Native Plants Fuel the Hummingbird Highway

North Central Washington is on the map for migrating neotropical Rufous, Calliope, and Black-chinned hummingbirds, as they fly thousands of miles from their wintering habitats in the mountains of Western Mexico northward, as far north as southern Alaska. During migration they fly during the day, and use early mornings and late evenings to fuel up on nectar, insects, and sugar water in feeders. Abundant nectar-producing flowers on early-blooming native shrubs like Serviceberry and Currents offer critical calories that fuel long-distant flight. Continue Reading →

Neotropical migrants raising their young in our canyons

Hanging clothes on my backyard clothesline gives me a chance to look west, up into the V-shaped Number Two Canyon, where steep sagebrush-covered slopes plunge down to the brushy canyon Continue Reading →

Curious About … Long-toed Salamanders?

Herpetologist, Torsten Watkins, introduces the lfie history of long-toed salamanders. This species is native to North Central Washington and spring is the season when adults migrate to breeding sites. Continue Reading →

Curious About … Arriving Turkey Vultures?

Turkey vultures are arriving to North Central Washington from wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. Look for groups roosting in tall black cottonwood trees. Continue Reading →

What’s in a Name: Why Our Region Has So Many Names for the Plant Communities

Depending on who’s talking, our landscape is called by many names:  the Columbia Plateau, the Columbia Basin Eco-region, Arid Lands, the Shrub-steppe Ecosystem, or simply, the sagebrush grassland.  Surprising, all Continue Reading →

Join the North Central Washington Hummingbird Project on March Equinox

Over the last decade, many people in North Central Washington have observed increasing numbers of over-wintering Anna’s Hummingbirds. North Central Washington Audubon Society has launched a community science study project to gather data to help answer questions about Anna’s Hummingbird Continue Reading →

March Mud-ness

This is the turn-of-season time of year in the Wenatchee Valley, where mud may hamper your first choice of how to spend time outside. I’ve gathered a long list of activities and events to keep you engaged in nature in my bi-monthly eNews. T Continue Reading →

Milkweed Mindfulness

Today’s guest bloggers have both been inspirated by showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), a native wildflower that grows in abundance along the Horan Natural Area trails. These encounters independently inspired Wenatchee writer Glen Carlson and photographer Bruce McCammon to create art generously shared and paired here. Continue Reading →

Curious About … Local Wintering Mule Deer?

What brings so many deer to our valley? How are they doing? Why do I see more deer during wintertime? I reached out to WDFW biologist Devon Comstock to find out about current mule deer research that is underway locally. Studies are designed to help biologists learn more about wintering mule deer habitat needs. Continue Reading →