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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Out & About

The hoary marmot, above, is bigger and lives higher than the common yellowbelly of Qualchan Golf Course. Associated Press (File Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
The Spokesman-Review
The hoary marmot, above, is bigger and lives higher than the common yellowbelly of Qualchan Golf Course. Associated Press (File Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

OUTWHISTLE

Shameless yellowbellies

Of the 14 marmot species worldwide, only two are found in Montana – the yellow-bellied and the hoary marmot – while Washington has those plus the Olympic marmot.

North Idaho has yellowbellies, hoaries and small numbers of woodchucks, a marmot species generally not found in either Washington or Montana.

The hoary is biggest and a beast at 10-20 pounds gained in the short growing season of higher elevations. The yellow-belly weighs 5-11 pounds and is found generally at lower elevations – including Riverfront Park.

Woodchucks and yellowbellies are about the same size, but yellowbellies have distinguishing white spots between their eyes and tend to live farther south.

OUTSTANDING

Coulee Corridor tops for birders

A Grant County map’s combination of ornithological information, tourism promotion and community education has won the 2007 Scenic Byway Award for interpretation by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the Federal Highway Administration.

The Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway route of the Great Washington State Birding Trail is one of four Audubon-published maps for the state, with three more planned to complete coverage of the whole state by 2010.

Check it out: http://wa.audubon.org/ birds_GreatWABirdingTrail.html

OUTFIELD

Kids’ day in a stream

Kids will be introduced to the aquatic life of a creek in a free field trip Wednesday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., near Newport sponsored by WSU Extension and the Kalispel Tribe Natural Resources Department.

Call the Extension Office, (509) 447-2401 to preregister and get directions to the site. Meantime, dig out old shoes fit for wading in a stream.

OUTLOOK

Best fishing times

Lunar tables from the U.S. Naval Observatory. Be fishing at least one hour before and one hour after peak times. Applies to all time zones.

(* indicates best days.)

Through July 22

Today: 2:25 p.m., 2:50 a.m.

Monday: 3:10 p.m., 3:35 a.m.

Tuesday: 3:55 p.m., 4:15 a.m.

Wednesday: 4:40 p.m., 5 a.m.

* Thursday: 5:20 p.m., 5:40 a.m.

* Friday: 6 p.m., 6:20 a.m.

* Saturday; 6:40 p.m., 7 a.m.

Next Sunday: 7:20 p.m., 7:45 a.m.

See the Hunting-Fishing Report

every Friday in Sports