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 →

Forest Masqueraders

For this next series of photos, I invite you to use the blog’s comment feature and tell me the name of the animal that pops into your mind for the next series of images. I invite you to submit your thoughts as a blog comment. Later this week, I’ll compile and add all nominations to the post, sharing the animal species you identify. Continue Reading →

Admiring Aspen

Most of us come home from an outing in the Wenatchee Watershed with new questions that begin with “Why?” Recently, my “Why” was preceded by “Wow,” in response to seeing the golden beauty of an aspen grove, encountered amidst the rich greens of conifer-clad mountainsides, on a bluebird mid-October day. I wondered, why are some aspen leaves tinged with a pinky-red, yet most are a vivid gold? Continue Reading →

Forest Foragers of Whitebark Pine Seeds

September is peak conifer cone ripeness throughout the western U.S for dozens of species of pines, firs, and spruces. Locally, in the upper reaches of the Icicle River watershed, whitebark pinecones project from the tops of trees. The cones are deep red and covered in resin so they glisten in the sun. The seeds are large and desirable food sources for a variety of native wildlife. Continue Reading →

Celebrate Earth Day and Poetry Month!

Celebrate the 50th Earth Day and 25th National Poetry Month by attending a free event offered to the community by Wenatchee Valley College. Continue Reading →

Join Week 10 – Naturalist Challenge

Welcome to final week of our 10-week challenge, designed to encourage new naturalist discoveries as we continue to practice social distancing and wait for the coming vaccinations! March brings us the first signs of spring, while our mountains are still shining with snow. Try to get outside early when the mud is firm under foot! Continue Reading →