Natural World
Posted inNatural World

The Journey Back to the Wild

Think Wild performs life-saving surgery on a Great Horned Owl (GHOW 25-503)
by Sue Dougherty DVM MA DACVIM Think Wild Board President

Think Wild is Central Oregon’s nonprofit wildlife hospital and conservation center, caring for sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife while educating the public about coexistence and stewardship. Since opening for animal care in 2020, Think Wild has grown in staffing, services and the number of wildlife helped directly at its hospital. The spring and summer […]

Posted inNatural World

Are Porcupines in Peril?

ODFW kicks off study with volunteer effort to answer the question
by Damian Fagan

Porcupines, which are the second largest member of the rodent family (Rodentia) and in the Beaver State (named after the largest member of the Rodentia), are classified as an unprotected species. But this status may change depending upon a new study of North American porcupines being initiated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. […]

Posted inNatural World

Keeping Alive Crosscut Saws

Doug Williams practices and preaches the art of saw filing
by Damian Fagan

Most old-time logging photos show two loggers standing on either end of some massive redwood, ponderosa pine, or Douglas-fir with a huge notch they’ve sawn into the base of the tree, before continuing the job of felling the old-growth monster. What they rarely show, is the guy back in the shop with a 12- or […]

Posted inOutside

In Praise of Wasps

The fascinating world of wasps and hornets is spoiled by a couple of bad actors
by Damian Fagan

This time of year, when yellow jackets invade a mountain picnic or backyard barbecue, it’s really hard to see the good in these insects and their relatives. But it’s there. “When people think of wasps, they think of only a couple ones that really are bad actors,” said Dr. Jerry Freilich, High Desert Museum volunteer […]

Posted inOutside

Helping Birds Keep Their Cool

Simple Steps to Save Birds from Deadly Heat
by Elise Wolf

Central Oregon is on track to break temperature records this summer (again), reminding us that the High Desert sun is no joke. High temperatures can lead to dehydration, heatstroke, and even death for our feathered neighbors. The good news? There are simple, affordable steps everyone can take to create a life-saving oasis for our visiting […]

Posted inOutside

The 36th Annual Ochoco Butterfly Count

A day spent chasing butterflies in mountain meadows is a good day.
by Damian Fagan

Sue Anderson, leader of the annual Ochoco Butterfly Count, gathers the participants into a pre-count circle and gives the ten of us volunteers, including Juba the dog (named after the Juba skipper), a morning pep talk prior to all of us heading out in the Ochoco National Forest where this count, sponsored by the Lane […]

Posted inOutside

Talking to Trees

Learning a new language in ways of communication
by Kimberly Bowker

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 […]

Posted inOutside

Two Bobcat Kitten Patients Admitted to Think Wild

Orphaned bobcats are a first at wildlife hospital and conservation center.
by Damian Fagan

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 […]

Posted inOutside

New Hummingbird Garden is a First for Central Oregon

Pollinator Pathway Bend teams with BPRD and others to provide hummingbird habitat
by Damian Fagan

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 […]

Posted inOutside

Glass Act: Saving Birds from Windows

A bird-friendly yard starts with these simple solutions for bird-window collisions
by Elise Wolf

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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