Natural World

What’s a good way to learn about butterflies? Join a butterfly count sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association. That’s exactly what my wife, Raven, and I did this past month. We volunteered to “help out” on the 34th annual Ochoco Butterfly Count, organized by lepidopterist expert Sue Anderson through the Lane County Butterfly Club. […]

Climbing to the top of 8,017-foot Warner Peak in the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, my legs shake when I look over the edge. Cliffs and crags descend more than 3,000 feet to the valley floor from which I just climbed. From this perspective, I gain a new appreciation for the rugged habitat of one […]

The importance of pollinators is often overlooked. Bees, butterflies, moths, and beetles play a huge role in pollinating agricultural and horticultural plants, while bats and hummingbirds also get in on the pollination action, too. This year’s theme for National Pollinator Week 2024 is: “Vision 2040: Thriving ecosystems, economies, and agriculture,” which shines a spotlight on […]

Just what does it mean to be a Master Gardener? No, the “Master” doesn’t imply these individuals know everything there is to know about plants and gardens, but people who become one certainly have a strong desire to learn. They love to spend time outside, discover new plant types and get their hands dirty in […]

Central Oregon is known for its magnificent landscapes, colorful history and, if you’re into birds, its great diversity of woodpeckers. “Central Oregon is one of the few places where it’s possible to find nearly a dozen species of woodpeckers,” said Chuck Gates, Prineville Bird Club president and field trip leader. “This is made possible by […]

If you have not caught on to the amazing world of birds and birdwatching, perhaps this is your lucky year. Not only can these incredible creatures fly, but their ability to migrate thousands of miles through adverse and ever-changing conditions, is a feat worthy of a hero’s welcome. So, here are a few selected birding […]

Humans have been harnessing dog power to pull sleds for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years. One of the oldest sleigh runner artifacts in existence, discovered in Finland, dates back to around 9,000 years ago — although whether dogs or humans pulled or pushed the sleigh is still a bone of debate. These ancient sled […]

In late fall, while pronghorn prepare for winter migration and sagebrush lizards enter hibernation, beavers are hard at work. They’re ferrying across waterways, cutting down streamside trees with their teeth and submerging their stock into shallow water. Neither hibernators nor migrators, they’ll subsist off this wet pantry of live wood and green bark until spring […]