[obol] Sharp-tailed Grouse

[Norgren Family]

     Tom's initial question was where
were the last Sharp-tailed Grouse in
Oregon? I believe the last confirmed
sighting was the Powder River basin.
Somewhere in the ne quadrant of Baker
County. That may have been sometime
in the 60s. Apparently the species can
still be found a short distance east in
Idaho.
     ODF&W introduced birds to Crooked River
National Grassland (east of Madras) in
the 70s, but this was the prairie subspecies,
birds captured in Kansas. Our subspecies
is the Columbian Sharptail. I understand the
most serious limiting factor is winter
habitat, which means riparian brush. This is
best remedied by fencing off water courses,
an extremely expensive proposition.
     The benefits are also extensive. In some
parts of the Columbia Basin, so called ephemeral
streams have become year-'round when this vegetation
is restored. Catbirds and other semi-exotic species
may reappear. Next to no land owner dependent on
a cow/calf operation for their livelihood can
afford to fence off their riparian habitat. We
need to come up with some real carrots to get
this going. A ballot initiative some years ago
was promoting this in the name of salmonid protection,
and it was the usual nightmare of citizen activism.
      The public lands of eastern Oregon are still
recovering from unrestricted grazing of the pre-Dust Bowl
era. The best grassland habitat I have seen east
of the mountains is always private. Far too much
polarization has gone on between urban-based
  preservationists and the tiny population of
"resource dependent" residents of deep rural areas.
Overall I would have to say the Wallowa County
program is a success. 15 years is a long time for
the birds to be there. In many ways this county
has more in common with Montana than the rest of
Oregon or Washington. The current winter conditions
shouldn't dissuade people from more re-introduction
efforts in other places.
     There's snow on the ground at my house 300m high
in the Coast Range. That's the first time in 15
years I've seen that in April.   Lars Norgren