Damian Fagan

Damian Fagan is a freelance writer, outdoor enthusiast and avid birder. He is the author of several wildflower field guides including "Wildflowers of Oregon" and "Wildflowers of North America." Fagan lives in Bend with his wife, Raven, and a pollinator-friendly garden.
Posted inBend Nest

Career-Changed K9 Finds a Forever Friend

10-year-old girl finds comfort with canine companion, Zinny
by Damian Fagan

Abby Durrell, a 10-year-old homeschooler in Sunriver, Oregon, was struggling with anxiety and stress due to various medical conditions that caused speech delays, balance issues and blurred peripheral vision. “In May of 2020 we ended up in the ER where she was diagnosed with chiari malformation [a condition where brain tissue invades the spinal canal],” […]

Posted inOutside

Re-wilding Oregon Conference

Gathering focuses on desert and forest ecosystems, carnivores, native fish and the America the Beautiful Initiative.
by Damian Fagan

What is your definition of wildlands and how do you think management of public lands leads to that definition? That is a component of the Re-Wilding Oregon Conference to be held at the Lake Creek Lodge in Camp Sherman on May 13. The all-day conference will feature panel discussions on desert and forest ecosystems, carnivores, […]

Posted inOutside

Understanding Habitat Needs for Greater Sage-Grouse

Local Audubon chapter volunteers engaged in sagebrush-steppe habitat study
by Damian Fagan

Greater sage-grouse are iconic birds of the sagebrush landscape. Their entire life history centers around this habitat type, from nesting sites to food sources, making them a key species across 11 western states and two Canadian provinces. But as icons, this doesn’t make them immune from impacts. Threats to the sage-grouse such as habitat loss, […]

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Airport Dogs Share a “Pawsitive” Attitude

Certified Therapy Dogs reduce travel anxiety at the Redmond Airport
by Damian Fagan

Flying can be stressful for many reasons. To help promote a “pawsitive” experience and elicit some smiles from travelers and staff, certified therapy dogs from the Compassionate Canines of Central Oregon have been roaming the terminals at the Redmond Airport since May 2022. A team of handlers and their happy dogs visit the airport as […]

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Guide Dogs for the Blind

A nonprofit organization built upon the “It takes a pack” approach
by Damian Fagan

If it takes a village to raise a child, how big a pack does it take to raise a guide dog for the blind? Guide Dogs for the Blind is a nonprofit organization with headquarters in San Rafael, California and a 50-acre campus in Boring, Oregon, which opened in 1995. GDB is the largest guide […]

Posted inOutside

Watchable Wildlife: Waterfowl

Birders enjoy waterfowl winging their way through Central Oregon
by Damian Fagan

So how are those New Year’s resolutions going? Learning to salsa dance? Learning a new language? Taking up birdwatching? While I can’t help you with the first two, I can with the birding. In February, Central Oregon is a great place to watch waterfowl. Many different species of ducks and geese stop here on their […]

Posted inOutside

Sowing the Seeds of Summer in January

Gardeners plan for vegetable and flower gardens in the middle of winter
by Damian Fagan

For many gardeners, January is a great time to start thinking about next season’s garden. A horticultural support organization, Direct Gardening Association, declared January as National Mail Order Gardening Month in order to reinforce this planning concept. Gardeners have probably already been receiving mail order catalogs to peruse for plants to grow and to place […]

Posted inNews

Wildlife News for Central Oregon and Beyond

Bipartisan support for saline lakes bill and another wildlife passage project on Highway 97
by Damian Fagan

Federal passage of the Saline Lakes Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act Recently, Congress and the House of Representatives passed Senate Bill S. 1466, legislation backed by the National Audubon Society and other organizations which directs the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a scientific monitoring and assessment program to protect saline lakes in […]

Posted inOutside

Species Spotlight: Great Horned Owl

Who’s hooting in the middle of winter?
by Damian Fagan

It’s early morning around 4 am. I’m parked along the edge of Tumalo Reservoir and standing outside my truck on this cold, December morning. The night sky’s brilliance is amazing, but I’m here to listen for the deep hooting, territorial calls of Great horned owls instead of just enjoying the stars above. These owls, named […]

Posted inOutside

Talking Turkey This Thanksgiving

Entertain friends and family with these turkey tidbits this holiday season
by Damian Fagan

Thanksgiving is a great time to have the turkey talk with friends and family. Wild turkey, that is. So, here are some facts and falsehoods for you to entertain your holiday dinner guests. What’s the number one call a turkey makes? If you’re thinking “gobble, gobble, gobble” you might have to have a double helping […]

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