Over the last few weeks, several readers called, sent emails and text messages, asking about some moths that have been emerging. They all wanted to know: “What is this thing?” You have to admit, coming upon that beauty at night, fluttering about the porch light, or in the morning clinging to the light or on […]
Natural World
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Pity the Poor Sage-Grouse
Public lands for all animals
For the last four years, my wife Sue and I have been bouncing all over parts of Deschutes, Lake, and Harney Counties searching for golden eagle nesting territories. Among the sites we’ve found throughout the Great Sandy Desert are hundreds of square miles of land cleared of sagebrush where cows are chomping their way through […]
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Preserving Funding
Outdoor school is priceless
A couple Mondays ago, 50 some people gathered at Obsidian School in Redmond to discuss a way in which Outdoor School could be enjoyed by all of the almost 50,000 fifth and sixth grade students in Oregon. To their utter joy, they all discovered it could happen. This may sound nearly impossible when the state […]
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Get The Lead Out
Time to remove lead from hunting ammo
During a recent program at McMenamin’s in Bend, U.S. Geological Survey biologist and researcher Garth Herring presented the work he’s doing on the issue of lead in the tissue of wildlife, specifically big game, ground squirrels and raptors. Herring pointed out that the USGS research, plus other federal government and state agencies and private conservation […]
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What’s In a Name?
The sloth is NOT a slob!
For some reason that I cannot comprehend, someone, somewhere, somehow, back when the sun was a tiny thing, there weren’t no Moon and the Big Dipper was a little drinkin’ cup, got started on using the sloth as a whipping boy for the term, “slob.” I have been accused of using my column for venting […]
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Counting Crows
The 2015 Great Backyard Bird Count
It’s seems like just yesterday that the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) and then the Ft. Rock/Christmas Valley Raptor Count, plus several other “counts” have taken place, and now for those who want to—or have to—stay at home and look at birds out the window, here comes the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). This one is […]
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No More Killing Coyotes for Sport
Sport shooters slaughter coyotes at recent event in Harney County
In mid-January, the second annual Harney Coyote Classic encouraged what can only be called a “coyote slaughter.” The event, held near Burns, is yet another example of some sportsman’s desires gone haywire. Over the past 100 years, stories of coyotes being the worst nemesis of ranchers and farmers have been so blown out of proportion […]
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Look Out For the Big One!
Something’s gotta give
Every night, just as I lay my head on my pillow and slowly sink into a peaceful sleep, my eyes snap open. I think, “Where’s the flashlight!? Where’s the fire extinguisher and my whistle!?” Scoff if you will, but like it or not, beautiful Central Oregon, those glittering snow-capped volcanic peaks are magnificent scenery, but […]
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Rare, But Not Unheard Of
Our band-tailed pigeon
There I was, checking my email, as I do every morning, when up pops one from my good friend and fellow airman down the road, Sage Dorsey. (Every once in a while, Sage will strap me into the back seat of his beautiful Bellanca Scout and we’ll fly out over forest and rimrock looking for […]
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Doing It Right
Outback Adventure Riders tread respectfully through nature
This story, dear readers, is like many of the tales I’ve shared with you over the years, a story within a story—this one about off road vehicles (ORVs). In this case it started out as a love/hate thing. What removed the hate part was the provider of the tale, Wade Bryant, and the fact that […]