illustration

The Rain Shadow Effect in the Pacific Northwest

June 20, 2011
Thumbnail image for The Rain Shadow Effect in the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest can be roughly divided into two strikingly different landscapes: wet and dry. Or call them green and brown. It’s damp and green to the west of the Cascades and relatively arid and brown to the east…

Read the full article →

Illustration: Snag with Pileated Woodpeckers

March 23, 2011
Thumbnail image for Illustration: Snag with Pileated Woodpeckers

I’m going to let this illustration speak for itself, for now. I intend to write a post about snags in the near future, though.

Read the full article →

The Western Red-Backed Salamander

February 21, 2011
Thumbnail image for The Western Red-Backed Salamander

One of the most common amphibians of Douglas Fir and mixed-conifer forests on the west side of the Cascades is the little Western Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon vehiculum). If you turn over decaying logs and mossy rocks in the forest, you…

Read the full article →

Snowshoe Hares and Snowshoe Humans

January 24, 2011
Thumbnail image for Snowshoe Hares and Snowshoe Humans

A few weeks ago, I tested out my new snowshoes up at Trillium Lake, south of Mount Hood in the Oregon Cascades. The snow was perfect: fresh and powdery… but not too powdery. The snowshoes performed beautifully. It was cold, but there was no wind and the sky was clear and sunny. I had a great time tromping around the frozen lake and taking in the quiet of the winter mountains…

Read the full article →

Giant Pacific Octopus

January 10, 2011
Thumbnail image for Giant Pacific Octopus

Dwelling in the cold waters along the rocky coast of the Pacific Northwest is an otherworldly creature. It has three hearts, which pump pale blue blood through its boneless, rubbery body…

Read the full article →

Budding in Plants

December 27, 2010
Thumbnail image for Budding in Plants

Where broad-leaved, deciduous trees dominate the landscape, winter woodlands can seem like pretty bleak places. After their leaves have fallen and lie decaying on the forest floor, naked trees are like dark skeletons. They seem dead. But they are very much alive. If you look closely at the branches and twigs of winter trees you will discover subtle signs of life that can be quite beautiful…

Read the full article →

Rivers of Washington and Oregon Infographic

October 10, 2010

Big, dramatic rivers are the conduits of life in the Pacific Northwest. A river is rarely more than a stone’s throw (or skip) away from any city or recreational area in this region. The day-to-day activities of wildlife are often concentrated in and near rivers and streams. Humans, too, are highly dependent on rivers for [...]

Read the full article →