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Shillapoo Lake, as seen from the east.
Image taken December 16, 2008.
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Shillapoo Lake ...
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Shillapoo Lake is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River just upstream of the Ridgeport Dairy (Post Office Lake) Unit of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, and north of Vancouver Lake. A slough separates the Shillapoo Lake area from Caterpillar Island.
Shillapoo Lake was once a shallow 1,000-acre lake which was drained in the 1950s for farming. Today Shillapoo Lake is a wildlife area, with sections being redeveloped as a lake.
Shillapoo and nearby Post Office Lakes are relicts of the natural floodplain of the Columbia River.
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Shillapoo Wildlife Area ...
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Shillapoo Wildlife Area, as of 2008, is a 2,370-acre habitat is located on the floodplain of the Columbia River in Clark County, southwest Washington.
The Wildlife Area was initially established in 1952 with the purchase of 277 acres between Shillapoo Lake and the Columbia River. Today this is part of the Wildlife Area's 1,012-acre "South Unit". Included in the South Unit is one of the largest Great Blue Heron rookeries along the Columbia River. The 882-acre "North Unit" includes the northern and eastern portions of the drained Shillapoo lakebed and approximately 1 1/2 miles of shoreline on Lake River. There is also a third 477-acre "Vancouver Lake Unit" bordering the south side of Vancouver Lake.
The Wildlife Area is managed by the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife.
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Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
Image taken October 11, 2008.
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Some birds of Shillapoo Wildlife Area ...
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[MORE birds of the Columbia River region]
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Northern Flicker.
View from Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
Image taken October 11, 2008.
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House Finch, male.
View from Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
Image taken November 26, 2008.
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Greater Yellowlegs.
Vancouver Lake, view from Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
Image taken October 11, 2008.
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Swainson's Hawk ...
An unusual hawk to see in Southwestern Washington, especially during the winter !!!.
[MORE Swainson's Hawk images]
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Swainson's Hawk.
View from Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
An unusual hawk to find in western Washington, and ESPECIALLY in December.
Image taken December 6, 2008.
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Swainson's Hawk.
View from Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
An unusual hawk to find in western Washington, and ESPECIALLY in December.
Image taken December 11, 2008.
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Upland Birds ...
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During the fall, areas of the Shillapoo Wildlife Area are stocked with pheasant and open to hunting.
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Ring-necked Pheasant, male.
View from Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
Image taken December 6, 2008.
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Shillapoo Upland Bird area.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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Heading back to the car after a long days hunt.
Shillapoo Upland Bird area.
Image taken October 11, 2008.
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Snowy fields 2008 ...
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Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
Image taken January 2, 2009.
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Duck/Goose hunter in cornfield, Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
Image taken January 2, 2009.
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Early Shillapoo Lake ...
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Historicans say that early pioneers adopted the Indian name for the lake. Early names for the lake were "Shallapoo Lake", "Shillapoo Lake", "Shallowpool Lake", and "Salmon Lake".
An 1860 and an 1863 Washington Territory cadastral surveys (tax survey) for T3N R1W label the lake as "Shallapoo Lake", while the same 1860 surveys for T3N R1E label the lake as "Shillapoo Lake".
An 1888 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey chart "Columbia River Sheet No.6, Fales Landing to Portland" lists the lake as "Shallowpool Lake".
In 1897 the U.S. Board of Geographic Names made official "Shillapoo Lake".
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Views around the Shillapoo Lake area ...
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Looking across Shillapoo Wildlife Area towards Mount St. Helens, Washington.
Image taken, July 2, 2003.
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Looking across Shillapoo Wildlife Area towards Mount Hood, Oregon.
View from Post Office Lake, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
Image taken, July 2, 2003.
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Mount Hood, Oregon, from Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
View from Post Office Lake area, looking across Shillapoo Lake wildlife area.
Image taken January 30, 2005.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, March 30, 1806 ...
we got under way verry early [from their camp near Wapato Portage] and had not proceeded to the head of the island [Bachelor Island] before we met with the three men of the Clan-nar-min-a-mon's who met us yesterday brackfast at the upper point of the Island [Bachelor Island] we met Several of the Clackstar and Cath-lah-cum-up in two canoes.
Soon after we were overtaken by Several Canoes of different tribes who reside on each Side of the river the three above Tribes and the Clâh-in-na-ta cathy-lah-nah-qui-up & Cath-lah-com-mah-tup reside on each Side of Wappato inlet [Multnomah Channel] and back of Wappato Island [Sauvie Island] which Island is formed by a Small Chanel which passes from the Lower part of Image Canoe Island [Hayden Island] into an inlet which makes in from the S W. Side, and receves the water of a Creek which heads with the Kil a mox River. this wappato Island [Sauvie Island] is about 18 or 20 Miles long and in places from 6 to 10 miles wide high & furtile with ponds on different parts of it in which the nativs geather Wappato. nearly opposit the upper point of the Isld. behing which we encamped last night, or on the Wappato Isld. is Several Camps of the nativs catching Sturgion. about 5 miles Still higher up and on the N E. Side we halted for brackfast at the place which We had encamped the 4th of November last [near Post Office Lake, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge]. here we were visited by several canoes of Indians from two Towns a Short distance above on the Wappato Island [Sauvie Island]. the 1st of those Tribes Call themselves Clan-nah-quah and Situated about 2 miles above us, the other about a mile above Call themselves Mult-no-mah
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at 10 a. m. we Set out and had not proceeded far before we came to a landing place where there was Several large canoes hauled up, and Sitting in a canoe, appearantly waiting our arival with a view to join the fleet indian who was then along Side of us. this man informed he was a Shoto and that his nation resided a little distance from the river. we landed and one of the indians pointed to the Shoto village which is Situated back of Pond [Vancouver Lake] which lies parrelal with the river on the N E. Side nearly opposit the Clan-nah quah village. here we were also joined by Several Canoes loaded with the natives from the Island who Continued to accompany us untill about 4 oClock when they all returned and we proceeded on to the place the Indians Stole my Tomahawk 4th Novr. last [Hayden Island] and Encamped in a Small Prarie ["Jolie Prairie" where Fort Vancouver and Pearson Airpark would some day be located] above a large Pond on N. E and opposit the Center of image Canoe Island [Hayden Island]. capt Lewis walked out and Saw Several deer. Jo. Field Shot at Elk he killed and brought in a fine duck.
...
we made 22 Miles only to day the wind and a Strong current being against us all day, with rain. discovered a high mountain S E. Covered with Snow which we call Mt. Jefferson [Mount Jefferson, Oregon]
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