Camping in Central Oregon as a young being, I felt continually drawn to the trunks of Ponderosa Pines that were close to the ground, like I was, and extended infinitely upward, like I did. My little paws touched the bark and I stood in wonder at how all these puzzle pieces around the tree could […]
Natural World
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Two Bobcat Kitten Patients Admitted to Think Wild
Orphaned bobcats are a first at wildlife hospital and conservation center.
Two orphaned bobcat kittens, estimated to be four-weeks old, were admitted to Think Wild, Central Oregon’s wildlife hospital and conservation center, on May 19. ODFW notified Think Wild that a member of the public had picked up two female bobcat kittens at a rest stop near the Tygh Valley area. The young appeared abandoned due […]
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New Hummingbird Garden is a First for Central Oregon
Pollinator Pathway Bend teams with BPRD and others to provide hummingbird habitat
Novelist W.P. Kinsella’s line in Shoeless Joe, “If you build it, he will come,” is a common mantra associated with habitat restoration projects for a good reason: the transformation from empty field to lush meadow takes time and/or action to bring back diversity. In Bend’s Orchard Park, that means prepping and planting an area to […]
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Glass Act: Saving Birds from Windows
A bird-friendly yard starts with these simple solutions for bird-window collisions
Picture the perfect morning: songbird voices filling the air with their joyful chorus, announcing the new day. Then a sickening thud. Sadly, this heart-wrenching sound is all too familiar. What many do not realize is the staggering scale. New research (Kornreich et al., 2024, PLoS One) indicates that up to one billion birds may die […]
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Dam(n) Busy as Beavers
Beaver Works Oregon engages in building beaver habitat
Beaver Works Oregon has been busy as the proverbial beaver to restore beaver habitat in LaPine and Collier Memorial State Parks. Along with Oregon State Park staff and other partners, Beaver Works has been planting willow, dogwood, and black cottonwood cuttings along stream and river banks, then installing wire fencing to allow the cuttings to […]
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Icon of the Sage: The Greater Sage-Grouse
The Adopt-a-Lek program celebrates its 20th season of sage-grouse counts
It’s an early spring morning, pre-dawn. The air is still, not a breath of wind stirs the sagebrush. The waning moon is a bright sliver in the eastern sky, but soon to be obscured by the dawn’s early light. The thermometer reads 25 degrees Fahrenheit but it feels colder in the morning darkness. I’ve been […]
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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, […]
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Photographing Desert Wildlife
A guide to thoughtful wildlife photography in eastern Oregon’s high desert
Eastern Oregon’s high desert is a land of striking contrasts — sunbaked plateaus meet rugged rimrock, deep canyons surround rushing rivers and green meadows and marshes thrive next to miles of sagebrush. It’s a place of untamed beauty, where wildlife moves with the seasonal rhythms of the land. Capturing compelling images here requires more than […]
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Wildfire Wise, Wildlife Friendly: Smart Landscaping
With thoughtful planning, Central Oregonians can safeguard their properties and nurture vital wildlife habitats.
Central Oregonians today are navigating a difficult balance between home fire protection and local wildlife habitats. Stunning landscapes and abundant wildlife were why many of us relocated to this unique area. Those who love insects and birds take it further by planting and retaining wildlife-nurturing native shrubs and wildflowers. Research shows native plants support significantly […]
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Climate’s Toll: Birds on the Brink
As the climate shifts, birds struggle to survive in a changing world. We can help.
In June 2021, a devastating heat wave scorched the Pacific Northwest, with temperatures soaring from 108° to 121°F. In Central Oregon, Pelton Dam on the Deschutes River reached 119°F. The impact devastated wildlife, with birds among the hardest hit. Babies leaped from nests in droves, overwhelming wildlife rehabilitation centers across the region. As climate patterns […]