninsula between the silver fir zone and the higher subalpine and alpine zones. Cold temperatures, short growing seasons and snow depths greater than ten feet are typical of this environment. Dominant tree species include silver fir, subalpine fir and mountain hemlock and pockets of Alaska yellow cedar. Common shrubs within this zone include Alaska huckleberry, oval-leaf huckleberry, blue-leaf huckleberry, white rhododendron, mountain ash, and red heather. Herbs include five-leaved bramble, trailing bramble, avalanche lily, queen’s cup, beargrass, and pyrola.
Forest Stand Disturbances
Forest stands within the watershed have experienced a great deal of disturbance at various times, including fire, wind, and logging.
Fire. Fires play a major role in altering the forest structure, and available information indicates significant fire activity within the Lake Crescent watershed. Major fires have moved through the watershed during periods of drier climatic conditions. The most notable was in 1701, when much of the Olympic Peninsula, from Hood Canal to the northwest tip of the peninsula, was burned (Agee 1993). Other major fires moved through the watershed during the late 1800s into the early 1900s. One of these fires, which occurred sometime between 1850 and 1890, burned a large portion of the Barnes Creek drainage. Large fires in the Sol Duc drainage in 1907 and 1920 may have touched the western boundary of the watershed in the vicinity of Fairholm Hill. In 1914, a large area on the north side of the watershed west of Pyramid Peak was burned. Fires in the more recent past have been relatively small (a few acres) and caused by escaped campfires or lighting strikes along surrounding ridgetops.
Wind. Major wind storms have also occurred with relative frequency on the Olympic Peninsula, with the worst storms coming from the west. During such storms, trees are blown down, but there are no records of massive blowdowns of large stands.
Logging. Prior to the creation of Olympic National Park in 1938 and its expansion in 1940, the Lake Crescent area was under the management of the U.S. Forest Service, which may have allowed timber harvesting within the watershed. Trees were also removed for the construction of homes and summer cabins around the lake, and during World War I, the Spruce Railroad. In the mid-1950s, a park superintendent instituted a timber salvage and exchange operation in which proceeds from park timber sales were used to fund the purchase of private land and concessions. It is estimated that a total of 100 million board feet of timber were removed from the entire park between 1941 and 1958 (Lien 1991). Olympic National Park records from 1953 to 1957 indicate that approximately seven million board feet of timber were removed from the township (T30N R9W) containing the Lake Crescent watershed.
Tree Size Classification
A diversity of different sized trees can be an indicator of the developmental stage of a forest plant community following disturbance. Because the Lake Crescent watershed has experienced a good deal of disturbance, a wide range of tree size classifications exists. The majority of the watershed is in old-growth (52%), followed by mature stands (39%). The remaining nine percent is in young forest, shrubs, meadows and rocks.
Rare, Sensitive, and Special Plants
Based on information provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are no federally listed, proposed, or candidate plant species likely to occur within the planning area. However, there are numerous rare, sensitive, or special vascular plants (as listed by the Washington State Natural Heritage Program and Olympic National Park) within the Lake Crescent watershed. Information regarding these plants is available from the Natural Resources Division of Olympic National Park.
Surveys of rare and sensitive aquatic species were conducted during the summer of 1995 at some of the developed sites around Lake Crescent. Areas surveyed included Log Cabin, Fairholm, Ovington, Bovee’s Meadow, Lake Crescent Lodge, and Rosemary. Of the project sites listed, detailed underwater surveys for these plants have been done only at Bovee's Meadow. Here, three rare plants occur: Isoetes occidentalis (western quillwort), Lobelia dortmanna (water lobelia) and Potamogeton illinoensis (Illinois pondweed).
Exotic (Nonnative) Plants
Currently, approximately 250 species and varieties of exotic plants are known to be located within or adjacent to Olympic National Park. Most of these exotics are confined to lowland areas adjacent to roads, developed areas, and sites of human habitation. Few species are found in the park’s interior or at higher elevations. Invasion by exotic species is among the most serious threats to the integrity of the park as a protected natural area. If established, exotic plants can disrupt natural succession, alter plant communities, displace or eliminate native species, and affect geophysical processes. Mapping of exotic plants has not been completed, but is in progress. Concentrations of exotic plants are known to exist at all developed sites; those most commonly found in the Lake Crescent area include Scot’s broom, English holly, reed canarygrass, tansy ragwort, English ivy, St. John’s-wort and curly pond-weed.
Wildlife
Information regarding wildlife is more readily available on a parkwide basis for mammals and birds, than for invertebrates, amphibians, or reptiles (NPS 1991b).
Many of the park’s wildlife habitats are inaccessible due to very steep, densely forested slopes with few roads or trails, inclement weather, and deep snow at the higher elevations. Wildlife research has proceeded slowly due to these and other constraints; information regarding the multitude of animal species within the park is incomplete.
