The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-05-05
DEER FLAT NATIONAL
BIRD RESERVATION

ervations have been established by
Executive order in various parts of the
United States. Nineteen of these res
ervations are located on Reclamation
projects, and all but two were created
simultaneously on February rs, 1909
One of the most interesting, both on
account of its location and its future
possibilities, is the refuge on the Boise
project in Canyon county, Idaho,
known as the Deer Flat Bird Reserva-
ton. which embraces narrow strip of
land adjoining the reservoir, from
which it derives its name. In actual
area this refuge is probably one of
the smallest of those on Reclamation
projects, for at the time of its creation
some of the lands about the reservoir
had already passed into private hands.
Only the smallest legal subdivisions
of public land, usually fractional 40
acre tracts adjoining reservoir, are
reserved, but these are usually suffi-
cient to control the shooting on the wa
ter and afford the necessary protection
to the birds.
The object of a reservation Of this
kind is two-fold-to afford safe
breeding ground for birds, particularly
waterfowl which nest in communities,
and especially to affrd resting place
or refuge for birds during migration
or in winter where they may be safe
from pursuit even during the hunting
season. 1t was anticipated that after
the completion of the large reservoirs
on the reclamation projects in the
West, which often furnish the only
considerable bodies of water for miles
around ducks, geese, and other aquat-
ic birds would be attracted by the wa
ter, and that under favorable condi-
tions these places would become CEN
tiers from which bird life would extend
to the surrounding regions just as the
water from a reservoir overflows on
the adjoining land. In the case of
Deer Flat, which was established un-
der the general order of Feb. Is, 1909,
this expectation was promptly filled.
Water was first turned into the reser-
voir in 1910. and the following autumn
blue herons, ducks, geese, swans, and
other birds appeared in considerable
numbers. In the spring of 1911 it was
estimated that there were probably $50
to 200 nests of ducks coots and grebes
about the shore In 1912 large flock
of swans spent three days on the res
ervation during their northern flight
in April. and about 20 pairs of coots
and 1870 pairs of ducks remained to
breed In the autumn of 1915 mall
lards remained in considerable flocks,
and from November 10 to November
20 the total number reported varied
from 5000 to 5000.
The Deer Flat reservoir, situated be-
tween the Boise and Snake rivers, is
admirably located to afford refuge
to birds which are hunted along either
of these waterways. 1t takes its name
from the circumstance that years ago
the deer driven down from the mount
aims by the snow in winter were &C
customed to resort to the "f1at" where
the reservoir has been built and where
they were able to find abundant food.
The comparative mildness of the eli
mate is shown by the fact that the res
ervoir seldom freezes over, at least
until late in the season, and conse-
vicinity until the latter part of De-
cember. The refuge lies about IS
miles east of the Oregon boundary
and 80 miles west of Boise The town
of Nampa is less, than five miles in an
air line northeast of the reservoir, and
the town of Caldwell. connected by
trolley line. about 8 or 9 miles north.
The reservoir when full is about Is
feet deep and covers $4,000 acres;
when the water is drawn down to the
level of the equalizer its area is only
1900 acres. This huctuation in the
water level prevents the growth of
vegetation around the margin of the
reservoir and at times may interfere
with birds breeding between high and
low-water mark.
Birds on the Reservation. ...... !.
The principal birds which nest in
the immediate vicinity of the reserva.
ton include the killdeer plover, spot,
ted sandpiper, Wilson snipe, coot, and
at least eight species of ducks, com
prising the mallard, gadwall, shoveler
ruddy duck, and three kinds of teal
bluewinged. Rreen-winged, and CHINA
mon teal. In 1912 few black-crown-
ed night herons placed their nests in
the tops of trees that had been sub
MERGED by the reservoir. Other water
birds which occur about the reserva-
ton in summer but do not breed are
the California gull, Forster's tern. avo-
Get, and great blue heron. The herons
nest in rookeries along the Boise river
and apparently utilize the reservation
merely as retreat. Many kinds OF
land birds which are common in this
part of Idaho may be found on the
lands adjoining the Deer Flat Refuge
but as their presence is not controlled
by the reservoir they need not be men
toned in this connection. In autumn
the list of waterfowl is increased by
the Canada goose and several species
of ducks such as the redhead can
vasback. sufflehead. and golden-eye
During migration the list is further in
creased by the presence of American
and hooded mergansers, looms, and oc-
casional white Delicans as we'll as by
smaller shore birds such as Wilson'S
phalarope, yellowlegs and plover.
How Birds Are Protected. ........
When bird reservation has been
Grated by Executive order il is placed
in charge of the Department of Agri-
culture and is administered by the Bio
logical Survey. Congress has enacted
a special law. protecting the birds on
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