BIRD LIFE
Great numbers of birds of many varieties have discovered that Crater Lake National Park is a sanctuary for them. There are more than 110 varieties in the park.
The Eagle Crags have furnished nesting places for the golden eagle and the southern bald eagle; Llao Rock is the home of falcons. Ospreys have been seen, and the dusky horned owl forages nightly. California gulls visit the park and Farallon cormorants are known to have nested and raised their young on the lake. There are ravens and half a dozen varieties of hawks. Canvasback and golden-eye ducks may be seen, and the Sierra grouse inhabits the timber lands. Clark’s crow and crested jays and gray jays make their presence known on the trails and around the campgrounds.
Smaller birds frequently seen are the mountain bluebird, Townsend solitaire, Sierra junco, pine siskin, Sierra creeper, red breasted nuthatch, mountain chickadee, and western evening grosbeak. There are golden and ruby-crowned kinglets, robins, wrens, wood and green-tailed towhees, purple and rosy finches, chipping and other sparrows, two varieties of thrushes, and five varieties of warblers. Occasionally a humming bird is seen.
The most noticeable of the small birds of the park is the western tanager, a brilliant streak of gold as he darts and flits in the dark foliage, and equally remarkable in coloring when he rests on twig or branch, where his red head, yellow body, and black wings with yellow bars are unmistakable. The sweetest singer in the park is the Sierra hermit thrush—shy, difficult to locate, but making his presence known by his beautiful song.
During migratory seasons, thousands of geese, including the Canadian, snow, and white-fronted varieties, fly over the park, taking advantage of a low pass over the Cascade mountains near Annie Spring. These birds make their flights in daylight hours, while numerous other varieties of waterfowl fly over at night.
FISHING
Angling amid scenes of towering, multicolored cliffs in heavily trout-stocked waters of deepest blue is an experience long to be remembered. Trout bite readily in Crater Lake and are caught in goodly numbers. These trout are not small nor do they submit easily after they are hooked. Trout as long as 36 inches have been caught; the average is around 2 pounds each and the length 16 inches.
The crystal-clear waters of the lake provide good fly fishing. Experienced fly casters have reported success many times, using a wide assortment of lures. During certain hours of the day fish jump lustily along the shore line, and here flies are placed to effective use. Trolling, however, is the popular method, with results satisfactory in most sections of the lake. Spoons or spinners are principally used, although plugs are occasionally a part of the tackle.
The limit of a day’s catch is 12 per person, extending during the summer season. No fishing license is necessary.