| Billy Clapp Lake is 4,000 total acres. It is both a reservoir and a game reserve. The lake is encircled by basalt cliffs of varying height. Most of the shoreline is too steep and rocky to support any wetland or riparian vegetation. The uplands are a mix of poor-quality, gravelly soils and basalt outcroppings. Vegetation varies from fire-caused cheatgrass or bunchgrass communities to stiff sage or big sage/bunchgrass. Numerous species of native woody shrubs can be found in the talus slopes beneath basalt outcroppings. The department maintains a public parking area and boat launch on the south end of the lake. Summer Falls State Park is on the other end of the lake. The Stratford Game Reserve encompasses nearly all the public land in this unit. It provides a resting area for thousands of migrating lesser Canada geese each fall.The lake is just one of several Wildlife Areas in the Columbia Basin which is one of the most important waterfowl breeding grounds in Washington. Millions of other birds also use the waters and marshes for resting and feeding on their annual migrations along the Pacific Flyway. The thousands of small lakes, potholes, and seeps are home to Canada geese, mallards, redheads, canvasbacks, ringnecks, ruddy ducks, gadwalls, blue and greenwing teal, shovelers, pintails, goldeneyes, and wood ducks. Shorebirds abound and Caspian terns, pelicans, sandhill cranes, swans, and many other rare birds are seen. Ring-billed gulls, Brewer's, red-winged, and yellow-headed blackbirds, kildeer, meadowlarks, and horned larks are found. Game birds including pheasant, chukar and Hungarian partridge, and quail are common, though sage and sharp-tailed grouse have severely declined in numbers.Coyotes are the most abundant predatory mammal. Jackrabbits, marmots, ground squirrels, muskrats, and a wide variety of mice and shrews occur. Mule deer occur in fringe areas where suitable habitat exists. Resident prairie falcons, red-tailed and Swainson's hawks, golden eagles, wintering bald eagles, colonies of burrowing owls, and the occasional snowy owl or gyrfalcon are also present. The vast expanse of water, cattail marshes, potholes, and wetlands offer a wide variety of water-related experiences. The fishing is outstanding, especially for bass, perch, sunfish, and crappie. Rainbow trout are stocked. |
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