White Pass hiring
White Pass Ski Area has begun hiring for the upcoming winter season.
Applications are available online at skiwhitepass.com/the-mountain/jobs and applicants are welcome to follow up by calling 509-672-3101 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Entry level through assistant management positions are available in the following departments: accounts payable, custodial maintenance, food and beverage, guest services, lift operation, parking/RB lot attendants, rental department, retail sales/pro shop, ski/snowboard instruction, Snow Cat operation, snow removal, terrain park crew, ticket scanner, ticketing, tubing and vehicle mechanic level II (experience required).
Bird Alert
Safety while birding is important. Fall in Washington is hunting season, so if you’re out birding, stay safe and wear bright colors if you’re on or near land that could be used for hunting. While about 50% of the land in Washington is publicly owned and open to hunters and recreationists, hunting is not allowed in State Parks, making them a good choice for fall birdwatching.
One local bird aficionado spent several hours birding at Fort Simcoe State Park this week and was rewarded with good views of a white-throated sparrow, a common winter bird of eastern woodlots and uncommon visitor to the Yakima area. Additional sparrow species observed included dark-eyed junco, white-crowned sparrow, golden-crowned sparrow, savannah sparrow, song sparrow and spotted towhee.
He also noted California quail, rock pigeon, red-tailed hawk, Lewis’s woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, California scrub-jay, common raven, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, ruby-crowned kinglet, golden-crowned kinglet, Bewick’s wren, American robin, house finch, American goldfinch and western meadowlark, bringing his total list to 24 species.
City parks are also safe places to bird during hunting season. Birders at Randall Park this week were excited to see a greater white-fronted goose and several cackling geese. The cackling geese included the subspecies “minima”, the smallest subspecies of cackling goose, which are about the size of a mallard.
Email bird sightings to kdturley@embarqmail.com and be sure to like The Yakima Valley Audubon Society on its Facebook page or visit yakimaaudubon.org.
— Kerry Turley
Calendar
SATURDAY: The Hard Core Running Club will host its weekend fun run of 3 to 6 miles, with all paces and abilities welcome. Meet at 8 a.m. at the Yakima Greenway’s Gleed parking lot on the northwest corner of U.S. Highway 12 and Old Naches Highway behind McIlrath Fruit.
ALSO SATURDAY: US Road Running will host its Pirate one-mile/5K/10K/15K and half marathon races at Sarg Hubbard Park, all starting at 8 a.m. Entry fees are $25/$30/$45/$50/$65. For more information and to register, go to runsignup.com.
WEDNESDAY: The Hard Core Running Club will host two weekly fun runs at Chesterley Park in the parking lot between the YMCA and North 40th Avenue. The “Too Smart for the Dark” group” will meet at 3:30 p.m. and the “Too Dumb for the Sun” group will meet at 6 p.m.
Getting outdoors
TUESDAY: The Cascadians will host a Prosser city walk, details to come soon. Go to cascadians.org/Calendar for more details.
NEXT THURSDAY: The Cascadians will hike 5-6 miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain in the Ahtanum State Forest southwest of Yakima. The group will start at the entrance to Tree Phones Campground and hike to the crest of White’s Ridge. Drivers need a Discover Pass. Go to cascadians.org/Calendar for more details.
