I've lived here for 3 years and until a couple of months ago I had only heard about Martens or American Martens as they are known here but never seen one. The year before last there was a biologist for the forest service that put out traps to see where they were and out of all the traps( a steel plate that has been sooted and placed in the middle of white paper and they look at the tracks of the various animals) and I was told that the only trap that had martens tracks was from here at Trinity, but I had never seen one. Then this winter after Elaine came home we had a visit from 2 of them and were excited about that since one of them even ate from my hand. I've looked them up trying to find out more about them but there just isn't that much info avail except from MI and WI DNR's. What I have found says they are solitary animals except during breeding and that males will defend their area. Well we've been seeing them more since the snow is melting now and each day they entertain us with their antics they are very curious. The other day while Gizmo the cat was watching them I went to investigate had one of them out back but he really had an attitude then from a hole in the snow another one popped out which we know from her markings and size is Sadie. After about 30 minutes of watching and feeding them they were gone. That evening they returned but to our surprise there were not just 2 but 3 of them playing on our back porch, so they don't seem to be loners at all but we aren't sure but believe Sadie and the new member of the group we are naming Sophia are female and Sam is a male based on the information and size difference. They are very curious animals and try to look in the door often which drives Peppy & Gizmo crazy. It's a constant game of chase or hide n seek with all of them playing. To be so secretive they are sure being brave because we see them as much during the day as at night yet they are supposed to b most active in the evening night and early morning. I guess there clocks are off for now.
We also now have 5 pr of mallard ducks living in the back pond that is now being filled from the Chiwawa River because of new channels it has made after this winters storms. Now if we could only see Elk back in here it would be great. There is plenty of food and protection from roads and vehicles out here but no Elk anywhere out here, yet we have an Elk herd at Mt St Helen's that is starving to death and they are wanting to kill them off, instead I think some of them should be relocated to this area where there is great habitat and plenty of food for them, we already have more Mule deer than we know what to do with but having Elk would definitely make Paradise better and everyone could benefit then. I've contacted the Washington Fish & Game department about this but haven't gotten a response back. Maybe it's time to petition for some of the wildlife to be reintroduced into areas that were once habitat to them before they were killed off here because of politics and orchards, many of which are now being sold and converted to developments for more people. I'd like your thoughts about having Elk back in the area, getting things back in balance is what is needed.
We found our Paradise, hope you find yours too.
