Cascade Raptor Center

The Cascade Raptor Center is a local non-profit that provides medical care to injured or orphaned birds of prey as well as educational programs about the important role these birds play in nature. Perhaps you've seen their ambassador birds at a local event or heard about their work rehabilitating injured birds and releasing them back …

Finley Never Disappoints

  One winter, many years ago, I was up on the OSU campus in Corvallis. I'd just gotten into my car and was starting to head home when a humongous flock of Canada geese flew over head. In awe, I pulled my car over, rolled down my windows and watched. I had never seen so …

Cabell Marsh: Finley National Wildlife Refuge

The first time I experienced Finley National Wildlife Refuge, I was instantly enamored. Hearing the beat of thousands of geese wings as they swirled overhead is an experience I won't soon forget. After our first visit, I planned to take many additional trips up Highway 99 to experience the Refuge in different seasons and conditions. …

A Whale of a Weekend

Last September, on a whim to buy tuna fresh on the dock, we found ourselves in Charleston, Oregon. It had been a long time since I had been in Charleston and I realized that it was a place that deserved more time and attention. So earlier this month we created a 4-day weekend and explored Charleston, the Coos …

Western Snowy Plover: Share the Shore

Last summer, while canoeing the Stiltcoos Trail we floated through Western Snowy Plover habitat.  From our seats in the canoe, we saw several plovers along both banks of the river. The plovers on the north side, which consisted of hard-packed sand, I later identified as the Semipalmated Plover. However, the plovers on the south side, which was …

Spring Has Sprung, part II

Last weekend we discovered that the spring wildflowers have begun their annual show out at Bake Stewart Park. This weekend, we discovered that the goslings at Row River Nature Park have begun to hatch. Check out these cute geese babies! Fellow blogger "the Cascade Rambler" was also at the Nature Park Sunday morning. The Rambler makes his …

Woodpecker Loop: Finley National Wildlife Refuge

We made our first visit to Finley National Wildlife Refuge last winter and at that time, I resolved to go back often. The refuge -- and more precisely the incredible number of birds -- fascinated me and I wanted to explore throughout the year to see how it changed with the seasons. Well, that was the goal anyway; …

Backyard Birds

My backyard has been alive with birds lately. Every time I fill my seed feeders, they get swamped with finches and, sometimes, there are so many juncos feeding on the ground that at a quick glance the earth appears to be moving. Generally, I don't "dead head" my gardens in the fall, instead I let …

Thank You John Cooney

For many years, I commuted to Eugene for work every morning, Monday through Friday. Just after 7:30  on Thursday mornings, I always looked forward to John Cooney and the Natural World which played on KLCC. If you aren't familiar with the Natural World you can hear archives of the show on the KLCC website. I …

Fern Ridge Reservoir: Fisher Butte Unit

It was a beautiful fall day as I drove toward Fern Ridge Reservoir. The sun shining through the leaves created a glowing yellow tunnel as I drove down West 11th out of downtown Eugene. Even though it was mid-November -- Veteran’s Day to be exact -- my car thermometer said it was 59 degrees and …