Category: North Central Washington

Red-flowering Current (Ribes sanguineum)

Native Plants Fuel the Hummingbird Highway

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North Central Washington is on the map for migrating neotropical Rufous, Calliope, and Black-chinned hummingbirds, as they fly thousands of miles from their wintering habitats in the mountains of Western Mexico northward, as far north as southern Alaska. During migration they fly during the day, and use early mornings and late evenings to fuel up on nectar, insects, and sugar water in feeders. Abundant nectar-producing flowers on early-blooming native shrubs like Serviceberry and Currents offer critical calories that fuel long-distant flight. Continue Reading →

balsamroot

70 Days in the Life of One Balsamroot

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As I walk, I often think about this resilient and wide-spread native plant, that is found throughout the western U.S at a wide variety of elevations. You can still find fresh flower blooms on plants growing at 3000″ in mid-June in the Wenatchee Mountain while the mid-June Wenatchee Foothills plants have already shed their ripe seeds. Continue Reading →

Curious About … Blooming Balsamroot?

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Arrowleaf balsamroot is a long-lived perennial wildflower that blooms in the shrub-steppe. Many animals and insects use it for food and it is adapted to re-grown after wildfire. Continue Reading →

Photo by Bruce McCammon

Join the 12/21/22 Anna’s Hummingbird Community Science Survey

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We could use your help.  If you would like to participate in the North Central Washington hummingbird survey, the next opportunity is December 21, 2022. 

You can volunteer to be part of this community science network by sending an email to ncwahummerproject@gmail.com.

You can find background information about this survey on the hummingbird page of the North Central Washington Audubon website . Continue Reading →

Why I Support Re-introduction of Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades National Park

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The grizzly disappeared from the North Cascades on our watch, with the last verified sighting near Glacier Peak in 1996. Thankfully, biologists can successfully reintroduce grizzlies to areas where they are gone, as proven by their ongoing recovery efforts in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem in northwest Montana. Enormous swaths of high-quality habitat in remote areas are the key to success, and we have plenty in the North Cascades. The designated recovery zone covers more than 9,500 square miles and centers on the North Cascades National Park and surrounding public lands, including the Glacier Peak, Pasayten, and Sawtooth wilderness areas. Leavenworth biologist Bill Gaines has documented that this vast area has a diversity of habitats with at least 100 plant species for this apex-omnivore to eat. Continue Reading →

Long Toed Salamanders spend most of the year underground where they forage during the night and inhabit burrows that they make and that other animals make

Curious About … Long-toed Salamanders?

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Herpetologist, Torsten Watkins, introduces the lfie history of long-toed salamanders. This species is native to North Central Washington and spring is the season when adults migrate to breeding sites. Continue Reading →

Turkey vulture Photo: Peter Gay

Curious About … Arriving Turkey Vultures?

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Turkey vultures are arriving to North Central Washington from wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. Look for groups roosting in tall black cottonwood trees. Continue Reading →