Look out, Skagit WMA birding fans!

The Dept. of Fish & Game and the Swinomish Tribe are promoting a plan to
breach the dike that forms the loop trail from the boat launch parking lot
to the parking lot by the bathrooms at the Skagit WMA main access (aka
headquarters, off Wylie Rd). This would cause the weedy fields and scrub
area between the dikes to be flooded by salt water inundation/incoming
tides. The idea is to promote chinook salmon habitat restoration, a worthy
cause no doubt, specifically to link up Wylie Slough to the Skagit River.
Word has it that when the dike was built, it ruined salmon breeding habitat
in Wylie Slough.

Unfortunately, flooding the area inside the dike, it seems to me, will mean
birders will not only lose the most sparrowy fields in all of Skagit County,
they may also lose the best access to the Skagit WMA--a very rich biological
area that one could argue already suffers from a paucity of good dike
accesses. The best part of Hayden (Snow Goose) is now gated off; Jensen has
a very small dike access; the North Fork is larger, but viewing access to
the flats is difficult. And none of the other accesses offer similar
viewing opportunity for songbirds, given the presence of birds often right
at eye level. In fairness, there is discussion of retaining some access
with new boardwalks, but this will add to the expense of a project that may
not have unlimited funds to begin with. Still, if there is anyone out there
on Tweeters that has heard things are to be different or has a case in
support of the dike breach, I welcome your comments.

I've heard that a few birders have already written letters-to-the-editor of
the Skagit Valley Herald asking that the plan be called off; a member of the
Swinomish Tribe also just made a presentation at the monthly Skagit Audobon
meeting.

The loop trail has proven to be by far the most productive area in the
county for songbird migration in fall, forming a natural stopping point
along a southbound flyway that migrant songbirds seem to funnel through.
Nowhere else in the county have there been as many fall vagrant warblers
recorded--Tennessee, Magnolia, Black-and-White, Palm, and N. Waterthrush
have all been found here in September--despite the fact that coverage during
peak periods is often slim in my experience. Many other rarities have been
found in September, and at other seasons, such as Green-tailed Towhee,
Clay-colored Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, and Red-shouldered Hawk, to name but a
few. Other than rarities, concentrations of common songbird species staging
at the site are also often impressive, especially during migration and
winter. And is there any other spot in WA (or the entire west coast) where
N. Waterthrush have been found overwintering several times? In summary, no
other Skagit WMA access--including the Milltown site to the southeast--has
as great a range of scrub and forest species, nor has such favorable viewing
conditions. It is hard to not imagine that the alder forest and other scrub
attracting migrants will not be adversely affected by salt water; there will
also be loss of a considerable land area that was created when the dikes
were constructed.

The Skagit WMA has been managed as a multi-use site with the public's
interests in mind. Other than birders, it is well known that this area is
very popular with hunters from October through January. Boaters use the
boat launch, although presently the low river has made that not possible.
Then there are the dog-walkers, whose numbers have seemed to increase in
recent years. The reason all these groups utilize the site is clear: there
is simply no other spot on Fir Island, or anywhere in the entire county,
quite like it. Apparently some hunters have already voiced opposition:
although duck hunting would apparently not necessarily be adversely
affected, the pheasant release obviously will no longer work, and there are
the questions of general access as well.

Fish & Wildlife will be hosting a public hearing on the matter in October.
Hopefully, something can be done to save this prime site--perhaps F &
Wildlife can find an alternative site for salmon restoration efforts nearby.
As it now stands, although there are to be hearings and some public
feedback is apparently sought, federal survey crews have already scoped out
the site, you can see several places along the loop trail now where gashes
have been made recently in the riparian understory off the sides of the
trail, so as to allow surveyors easier access. One senses that some form of
dike breach is very likely, and conversations with F & W today confirmed
that likelihood. One has to assume that breach & flood advocates will make
use of the power of the Federal ESA and related legislation.

So, it would appear, the proverbial clock is ticking for the Skagit WMA main
access......

Keep you posted.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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