December 3 - Capitol Lake North Pool

I had errands in town this morning, and when I was finished, I stopped at Marathon Park to circumambulate the north pool of Capitol Lake.

This is actually a reservoir, rather than a “lake”.  In 1951, the State of Washington constructed a dam across the mouth of the Deschutes River estuary.  Something that no one could get away with in the 21^st Century.  For several decades, people could swim and wade in the lake, go fishing and boating, and enjoy the view and the experience.

Now, the lake stinks in the summer.  Aquatic plants and algae bloom and die off, reducing the oxygen content of the water.  Capitol Lake is currently in violation of state and federal waterquality standards, and is closed to active public use.  The high nitrogen-potassium-phosphorous concentrations in the water result in the ‘lake’ not meeting the water quality standards and is on the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) list of impaired waters for Temperature, Fecal Coliform Bacteria, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, and Fine Sediment.

The General Administration Department, which ‘owns’ and ‘manages’ the ‘lake’ has a number of informational signs around the lake, explaining a number of options for future management and use.

The Squaxin Island Tribe has been advocating a removal of the dam and a return to a more natural estuary for a number of years.  However, until the rich homeowners on the bluffs above the lake quit whining, lobbying, and paying off the local officials, I expect the lake will remain in Status Quo. 

But, Capitol Lake is usually a pretty active and interesting place to go birding. There was a moderately large raft of coots and diving ducks, including a group of 56 Canvasbacks mixed in with the Ring-necked Ducks, scaup, and coots

Then, I saw - ‘way out in the middle - a drake Redhead.  Just as I was trying to get a shot of it, the flock spooked and I lost track of this bird, which is a somewhat unusual species in the local area.

I continued around, admiring the bright red of the bittersweet nightshade berries in the afternoon sun.

Bittersweet Nightshade - Solanum dulcamara

This species is a slender perennial vine found throughout western Washington and Oregon, especially in riparian areas, wetlands, field edges, gardens, parks, and roadsides. This plant is toxic to people, pets, and livestock.

This is not the same plant as “deadly nightshade” (Atropa belladonna), which is an extremely poisonous plant.  However, bittersweet nightshade is somewhat poisonous and has caused loss of livestock, pet poisoning and, more rarely, sickness and even death in children who have eaten the berries.  Fortunately, bittersweet nightshade has a strong, unpleasant odor, so most animals will avoid it, and poisonings from this plant are not very frequent.

The entire plant contains solanine, the same toxin found in green potatoes and other members of the nightshade family, and it also contains a glycoside called dulcamarine, similar in structure and effects to atropine, one of the toxins found in deadly nightshade. The toxin amount varies with soil, light, climate and growth stage. They say ripe fruits are generally less toxic than the leaves and unripe berries, but even ripe berries can be poisonous.

As I was about to leave the lake, I saw that the raft of diving ducks had reassembled near the west shoreline, so stopped to scan again for the Redhead.  I found not one, but TWO, drake Redheads!  One was an adult & the other appeared to be a younger bird.

Pair of Redhead drakes in the flock of Ring-necked Ducks and Lesser Scaup

As I was watching the flock of diving ducks, another red duck swam past.  It was a bright male Cinnamon Teal!

Cropped shot of a Cinnamon Teal drake in December

It is pretty late for one of these to be hanging around, but I enjoyed seeing what is usually a “summer duck” in with the wintering waterfowl flock.

Capitol Lake eBird checklist