Mammals. Large native mammals found within the Lake Crescent watershed include Roosevelt elk, Columbia black-tailed deer, black bear and cougar. Nonnative mountain goats, which were introduced into the park in 1925 and 1929, are commonly observed at higher elevations within the watershed, although not in large numbers (NPS 1995a). Likewise, no evidence of large herds has been observed within the watershed. Columbia black-tailed deer are frequently seen in clearings and forest margins around the lake, while Roosevelt elk are believed to occur only in the western and southern portions of the watershed. Black bear are abundant throughout the area. Cougar are occasionally seen near Lake Crescent, as they are throughout the park; two encounters have been reported near the Spruce Railroad trail, neither of which resulted in an attack. River otters inhabit the lake and can sometimes be seen swimming and playing along the shore. Douglas squirrels and chipmunks are frequently-seen residents and bats are known to occupy the two tunnels of the Spruce Railroad. A variety of rodents and other smaller mammals are less readily noticed by visitors.
Birds. Resident bird species found in lake and riparian habitats of the northern Olympic Peninsula, which are expected in the Lake Crescent area include pied-billed and western grebes, great blue heron, green heron, wood duck, green-winged teal, mallard, northern shoveler, northern pintail, hooded, common and red-breasted mergansers, American coot, osprey and belted kingfisher.
Expected year-round woodland residents include sharp-shinned, Cooper's and red-tailed hawks, northern goshawk, merlin, blue grouse, ruffed grouse, killdeer, band-tailed pigeon, western screech owl, barred owl, great horned owl, northern pygmy owl, northern saw-whet owl, red-breasted sapsucker, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, gray jay, Steller's jay, American crow, common raven, black-capped chickadee, chestnut-backed chickadee, bushtit, red-breasted nuthatch, brown creeper, Bewick's and winter wrens, American dipper, golden-crowned kinglet, American robin, varied thrush, cedar waxwing, Hutton's vireo, spotted towhee, golden-crowned, savannah, fox, and song sparrows, dark-eyed junco, red-winged and Brewer's blackbirds, purple and house finches, red crossbill, pine siskin, and evening grosbeak. The European starling and house sparrow are introduced species, found in developed areas throughout the watershed.
Migratory birds breeding in the Olympic lowlands including the Lake Crescent area include common nighthawk, rufous hummingbird, western wood-pewee, willow, Hammond's, Pacific-slope and olive-sided flycatchers, tree, violet-green, northern rough-winged, cliff, and barn swallows, Swainson's thrush, solitary and warbling vireo, orange-crowned, yellow, yellow-rumped, Townsend's, black-throated gray, MacGillivray's, and Wilson's warblers, western tanager, black-headed grosbeak, white-crowned sparrow, brown-headed cowbird and American goldfinch.
Non-breeding migrants through the Lake Crescent area include trumpeter swan, turkey vulture, solitary and spotted sandpipers, glaucous-winged gull, ruby-crowned kinglet, Townsend's solitare, and hermit thrush.
Species of special concern include a pair of bald eagles which have been observed nesting within the watershed in recent years; there may be more bald eagle activity in the area, but without an active monitoring program this cannot be confirmed. The northern spotted owl and Vaux's swift, both dependent on old-growth forests, are known to nest within the Lake Crescent watershed (NPS unpublished reports). Marbled murrelets, also dependent on old-growth forests, and harlequin ducks have been observed and are believed to nest in the area (NPS observations).
Fish. Lake Crescent contains five species of fish: rainbow trout or Beardslee, cutthroat trout or Crescenti, kokanee salmon, prickly sculpin, and pygmy whitefish. The Beardslee and Crescenti are endemic stocks of rainbow and cutthroat trout which are highly adapted to the lake’s environment, while the pygmy whitefish is a rare fish found only in a few isolated sites in western Washington. There is no longer any access to the lake by anadromous fish. During the 1940s, the Washington Department of Game operated a fish hatchery at Barnes Point. Several exotic species and stocks were introduced into the lake from this hatchery and other sources for recreational/sport fishing. It is suspected that nonnative cutthroat and rainbow from this hatchery hybridized with the Crescenti in Barnes Creek. Other possible impacts resulting from these stocking efforts are unknown.
Lake Crescent is a popular recreation fishery for visitors and local sportsmen. Beginning with the 1994 season, the minimum size limit for the Beardslee and Crescenti was increased from 12 to 20 inches based on their size at maturity. The objectives of this new minimum size limit are to allow a greater proportion of fish to spawn at least once, with a goal of increasing the number of spawners. Monitoring by park staff suggests that the Beardslee population has declined from levels observed earlier (Meyer et al. 1996). There are no historic data regarding the Crescenti population.
Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates. Information is more readily available on a parkwide basis for mammals and birds than for invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles. This lack of information, in fact, has been identified as one of the principal concerns and threats regarding animal resources of the park. It is likely that Olympic is a center of endemism for insects, particularly for those that inhabit alpine and glacial areas. Intensive studies conducted elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest have demonstrated the importance of amphibians and reptiles to the structure and function of old-growth ecosystems (NPS 1991b).
