Sunday, February 28, 2021

5 Minutes in Nature: The selectively forgetful bird

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee in Snow, Washington

When I launched the 5 Minutes in Nature project, I purposely avoided talking about specific plants or animals. This project is about finding your own connections to the natural world. I also didn’t want to suggest something that you would never see in your own area.

But today, I’m going to introduce you to the chickadee. It’s a fascinating bird. And you can find it almost everywhere. You can likely even find it now before other birds arrive for the spring.

Monday, February 15, 2021

5 Minutes in Nature: Backyard bird teamwork

Spotted Towhee in Snow, Washington

Have you ever taken the time to observe how many different types of birds use your yard? In this 5 Minutes in Nature activity, we’ll venture out to appreciate the variety of birds and see how they get along.

This post is part of the 5 Minutes in Nature project, a series of quick activities designed to help you relax and build a deeper relationship with nature — a few minutes at a time.

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Honoring those who help us see

Great Blue Herons Hunting in Edmonds Marsh, Washington

I don’t remember exactly when I met Bill Anderson, but I remember where: the Edmonds marsh. That’s where most people met Bill.

Some 150 years ago, the marsh was a thriving saltwater estuary — a valuable habitat for hundreds of different species as well as a corridor for salmon to return to their spawning grounds. It’s on its way back to that point now, one of the few such environments in the greater Seattle area.

Sunday, January 31, 2021

The Fir Island blues

Break in Storm Clouds at Dusk, Fir Island, Washington

This photograph looks like dusk at a saltwater marsh, but that’s not what it’s really about. It is my first image of 2021 and it has a lot to say.