A far parcel of Oregon houses a lasting corner of my imagination. Down a seemingly endless road of silty dust, potholes, and bovine distressed shrub steppe, I find myself at a gate in late May. It keeps happening every year now. No sign of nearby… Read More
All posts filed under “Plants”
Malheur Bird Observatory Time!
Simone, a large number of our cohorts, and I are off to the Malheur Bird Observatory for Memorial Day weekend. It’s a tradition upheld by Steve Herman, seeing as he is the proud owner of the observatory. So – down to Central Oregon for the… Read More
Photo Blast #2: Funny Signs
The abrupt, moist change in Seattle weather combined with a stuffy office got me daydreaming of places distant. Possibly it’s a little morbid, but I think the signs above are pretty amusing. Just in case you are confused – the sign on top is a… Read More
Mexico Part 7 – Rio Cuchujaqui
The Rio Cuchujaqui’s best birding is accessible through the Mentidero Wash, just outside of Alamos. Even as we started making our way down the wash it was starting to heat up and I was getting the anxious feeling that comes when I feel I’ve missed… Read More
Mexico Part 6 – Alamos
Heading east from Navajoa, Sonora, you face the prominent Sierra de Alamos, you’ll eventually find yourself in rolling hills. A visibly diverse canopy of a muted green develops and you are no longer in the flat coastal scrublands. Morning Glory trees, with pendulous white flowers… Read More
Mexico Part 4 – The Big Labyrinth
Exploring mangroves is extremely dependent on the tides. The water surrounding the island (which is plopped between the Sea of Cortes and Navopatia) is never too deep and you can see sandbars form daily in the channel. In the less fast moving water, serious stands… Read More
Mexico Part 1 – Into the Magrove Labyrinth
Drops of water kept falling on my face. I tried to roll over and cover up with my sleeping bag but instead nuzzled a pool collected at a low spot on the floor of my tent. Cactus Wrens churred away and Curve-billed Thrashers whistled their… Read More
This Day Won’t Come Again (Simone)
This morning Brendan, Mel and I headed to Butterfly Valley Road to check out the Darlingtonia and sundews. The habitat was quite rocky and dry at first and I wasn’t sure if we were really in the right place. However, after a couple of miles… Read More