Endangered, Threatened and Candidate Animal Species
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified four listed (endangered or threatened) avian species that are known to occur in the Lake Crescent watershed. The peregrine falcon, listed as endangered, is a seasonal migrant in the Lake Crescent area; the marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl and bald eagle, all classified as threatened, likely nest in the vicinity. Candidates for listing that may occur at or near Lake Crescent include the Cascades frog, northern red-legged frog, harlequin duck, northern goshawk, and Pacific fisher. Although suitable habitat exists for each of these species, confirmed sightings in the Lake Crescent area are rare or non-existent.
As you can see in picture 2 The man on the "Moon", I have pointed out some spots. But first I want to talk about these pictures, on the moon it is 270 degrees or less at those tempatures film would probably crumple to a ball, and when they where up there, to change a film roll with thick gloves on would be extremely hard, it would also be hard to click the button or roll that little dial thing. In all of the pictures there was no stars, if we can see stars from earth of course we would be able to see them from the moon. Well, here in picture 2 you can see in section B his shadow, if he really was on the moon, (again) the sun would be the only light source, thus his shadow would be nearly pitch black. The only explanation i can come up with is, is that there was no moon landing and it was filmed in a studio. If you look at D you can see some kind of structure too me it looks like a camera extender, well if you disagree, you might want to know they brought nothing that looks like that along.
Here in picture three you can see in 3 (once again) there are no stars, and in E you can see a funny shadow. To me it looks like a building, NASA claims it is the LEM but even on earth no shadow is that well defined. And look at that huge hole no hole is that round, and I think you would have been able to see into it, even a little. I think that the moon is small enough so you can see the horizon, quite closely but in the picture you can see it is to far then it just fades.
In picture number 4 here was not the Apollo 11 landing, it was I beleive apollo 14. The mans name was Alan Bean. His Co-Star in this movie was Conrad, If Conrad's camera was strapped to his chest then why does the picture have Beans head (L) in it? In Section N you can see this needle test tube, his hand is blocking the sunlight... yet his test tube is very bright, it seems NASA was not. In 7 you can see something funny, in the sky, I have no idea what it is.
Here in picture number 5 you can see in section R a C carved in this rock. When I read through the pictures this one was the most convicing, you can see the C and well there is no way in Hell! That it would be made out that perfect! This may be small but it PROVES that the moon landing was fake. Also in Q you can see that the props department ran out of rocks for the background.
Now away from pictures there are some facts about earth. Surounding the earth there is an invisable belt (recently discovered) called the Van Hallen radiation belt. It protects the earth from small meteors. Well for a human to get through he/she would need 4 feet of lead surrounding them, the astronauts only had three layers of tinfoil. And no astronauts had any sickness' when they got back.
When they landed in there LEM there was 3000lbs of thrust, on the moon there was some burn marks but no hole.
What most beleivers say is: Why would they do it? I can think of three logical answers:
Money: The 30 billion dollars they got when they landed.
Populartity: The world tuned in to see the moon landing. This got people proud to be americans again. The Veitnam war just ended, people where thinking: You went attacked a 3rd world country, and got 4 million+ people killed, do you think we like you? Then the moon landing put everything back to normal.
Space Race: As soon as Sputinik went up, America needed to have some kind of say in the final fronteir, so they thought of putting a man on the moon. The only problem was they couldn't. So they simply faked it.
The only proof they have ever had that the moon landing was real, is these pictures (which I have proven are fake)! And this crappy film footage of two blurry white ghosts on a white beach at night. They have brought back rocks from the NASA Lab but they look nothing like the ones in the pictures: (In pictures) (sampled)
Once apon a time there was a English immigrant named Edmund Williams, he was 25 years old when he decided to come to Canada when he was intriged by some of the posters. Him and his family (wife: Elizabeth, son: Edmund the second, and daughter:Mary) did not like it in Liverpool becaues of their landlord the drunkard Bruce Pirre who continually raised their monthly pay until they where 3 years in debt. When they saw the poster they thought life would be better. So they sold everything except an axe and a saw. They bought 2 tickets and snuck their kids in empty bags the ship carried them for four days. When they got off the ship they went to a tavern and had their first real meal in 5 days. They left there and jumped on the back of a freighter train and stole some money from the baggage cars. They arrived at a stop called Calgary. They got out and started a farm. they cut down hundreds of trees and planted grain and made a log house from the trees. The lived happily ever after in Canada.
Once upon a time in 2003 a Iraqi man named Mohammad Nesuin and his pregnant wife came to Canada because they where scared of Americans dropping a bomb. They also where scared they would be killed if they joined Americains. And killed if they joined the regime the would be killed. Him and his family knew that they would not be allowed almost anywhere else so they came to Canada. They came aboard a rusty tanker. When they arrived here in Prince Edward Island.
