[Karen]

The flowers are beautiful at Blythe Lake and Coulee in the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge .... pictures do not do them justice. Karen

[salish]

Karen, is this lake in the chain of Corral, Blythe & Chukar? Directly east of Mardon Resort? Cliff

[Karen]

of that chain of lakes across from Mar Don resort. By the way that is an interesting side-trip in itself, the store at the resort. I could have spent more time looking around in the store than I did. I found the most wonderful root beer there for sale I've ever tasted. I think it's called "Prairie" or something like that. The woman that was running the store that day was a salty character -- I truly enjoy "characters" since I come from a family of "characters" myself. Now, here's a question for you or Alan or Newbie or anyone who might know .... when we were at the lake on Sunday near the lakeshore in the reeds I noticed bubbles in the water and looked again and saw a mammal of some sort swimming, then going under, then coming up again. It was grey and I could not see what kind of tail it had. Muskrat or beaver? I read that though trees are few and far between that beavers are not uncommon over there. Karen PS I'll sign off with this image of a Seattle squirrel!!

Friendly squirrel in Volunteer Park

[salish]

Karen, I've been fishing and camping at those lakes off and on since about 1970 or so, and you used to be able to drive in to all of the lakes and camp. The smartest thing anyone ever did was close off most of the lakes to overnight camping and give it refuge status. I think Mar-Don has been in the same family for years (the Meesburgs?) and yep, there are some characters around there. It's also a place that has been somewhat unsafe in recent years. Last year (or maybe it was the year before) there were signs made of some guy who was kidnapped from one of the lakes a few miles north of Mar-Don. I think there have been a couple of murders in the past few years. I don't know if it's drugs or what, but it was a little disconcerting. I've encountered lot's of muskrats along the shores of Corral, Blythe & Chukar, so I'll bet that's what you saw. To the south of Mar-Don (Frenchmans Wasteway?) there are, or were, elaborate beaver dams a few years ago, so I know they are there. I was camped at the shore of Corral last March (illegally, I might add) and wandered up to the bluff at sunrise with a cup of coffee in my paw and was greeted with the awsome views of the lakes and canyons and probably one million red winged blackbirds waking up. What a sight. You can hike back to Chukar lake (behind Blythe) and see the remnants of an ancient orchard, and try to locate a fourth lake, which is probably dried up by now. But there are literally hundreds of miles of trails between the many seep lakes and it's a great hike. The area is full of birds, waterfowl and raptors, and also lot's of mammals. And rattlesnakes. Well, you didn't ask for a travelogue - sorry. Your photo sure makes me homesick for the area, though. Cliff

[Quark]

Karen, I saw a similar critter at Ancient Lakes a couple years ago. Very otterish looking, but with a long flat tail, and very playful - it'd roll over on it's back and turn somersaults. I had him in my spotting scope for quite some time, so I enjoyed a good look at him. I'm embarrassed to admit Alan Bauer told me what he thought it was, but I have forgotten his answer. So I guess this is useless information.

[Alan Bauer]

I would bet highly on muskrat. But you are right in that beavers exist in an amazingly vast area in the shrub steppe lands. Ancient Lakes being one of them as well.... but I'd still bet the Blythe Lake beast was muskrat.

[Karen]

Thanks for the info about Mar-Don and muskrats. I always enjoy your posts of your wanderings. Camped illegally, huh? We've done that too. We've camped at Juniper Dunes several times in early spring and have never encountered anyone. I'm sorry to hear about the element of crime. It's always the furthrest thing from my mind when I am in such a beautiful area. We stayed overnight in Moses Lake and ate at a restaurant called "Bob's Cafe" that was quite nice -- huge portions of food and tasty. But upon leaving the restaurant there was a big sign offering a $30,000 reward for anyone who could help identify a thief and mugger -- right outside the restaurant at dusk a few weeks earlier. Anyway, I'd like to go back and soon before it gets too hot and before the flowers are gone. Karen