The monarch butterfly is in a world of hurt. Right off the bat it has problems because it’s so unique; it’s a migratory insect that flies thousands of miles to survive winter, then returns to continue life in northern latitudes—and they travel right through our neck-of-the-woods. Everyone knows birds migrate and do it in astounding […]
Natural World
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The Eagle Has Landed
Central Oregon has an unprecedented youngster
As many of you may know, I’ve been working with golden eagles since the 1950s when I discovered their dead bodies rotting near poison bait stations set out for coyotes. I also began banding baby eagles in the early 1960s, along with a wide variety of other raptors when I was approved by the US […]
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Balloons on the Loose
Innocent looking, but dangerous
This photo shows a group of party balloons found clinging to the GI Ranch pasture fence and others deflated and scattered around, way out in the middle of the state. A group of calves were smelling and nibbling at them when they were found. Had one of the calves started chewing on it and attempted […]
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The Smooth Operator
A study in hot-to-trot moth mating habits
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 […]
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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 […]
