Pronghorn are perhaps the most graceful animal native to the high desert country of central and eastern Oregon. Golden eagles are the most majestic, greater sage-grouse the most emblematic. And burrowing owls? They’re the funniest. For starters, burrowing owls have the peculiar habit of living in underground burrows — not the trees that most birds […]
LeeAnn Kriegh
Posted inNews
First-ever Event Helps Local Families Understand Autism in Early Childhood
Expert presentation and parent panel offer information,
resources and hope
Hundreds of families in Central Oregon have children under the age of 5 with autism. Parents, grandparents, and other caregivers from more than 30 of those families attended a free event on April 17 at the Alyce Hatch Center in Bend to learn more about autism in early childhood and related resources and services. Perhaps […]
Posted inOutside
Five Colorful Birds to View this Spring
Don’t miss these stunning birds during spring migration
Some birds are showier, more colorful and arguably prettier than others. And while experienced birders get excited about all sorts of gray-coated, similar-sounding, hard-to-identify birds — the avian equivalent of deep tracks — others might prefer to focus on the greatest hits. For those folks, it’s time to look to the trees and the sky, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Parking Lot Birds
Enjoying the natural world doesn’t have to require a lot of time or effort
If you want to set the burdens of the world aside for a few minutes by watching beautiful birds, you can hike up a mountain or drive to a remote lake or forest. Or, you can simply head to a parking lot. Take, for instance, the now-empty parking lot at the former Costco in Bend, […]
Posted inOutside
It’s Time to Sow Your Seeds
Plant now to enjoy native wildflowers next spring and summer
Successfully growing plants from seed in Central Oregon is challenging. It’s also fun, inexpensive and deeply rewarding, once you learn the basics. Few people understand the struggles and rewards better than Lisa Sanco, the executive director of Worthy Environmental. “There’s nothing wrong with buying plant starts from nurseries,” she says, “but it’s more economical to […]
Posted inOutside
Put the Leaves to Work in Your Yard
Fallen leaves provide wildlife habitat and free mulch
Every autumn, in the few months between our short growing season and our long winter, Central Oregonians must contend with another challenge: leaves. So many leaves. Cristy Harvey knows the challenge well. Her small 1920s home sits on an average-sized west-side lot with an outsized backyard. Right now, that yard is layered in leaves and […]
Posted inOutside
All Hail the Queens
The future of bumblebee species depends, as it always does, on the queens who have survived winter and are now emerging
During spring, have you ever found yourself bobbing and weaving to avoid being bonked in the head by half-inch-long fuzzy missiles? Those big buzzers are bumblebees—bumblebee queens, to be exact. Every male bumblebee in North America died by the start of last winter, so the future of bumblebee species depends, as always, on the queen […]
Posted inOutside
Signs of Spring in the Wild
Part two of our two-part series
Spring is always a joyful time in Central Oregon, and all the more so this year as we inch closer to the end of the pandemic. To help you celebrate this all-too-short season, we emailed local botanists, birders and other naturalists to ask them which signs of spring they most look forward to encountering at […]
Posted inOutside
Signs of Spring in the Wild
Spring is bursting out all over in Central Oregon. Don’t miss out
Traditionally, one of the first signs of spring in Central Oregon takes place this month, when flocks of optimistic new residents purchase annuals in full flower from big-box retailers. A second sign of spring arrives weeks later, when those same people, now less optimistic, return to buy new flowers to replace those that were killed […]
Posted inNews
Coronavirus Q&A: Practical Guidance for the Pandemic
From avoiding fogging your glasses to info about new strains in Bend, get answers to some common questions
Can I spread COVID-19 after vaccination? What’s with the new strains of the virus in Bend? Get info on these and other common COVID questions.