by Pam Willison, Co-Chair OSNA During 2021, volunteers spent nearly 300 hours in Owen Sowerwine, doing work to remove or control plant species that are not native. The efforts were primarily directed toward cutting Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and February Daphne (Daphne mezereum) bushes, and removing seed heads from noxious weeds, particularly houndstongue, Canada thistle,…
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by Gael Bissell Here are two ways to shake off these gray short days of winter! First, head to this year’s top 100 bird photos from National Audubon’s 2021 photography contest by going to https://www.audubon.org/news/the-2021-audubon-photography-awards-top-100 where your jaw will drop as you peruse the zoomed Green Heron (taken by a youth photographer), a gorgeous close-up…
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by Dan Casey Rare and Notables – Nov/Dec An out-of-season Brown-headed Cowbird and a regionally rare Lesser Goldfinch continued to sporadically visit feeders in Creston and Somers, respectively, throughout the period. Foy’s Lake and the West Valley Crane Viewing Area each supported a variety of waterfowl as warmer temperatures kept these sites primary ice-free. A…
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presented by Ben Deeble After their absence of over 20 years, this fall the reintroduction of sharp-tailed grouse to western Montana was launched. The effort culminates years of habitat analysis, planning, and partnership by private landowners, non-governmental organizations, and public agencies. The goal is to restore a sustainable population of sharptails for at least the…
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At our December 2021 general meeting, Aaron Wirsing of the University of Washington discussed his predator ecology research on the ecological effects of wolf recolonization in Washington state. This presentation primarily focuses on the effects to the white-tailed and mule deer populations. Aaron has an extensive background in studying predator ecology and his team of…
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by Denny Olson Part Two: The places on the planet — restoring balance (see part one here) Last month I outlined the big, planetary picture. About big, planetary balance. But there’s something else you might want to know — because you don’t just live “on a planet”. You live in a place on that planet….
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