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That looks great. Yak rainbows can become quite selective during BWO hatches especially if they have time to examine your fly closely. That by itself or as a dropper behind a parachute dry should be very successful. Steve

There are some data on the timing (and mechanism) of the scrub jay's range extension into the PNW. As I indicated in my post, a number of other California species, such as black phoebe, great egret, turkey vulture, Anna's hummingbirds, and red-shouldered hawks, are expanding their range north...

Ridgefield NWR, late November. Part 4, Miscellaneous birds. When birding, I’m typically using my ears as much as my eyes to locate birds. The ability of the Merlin app to identify birds by song/calls is very helpful (but it can be wildly wrong…). Hearing birds vocalizing is more restricted while...

Ridgefield NWR, late November. Part 3, Ducks and grebes. Even with hunting pressure just outside the refuge, Nisqually is a great place to view ducks up close. Yes, they are wary but the distance between you and them is often quite close. In contrast. Ridgefield can be hit or miss for observing...

Ridgefield NWR, late November. Part 2, Cranes, Herons, and shorebirds. The Auto Route at Ridgefield is a reliable site to see Sandhill Cranes in Western Washington in winter. In spring 2020 (during COVID restrictions) , one pair even nested at the refuge, but the colt does not appear to...

Ridgefield NWR, late November. Part 1, Mammals. Yes, at this point I can predict the wildlife that I am most likely to see on most trips to my familiar local wildlife sites within about 100 miles of my house. While much of the fauna overlaps between sites, some sites do have unique species...

I'm game!!! Steve

I'm sorry. I cannot reveal that at the present time as it would endanger our agents still in the field... Steve

It would tickle my biological curiosity... Steve

It looks like the blacktail poop that my local herd drops frequently in my yard. Here is an interesting article on the diversity of deep [&%&^# autocorrect. "deer"] poop from "raisins" to "clumps" like you are showing and what underlies the differences. Steve

Not for you, perhaps... ;) Steve

Common camas (Camassia quamash), a member of the lily family, is common in the remnant prairies in the South Puget Sound area. In the spring, a great place to see the blooms up close and personal is the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve near Rochester. In spring, you also zoom past dense...

Nisqually NWR, 18 November 2025. While just about all of the warblers and vireos have headed south to warmer climes, our resident tiny insectivores are still active and with fewer / no leaves to obscure then, often easier to see. They have coalesced into mixed-species feeding flocks as they...

Washington Coast, 8 November 2025. Not surprisingly on a dry weekend day, the outer dock and Fisherman’s Boardwalk at the Westport Marina were packed with folks trying the alchemy of converting chicken drumsticks into Dungeness crab. In the calm waters of the marina, common loons and Western...

McLane Creek Natural Area. Early November 2025. Cryptic biology. If there is any group that thrives in the fall, it is fungi (and “fungi-adjacent” organisms). We will start with the more traditional mushrooms and branch out into some of more unusual forms/species. [Note: some identifications...

McLane Creek Natural Area. Early November 2025. Birds: I make no apologies for posting more pictures of wood ducks from the main pond at McLane Creek. There are about a dozen woodies here. The drakes are so striking, enhanced by the reflected fall colors in the main pond. Typically, drakes...

Thank you. I now remember that you had commented on the disjunct migration timing of hens versus drakes on a previous post of mine. The image that I posted was one of two birds that stayed in close proximity. In reviewing the images that I took, the two birds looked quite similar. Steve

Interestingly, I have NEVER seen a barn owl at Nisqually. They do appear on the occasional eBird report for Nisqually and I overheard a discussion by some birders who speculated that the person posting these reports and images was entering the refuge before its opening time when the barn owl...

Nisqually NWR, 26 October 2025. Part 3 0f 3. Other birds. The Hudsonian whimbrels are not the only birds to enjoy the shore crabs that are abundant at Nisqually. This ring-billed gull found a substantial crustacean snack during its hunt. Great blue herons are fierce threats on land or on the...

Nisqually NWR, 26 October 2025. Part 2 of 3: Shorebirds (Charadriiformes). Fall marks the return of many shorebird species to Nisqually. Some species are just passing through on their way to their overwintering grounds farther south. For other species, they will stay through winter until they...