Hello Tweeties!

My husband and I just bought a wonderful piece of property near
Snohomish that has a wetland area on it. Actually we have two
wetland areas, one with skunk cabbage in full bloom. The larger area
may have been the result of the former owner digging out part of the
land for fill on which to build the house we've just moved into. The
house was built in 1979. We've seen heron and ducks land in the
larger area and I've seen ducks waddling amid the skunk cabbage in the
smaller "natural" wetland on the north side of the property.

I would like to "fix" the larger area and see if I can make it a year-
round. Right now a very briskly flowing stream is emptying out of the
west end of the wetland with its eventual destination the Pilchuck
River. This larger wetland area does not have cattails and other
flora associated with wetlands. It does have many clumps of grasses
growing tall within it. The daughters of the former owner say the
wetland area goes dry in the summer.

What I am wondering is if my husband and I can do some work on the
area to make the wetland more year round and plant cattails? I would
love to encourage red wing blackbirds and other wetland bird species
to make this a breeding ground. I would also like to encourage
flycatchers to help keep the bugs down.

Here's a list of what I've seen so far:

Most sightings were without binoculars (the binos finally turned up
today!)

Norther Flickers
Pileated woodpecker (a handsome male!)
Hairy or Downy woodpecker
red breasted nuthatch
Oregon juncos
Steller Jays
Crows
Ravens!
Mallards
Great Blue heron (seen only once so far)
A wren of some sort - heard but not seen

Can I see if I can hire out a pair of beaver and see if they want to
dam the stream for me? So what can I do with the wetland? I want
to make it a more wildlife friendly habitat!

Advice anyone? Thanks!


Lydia Bishop,
Soggy near Snohomish
(Formerly Lurking Near Lake Stevens)