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Hi SS, Perfect, now I understand. Yes, this is a real rabbit hole... I've been wrestling with these literally for weeks. There could even be some hybrids between varieties in the mix. Some authorities describe albino plants as simply alternative colorations (and therefore the ozettensis...

Hi SS, I have Pojar and Mackinnon at my elbow as I type. I had considered the striped coralroot as a possibility (shoot, that would be 3 species in 50'...). But I am pretty sure that the weird one is not the striped coralroot. The widths of the petals and sepals of the weird one are far too...

Local diversity of coralroot orchids, Part 2 of 2. A closer look at diversity in coralroot orchids. I saw my first coralroot orchid about a month ago. It emerged as a solitary inflorescence within an inch or two of the dried remains of last year’s stem and capsules. I was actually...

Coralroot orchids, Part 1 of 2. [Heavy on very cool core plant biology.] For over a month, I’ve fallen into a rabbit hole regarding coralroot orchids. I have made eight trips to locate and photograph them along the trails of the Evergreen State College and the Ralph Munro Trail near my house...

More does and fawns. While the birth window for the local deer isn’t over yet, I suspect that most of the does have given birth to their fawns. It appears that the increase in the local mob is on the low side, one doe/fawn pair and another does with a twin fawns (with bad cases of the...

Western flycatcher. Identification of Epidonax flycatchers are always considered among the hardest birds to identify, especially in the absence of vocal cues. Merlin has identified Western wood-pewees, Hammond’s flycatchers, and Western flycatchers in my backyard. Seeing them is more of a...

They could be from the same brood, especially given their similar sizes. Were they small enough to be this year's brood? From what I can find online, females typically give birth in late July through September. But with a mild winter, the females may have mated earlier in the spring...

Wow, just wow. Amazing composure by the Knicks. Steve

I’ve been doing a deep-dive into forest-dwelling coralroot orchids lately (more later). That pursuit brings me into clearings under Douglas fir canopies. During one recent expedition, I encountered a favorite fungus, the bird-nest fungus (Nidula niveotomentosa) . For most of its life, this...

Due to their abundance, deer have carved preferred paths through my yard as they transit between the creek below my property and the upland meadows and forests above. Other mammals also use those trails, albeit far more episodically, such as coyotes, foxes, and raccoons. I haven't seen (or...

Surprisingly fast decision. Here is some more detail of the court's decision from Northwest Sportsman. Steve

Pale evening dun (see here)??? Steve

Several reports indicate that the Quinault tribe seeks to expand their "usual and accustomed" (U&A) fishing areas to include Willapa Bay, Shoalwater Bay, and south through to the lower 60 miles of the Columbia River (see here and here). They organized a "meet and confer" meeting last Friday...

And no fossil fuels required... Steve

Cute spring ducks and geese. McLane Creek Nature Trail & Billie Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR Diverted by other adventures, I’ve had time to come back to some sweet duck and goose pictures that I took a little over a month ago. We’ll start with mallards. At the main beaver pond at McLane, this...

Predatory birds: Upper Umptanum Road to the North Wenas Rd. While our primary focus was seeing bluebirds, we also had great looks at several predatory birds (and their potential targets). As we were slowly driving, I spotted a massive bird flash up from behind a line of shrubs just off the...

The Bluebird Trail, Upper Umptanum Road to the North Wenas Rd.. Last year, my wife and I discovered the amazing spring wildflowers and fauna in the eastern Cascade foothills. With a good forecast and free time, we decided to revisit the area last week. A highlight was exploring the Yakima...

You have to be that cryptic to survive the sharp eyes of great blue herons, mergansers, and large trout. Steve

Great closeup images, Coach. Steve

One of the biggest threats to kelp beds, especially giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) in Southern California is the lack of nutrients that typically accompanies a strong El Niño. While giant kelp has the potential to grow at an amazing rate (a foot or more per day), that growth rate requires...