Wildlife and Insects

Aside from fish, a healthy watershed has other wildlife inhabiting it.  The watershed provides important habitat for wildlife including raccoon, black bear, beaver, Douglas squirrel, black-tailed deer, otter, mink, shrew, and coyote. You may also see frogs, turtles, slugs, and snakes.

The video of the raccoon below was taken in April 2016 from the bridge adjacent to Hoy Creek Hatchery. The raccoon was not bothered that there were several humans watching him only a few yards away.

BIRD LIFE

There are a variety of birds that make the watershed their home, like the band-tailed pigeon which roosts in trees along lower Scott Creek. The great blue heron is often seen fishing in the creeks. You might also glimpse or hear the wild laugh of the red-headed pileated woodpecker.  Other birds in the watershed include owls, chickadees, belted kingfishers, spotted towhees, wood ducks, mallard ducks, varied thrush and winter wrens.

The Blue Heron

The great blue heron is a frequent visitor to the our watershed. Residents in the area often see a blue heron wading in the shallow waters of Hoy Creek patiently fishing for his next meal.

INSECTS    Butteries, bees, flies and more...

A healthy watershed is alive with insect life. Butterflies, bees, flies, spiders, ladybugs, mosquitoes and more. Insects not only serve as food for larger insects, but also for most watershed wildlife, including fish.  They also assist nature in the decomposing process.